FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

---

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS Saturday, December 29, 2018 – 6:30 p.m. Sunday, December 30, 2018 – 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Divine Service 4 LSB page 203 As We Gather Simeon and Anna rejoiced when Mary and Joseph brought week-old Jesus to the temple. He was physical proof that God was keeping promises made centuries ago. Firstborn males were consecrated to God because He had spared them at the time of the exodus, and the exodus was a reminder of God’s plan for all His people. Today, that redemption continues with the transformation of our attitudes and actions. Today, the Sunday after Christmas, we contemplate God’s love, forgiveness, and peace in us, thanking God for His kept promises.

Prelude & Welcome Entrance Hymn (Please stand on last verse) “Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising” LSB 375

Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen

Confession & Absolution P: C: P: C:

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

1

P: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word and call upon Him in prayer and praise, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. C: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen. P: Rejoice! By God’s love, He gives us forgiveness as a gift, for the sake of His Son. The Holy Spirit clothes us with the very compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience that the Father expects. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. Freely you have received God’s love; freely give it to all you meet. C: Amen.

Hymn of Praise

“Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising”

5 Oh, the joy beyond expressing When by faith we grasp this blessing, And to You we come confessing That Your love has set us free.

LSB 375

6 Gracious Child, we pray, O hear us, From Your lowly manger cheer us, Gently lead us and be near us Till we join Your choir above.

Salutation and Prayer of the Day L: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. L: O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us, and in the incarnation of Your Son, You yet more wondrously restored us. Grant that we may evermore be like Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

 The Word of the Lord  Old Testament (Please be seated) 1

"The LORD brought you out”

Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15

2

The Lord said to Moses, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” 3Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place… 11“When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s. 13Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’” L: This is the Word of the Lord.

2

C: Thanks be to God.

Epistle

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”

Colossians 3:12-17

12

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. L: This is the Word of the Lord.

Hymn Verse (Please stand)

C: Thanks be to God.

“The People That in Darkness Sat”


Holy Gospel

LSB 412

“The Infant Jesus Is Dedicated at the Temple” Luke 2:22-40 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation 31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” 36And there was a 22

3

prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life T everlasting. Amen.

Hymn of the Day (Please be seated)

“Let All Together Praise Our God”

7 Your grace in lowliness revealed, Lord Jesus, we adore And praise to God the Father yield And Spirit evermore; We praise You evermore.

4

LSB 389

Sermon

“A New Year’s Resolution”

Exodus 13, Luke 2:22-40

1) Did you talk about the Christmas story with anyone this year? 6

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise… 20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand… -DEUTERONOMY 6: 6-7, 20-21

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? -ROMANS 10: 14 2) Why do you think the Church in America is declining?

10

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. -JOHN 1: 10-11 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

-HEBREWS 2: 1

3) How is the biblical story relevant to your everyday life?

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. -JOHN 15: 4 4) How do you respond to a person who does not want to hear the gospel?

9

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. -ROMANS 12: 9-14 Listen to past sermons or share them with a friend at clcs.org/sermons.

5

Pastoral Greeting & Rite of Fellowship (Welcome! Please add your name to the fellowship pad.)

Gathering of Offerings (As an act of worship and thanksgiving, we offer to God what He has first given to us: the first and best of our lives, time, talents and financial gifts. If you would like to contribute electronically, either onetime or ongoing gifts, please use www.clcs.org/donate or the QR code here.)

