Description
Luke 2:22-40
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 Slendor
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 / Worshipers
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.
Worshipers
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 Leaders
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.
Worshipers
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 Malachi 3:1-4
Israel had fallen into despair during Malachi’s writing – they felt they had been abandoned by God. In actual fact, their minds and actions had been distorted by sin to the point where they could hardly recognize Him or appreciate His actions in their lives. God uses Malachi to tell his people to wake up and pay attention – the Lord will come suddenly, but not without warning. They are then told the arrival of the Lord may not be what they expect – He is coming to purify them, to refine them to offer acceptable worship and praise. All but what is necessary to serve God in righteousness will be removed. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “our God is a consuming fire.”
“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
