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. JESUS, WE ENTHRONE YOU // SHOUT TO THE LORD … Don Moen et al (p.18#12 & 13)
2. HERE I AM TO WORSHIP … Michael W Smith … (p.63#2)
3. DRAW ME CLOSE TO YOU … Michael W Smith … (p.63#3)
SERMONETTE … SPEAKING OF LIFE video
- Title: The Might and Light of a Saving Love
- Presenter: Greg Williams, President of GCI
SECOND READING
Isaiah 7:10-16 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”
12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”
13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. 15 Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.
SPECIAL SONG (to prepare our hearts for our sermon)
THE LOVE OF GOD … (CH#157)
PRAYER FOR SERMON
(**Start recording to ZOOM**)
SERMON
Reason To Rejoice
Keynote Passage: Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ 22 All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What is the passage saying?
18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ 22 All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
23 ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, (John 8:37-41) 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
2. What does the passage mean?
- What does the passage tell us about God?
- What does the passage tell us about Man(kind)?
3. What can we take away (to apply in our lives) today?
- . . . by seeing Mary as a representative of us …?
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- TRUST … cf Matthew 1:18c
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- . . . by seeing Joseph as a representative of us …?
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- OBEY … cf Matthew 1:24c and Matthew 1:25
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- . . . by seeing Joseph as a representative of God (Christ) …?
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- LOVE … cf Matthew 1:19c … Matthew 1:25a … and John 8:37-41
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(PRAYER)
(**End recording to ZOOM**)
SONG OF RESPONSE
TRUST AND OBEY … The Celebration Choir (CH#571)
SHARING TIME
** Start recording
*** End recording
CLOSING (& OFFERTORY) SONG
HERE I AM, LORD … (CH#589)
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 going to our website and clicking the DONATE button on the homepage.
BENEDICTION
ANNOUNCEMENTS