“The People of Christ Sharing the Love of Christ”

Christ Lutheran Church 300 East Monroe Street

Austin, Texas 78704 (512) 442-5844

Website: www.christaustin.org

Rev. John C. Stennfeld, Pastor

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COMMUNION ANNOUNCEMENT Here at Christ Lutheran Church we believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is the only Savior from sin, and that He alone is the way to eternal life. We believe, teach, and confess that in the Sacrament of Holy Communion the true body and blood of Jesus Christ is received along with the elements of bread and wine, and that the reception of this gift in faith is a means through which God Himself forgives our sins, strengthens us in faith, and unites us as His children. If your own personal beliefs are in complete harmony with these Biblical truths, if you are a baptized Christian who has been instructed in these Lutheran confessions, if you recognize the reality of sin in your life and desire to receive God’s forgiveness, and if you acknowledge that receiving Holy Communion at our table expresses an implied unity with us in the body of Christ you are welcome to join us at the table of our Lord.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Christ Lutheran Church is to connect people to Jesus through:

● Inspirational worship ● Loving service ● Caring fellowship ● Relevant education

so that they may know, and grow in, his love.

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THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT December 13, 2020

PRESERVICE MUSIC “In Christ Alone” H.I.S. Band

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.

In 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. ‘Til on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For ev’ry sin on him was laid; here in the death of Christ I live.

There 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.

No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the pow’r of Christ in me; From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from his hand; ‘Til he returns or calls me home, here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand!

No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from his hand; ‘Til he returns or calls me home, here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand! “In Christ Alone” words and music by Keith Getty, Stuart Townend © Words and music: 2001 Thankyou Music Used by Permission. CCLI License #769388

WELCOME

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OPENING HYMN “Savior of the Nations, Come” LSB #332

Savior of the nations, come, Virgin’s Son, make her Your home! Marvel now, O heav’n and earth, That the Lord chose such a birth

Not by human flesh and blood, By the Spirit of our God, Was the Word of God made flesh— Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh

Here a maid was found with child, Yet remained a virgin mild. In her womb this truth was shown: God was there upon His throne.

Then stepped forth the Lord of all From His pure and kingly hall; God of God, yet fully man, His heroic course began.

God the Father was His source, Back to God He ran His course. Into hell His road went down, Back then to His throne and crown.

From the manger newborn light Shines in glory through the night. Darkness there no more resides; In this light faith now abides.

Glory to the Father sing, Glory to the Son, our king, Glory to the Spirit be Now and through eternity. Text: attr. Ambrose of Milan, 340-397; tr. William M. Reynolds, 1812-76, sts. 1-2; tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006, sts. 3, 6; tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913-2001, sts. 4-5, 8; tr. Gifford A. Grobien, b. 1973, st. 7 Tune: Geysliche gesangk Buchleyn, Wittenberg, 1524, ed. Johann Walter; setting: Lutheran Service Book, 2006 Text (sts. 1-2) and tune: Public domain; (sts. 4-5, 8): © 1978 Concordia Publishing House Text (sts. 3, 6-7) and setting: © 2006 Concordia Publishing House Used by permission. Lutheran Service Book Hymn License #10004991

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(Please rise)

ORDER OF MATINS (sung) LSB p. 219

Pastor: O Lord, open my lips. People: and my mouth will declare Your praise.

Pastor: Make haste, O God, to deliver me. People: make haste to help me, O Lord. People: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia.

COMMON ANTIPHON (sung) LSB p. 220 Pastor: Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. People: O come, let us worship Him.

VENITE (sung) "O Come, Let Us Sing" LSB p. 220-221 O come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving, let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise. For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods. The deep places of the earth are in His hand; the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

COMMON ANTIPHON (sung) LSB p. 221 Pastor: Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. People: O come, let us worship Him. Portion of Matins from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. License #10004991.

