Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all you nations rise, join the triumph of the skies;
With th’angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Chorus: Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
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 us to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Chorus.
Hail, the heav’nly 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 we no more may die,
Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth. Chorus.
In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope, without light
‘Til from Heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfill the law and prophets
To a virgin came the word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt CHORUS
CHORUS: Praise the Father, praise the Son
Praise the Spirit, three in one
God of glory, Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings
To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross
For even in your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake you died CHORUS
And the morning that You rose
All of Heaven held its breath
‘Til that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death
And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored
And the church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel, shall not faint
By His blood and in His name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me CHORUS
Chorus: Surely it is God who saves me.
I will trust in Him and not be afraid,
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense
And He will be my Saviour.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
From the springs of salvation,
And on that day you shall say give thanks to the Lord
And call upon His name. Chorus.
Make His deeds known among the peoples.
See that they remember that His name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord for He has done great things
And this is known in all the world. Chorus.
Cry aloud inhabitants of Zion! Ring out your joy!
For the great One in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel. Chorus.
Chorus Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere;
Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
Behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. Chorus.
The shepherds feared and trembled when lo, above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. Chorus.
Down in a lowly manger, the humble Christ was born;
And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. Chorus.
9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12 Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
13 I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim.
I will rouse your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and make you like a warrior’s sword.
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white
horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and
wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many
crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he
himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word
of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses
and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a
sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with
an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God
Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to
all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of
God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of
horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and
small.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies
gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his
army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had
performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those
who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of
them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest were
killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and
all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should
be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took
place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their
own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to
Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house
and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to
be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the
time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was
no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping
watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and
the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the
angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause
great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been
born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will
find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that
has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who
was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it
were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up
all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which
were just as they had been told.
INVOCATION
Pastor: Almighty God, before whose presence the angels veil their faces, with
reverence and love we acknowledge Your glory and worship You – the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, eternal Trinity.
Congregation: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
P: O holy and most merciful Father, we confess that from birth our sinful
nature has made us unfit to stand before You. What is more, we have broken
Your law repeatedly in our thoughts, words, and actions. So often we do the
evil You forbid and fail to do the good You command. You know our hearts
and our lives, Lord. We are guilty and deserve only to be condemned. But at
Your gracious Word we come to You, and plead, "God have mercy on me, a
sinner!"
C: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash
away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my
transgressions and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only
have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight. Hide Your face from
my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
P: The Lord, our gracious Father, has forgiven all your sins through the life
and death of His one and only Son, Jesus the Christ. With His resurrection
from death He has given you the sure hope of everlasting life. He who
believes and is baptized shall be saved.
So go now and leave the life of sin and produce fruit in keeping with
repentance. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good
deeds and praise your Father in heaven!
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see!
The Lord has promised good to me; His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.
GOD SPEAKS
NOTE: After each reading…
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM 93
P: The Lord reigns,
C: He is robed in majesty
P: The Lord is robed in majesty
C: And armed with strength.
P: Indeed, the world is established,
C: Firm and secure.
P: Your throne was established long time ago;
C: You are from all eternity.
P: The seas have lifted up, Lord.
C: The seas have lifted up their voice;
P: The seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
C: Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
P: Mightier than the breakers of the sea -
C: The Lord on high is mighty.
P: Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
C: Holiness adorns your house for endless days.
ALL: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it
was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever.
Amen.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 is
seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there 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 everlasting. Amen.
TIME OF PRAYER
I must tell Jesus all of my trials. I cannot bear these burdens alone.
In my distress He kindly will help me. He ever loves and cares for His own.
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus. I cannot bear my burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus. Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
PRAYER
THE LORD’S PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your
name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive
those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours
now and ever. Amen.
(Our prayer team is always ready to go to the throne of the Father for you.
For prayer chain requests, email prayer@livinghopereunion.church.
For confidential prayers, call or text Maria Hasten 720-243-0228.)
I must tell Jesus all of my troubles. He is a kind, compassionate friend.
If I but ask Him, He will deliver; Make of my troubles quickly an end.
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus. I cannot bear my burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus. Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.
BENEDICTION
P: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.
Amen. Amen. Amen.