Welcome and Announcements

Prelude: Partita No. 2 Sarabanda Johann Sebastian Bach Tom Jackson, violin

Call to Worship: Psalm 11:4–7

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord's throne is in heaven;
his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
Let him rain coals on the wicked;
fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

Doxology Lasst Uns Erfreuen

Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; alleluia, alleluia!
Praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Invocation

Hymn 223: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Christmas

Text: Nahum Tale (1700)

While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground,
the angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around, and glory shone around.

“Fear not,” said he — for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind —
“glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind, to you and all mankind.

“To you, in David’s town this day, is born of David’s line,
the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, and this shall be the sign, and this shall be the sign:

“The heav’nly babe you there shall find to human view displayed,
all meanly wrapped in swathing bands, and in a manger laid, and in a manger laid.”

Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith appeared a shining throng
of angels praising God, who thus addressed their joyful song, addressed their joyful song:

“All glory be to God on high, and to the earth be peace:
good will henceforth, from heav’n to men, begin and never cease, begin and never cease!”

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into ­­heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Scripture Reading: John 17:1–5

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Multilingual Prayer

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

Spiritual

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)

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: Be Thou My Vision arr. L. Shackley Bob Yang, piano

Sermon Passage: Matthew 5:1–3, Luke 6:20–23

Matthew 5:1–3
1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 6:20–23
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Sermon: The Sermon on the Mount Robert Luqui

Hymn 225: Once in Royal David's City Irby

Text: Cecil Frances Alexander (1848)

Once in royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall:
with the poor, and mean, and lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all his wondrous childhood he would honor and obey,
love and watch the lowly maiden in whose gentle arms he lay:
Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.

And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love;
for that child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heav'n above,
and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing by,
we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God's right hand on high;
when like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around

Benediction

Postlude: Sonata No. 1: Allegro Arcangelo Corelli Tom Jackson, violin; Bob Yang, piano
Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible, copyright©2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Hymn lyrics used by permission: CCLI# 2486853

The Lord’s Supper

We will be observing the Lord's Supper
at the New Year's Eve Service on Friday, December 31 at 6:30pm,
and all worship services next Sunday, January 2.

The Westminster Larger Catechism reminds us of the importance of preparing for the Lord’s Supper:

They that receive the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper are, before they come, to prepare themselves thereunto, by examining themselves of their being in Christ, of their sins and wants; of the truth and measure of their knowledge, faith, repentance; love to God and the brethren, charity to all men, forgiving those that have done them wrong; of their desires after Christ, and of their new obedience; and by renewing the exercise of these graces, by serious meditation, and fervent prayer.
(Larger Catechism Answer 171)

Suggested scripture passages for preparation:

Luke 22:7–23

John 6:22–59

Ephesians 5:1–21

Hebrews 9:11–28