2025.12.07: Worship Bulletin
Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Morning Worship Service on The Lord's Day, December 7, 2025
Morning Worship Service on The Lord's Day, December 7, 2025
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68-69
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Leader: Why do we light the Advent candles?
People: Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the Light of Life.”
Leader: A voice cries in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
People: “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low. The uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places plain.”
(Lighting of the candle)
Leader: We light this candle as a symbol of proclamation.
People: May the Word sent from God through the prophets lead us to the way of salvation.”
The Voluntary for Silent Prayer
*Call to Worship: Hebrews 1:1-3
Minister: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
People: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Minister: After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Unison: Come, let us adore Him!
*Hymn of Adoration: “Prophets’ Words Foretold a Savior” ( SH No. 18)
Prophets’ words foretold a savior in Bethlehem that night
Hailed by angels, shepherds, wisemen, Emmanuel our Light.
Royal blood his kingly mantle, yet in kindness came to show
Human flesh in God’s hands dealt death its final, fatal blow.
Lowly infant in a stable, make all our prayers take flight.
Coming Christ, our God incarnate, be all our soul’s delight.
CCLI 3036374
*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation
Unison: Gracious Father, with Peter we cry out, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” In a world of created changeable things, Christ and his Word remain unshaken. Father, conform us to your unchanging Word, to the image of your eternal, perfect Son. And may Christ the Word, and his Word, be our strength and comfort. In his name we come to you. Amen.
Adapted from “Christ the Word” in The Valley of Vision
*Confession of Faith: Westminster Larger Catechism 43
Minister: How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?
People: Christ executes the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and Word, in various ways of administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation.
Unison: Thanks be to God!
*Gloria (Tune: “Regent Square”)
Glory be to the God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Glory to the Holy Spirit, ever Three, and ever One;
One in might, and one in glory, while unending ages run.
The Revelation of God’s Will: Ex. 20:1-17; Mt. 22:37-40
Unison: And God spoke all these words saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
People: You shall have no other gods before me.
Minister: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
People: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Minister: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
People: Honor your father and your mother.
Minister: You shall not murder.
People: You shall not commit adultery.
Minister: You shall not steal.
People: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Minister: You shall not covet.”
People: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, mind and strength…and your neighbor as yourself.”
Minister: Have you fully obeyed the Lord in all that he has commanded?
People: No, but we have sinned against him in thought, word, and deed.
Minister: Then confess your sins, for with him there is mercy and abundant pardon.
*Hymn of Approach: “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” (No. 197)
1 Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness,
mourning 'neath their sorrow's load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.
2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
blotting out each dark misdeed;
all that well deserved his anger
he no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many a day
now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
into ever-springing gladness.
3 For the herald's voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all men to repentance,
since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
let the valleys rise to meet him,
and the hills bow down to greet him.
4 Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain;
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now o'er earth is shed abroad;
and all flesh shall see the token,
that his word is never broken.
Public Confession
Unison: O Source of all good, we render to you, Gift of gifts, only an impoverished soul. Before your holy righteousness, we are undone, with no will to return to you, and no intellect to devise recovery. You came, God-incarnate, to save us to the uttermost, as man to die our death, to shed satisfying blood on our behalf, to work out a perfect righteousness for us. Meanwhile, we live in selfishness and hard-heartedness, with a stiff-necked and unforgiving spirit. We are correct when we say, “There is no health in us.” We beg you, through your perfect life and willing sacrifice, to pardon our sins. Have mercy upon us, O Lord.
Private Confession
Pastoral Prayer
The Promise of the Gospel
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him….But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” ( No. 196).
1 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.
2. Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring 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"
3. 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.
4. 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.
CCLI 3036374
Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings
*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)
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 Thanksgiving and Dedication
*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: John 1:43-51
Minister: This is the Word of God.
Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!
*The Prayer for Illumination
Sermon: “The Prophet” (Rev. Seth Wallace)
*Departing Hymn: “Join All the Glorious Names” (No. 301)
1 Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and pow'r,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too poor to speak his worth,
too poor to set my Savior forth.
2 Great Prophet of my God,
my tongue would bless thy name:
by thee the joyful news
of our salvation came,
the joyful news of sins forgiv'n,
of hell subdued, and peace with heav'n.
3 Jesus, my great High Priest,
offered his blood and died;
my guilty conscience seeks
no sacrifice beside:
his pow'rful blood did once atone
and now it pleads before the throne.
4 Thou art my Counselor,
my pattern, and my Guide,
and thou my Shepherd art;
O keep me near thy side;
nor let my feet e'er turn astray
to wander in the crooked way.
5 My Savior and my Lord,
my Conqu'ror and my King,
thy scepter and thy sword,
thy reigning grace, I sing:
thine is the pow'r; behold I sit
in willing bonds beneath thy feet.
*The Benediction
Postlude
*Denotes congregation standing, if able.
Morning Worship Service on The Lord's Day, December 7, 2025
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:68-69
Prelude
Welcome and Announcements
Lighting of the Advent Candle
Leader: Why do we light the Advent candles?
