Christmas - Bringing Salvation
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Greeting
At Christmas, we celebrate with joy the Nativity our Lord, born to save us from sin, death, and the devil forever. Christ comes bringing salvation. Sing Christmas carols and join around the table of the Lord as we are reborn as His brothers and sisters this day and eagerly anticipate what our new life in Him has in store for us.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Lutheran Worship #41
Oh come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
Oh come ye oh come ye
To Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Highest most holy
Light of light eternal
Born of a virgin
A mortal He comes
Son of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing all ye citizens
Of heaven above
Glory to God
In the highest
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Yea Lord we greet Thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus to Thee be all glory giv'n
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Oh come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
The Christmas Litany
Pastor: Today we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The angel announced His arrival: "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!" (Luke 2:10-11)
People: Jesus, through your birth, life, death and resurrection you have brought to us the gift of salvation.
Pastor: The name we love, the name of Jesus, means “God saves” or “salvation.” An angel told Joseph to take Mary as his wife and said, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).
People: Jesus our Lord, you came to save us. Hear our prayers and accept our praise as we rejoice today in your birth.
Pastor: St. Peter, on trial for preaching the good news about Jesus, said, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
People: Jesus, you alone are the way of salvation.
Pastor: St. Paul wrote about Jesus’ saving work: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
People: So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11).
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Lutheran Worship # 60
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in the dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth!
How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heav’n
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him, still
The dear Christ enters in
O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin, and enter in
Be born in us today!
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Immanuel!
Scripture Reading
John 3:16-20 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
STP Kids Dismissal
STP Kids is the Children’s Ministry at St. Peter’s Edina, designed for all children from 6 months to 10 years old (Grade 5). Our vision is to partner with parents in raising up a generation of children that will seek their God-given Kingdom mission and impact their world for Jesus!
What Child Is This?
Lutheran Worship #61
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own Him,
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!
Message: Bringing Salvation
Christ is here. He brings salvation.
Isaiah 12:1-2 - In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”
Salvation is past and present and future.
Prayer
Invitation to Share Salvation in Christ
Confession and Absolution
Pastor: In Psalm 85 God's people make this request to God: "Show us Your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation." Let us confess our sins to the Lord and ask his forgiveness.
People: Almighty God, we confess that we do not always live according to your Word and will. We do not walk in love as Jesus did. Even though we have received your gracious gift of salvation, we often hesitate to share the good news of Jesus with others. Forgive our sins and lead us by your Spirit to walk in your ways.
Pastor: Today we celebrate the grace of God, revealed in the gift of his Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Child of Bethlehem was born among us to suffer, die and rise to bring us forgiveness of sins and eternal life. I announce to you that your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
People: We rejoice in the birth of Jesus our Lord! He has come to bring salvation.
Communion
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod holds the Biblical teaching that in Communion we receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ with the bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins. If you are a baptized Christian who has been instructed in the Biblical teaching of the real presence of the Christ in this meal and grace through faith in Christ, and if you agree with our confession of faith, please join with the fellowship of disciples in Holy Communion.
“Everyone should examine themselves first, and then eat the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29)
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Lutheran Worship #49
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of the Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail th'incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Blessing
Acts 4:12 - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Now Sing We, Now Rejoice
Lutheran Worship #47
Now sing we, now rejoice
With heart and soul and voice
Life's most precious treasure
Here poor in manger lies
He brings purer pleasure
Than sunlight from the skies
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
God's Son, come from above
Your grace and saving love
To my spirit bringing
O pure and holy Child
Fill my heart with singing
For grace so great and mild
Draw me, Lord, to you!
Draw me, Lord, to you!
We see God's love divine
For us in Jesus shines
Guilt of sin had taught us
But death and misery
Then our Ransom bought us
God's bright eternity
Oh, that we were there!
Oh, that we were there!
Where is that place so fair?
Oh, nowhere else but there
Where the angel voices
With God's redeemed unite
Awed that He rejoices
to share His joy and light
Oh, that we were there!
Oh, that we were there!
COVID-19
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