The Nativity of Our Lord

Christmas Day December 25, 2022

Today’s Theme for Worship A Savior Born to Dwell among Us. Unlike the Christmas Eve shepherds, we cannot see Christ with our eyes, yet still he dwells among us, for he is the Word made flesh.

‘Hymn: 354 O Come, All Ye Faithful

1 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him, born the King of angels: (Refrain)

Ref O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!

2 God from true God, and Light from Light eternal,
born of a virgin, to earth he comes!
Only-begotten Son of God the Father: (Refrain)

3 Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest: (Refrain)

4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing: (Refrain)

Text: tr. Frederick Oakeley, 1802–1880, alt.; John F. Wade, c. 1711–1786
Text: Public domain

In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Confession

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.

Holy God, gracious Father,
I am sinful by nature
and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
I have not loved you with my whole heart;
I have not loved others as I should.
I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
with his innocent suffering and death.
Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Hymn: 301 Savior of the Nations, Come

1 Savior of the nations, come;
Virgin’s Son, make here your home.
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
that the Lord chose such a birth.

2 Not by human flesh and blood,
by the Spirit of our God
was the Word of God made flesh,
woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

3 Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
of the virgin undefiled,
though by all the world disowned,
yet to be in heav’n enthroned!

4 From the Father’s throne he came
and ascended to the same,
captive leading death and hell.
High the song of triumph swell!

5 Praise to God the Father sing,
praise to God the Son, our King,
praise to God the Spirit be
ever and eternally.

Text: tr. William M. Reynolds, 1812–1876, alt.; German version, Martin Luther, 1483–1546, abr.; Ambrose of Milan, 340–397, abr.
Text: Public domain

The Word

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray.

Almighty God, grant that the birth of your only Son in the flesh may set us free from our old bondage under the yoke of sin; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 52:7–10

⁷How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of a herald,

who announces peace and preaches good news.

He announces salvation and says to Zion, “Your God is king!”

⁸The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voices.

Together they shout for joy,

because with both eyes they will see it

when the Lord returns to Zion.

⁹Break out, shout for joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem,

because the Lord is comforting his people.

He is redeeming Jerusalem.

¹⁰The Lord lays bare his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations,

and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation from our God.

Psalm: Hymn 353 Joy to the World

1 Joy to the world, the LORD is come!
Let earth receive her King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.

Text: Isaac Watts, alt.
Text: Public domain

Second Reading: Hebrews 1:1–9

In the past, God spoke to our forefathers by the prophets at many times and in many ways. ²In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. ³The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the divine nature. He sustains all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

⁴The Son became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ⁵For to which of the angels did God ever say:

You are my Son. Today I have begotten you?

And again:

I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.

⁶And again, when he brought his firstborn into the world, he said:

Let all God’s angels worship him.

⁷About the angels he says:

He makes his messengers winds and his ministers flaming fire.

⁸But about the Son he says:

God, your throne is forever and ever,

and the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.

⁹You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy beyond your companions.

Hymn: 314 O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide

1 O Savior, rend the heavens wide;
come down, come down with mighty stride.
Unlock the gates, the doors break down;
unbar the way to heaven’s crown.

2 O Morning Star, O radiant Dawn,
when will we sing your morning song?
Come, Son of God! Without your light
we grope in dread and gloom of night.

3 Sin’s dreadful doom upon us lies;
grim death looms fierce before our eyes.
O Come lead us with mighty hand
from exile to our promised land.

4 There shall we all our praises bring
and sing to you, our Savior-King;
there shall we laud you and adore
forever and forevermore.

Text: tr. Martin L. Seltz, 1909–1967, alt.; Friedrich von Spee, 1591–1635, abr.
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

Gospel: John 1:1–14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. ⁵The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so that everyone would believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.

⁹The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. ¹³They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ!

Hymn of the Day: 358 Of the Father’s Love Begotten

1 Of the Father’s love begotten
ere the worlds began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega,
he the source, the ending he,
of the things that are, that have been,
and that future years shall see
evermore and evermore.

2 Oh, that birth forever blessèd
when the virgin, full of grace,
by the Holy Ghost conceiving,
bore the Savior of our race,
and the babe, the world’s Redeemer,
first revealed his sacred face
evermore and evermore.

3 This is he whom seers and sages
sang of old with one accord,
whom the voices of the prophets
promised in their faithful word.
Now he shines, the long-expected;
let creation praise its Lord
evermore and evermore.

4 Let the heights of heav’n adore him,
angel hosts his praises sing,
pow’rs, dominions bow before him
and extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent,
ev’ry voice in concert ring
evermore and evermore.

5 Christ, to thee, with God the Father,
and, O Holy Ghost, to thee
hymn and chant and high thanksgiving
and unending praises be,
honor, glory, and dominion
and eternal victory
evermore and evermore.

Text: Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, 348–c. 413, abr.; (sts. 1–4): tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–1866, alt.; (st. 5): tr. Henry W. Baker, 1821–1877, alt.
Text: Public domain

Sermon

Hymn 362 Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising

1 Come, your hearts and voices raising,
Christ the Lord with gladness praising;
loudly sing his love amazing,
worthy folk of Christendom.

2 Christ, from heav’n to us descending
and in love our race befriending,
in our need his help extending,
saved us from the wily foe.

3 Jacob’s Star in all its splendor
beams with comfort sweet and tender,
forcing Satan to surrender,
breaking all the pow’rs of hell.

4 From the bondage that oppressed us,
from sin’s fetters that possessed us,
from the grief that sore distressed us,
we, the captives, now are free.

5 Oh, the joy beyond expressing
when by faith we grasp this blessing,
when, O Christ, we come addressing
thanks to you and highest praise!

6 Gracious Child, in mercy hear us,
from your lowly manger cheer us,
gently lead us and be near us
till we join th’‿angelic choir.

Text: tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.; Paul Gerhardt, 1607–1676, abr.
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 703297

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.

Prayer of the Church

Offering

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Hymn: 350 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

1 Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’‿angelic host proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!” (Refrain)

Ref Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

2 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 th’‿incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel! (Refrain)

3 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 man no more may die,
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth. (Refrain)

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–1788, alt.
Text: Public domain

Prayer

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 forever. Amen.

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and T give you peace.

Amen.

Hymn: 361 Go, Tell It on the Mountain

Ref Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills, and ev’rywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.

1 While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light. (Refrain)

2 The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth. (Refrain)

3 Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation
that blessèd Christmas morn. (Refrain)

Text: John W. Work II, 1873–1925, verses, alt.; African American spiritual, refrain
Text: Public domain

Acknowledgments

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