Prelude: Come, Savior of the Nations, BWV 659 Johann Sebastian Bach

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 198: Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates! Truro

Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits;
the King of kings is drawing near, the Savior of the world is here.

A helper just he comes to thee, his chariot is humility,
his kingly crown is holiness, his scepter, pity in distress.

O blest the land, the city blest, where Christ the Ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes to whom this King in triumph comes!

Fling wide the portals of your heart; make it a temple, set apart
from earthly use for heav’n’s employ, adorned with prayer and love and joy.

Redeemer, come! I open wide my heart to thee; here, Lord, abide!
Let me thy inner presence feel; thy grace and love in me reveal.

So come, my Sovereign, enter in! Let new and nobler life begin!
Thy Holy Spirit, guide us on, until the glorious crown be won.

Prayer of Confession

O God, our great Redeemer and Savior, too often have we looked to our own works rather than trusting in the finished work of Christ. It is hard for us to admit that our sin permeates every thought and action. We continue to presume upon your grace by thinking you must love us because of something you see in us. Forgive us for the times we behave like the Pharisee, who boasted in his own righteousness, and belittled the one who came to you for mercy. Make us to know our sin, and be merciful to us, according to your grace freely given to us through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: Colossians 1:13–14

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Doxology Tallis’ Canon

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading: Micah 5:1–5

1 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5 And he shall be their peace.

Hymn 201: O Little Town of Bethlehem St. Louis

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie;
above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by:
yet in thy 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 Emmanuel.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 32

Question: What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?
Answer: They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

Offering Prayer

(In person offerings may be made via the oak boxes. Give online at tenth.org/give or mail checks to: 1701 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103)

Offertory: Every Valley John Ness Beck

Caitlin Powell, contralto

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain made low: and the crooked made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Sermon: The Peace of Christ Colin Howland

Hymn 196: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Hyfrydol

Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,
dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

Joy to those who long to see thee, Day-spring from on high, appear;
come, thou promised Rod of Jesse, of thy birth we long to hear!
O’er the hills the angels singing news, glad tidings of a birth:
“Go to him, your praises bringing; Christ the Lord has come to earth.”

Come to earth to taste our sadness, he whose glories knew no end;
by his life he brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.
Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall;
this the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all.

Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.

Benediction

Postlude

Serving this evening:
Rev. Greg Hobaugh, platform
Aaron Patterson, organist

Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible, copyright©2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Hymn lyrics used by permission: CCLI# 2486853

Sermon Notes