Description
Colossians 3:12–17
This first Sunday after the celebration of Christmas is a great one to answer the question, “Jesus has come, now what?” Our Epistle lesson encourages us to know and live out the change that has been brought about by Jesus Christ being with us. It’s also a great reminder that after the second coming we will be made perfect once again in the new creation and even now, today, after the first coming of Jesus, we are made new. May you enjoy that God has blessed us by His merciful answer to the prayer: “Come Lord Jesus!”
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]
Time of Praise and Worship
Shine
Matt Redman, © 2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Angels We Have Heard On High
Edward Shippen Barnes & James Chadwick, ©Public Domain
Rejoice!
Graham Kendrick, ©1983 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
O Little Town of Bethlehem
BH 75 85; BH 91 86; CH 250; CHH 144; EH 78,79; ELW 279; HWC 141; HFG 178; HLC 121; HGP 71; HSP 338; LBW 41; LSB 361; LW 59,60; NCH 133; PH 43,44; RH 128; RS 520; STTL 169; WC 154,155; UMH 230; WAR 180; WHM 143; WIS 174
Jesus Came, The Heavens Adoring
LSB 353; WC 194
Let Our Gladness Have No End
ELW 291; LBW 57; LSB 381; LW 69
Invocation
Pastor Rejoicing in the Lord we begin our worship together:
ALL In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Opening Litany
Pastor Jesus has been born into the world!
ALL Amen! Praise the Lord!
Pastor Jesus humbled Himself even to death for us.
ALL Amen! Praise the Lord!
Pastor Jesus has power over death and lives!
ALL Amen! Praise the Lord!
Pastor Lord Jesus include us in Your resurrection that we may forever live with You,
ALL Amen! Praise the Lord!. Amen!
Time of Greeting
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor We have a God who keeps His promises! He came into the world that He might save it, and so He did by the cross. We are free as His people! Yet we so often forget this and bind ourselves in sin and darkness. Let us call upon the Lord and confess our sins, trusting that He will forgive us.
Silence for reflection
Pastor Lord Jesus Christ,
ALL We confess that we have not acted as Your beloved people. We have not loved others as You have loved us. We have often, even in the midst of celebrating Christmas, forgotten You and turned. Forgive us Lord. We desire to praise You and live for You. We call upon Your great love and mercy that You have shown us. Amen.
Pastor Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. He has come into the world to save us from our sins, and by our baptisms we are forever connected to Him. On account of Your confession I announce the grace of God to all of you and forgive you your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
ALL Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Exodus 13:1–3a, 11–15
As an act of worship, the Israelites are to consecrate their firstborn to the Lord. This brings us back even as far as Cain and Abel, that the first fruits are best given to the Lord out of thankfulness and praise.
1The Lord said to Moses, 2“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. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 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.’”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