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COLLECT OF THE DAY

Pastor: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen. (Please be seated)

OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11 (The year of the Lord’s favor)

EPISTLE 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

(Rejoice always)

VERSE Be Joyful Always and Give Thanks By Rev. John C. Stennfeld Text: I Thessalonians 5:16-24

Tune Meter: Beatitudo

Be joyful always and give thanks, And pray continu’ly, For this is God’s good will for you And will forever be. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire, Nor prophecy deride. Test ev’rything; hold onto good; And from all evil hide. May God Himself, the God of peace E’er bless you through and through, And may He keep you blameless for The day Christ comes for you. The One who calls you is faithful, And “His will” will be done, Thus one day soon He’ll bring us home Through Jesus Christ His son. (Please rise)

HOLY GOSPEL John 1:6–8, 19–28

(The testimony of John the Baptist)

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CONFESSION OF FAITH – 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 Spirit, Born of the virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in Holy Spirit, The holy Christian Church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen. (Please be seated)

SERMON HYMN “The Advent of Our King” LSB #331

The advent of our King Our prayers must now employ, And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy.

The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be. Himself a servant's form puts on To set His servants free.

O Zion’s daughter, rise To meet your lowly King, Nor let thy faithless heart despise The peace He comes to bring.

As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again And His true members all unite With Him in heav’n to reign.

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Before the dawning day Let sin’s dark deeds be gone, The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on.

All glory to the Son Who comes to set us free, With Father, Spirit, ever one, Through all eternity. "The Advent of Our King" Text: Charles Coffin, 1676-1749; tr. John Chandler, 1806-76, alt. Tune: Aaron Williams, 1731-76; setting: The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941 Text and music: Public domain

SERMON “Is it Safe?” Pastor John Stennfeld Text: John 1:6-8, 19-28

OFFERING H.I.S. Band (Please rise)

PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION

CANTICLE (sung) "Te Deum" LSB p. 223-225

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord. All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting. To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow’rs there-in. To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory. The glorious company of the apostles praise You. The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

The noble army of martyrs praise You. The holy Church throughout the world does acknowledge You: The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son; also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

You are the king of glory, O Christ; You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man, You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin. When You had overcome the sharpness of death, You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

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You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. We believe that You will come to be our judge.

We therefore pray You to help Your servants, whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood. Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage. Govern them and lift them up forever. Day by day we magnify You. And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us. O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You. O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded. "Te Deum" from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. License #10004991.

WORDS OF INSTITUTION

LORD’S PRAYER

People: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

PAX DOMINI

Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you always. People: Amen

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AGNUS DEI (sung) “Lamb of God” LSB p. 180

Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace, grant us peace. "Lamb of God" from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. License #10004991.

(Please be seated)

DISTRIBUTION

DISTRIBUTION SONGS “Nothing but the Blood” H.I.S. Band What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Refrain: Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; (Refrain)

Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; (Refrain)

This all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; (Refrain) "Nothing But The Blood (Plainfield)" Words and music by Robert Lowry Words and music: Public domain.

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“One Bread One Body” H.I.S. Band

Chorus: One bread, one body, one Lord of all. One cup of blessing which we bless And we, though many, throughout the earth, We are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, servant or free, Woman or man, no more. (Chorus)

Many the gifts, many the works, One in the Lord of all. (Chorus)

Grain for the field, scattered and grown Gathered to one, for all. (Chorus) "One Bread One Body" Words and music by John B. Foley © 1978 John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications

(Please rise)

BENEDICTION

CLOSING HYMN “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” LSB #338

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 ev'ry nation, Joy of ev'ry longing heart. 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;

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By Thine all-sufficient merit Raise us to Thy glorious throne. "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus" Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-88, alt. Tune: Southern Harmony, New Haven, 1835 Text and tune: Public domain

(Please be seated)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

POSTLUDE H.I.S. Band

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_______________________________ SERVING TODAY

PASTOR: Rev. John C. Stennfeld

ORGANIST: Phyllis Trautner

LECTOR: Pachalin Stennfeld

FLOWERS: Given by Patty & Dale Brodbeck

5th Wedding Anniversary ______________________________________

Acknowledgment: Music is reprinted through CCLI license #769388 or through hymnal/songbook ownership or song is in Public Domain and not copyrighted. "Liturgy / Hymns from Lutheran Service Book copyright Concordia Publishing House"

Lutheran Service Book Hymn License #10004991

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THIS WEEK

TODAY: TODAY: Worship Service 9:30 A.M. Adult Discipleship 10:45 A.M. NEXT SUNDAY: Worship Service 9:30 A.M. Adult Discipleship 10:45 A.M.

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