Description
Luke 2:22-40
Simeon, righteous and devout, and Anna, widowed and aged, have been waiting. Simeon has been waiting to see the Messiah and knows he will not die until then. The Messiah shows up, in the arms of His mother. Simeon takes the child in his own arms and prophesies and blesses them. Mary and Joseph can only marvel. Anna, a prophet herself, worships, fasts, and prays continuously. She also meets the family and praises God; she speaks to all who would listen about who this child is.
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
Angels (Glory To God)
Jonathan Smith | Phil Wickham, © 2024 Be Essential Songs; Cashagamble Jet Music; Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs
Noel
Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, Matt Redman © 2015 Alletrop Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) S. D. G. Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Said And Done Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Worship Together Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
O Worship The King
Chris Tomlin, Johann Michael Haydn, & Robert Grant, ©2004 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Joy To The World
BH 75 88; BH 91 87; CH 270; CHH 143; EH 100; ELW 267; HWC 125; HPW 22; HFG 171; HLC 120; HGP 80; HSP 331; LBW 39; LSB 387; LW 53; NCH 132; PH 40; RH 118; RS 524; STTL 173; WC 146; UMH 246; WAR 179; WHM 135; WIS 172
Let All Together Praise Our God
ELW 287; LBW 47; LSB 389; LW 44
No Temple Now, No Gift of Price
HS 98 861; LSB 530
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
Worshipers
Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy. May the praise of God be in their mouths.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre.
Worshipers
And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, the people close to his heart.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Worshipers
How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Pastor / Worship Leader
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Heavenly father, we praise and adore you for breaking into the darkness of this world with the glorious light of your presence. A light which made your love for the world visible in the babe born in Bethlehem—
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. A light which guided those gift-bearing travelers from afar to find and worship the Christ-child. A light which leads us to you, now revealed in Jesus Christ. We pray that you will accept our worship for it arises from hearts and minds in awe over the enormity of your gift to us of pure love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.
Worshipers
Our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and full of unfailing love.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds—they haunt me day and night.
Worshipers
God will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Worshipers
God has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Pastor / Worship Leader
The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Our God is merciful and gracious.
Worshipers
For the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant; those who obey his commandments. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Amen!
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15
The Book of Exodus records the law, given by the Lord, with regards to the consecration (and sacrifice) of firstborn males. This law would be followed thousands of years later by Joseph and Mary themselves, with regards to Jesus. The firstborn male belongs to the Lord. It is a reminder of the Lord bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, out of slavery to Pharaoh.
The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” 3 Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. 11 “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons. 14 “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’
