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worship as communal exchange | 4th Sunday of Advent – Love
called to come in
God comes near and calls his people out of the world, and takes hold of us and brings us into the community of Himself.SONG: O Come All Ye Faithful
Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold him Born the king of angels
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God In the highest
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus, to thee be glory given
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Oh, come let us adore him
Christ, the Lord
we hear | 1 John 2, Psalm 107:1-2
(leader) What is the love we celebrate in advent?
(all) Not that we loved God, but that He loved us. In love for us, Christ was born so that he might die for us.
(leader) So come, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
(all) For his steadfast love endures forever!
(leader) Let the redeemed and righteous of the Lord say so!
(all) For his steadfast love endures forever!
we respond | SONG: You Alone Can Satisfy
I have bowed at the altar
Of the world and its lies
Now I long to return to you
You alone can satisfy
I have wasted affections
On the things you despise
Now I long to return to you
You alone can satisfy
My bread of life
You’re my provider
You fill my soul with living water
Beneath your wing
There is a shelter where I hide
You alone can satisfy
There’s no fortune or pleasure
That this world can provide
They have failed and they always will
You alone can satisfy
You’re the treasure that I’ve found
You’re the meaning of life
You’re my deepest desires fulfilled
You alone can satisfy
My bread of life
You’re my provider
You fill my soul with living water
Beneath your wing
There is a shelter where I hide
My bread of life
You’re my provider
You fill my soul with living water
Beneath your wing
There is a shelter where I hide
You alone can satisfy
Advent reading from John 13:34-35 and lighting of the LOVE candle
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
confessing our sin
God the Spirit reminds us that God the Father has saved us through the righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ the Son – and in faith we rest on his gracious interest to renew us yet again.we hear | 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 1 John 1:15
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
we confess | from Valley of Vision Prayers
O Lover of the loveless, it is thy will that I should love thee with heart, soul, mind, strength, and my neighbor as myself. But I am not sufficient for these things. There is by nature no pure love in my soul; every affection in me is turned from thee. I am bound, as a slave to lust, and I cannot love thee, lovely as thou art, until thou set me free! By grace I am that freeman and long to serve and to fully love thee, for I believe that through Jesus I am redeemed and my sins are forgiven. Spirit of love, make me like the loving Jesus; give me his benevolent temper, his beneficent actions, that I may shine before men to thy glory. Amen.
we rest | SONG: This is Love
Teach us how to love
Teach us how to give and to receive real love
For everyone who loves
is born of God and knows God
Teach us of Your grace
Teach us how to give and to receive true grace
Pour it into us
Pour it out among us
God’s own Son, our salvation
Love has come
for every nation of the world
And this is love, amazing love
Not that we loved You
but that You loved us
And this is grace
Magnificent, redeeming grace
Joining us in flesh
and washing us in blood
declaration | 1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
consecrated by the Word
God declares the finished gospel of his Son, and continues his powerful, internal work of change/consecration by his Spirit.sermon | The Missions Strategy of the Religious • Matthew 23:13, 15 | Bruce Finn
we respond | SONG: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Come Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s Strength and Consolation
Hope of all the saints Thou art
Dear Desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Joy to those who long to see thee
Dayspring from on high appear
come thou promised Rod of Jesse
of thy birth we long to hear
O’er the hills the angels singing
news glad tidings of a birth
Go to him your praises bringing
Christ the Lord has come to earth
Come, to earth to taste our sadness
he whose glories knew no end
by his life he brings us gladness
our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend
Leaving riches without number
born within a cattle stall
this the everlasting wonder
Christ was born the Lord of all
Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child, and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy precious kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne
SONG: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my pardon, this I see
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
For my cleansing this my plea
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Nothing can for sin atone
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Naught of good that I have done
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my hope and peace
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
This is all my righteousness
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Now by this I’ll overcome
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Now by this I’ll reach my home
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Glory! Glory! This I sing
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
All my praise for this I bring
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
compelled to go out
God blesses us and charges us go out and extend his kingdom into the broken world around us, making disciples of all nations
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