Evening Worship Service

Prelude: The Holy Boy John Ireland

Call to Worship

Invocation

Hymn 224: Go, Tell It on the Mountain Go Tell It

Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere;
go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.

While shepherds kept their watching o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. (Refrain)

The shepherds feared and trembled when, lo! above the earth
rang out the angel chorus that hailed our Savior’s birth. (Refrain)

Down in a lowly manger our humble Christ was born,
and God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. (Refrain)

Prayer of Confession

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us. And grant, O most merciful Father, for Jesus’ sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous and joyful life, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Gospel’s Assurance of Pardon: 1 John 4:15–16

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

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: Isaiah 59:20–60:12

20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. 21 “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”

1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord. 7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house. 8 Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? 9 For the coastlands shall hope for me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from afar, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has made you beautiful. 10 Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.

Hymn 195: Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come Antioch

Joy to the world! The Lord is come: let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare him room, and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns: let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.

Confession of Faith: Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 35

Question: What is sanctification?
Answer: Sactification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

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: Benedictus in C Charles Villiers Stanford

Chamber Choir

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been since the world began; That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and to remember his holy covenant; To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, that he would give us; That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear; In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people for the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Sermon: Coming Light Rev. Carroll Wynne

Hymn 226: As with Gladness Men of Old Dix

As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious God, may we evermore be led to thee.

As with joyful steps they sped to that lowly cradle bed,
there to bend the knee before him whom heav’n and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet ever seek thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare at that cradle rude and bare;
so may we with holy joy, pure, and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to thee, our heav’nly King.

Holy Jesus, ev’ry day keep us in the narrow way;
and when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide, where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heav’nly country bright need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown, thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing alleluias to our King.

Benediction

Postlude

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

Sermon Notes