December 21, 2025 | Advent #4
PRELUDE
Call to Worship Thomas Watson, Eph 3:19
Pastor: He was poor that He might
make us rich. He was
born of a virgin that we
might be born of God.
People: He took our flesh, that He
might give us His Spirit.
He lay in the manger, that
we may lie in paradise.
Pastor: He came down from heaven,
that He might bring us
up to heaven . . .
People: That the Ancient of Days
should be born; that He
who thunders in the
heavens should cry in the
cradle; that He who rules
the stars should nurse
from the breast;
Pastor: That a virgin should
conceive; that Christ should
be made of a woman—and
of a woman which He
himself made—
People: that the branch should bear
the vine, that the mother
should be younger than the
child she bear, and the child
in the womb bigger than
the mother;
Pastor: that the human nature
should not be God, yet one
with God—Christ taking
flesh is a mystery we shall
never fully understand till
we come to heaven
All: If our hearts be not rocks,
this love of Christ should
move us. Behold love that
surpasses knowledge!
PRAYER of INVOCATION
SONG of ADORATION “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen”
God rest ye merry gentlemen; let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's pow'r when we were gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy! Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
In Bethlehem, in Judah, this blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger upon this blessed morn
That which His Mother Mary did nothing take in scorn
Oh tidings of comfort and joy! Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
From God our heav'nly Father a blessed angel came
and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy! Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place,
and with true love and brotherhood
each other now embrace;
this holy tide of Christmas, all other doth deface.
Oh tidings of comfort and joy! Comfort and joy!
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
ADVENT READING Larry and Vickie Gibbs
This week, we light the Candle of Love and read Matthew 1:18-24
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and un-willing to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.
SONG of RESPONSE “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” #773
Confession and Assurance
PRAYER of CONFESSION William Wilberforce
Pastor: Dear God, we cast ourselves
at the foot of the cross,
bewailing our exceeding
sinfulness and unprofit-
ableness.
People: We are deeply, most deeply
troubled, especially in
light of Your abundant
mercies.
Pastor: We plead Your precious
promises, and earnestly
pray to You to shed abroad
in our hearts:
People: More love, more humility,
more faith, more hope,
more peace and joy;
Pastor: In short, to fill us with all
the fullness of God, and
make us worthy partakers
of the inheritance of the
saints in light. Then we
shall also be more faithful
in all the relations of this
life, in which we are now so
defective,
All: And our light will shine
before men, and we shall
adorn the doctrine of our
Savior in all things.
Amen.◆
ASSURANCE of PARDON
Hear these words of comfort, spoken through Ezekiel 36:25-27:
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.”
Let the story of our Lord’s incarnation remind you that our God does not desire the death of the wicked, but that we repent and be made new. Let the story of his crucifixion and resurrection assure you that IT IS FINISHED—your sins are forgiven and you stand now, washed clean, in the presence of your Lord. Amen. ◆
Life of Worship
PROFESSION of FAITH The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there shall he come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Church universal,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen. ◆
HOLY BAPTISM Erin Dougherty & Michelle Dougherty
OFFERING
DOXOLOGY #334
PRAYER of DEDICATION
CHILDREN’S TIME
PASSING of the PEACE
(Children age 3 through grade 5 may go to Judson Kids.)
PRAYER of INTERCESSION
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen. ◆
RIGHT HAND of FELLOWSHIP
Ministry of the Word
SONG “The First Noel” #765
PRAYER of ILLUMINATION Ambrose
Merciful Lord, the comforter and teacher of Your faithful people, enable us to understand the depth of Your prom-ises, that all of Your adopted sons and daughters may even now behold, with the eyes of faith, and patiently wait for, the light which as yet you do not openly manifest; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ◆
SCRIPTURE READING Colossians 2:1-15 p. 1169
For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancel- ling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
SERMON “Fulness of Divinity” Pastor Zach
SONG of DEPARTURE “Glory Be to God the Father” #333
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
