3RD SUNDAY IN ADVENT (Gaudete) - 2023
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Today’s radio broadcast is sponsored in loving memory of Herschal, Alvena, and Gary Noffsinger.
Today's Service Leader Rev. Brett Cornelius, Pastor Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Today's liturgy is the Divine Service, Setting One, LSB pages 151ff.
336 Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88, alt.
Tune: Thomas Olivers, 1725–99
Text and tune: Public domain
Stand
The sign of the cross T may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
Invocation
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Exhortation 151
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
"Silent Reflection before Confession"
Confession of Sins LSB 151
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Absolution LSB 151
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
Introit Psalm 85:1–2, 6, 8; antiphon: Philippians 4:4–5
Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand.
Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.
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.
Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, Rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand.
Kyrie LSB 152
A In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
A Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P 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.
C Amen.
Please be Seated
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 40:1–11
1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6A voice says, “Cry!”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
7The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
surely the people are grass.
8The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
9Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
“Behold your God!”
10Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
11He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Gradual Psalm 80:1–2
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Stir up your might and come to save us!
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
Epistle 1 Corinthians 4:1–5
1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Please Stand
Verse of the Day Psalm 80:2b
Stir up your might and come to save us.
Holy Gospel Matthew 11:2–11
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eleventh chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
2When John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Please be Seated
345 Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding
Text: Latin, c. 5th–10th cent.; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814–78, alt.
Tune: William H. Monk, 1823–89
Text and tune: Public domain
Sermon ~ Isaiah 40 1–11 / Rev. Brett E. Cornelius, Pastor Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Please Stand
Nicene Creed
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Church
Please be Seated
Offering
Offering Hymn ~ Comfort, Comfort Ye My People ~ Holy Cross Choir
The offering is presented on the last stanza
Please Stand
Offertory LSB 159
Preface LSB 160
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Proper Preface (Abbreviated) LSB 161
P It is truly good, right, and salutary . . . evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus LSB 161
Prayer of Thanksgiving 161
Lord’s Prayer LSB 162
P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
C 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.
The Words of Our Lord
P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Pax Domini LSB 163
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
Agnus Dei LSB 163
Please be Seated
Distribution
Distribution Hymn
621 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Text: Liturgy of St. James, 5th cent.; tr. Gerard Moultrie, 1829–85, alt.
Tune: French, 17th cent.
Text and tune: Public domain
575 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
Text: Edward Mote, 1797–1874, alt.
Tune: John Stainer, 1840–1901
Text and tune: Public domain
346 When All the World Was Cursed
Text: Johann Gottfried Olearius, 1635–1711; tr. Paul E. Kretzmann, 1883–1965, alt.
Tune: Ahasverus Fritsch, 1629–1701
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain
Please Stand
Nunc Dimittis LSB 165
Post-Communion Collect
Benediction LSB 166
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You
5 Sin’s debt, that fearful burden,
Cannot His love erase;
Your guilt the Lord will pardon
And cover by His grace.
He comes, for you procuring
The peace of sin forgiv’n,
His children thus securing
Eternal life in heav’n.
6 He comes to judge the nations,
A terror to His foes,
A light of consolations
And blessèd hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Your beams so cheering,
And guide us safely home.
Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Tune: Johann Crüger, 1598–1662
Text and tune: Public domain
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2023 Concordia Publishing House.