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St. John’s Lutheran Church and School

December 24, 2019

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"Welcome Visitors & Members!" We are glad that you have joined us

to celebrate the birth of the Christ child. Our service is printed for you in its

entirety in this worship folder.

To those who are visiting us for the first time, we extend our sincere

welcome; to our friends who know us we renew our welcome; to those

who seek a church home we invite you to be part of our family and enjoy

fellowship with our Savior.

To assist you in worship, both personal listening devices a large print

worship folder are available for anyone to use. Please talk to the ushers for

assistance. Members and Visitors, please sign the Friendship Registers in

the pews either before the service or during the offering.

Visitors, if you would like to know more about our church or school,

please introduce yourself to our pastor. He would be delighted to speak

with you and serve you in whatever way he can.

We love seeing young children in church as we want families to

worship together. We also love to hear children making a "joyful noise to

the Lord." However, should you need some privacy, please make use of our

parents' room off the north side of the entryway where you can still listen

to the service.

SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS WORSHIP THEME Welcome to worship this Christmas Eve. We trust that God will bless you in this service of lessons and carols/hymns. Our focus, “God so loved the world,” is found in every lesson and song. Christmas is not about a sentimental, warm, and fuzzy kind of love—although these ways that we show love to each other, especially in families, are certainly important. But the heart of Christmas is about God’s redeeming love—God’s rescue plan for a humanity alienated from him despite all claims of reform, goodness, or morality. The human condition of sin separates us from God, and only his action could have solved that problem. The life, death, and resurrection of his Son has solved the problem. By trusting what Jesus has done for us, heaven awaits us and we live life this side of heaven in loyal thanks for rescue. Our opening hymn puts it this way in stanza 3:

But our eyes at last shall see him Through his own redeeming love, For that child, so dear and gentle, Is our Lord in heav’n above.

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Opening Hymn: Once in Royal David’s City 1. Once in royal David’s city Stood a lowly cattle shed,

Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed; Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

2. He came down to earth from heaven Who is God and Lord of all,

And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall; With the poor and mean and lowly Lived on earth our Savior holy.

3. But our eyes at last shall see him

Through his own redeeming love, For that child, so dear and gentle, Is our Lord in heav’n above, And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.

4. Not in that poor, lowly stable With the oxen standing by

Shall we see him, but in heaven, Set at God’s right hand on high. Then like stars his children crowned, All in white, his praise will sound.

Exhortation and Prayer P: Beloved in Christ: In this Christmas season it is our duty and delight to

hear again the message of the angels and, in heart and mind, to go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us, the Christ-child, lying in a manger.

Let us read and learn in Holy Scripture the story of the loving purposes of God from the first days after our fall, and into the birth and glorious redemption brought to us by this Holy Child. Let us hear how peace was lost, and how peace is restored.

But first, let us pray, for this is good and right. Heavenly Father, we pray for ourselves and all people who worship you

and your Son this holy night. By your holy Word, lead us to say with the angels,

C: Glory to God in the highest!

P: We pray for your blessing upon the people of our city, our state, our nation, and our world.

C: Glory to God in the highest!

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P: We pray for the poor and helpless, the cold and hungry, the sick and sad, that you would give them the joy of your salvation and the comfort of your presence.

C: Glory to God in the highest!

P: We pray for unbelievers and enemies of the Church, that through your Law and Gospel you would lead them to recognize your Son as their only hope for eternal life.

C: Glory to God in the highest!

P: Finally, we remember before you all those who rejoice with us in heaven, who live in greater light and beauty than we, that multitude which no one can number, who died in faith, and now praise you in your heavenly temple. We confess that we are united with them and with one another.

C: Glory to God in the highest!

Hymn 53:3-4

3. Oh, then rejoice that through his Son God is with sinners now at one; Made like yourselves of flesh and blood, Your brother is th’eternal God.

4. What harm can sin and death then do?

The true God now abides with you. Let hell and Satan storm and rave, Christ is your brother—you are safe.

