Description
Luke 2:22-32-(33-40)
In this passage we see Jesus at his first visit to the temple as Mary and Joseph carry out the Jewish law regarding the birth of their first son. While they are faithfully bringing Jesus to the temple in a routine ritual, God had already prepared a special meeting to take place that would take this event from customary to supernatural. The Holy Spirit had begun to orchestrate this day many years ago with a promise to a righteous and devout man, Simeon. And unlike many of us, he did not lose his hope after waiting for years and years to see this promise fulfilled; and on the day of this meeting, he follows the leading of the Holy Spirit and goes to the temple to finally meet his Messiah. But Simeon is not the only person who recognizes Jesus as more than just a baby being brought to fulfill a ritual – a prophet by the name of Anna also joins the celebration by proclaiming that God was fulfilling his promise to redeem His people. No matter how long it takes, or how random the timing may seem, God always fulfills His promises – according to His timing and His will. If we will wait on Him, trust His timing, and follow His leading, we too will find ourselves experiencing how the presence of Jesus Christ transforms the ordinary to the extraordinary.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Time of Praise and Worship
O, Come, All Ye Faithful
John Francis Wade, ©several publishers
Available on www.PraiseCharts.com, www.LifewayWorship.com, www.MusicNotes.com
He Made A Way In A Manger w/ Away In A Manger
Lee Black & Steve Merkel, ©2004 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music
Born That We May Have Life
Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, & Matt Maher, © 2009 sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) spiritandsong.com (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Wondrously Made Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
[Traditional Options]
O Come, All Ye Faithful
BH 75 81; BH 91 89; CH 249; CHH 148; EH 83; ELW 283; HWC 145; HPW 20; HFG 193; HLC 103; HGP 78; HSP 332; LBW 45; LSB 379; LW 41; NCH 135; PH 41; RH 133; RS 499; STTL 175; WC 173; UMH 234; WAR 182; WHM 133; WIS 178
This is the Day the Lord Has Made
BH 75 68; BH 91 358, 359; CH 209; CHH 286; EH 50; HWC 590; LSB 903; LW 200; NCH 84; PH 230; RH 705; STTL 26; WC 801; UMH 657, 658; WAR 652
Arise and Shine in Splendor
LSB 396; LW 85
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Loving and gracious God, we ask for your blessing on our service today. Open our hearts and eyes to be able to see what a gift your presence is. May we burn with the anticipation of what you will do in our midst today.
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Father, if we are completely honest with you, we must admit that we are at times tired of waiting. Waiting is hard, painful, exhausting. But we know that learning to wait well is a beautiful, sanctifying, hope-giving thing. So, help us wait well.
Worshipers
Help us cling to you as we wait. Please Lord, let your peace rule in our hearts. Help us live by your grace each day of this waiting. And help us bring you glory as we wait expectantly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
O Holy God, we confess that we have sinned against you. In the moment of our sinning, we have loved our sin more than You. We have often forgotten the price you paid to set us free from sin and death.
Worshiper
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus Christ
humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Pastor / Worship Leader
He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. He became a curse for us in order to redeem us from the curse of the law. Through His death on the cross, He has reconciled us to God and brought us peace.
Worshiper
Since He has taken our sin upon Himself, pray that we, through the power of His Spirit, might die
to sin and live to righteousness. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading 1 Samuel 1:21-28
The LORD has answered Hannah’s prayer and granted her a son. Hannah names him Samuel and dedicates him in the temple as one who belongs in service to the LORD.
21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.” 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