Prayer of the Church (Please stand) P: Holy and beloved, let us use the encouragement of the Epistle to guide our prayers to God for ourselves, the Church around the world, and all people in their various needs. Paul writes, “Put on compassionate hearts”: L: Protect and guide all who serve in healing professions, O Lord. Give them compassion so that they see their patients as Your beloved children. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “Put on kindness”: L: Guide and strengthen all who teach and care for the vulnerable: the homeless, the poor, children, senior citizens, or anyone else. Give them wisdom to serve in kindness and love. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “Put on humility”: L: Enable those who fill positions of authority here and around the world to rule with justice and humility as they serve You and the people around them. Give wisdom for making, administering, and adjudicating laws. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “Put on meekness”: L: Protect and guide those who serve in law enforcement at home and those armed forces who are deployed abroad, that they might be kept safe from harm. Enable them to do their duty, making appropriate decisions at all times. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “Put on patience”: L: Reveal opportunities for the spread of the Gospel here and around the world. Grant patience to clergy and lay leaders alike. Strengthen us all by Your Spirit, making us aware of Your gracious presence in our lives today. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “bearing with one another, and… forgiving one another.” L: Heavenly Father, we remember before You those who are not at peace, whether because of illness, conflict, loss, or sadness. [We pray for . . .]. In Your great love, renew the joy of Your people as fits Your gracious plans for them. In peace, let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: “Above all these put on love.” L: Lord, stir up your Love in us, so that we might be ambassadors your mercy. Repair the divisions in your Church and establish the unity which the Body of Christ needs in order to function properly. Let us pray to the Lord. C: Lord, have mercy.

6

P: Into Your hands, loving Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Amen. P: Paul concludes, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” and Jesus said, “If your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” The peace of the Lord be with you all. C: And also with you. P: In Christmas joy, let us share God’s peace with one another. (We greet one another, sharing the peace which God first brought to the world in Christ.)

Lord's Prayer

LSB 209

P: Hear us, O Lord, as we pray in Jesus’ name and as He has taught us: C: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Holy Communion – Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. He says: “Come, for those who eat this bread and drink this cup will never hunger or thirst, but be raised up on the Last Day” (John 6). Whoever receives the Lord’s Supper must be a believer in Christ (Hebrews 11:6); be sorry for their sins (Proverbs 28:13); believe that Christ offers His body and blood with the bread and wine (1 Corinthians 10:16); and be willing to forgive those who have sinned against you (Matthew 6:1415). Come with faith in His promises to you and His presence in this holy meal. Consecrated gluten-free wafers are available on the stand at the front of the center aisle. Worshippers with a gluten allergy may pick up a sealed packet on their way to the communion rail.

 Service of Holy Communion  Preface P: P: P: P:

LSB 208

The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for in the mystery of the Word made flesh You have given us a new revelation of Your glory that, seeing You in the person of Your Son, we may know and love those things which are not seen. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

Sanctus

“Heavenly Hosts in Ceaseless Worship”

1 Heav’nly hosts in ceaseless worship, “Holy, holy, holy” cry; “He who is, who was and will be, God Almighty, Lord Most High.” Praise and honor, pow’r and glory, Be to Him who reigns alone! We, with all His hands have fashioned, Fall before the Father’s throne.

7

Tune LSB 803

The Words of Institution & the Peace of the Lord P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.

Agnus Dei

“Heavenly Hosts in Ceaseless Worship”

Tune LSB 803

2 All creation, all redemption, Join to sing the Savior’s worth; Lamb of God, whose blood has bought us, Kings and priests, to reign on earth. Wealth and wisdom, pow’r and glory, Honor, might, dominion, praise, Now be His from all His creatures, And to everlasting days! The Lord’s Supper is received in continuous lines today. Ushers will guide you forward from the back of the sanctuary in two lines using the Center Aisle. Two stations for bread and wine are available to the right and left. A glass bowl is available to deposit your individual cups. Please feel free to go to the communion rail for private devotion. You may return to your seat whenever you desire. Those not wishing to go to the rail may continue in your line and return to your seat. Consecrated gluten-free wafers are available in the center aisle stand on your way to communion.

Distribution Hymn (Please be seated)

“Of the Father's Love Begotten”

8

LSB 384

Distribution Hymn

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

1 Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With the_angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Refrain 2 Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the_incarnate Deity! Pleased as Man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Refrain

Distribution Hymn

LSB 380

Refrain Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

3 Hail, the heav’n-born Prince of Peace! Hail, the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Refrain

“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”

LSB 393

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. -- 1 Corinthians 10:17 9

Nunc Dimittis (Please stand)

“Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace”

LSB 937

Communion Blessing Post-Communion Prayer L: Let us pray. O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in lovingkindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

Benediction P: Let us bless the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace. C: Amen.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -- Colossians 3:17 10

Sending Hymn

“Go Tell It on the Mountain”

LSB 388

Join us for a special New Year’s Eve worship service Mon., Dec. 31st 7:00 p.m.

11