THE TRAGIC NEED FOR GOD’S LOVE

FIRST LESSON: Genesis 3:8-15 Humanity’s separation from God dates to the beginning of time, to the fall into sin by the first humans, Adam and Eve. As tragic as this was, the account ends with God’s promise of rescue—that the woman’s offspring, Christ, would ultimately defeat Satan and the rebellion of sin. 8They heard the voice of the Lord God, who was walking around in the garden during the cooler part of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

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10The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman you gave to be with me-she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14The Lord God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all the livestock, and more than every wild animal. You shall crawl on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. 15I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.

Hymn: Now Sing We, Now Rejoice 1. Now sing we, now rejoice, Now raise to heav’n our voice;

He from whom joy streameth Poor in a manger lies; Not so brightly beameth The sun in yonder skies. Thou my Savior art! Thou my Savior art!

2. Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to thee.

Cheer my wearied spirit, O pure and holy Child; Through thy grace and merit, Blest Jesus, Lord most mild, Draw me unto thee! Draw me unto thee!

3. Now through his Son doth shine The Father’s grace divine.

Death o’er us had reign-ed Through sin and vanity; He for us obtain-ed Eternal joy on high. May we praise him there! May we praise him there!

4. Oh, where shall joy be found? Where but on heav’nly ground?

Where the angels singing With all his saints unite, Sweetest praises bringing In heav’nly joy and light. Oh, that we were there! Oh, that we were there!

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LOVE PROMISES A RESCUE

SECOND LESSON: Isaiah 9:2,6,7 In love God promised a rescue already to Adam and Eve. Through the prophets he repeated that promise many times over centuries before the birth of Jesus. 2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned. 6For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. The authority to rule will rest on his shoulders. He will be named: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7There will be no limit to his authority and no end to the peace he brings. He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from now on, into eternity. The zeal of the LORD of Armies will accomplish this.

Hymn: Joy to the World Both Isaiah’s prophecy and this hymn speak of Christ’s eternal power and rule, but the last stanza of the hymn emphasizes the wonders of his love.

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 all 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 Not 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.

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LOVE’S WONDROUS INCARNATION

THIRD LESSON: John 1:1-14 The incarnation—God becoming human—is mystery and wonder on so many levels: the pre-incarnate Christ being co-eternal with the Father; that God would become human; but especially why, to rescue us and give us the status of “children of God” (v. 12).

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 accept 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.

Hymn: All Praise to You, Eternal God (found on page 8) This less familiar hymn with stanzas by Martin Luther is sung to the tune of a well-known Luther hymn, “From Heaven Above.” The Christmas story is full of paradoxes. For example, the creator of the universe (stanza 2 and John 1) is born of a humble virgin. Note also how stanza 4 echoes the darkness/light imagery from John 1.

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1. All praise to you, eternal God! Now clothed in human flesh and blood, you took a manger for your throne while worlds on worlds are yours alone.

2. Once did the skies before you bow;

a virgin’s arms contain you now while angels, who in you rejoice, now listen for your infant voice.

3. O Little Child, you were our guest

that weary ones in you might rest; forlorn and lowly was your birth that we might rise to heav’n from earth.

4. You came to us in darkest night

to make us children of the light; like angels in the realms divine around your throne we, too, will shine.

5. All this your love for us has done;

by this our love for you is won; for this our joyful songs we raise and shout our thanks in ceaseless praise.

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

FOURTH LESSON: John 3:16-18 We become God’s children through faith—that is, by trusting in God’s rescue plan which cancels the alienation caused by our rebellion. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18The one who believes in him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

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Hymn: Love Caused Your Incarnation 1. Love caused your incarnation; love brought you down to me.

Your thirst for my salvation procured my liberty. Oh, love beyond all telling that led you to embrace in love, all love excelling, our lost and fallen race!

2. Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, who sit in deepest gloom,

who mourn o’er joys departed and tremble at your doom. Despair not; he is near you, he's standing at the door who best can help and cheer you and bids you weep no more.

3. Sin’s debt, that fearful burden, let not your souls distress;

your guilt the Lord will pardon and cover by his grace. He comes, for you procuring the peace of sin forgiv’n, his children thus securing eternal life in heav’n.

LOVE’S BIRTH

FIFTH LESSON: Luke 2:1-20

With John 3:16 as context, we now hear the familiar and beloved Christmas account.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3And everyone went to register, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. 6And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: 11Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.