People: Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the Light of Life.”
Leader: A voice cries in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
People: “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low. The uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places plain.”
(Lighting of the candle)
Leader: We light this candle as a symbol of proclamation.
People: May the Word sent from God through the prophets lead us to the way of salvation.”
The Voluntary for Silent Prayer
*Call to Worship: Hebrews 1:1-3
Minister: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
People: He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.
Minister: After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Unison: Come, let us adore Him!
*Hymn of Adoration: “Prophets’ Words Foretold a Savior” ( SH No. 18)
Prophets’ words foretold a savior in Bethlehem that night
Hailed by angels, shepherds, wisemen, Emmanuel our Light.
Royal blood his kingly mantle, yet in kindness came to show
Human flesh in God’s hands dealt death its final, fatal blow.
Lowly infant in a stable, make all our prayers take flight.
Coming Christ, our God incarnate, be all our soul’s delight.
CCLI 3036374
*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Invocation
Unison: Gracious Father, with Peter we cry out, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” In a world of created changeable things, Christ and his Word remain unshaken. Father, conform us to your unchanging Word, to the image of your eternal, perfect Son. And may Christ the Word, and his Word, be our strength and comfort. In his name we come to you. Amen.
Adapted from “Christ the Word” in The Valley of Vision
*Confession of Faith: Westminster Larger Catechism 43
Minister: How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?
People: Christ executes the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and Word, in various ways of administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation.
Unison: Thanks be to God!
*Gloria (Tune: “Regent Square”)
Glory be to the God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Glory to the Holy Spirit, ever Three, and ever One;
One in might, and one in glory, while unending ages run.
The Revelation of God’s Will: Ex. 20:1-17; Mt. 22:37-40
Unison: And God spoke all these words saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
People: You shall have no other gods before me.
Minister: You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
People: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Minister: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
People: Honor your father and your mother.
Minister: You shall not murder.
People: You shall not commit adultery.
Minister: You shall not steal.
People: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Minister: You shall not covet.”
People: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, mind and strength…and your neighbor as yourself.”
Minister: Have you fully obeyed the Lord in all that he has commanded?
People: No, but we have sinned against him in thought, word, and deed.
Minister: Then confess your sins, for with him there is mercy and abundant pardon.
*Hymn of Approach: “Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” (No. 197)
1 Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
comfort those who sit in darkness,
mourning 'neath their sorrow's load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
of the peace that waits for them;
tell her that her sins I cover,
and her warfare now is over.
2 Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
blotting out each dark misdeed;
all that well deserved his anger
he no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many a day
now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
into ever-springing gladness.
3 For the herald's voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
bidding all men to repentance,
since the kingdom now is here.
O that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
let the valleys rise to meet him,
and the hills bow down to greet him.
4 Make ye straight what long was crooked,
make the rougher places plain;
let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now o'er earth is shed abroad;
and all flesh shall see the token,
that his word is never broken.
Public Confession
Unison: O Source of all good, we render to you, Gift of gifts, only an impoverished soul. Before your holy righteousness, we are undone, with no will to return to you, and no intellect to devise recovery. You came, God-incarnate, to save us to the uttermost, as man to die our death, to shed satisfying blood on our behalf, to work out a perfect righteousness for us. Meanwhile, we live in selfishness and hard-heartedness, with a stiff-necked and unforgiving spirit. We are correct when we say, “There is no health in us.” We beg you, through your perfect life and willing sacrifice, to pardon our sins. Have mercy upon us, O Lord.
Private Confession
Pastoral Prayer
The Promise of the Gospel
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him….But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Hymn of Thanksgiving: “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” ( No. 196).
1 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.
2. Joy to those who long to see thee,
Dayspring 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"
3. 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.
4. 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.
CCLI 3036374
Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings
*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)
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 Thanksgiving and Dedication
*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: John 1:43-51
Minister: This is the Word of God.
Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!
*The Prayer for Illumination
Sermon: “The Prophet” (Rev. Seth Wallace)
*Departing Hymn: “Join All the Glorious Names” (No. 301)
1 Join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and pow'r,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too poor to speak his worth,
too poor to set my Savior forth.
2 Great Prophet of my God,
my tongue would bless thy name:
by thee the joyful news
of our salvation came,
the joyful news of sins forgiv'n,
of hell subdued, and peace with heav'n.
3 Jesus, my great High Priest,
offered his blood and died;
my guilty conscience seeks
no sacrifice beside:
his pow'rful blood did once atone
and now it pleads before the throne.
4 Thou art my Counselor,
my pattern, and my Guide,
and thou my Shepherd art;
O keep me near thy side;
nor let my feet e'er turn astray
to wander in the crooked way.
5 My Savior and my Lord,
my Conqu'ror and my King,
thy scepter and thy sword,
thy reigning grace, I sing:
thine is the pow'r; behold I sit
in willing bonds beneath thy feet.
*The Benediction
Postlude
*Denotes congregation standing, if able.
December 6, 2025
