Welcome to The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1 st Sunday of Christmas 30 th December 2012

1. Welcome to The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church1st Sunday of Christmas30th December 2012 A congregation of the Lutheran Church of Australia

2. Welcome to Worship&We Greet Each Other

3. The Call to Worship • As obedient Jewish parents, Mary and Joseph make the trek to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover. • Jesus is twelve, and they do as they have always done. But this time Jesus stays behind without them knowing it.

4. Assuming he is somewhere in the company of pilgrims, they travel for a full day, and then start to look for him among family and friends. • Not finding Jesus, they turn around and head back to Jerusalem, where they find him seated among the teachers in the temple; listening to them and asking them questions.

5. When they question him, Jesus simply says, "Didn't you know this is where I would need to be, attending to the things of my Father?" • ALL: So they all return to Nazareth where Jesus continues to grow up, both in body and spirit. We are God-worshippers who gather here in this temple, with Jesus sitting among us, as we worship in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

6. Song: TIS 303 • 1 Hark! The herald angels sing • glory to the new-born King, • peace on earth, and mercy mild, • God and sinners reconciled. • Joyful, all you nations, rise, • join the triumph of the skies; • with the angelic host proclaim, • ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’. • Hark the herald angels sings • glory to the new-born King.

7. 2 Christ, by highest heaven adored, • Christ, the everlasting Lord, • Late in time behold him come, • Offspring of a virgin’s womb: • Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; • Hail the incarnate Deity, • Pleased in human flesh to dwell, • Jesus, our Immanuel. • Hark! The herald angels sing • glory to the new-born King.

8. Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! • Hail the Sun of righteousness! • Light and life to all he brings, • risen with healing in his wings: • mild he lays his glory by, • born that we no more need die, • born to raise us from the earth, • born to give us second birth. • Hark! The herald angels sing • glory to the new-born King.

9. Prayers of Confession • Pastor: God, forgive our limited imaginations that can't see Jesus as the Savior and Messiah. God, give us eyes to faith to see that Jesus is no longer a baby in a manger, but the King of all creation. Forgive us for not believing that you love us as much as the cross of Christ says. Give us open hearts and minds to believe that Jesus loves us. • (Silence for confession)

10. Thanksgiving for Confession • ALL: God, help us to see how Christmas carols will soon become Easter hymns of praise. Give us eyes that see the face of Jesus and recognize that the love of God is born for us in him, and all things are accomplished through him. We give you our thanks and praise. Amen

11. Apostles’ Creed • Pastor: I invite all who are able to stand as we affirm our common faith together. • All: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead.

12. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

13. The OT Reading • Samauel 2:18-20, 36 • The boy Samuel in the service of the Lord • But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.”26 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

14. The Epistle Reading • Colossians 3:12-17 • Christian life in the World • Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

15. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. • Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. • …This is the word of the Lord. • Thanks be to God.

16. THE GOSPEL READING • Luke 2:41-52 • The boy Jesus in his Father's house • Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

17. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. • His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant.

18. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. • Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people. • …This is the Gospel of the Lord, • Praise to you, O Christ, Light of the world.

19. Song: Angels we have heard of high • 1. Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains, and the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains: • Gloria in excelsis Deo Gloria in excelsis Deo

20. 2. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your songs of happy cheer? What great brightness did you see? What glad tidings did you hear? • Gloria in excelsis DeoGloria in excelsis Deo

21. 3. Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing; come, adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, • the new born King: • Gloria in excelsis DeoGloria in excelsis Deo Traditional French Carol

22. Message

23. Song: In Christ Alone • 1 In Christ alone my hope is found, • He is my light, my strength, my song; • this Cornerstone, this solid Ground, • firm through the fiercest drought and storm. • What heights of love, • what depths of peace, • when fears are stilled, when strivings cease! • My Comforter, my All in All, • here in the love of Christ I stand.

24. 2In Christ alone! who took on flesh • Fullness of God in helpless babe! • This gift of love and righteousness • Scorned by the ones he came to save: • Till on that cross as Jesus died, • The wrath of God was satisfied - • For every sin on Him was laid; • Here in the death of Christ I live.

25. 3There in the ground His body lay • Light of the world by darkness slain: • Then bursting forth in glorious Day • Up from the grave he rose again! • And as He stands in victory • Sin's curse has lost its grip on me, • For I am His and He is mine - • Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

26. 4 No guilt in life, no fear in death, • This is the power of Christ in me; • From life's first cry to final breath. • Jesus commands my destiny. • No power of hell, no scheme of man, • Can ever pluck me from His hand; • Till He returns or calls me home, • Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. • Words and Music: • Stuart Townend

27. Offering Prayer • God, accept and bless these gifts, that they might become tangible signs that you are near us and among us in everyday life. We are those who are touched by these gifts every time we share in the mission and ministry of this congregation. Make our hearts beat for all that matters to you as we do the work of your Kingdom, transforming this world in Jesus' name. Amen.

28. Prayers of God’s People • Response: • Lord in Your Mercy • …hear our prayer

29. The Lord’s Supper • Holy God of heaven and earth, you have come among us in Jesus Christ. Now come and meet us in bread and wine. • We are your Christmas people who live in the great hope of Easter morning.

30. Gather us at your table, and help us to see you here with us. • Holy God of heaven and earth, we come to this meal in the certain hope that you will give us life, forgiveness, and salvation.

31. Words of Institution

32. Come, Holy Spirit, and help us to truly see your presence in the mundane moments of everyday life. Come, Holy Spirit, and give us greater imaginations so we can expect you to be at work in places we would not normally consider. Come, Holy Spirit, and open us up to new possibilities of transformation in each minute of every day.

33. The Lord’s Prayer • Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen

34. Take And Eat

35. Song: TIS 268 Joy to the World! • Joy to the world! The Lord is come; • Let earth receive its king; • let every heart prepare him room, • and heaven and nature sing, • and heaven and nature sing, • and heaven, and heaven • and nature sing.

36. 2 Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns; • let us our songs employ; • while fields and streams, • rocks, hills and plains • repeat the sounding joy, • repeat the sounding joy, • repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

37. 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. • Isaac Watts • 1674-1748 • Based on Psalm 98

38. Post-Communion Blessing • Pastor: In this sacrament, God renews, restores, and reconciles us as the body of Christ, and sends us out in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of the risen Christ. • ALL: Amen!

39. Blessing

40. Song: Tell it on the Mountain • Go tell it on the mountain, • Over the hills and everywhere; • Go tell it on the mountain • That Jesus Christ is born!

41. 1 While shepherds kept their watching • O’er silent flocks by night, • Behold, throughout the heavens • There shone a holy light. • Go tell it on the mountain, • Over the hills and everywhere; • Go tell it on the mountain • That Jesus Christ is born!

42. 2 The shepherd feared and trembled • When, lo, above the earth • Rang out the angel chorus • That hailed our Saviour’s birth. • Go tell it on the mountain, • Over the hills and everywhere; • Go tell it on the mountain • That Jesus Christ is born!

43. 3 Down in a lonely manger • The humble Christ was born; • And God sent us salvation • That blessed Christmas morn. • Go tell it on the mountain, • Over the hills and everywhere; • Go tell it on the mountain • That Jesus Christ is born! • Negro spiritual • John W. Work Jr 1871-1925

44. Announcements