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12And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.” 15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. 18And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing This hymn is well known in our culture. But it affirms many things that are central to Christianity—and offensive or at least misunderstood by many.

1. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all you nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’ angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” 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 us to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel! Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

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 we no more may die, Born to raise us from the earth, Born to give us second birth. Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

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LOVE’S EXCLUSIVE CLAIM

SIXTH LESSON: Isaiah 45:20-25 God speaking through his prophet invites us not only to a merry Christmas but also to an evaluation: to do a “loyalty reality check,” to put away any modern “idols” that compromise our loyalty to him. “In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.” The truth of this assertion shows why John 3:16 is so necessary. 20Gather! Come! Draw near together, you survivors from the nations. They have no knowledge- those who are lifting up their idols of wood and praying to a god that cannot save. 21Make an announcement and come close. Let them consult together. Who made this known ahead of time? From time past who announced it? Was it not I, the LORD? There is no god except me, a righteous God and Savior. There is no one except me. 22Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, because I am God, and there is no other. 23I have sworn by myself. From my mouth a righteous word has gone out, and it will not return unfulfilled. Indeed, to me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear allegiance. 24“Only in the LORD,” they will say of me, “Only in the LORD is there true righteousness and strength.” To him they will come and be ashamed- all those who are angry at him. 25In the LORD, all the descendants of Israel will be justified. They will be praised by him.

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HYMN: Go, Tell It on the Mountain The story of God’s rescue plan is for all people. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, he has “sent us salvation.”

Refrain 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 blessed Christmas morn. Refrain

LOVE’S DAILY IMPACT

SEVENTH LESSON: Colossians 3:12-17 God’s promises in Christ empower his people to live in ways that honor him for his gifts. The peace that Christ gives is ours through faithful connection to his Word and worship. 12Therefore, as God’s elect, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13Bear with one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone else. Forgive, just as Christ forgave you. 14And, in addition to all these things, put on love, which ties things together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, to which you were also called, in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And everything you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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Hymn: O Jesus Christ, Your Manger Is Since Jesus’ “manger is my paradise” (that is, the source of forgiveness and heaven), we joyfully depend on him in good times and bad (stanzas 3 and 4). Even in the face of our confusions and all the world can offer (stanza 5), we “keep Christ as our true treasure.”

1. O Jesus Christ, Your manger is My paradise where my soul is reclining. For there, O Lord, We find the Word Made flesh for us—your grace is brightly shining.

2. He whom the sea And wind obey

Comes down to serve the sinner in great meekness. Now God’s own Son With us is one And joins us and our children in our weakness.

3. Dear Christian friend, On him depend;

Be of good cheer and let no sorrow move you. For God’s own child In mercy mild Joins you to him—how greatly God must love you!

4. Ponder again What glory then

The Lord will give you for your earthly sadness. The angel host Can never boast Of greater glory, greater bliss or gladness.

5. The world may hold Her wealth and gold;

But you, my heart, keep Christ as your true treasure. To him hold fast Until at last A crown is yours and honor in full measure.

Offering The members of this congregation have joined together to do the Lord's work in this community and around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

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Prayer P: O God, who makes us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth

of your only Son, Jesus Christ; grant that, as we joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, so may we also behold him with sure confidence when he shall come to be our judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen. (spoken)

Blessing P: May he who by his incarnation gathered things earthly and heavenly

into one, fill us with such joy that comes with the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. And the blessing of God Almighty—the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit—be upon you and remain with you always. C: Amen. (spoken)

Closing Hymn: Silent Night 1. Silent night! Holy night!

All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night! Holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar; Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia; Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!

3. Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, love’s pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

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Please invite those you know to join us for these

upcoming services.

Wednesday, December 25: We will celebrate the birth of Christ with a special service here at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday, December 29:

Join us for our regular worship service at 9:00 a.m. as we continue to focus on our Savior’s first coming into

the world to save us.

Wednesday, January 1:

We will begin the new year with a worship service at 9:00 a.m. along with our brothers and sisters from the

Globe & Christie congregations. The service will be held at Immanuel, Globe.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!