Third Sunday of Advent
December 11, 2022
The Rev. Joshua Heimbuck, Pastor
Advent Theme of the Day: Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Son of Solomon. And what does Solomon teach us? It's easy as pie to begin. It’s tougher than nails to finish.
PRELUDE Prelude Rondeau Carol — By Carson Cooman
Ida Martin, Piano
SONG Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen
Opening Sentences Psalm 100; 118:24
P This is the day that the Lord has made;
C Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
P Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
C Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!
P Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
C Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!
P Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
C For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.
Confession and Absolution
P Let us now make confession of our sins to God, our heavenly Father.
C Merciful Father, our Lord and King, we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. We have left undone those things we ought to have done; we have done those things we ought not to have done. We have not always made Your kingdom of first importance in our lives. We sincerely repent of our sins and humbly ask Your grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. By the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, lead us to change what is sinful in our lives that each day we may grow in righteousness and godly living to the glory of Your holy name.
P God is gracious and forgiving. He shows His kingly power in ways that are merciful. To each of us, our Lord says, “Fear not!” and promises pardon, life, and salvation. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, I announce to you the forgiveness of all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. As you believe, so may it be.
C Amen
Salutation
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
Prayer of the Day
P Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen
During the singing of the hymn, three candles on the Advent wreath are lighted.
SONG Light the Candle
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 35:1–10
The prophet describes the return from the Babylonian captivity as a joyous procession to Zion. God’s coming reign will bring a renewal of creation in which health and wholeness will be restored. There is no need for fear, for God is coming to save.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Epistle James 5:7–11
In anticipation of the Lord’s coming, Christians are called upon to cultivate patience rather than discontent.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
L This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
SPECIAL MUSIC Bethlehem: An Advent Reflection — By Brian Gibson
Ida Martin, Piano
Holy Gospel Matthew 11:2–15
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eleventh chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
John the Baptist expects the Messiah to bring God’s judgment upon the earth (Matt. 3:11-12). From a prison cell, he wonders whether Jesus is the one who will do this. Jesus’ response indicates that God’s reign is indeed being fulfilled already through healing and restoration.
When John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
SONG The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns
Sermon “Who is Jesus?”
“Jesus is the Son of Solomon” — Pr. Josh Text: Matthew 1:6
Creed The Third Article
P The Third Sunday in Advent is a joy-filled Sunday in which we can thank God for His gracious plan for our salvation and for the Holy Spirit, who guides our lives of faith and joins us together in the community of the Church. We speak the words of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed with joyful confidence:
C 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
P What does this mean?
C I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.
Offering
Offertory Prayer
Eternal God,
you make the desert bloom
and send springs of water to thirsty ground.
Receive these simple gifts of bread, wine, and money,
and make us messengers of your mercy and love
for all in need of your healing and justice.
We ask this through Christ our Savior.
Amen
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
SACRAMENT
Preface
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My ☩ body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My ☩ blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Proclamation of Christ
P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
P O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven;
hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
For thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen
Pax Domini
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen
Distribution Hymn
SONG Hail to the Lord’s Anointed
Post-Communion Thanksgiving
P Let us pray.
Blessed are You, heavenly Father and King eternal, for You have once again fed and nourished us at Your Table through the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Strengthen us through this gracious Meal that we may live joyfully and daily show forth Your love through acts of mercy. Support us in this life and bring us at last to the unending feast in Your eternal kingdom, where You live and reign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen
Benediction
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace and may you be a blessing to others!
C Amen
SONG Hark the Glad Sound
ANNOUNCEMENTS
POSTLUDE
+ The Worship Is Over … Let the Service Begin! +
Advent and Christmas at a Glance
4th Sunday of Advent, December 18th
- Christ the King Sunday
- Mite Box Sunday
- Advent Worship and Holy Communion 10:00 am
- Coffee/Fellowship Hors d’oeuvres 11:00 am
[Bring your favorite or ethnic Hors d’oeuvre to share]
ChristMass Eve, December 24th
- Candelight Service of Lessons and Carols with
Holy Communion 7:00 pm
ChristMass Day, December 25th
- No worship service.
First Sunday after ChristMass, January 1st
- Worship and Holy Communion 10:00 am
Be sure to get your copy…
- Adult and Children’s Advent Devotional Booklets
- December Grace Connections Newsletter
- Lutheran Women’s Quarterly Magazine
- January Portal’s of Prayer
Copies can be found on the table in the back of the Sanctuary
or on the table in the main entry way.
Grace Notes
THE PRESENCE of CHRIST is celebrated in The Lord’s Supper. He comes to us in a real and present way with his life-giving body and blood in the bread and wine of The Sacrament to assure us of our forgiveness and to strengthen us in faith and service. All who trust and believe the words “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” are welcome. Come, receive Christ’s presence in the meal prepared for you. Enjoy his presence. Children are encouraged to come forward with their parents and/or grandparents and receive a blessing.
COOKIE CRAWL & BUDGET PRESENTATION Today — after worship, the proposed 2023 Budget will be presented to the congregation at a Voters' Assembly meeting. Budget Committee members will be available to explain all elements of the budget and to address any concerns and questions.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY — Reminder, the Women’s Bible Study will not be meeting in December. Please plan on joining us when we resume in January/2023.
New Bible Study — Our new bible study continues on Wednesday, December 14th with the Gospel of Matthew “Who is Jesus?” This will coincide with our Advent Sermon theme, taking place at 12:00 noon every Wednesday though out December in the Fireside Room.
PIANO RECITAL — Michelle Alspaugh will be hosting a student piano recital on Saturday, December 17th at 2:00 pm at Grace Lutheran Church. All are welcome! Free admission! Come enjoy the beautiful music!
This Week at Grace
TUESDAY the 13th: Council Meeting 12:30 pm
WEDNESDAY the 14th: “Who is Jesus?” Bible Study 12:00 noon
THURSDAY the 15th: Newsletter Deadline
SUNDAY the 18th: Mite Box Sunday & Hors d’oeuvres Sunday
Bible Discussions — Money Matters 8:45 am
Sunday School for All Ages 9:00 am
Worship 10:00 am
Coffee Connection & Hors d’oeruvres 11:00 am
Grace Lutheran Church
660 Frances Lane
Ashland, OR 97520
541-482-1661
Pastor Joshua Heimbuck — heimbuck@me.com
Email: gracelutheranashland@gmail.com
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