CALL TO WORSHIP
- OPENING CHORUSES
- OPENING PRAYER
WELCOME and THANKS
- We trust, as always, that your time with us will be well spent.
- Today is the second Sunday of Advent, the season when we focus on the coming(s) of Christ.
- The theme this week is Jesus brings peace and we are to be his peacemakers.
First Reading
- Isaiah 11:1-5,6-10 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins and faithfulness the belt of His waist.
- 6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. 10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him and His resting place shall be glorious.”
OPENING SONGS
HALLELUJAH TO THE LAMB … Don Moen et al (p.57#16)
HERE WE ARE … Don Moen et al … (p.56#13)
I JUST WANT TO BE WHERE YOU ARE … Don Moen et al (p.56#14)
Second Reading
- Psalm 72:1-7 Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king’s Son. 2 He will judge Your people with righteousness and Your poor with justice. 3 The mountains will bring peace to the people and the little hills by righteousness. 4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy and will break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear You As long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, like showers that water the earth. 7 In His days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.
SPEAKING OF LIFE
Title: The Full Package … Presenter: Pastor Greg Williams, President of GCI
HERE WE ARE … Don Moen et al … (p.56#13)
INTERACTIVE SERMON
RECEIVED TO BE RECEIVING (Accepted To Be Accepting)
Romans 15:4-13
as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles and sing to Your name.”
10 And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
11 And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12 And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:1-3 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”
SONG OF RESPONSE
COMMUNION
John 6:48-51, 52-58, 59, 60-66, 67-71
Matthew 26:26-29,30
The Lord’s Supper – a sign of the new covenant
By partaking of the Lord’s Supper, believers show their recognition of their need for Jesus Christ (as Jesus was hinting at in John 6).
GIVE THANKS … Don Moen et al (p.56#12)
BENEDICTION