The traditional Christian church calendar comprises seasons with the season of Christmas following the Advent season. Christmas is a short twelve days dedicated to celebrating the birth of the human who taught the essence of the relationship between humans and their relationship to God. He lived modeling those relationships.
Brief Order For Confession and Forgiveness
Music to accompany this worship is on Spotify at:
Entrance Hymn
From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
Kyrie
Hymn of Praise
Prayer of the Day
All-powerful and unseen God, the coming of your light into our world has brightened weary hearts with peace. Call us out of darkness, and empower us to proclaim the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
The First Lesson
Isaiah 62:6-12
6. Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest,
7. and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it renowned throughout the earth.
8. The LORD has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine for which you have labored;
9. but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the LORD, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts.
10. Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples.
11. The LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, “See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”
12. They shall be called, “The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD”; and you shall be called, “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”
Psalm
Psalm 97 (11)
1. The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
2. Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3. Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side.
4. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
5. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
6. The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.
7. All worshipers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before him.
8. Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O God.
9. For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
10. The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
11. Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12. Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
The Second Lesson
Titus 3:4-7
4. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5. he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
6. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7. so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and a- | dore the Lord.
For today a great light has come up- | on the earth. Alleluia.
The Gospel
Luke 2:(1-7) 8-20
1. In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
2. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3. All went to their own towns to be registered.
4. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
5. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
6. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
7. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
8. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9. Then an angel of the Lord stood before 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; for see– I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
11. to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
12. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
15. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16. So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger.
17. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child;
18. and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.
19. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The Sermon
Do not be afraid. The good news is here.
The Hymn of the Day
Of the Father’s Love Begotten
The Creed
The Peace
The Lord’s Prayer
Christmas Hymns
What Child is This
Angels We Have Heard on High
All Praise to Thee, Eternal God
Communal Blessing
Dismissal
The Bible readings are from the New Revised Standard Version. I wish to thank the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA, and its predecessor bodies for all their teaching throughout the years. I’ve used the Lectionary published on the ELCA website at elca.org in preparation of this worship.