Christmas is Hope: Glory to God

SERVICE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY

Prelude

Greeting

Greetings, favored ones, the Lord is with you.

His name is Immanuel, God with us.

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!

Hymn: "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
[PsH 340, PH 41-42, RL 195, TH 208]

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-7

Hymn: "Silent Night! Holy Night!"
[PsH 344, PH 60, RL 216, TH 210]

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:8-9

Hymn: "Angels from the Realms of Glory"
[PsH 354, PH 22, RL 229, TH 218]

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:10-11 in Greek, Dutch, Indonesian, German, Tagalog, Latin, Norwegian, French, Spanish, Japanese, and English

Hymn: "Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come"
[PsH 337, PH 4Q RL 198, TH 195]

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:12-14

Hymn: "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!"
[PsH 345, PH 31-32, RL 19ft TH 203]

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:15-20

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon

Hymn: "Angels We Have Heard on High"
[PsH 347 PH 23, RL 206, TH 214]

Congregational Prayer

Offering

Parting Testimony: Philippians 2:5-11 (read or sung as found in PsH 227)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the  earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen!

Parting Hymn: "Go, Tell It on the Mountain"
[PsH 356, PH 29 RL 224, TH 224]

The Benediction, and Threefold Amen

Postlude

SERVICE FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

Prelude

A Call to Praise: "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
[PsH 340, PH 4142, RL 195, TH 208]

Greeting

Let us gather in the memory that God has visited us in Christ.

Yes, the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of a ather's only son, full of grace and truth.

Let us hold fast to the faith that brings us salvation.

The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Hymn: "Good Christian Friends, Rejoice"
[PsH 355, PH 28, RL 218, TH 207]

Confession and Forgiveness

Scripture Reading: Titus 2:11-14

Prayer:

God of grace, while the songs of joy still fill our hearts, give us your Spirit so that the Good News will take hold in our lives.

Without your Spirit, the daily news tends to overcome the Good News. When we sin, forgive us, and help us by the power of your Spirit to witness to the Good News by which we are saved.

Empower us for the good life that fits the Good News in which we rejoice. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: John 3:16

Hymn: "That Boy-Child of Mary"
[PsH 352, PH 55]

Hymn: "Joy to the World! Tlie Lord Is Come!"
IPsH 337, PH 40, RL 198, TH 195]

The Word of God

Prayer for Light

Scripture Lessons:

Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 148: "Sing Praise to the Lord"
[PsH 466, PH 256, RL 143, TH 36]

Galatians 4:4-7
Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

Offerings of Love

Hymn: "Amen"
[PsH 365, PH 299]

The Apostles' Creed

Prayers

Gifts

Hymn: "Go, Tell It on the Mountain"
[PsH 356, PH 29 RL 224, TH 224]

Benediction and Threefold Amen

Postlude

Excerpt

About the cover...

Christmas brings the great surprise: God came down; the Word became flesh; Christ lived among us. He gave up perfection to take on our human flesh. God enters our lives and makes them whole like the circle.

The bulletins and banner were d Chris Stoffel Overvoorde as published in Reformed Worship 29 (Fall, 1993).

Roger Van Harn was a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church.

 

Reformed Worship 29 © September 1993 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.