CALL TO WORSHIP
- OPENING CHORUSES
- OPENING PRAYER
WELCOME … and THANKS for joining us.
- We trust, as always, that your time with us will be well spent.
- Today is the 3rd Sunday in Advent … Our focus is on JOY.
- The theme for this week is songs of joy for who Jesus is.
FIRST READING (Our Call to Worship) … a part of a Psalm that praises God who frees captives and heals blindness pointing to the salvation that comes in Jesus.
OPENING SONGS
1. SING FOR JOY … Don Moen et al (p.47#1-01)
2. LET’s THINK ABOUT OUR GOD … (p.47#1-03)
3. HE KNOWS MY NAME … (p.51#2-07)
SERMONETTE … SPEAKING OF LIFE video
- Title: Three Responses
- Presenter: Heber Ticas, Superintendent for South America
SECOND READING
Luke 1:26-33, 34-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you. 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[e] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
SPECIAL SONG (to prepare our hearts for our sermon)
BE IT UNTO ME … Don Moen et al (p.17#9)
PRAYER FOR SERMON
(**Start recording to ZOOM**)
SERMON
Reason To Rejoice
Keynote Passage: Luke 1:46-49,50-55 (ESV)
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What is the passage saying?
46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring for ever.”
2. What does the passage mean?
3. What can we take away (to apply in our lives) today?
(**End recording to ZOOM**)
SONG OF RESPONSE
JOY TO THE WORLD … by Richard S. Willis (1850), Arranged by Nathan Drake … (CH#270)
CLOSING (& OFFERTORY) SONG
SING FOR JOY … Don Moen et al (p.47#1-01)
CLOSING PRAYER (including Prayer of Thanks for Offering)
CLOSING COMMENTS
- Thanks for joining us.
- PLEASE NOTE … If anyone would like to donate to Grace Communion Jamaica, you can do so online by doing the following …
BENEDICTION
ANNOUNCEMENTS