Today's Liturgist Rev. Brett Cornelius, Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Today's Speaker Rev. Michael W. Mohr, Associate Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church & CID President

 

 

Today's liturgy is the Divine Service, Setting One, LSB pages 151ff.

 

387 Joy to the World

Text: Isaac Watts, 1674–1748
Tune: George Frideric Handel, 1685–1759, adapt.
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

The sign of the cross 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 LSB 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.

 

Kneel/Stand

 

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

 

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.

 

Stand

 

Introit Psalm 24:1, 3–5; antiphon: Psalm 2:6–7

The Lord | said to me,*
“You are my Son; today I have be- | gotten you.
As for me, I have | set my King*
on Zion, my | holy hill.”
The earth is the Lord’s and the full- | ness thereof,*
the world and those who | dwell therein.
Who shall ascend the hill | of the Lord?*
And who shall stand in his | holy place?
He who has clean hands and a | pure heart,*
who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear de- | ceitfully.
He will receive blessing | from the Lord*
and righteousness from the God of his sal- | vation.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
The Lord | said to me,*
“You are my Son; today I have be- | gotten you.
As for me, I have | set my King*
on Zion, my | holy hill.”

 

Kyrie LSB 152

 

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 154

 

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P Let us pray.

O God, You make us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Grant that as we joyfully receive Him as our Redeemer, we may with sure confidence behold Him when He comes to be our Judge; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

Sit

 

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 7:10–14

10Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11“Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” 12But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Gradual Psalm 98:3b–4a, 2

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation | of our God.*
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, | all the earth.
The Lord has made known his sal- | vation;*
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the | nations.

 

Epistle 1 John 4:7–16

7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Stand

 

Alleluia and Verse LSB 156

 

Holy Gospel Matthew 1:18–25

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the first chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

18Now 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. 19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20But 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. 21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

 

Sit

 

359 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

Text (sts. 1–2): tr. Theodore Baker, 1851–1934, alt.; (sts. 1–2, 4): German, 16th cent.; (st. 3): Friedrich L. C. Layriz, 1808–59; (st. 3): tr. Harriet R. K. Spaeth, 1845–1925; (st. 4): tr. John C. Mattes, 1876–1948
Tune: Alte Catholische Geistliche Kirchengeseng, 1599, Köln
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Sermon ~ Here's Your Sign - Isaiah 7:10-14 ~ Rev. Michael W. Mohr, Associate Pastor

 

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

P In peace, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For true faith in Christ and His promise that by His conception, virgin birth, holy life, sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, our sins are forgiven and we are His, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the love of God, that abiding in us and we in Him, we would grow in love toward one another and His love would be perfected in us, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For joy and delight in proclaiming the glad tidings of Christ to all people, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the Church and her constant testimony that Jesus is the Savior of the world; for pastors, that they would proclaim Christ boldly; and for all God’s people, that they would make known the praises of the One born in Bethlehem, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For all families, that God would make each household a place of prayer and devotion to His Word; that He would bless parents of young children with patience; and that He would give comfort to the childless and abide with the fatherless, widows and orphans, the lonely, and those separated from their families, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For good government, that God would move all authorities to govern in service to the will of David’s Son and Lord, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the lonely, the sick, the recovering and those near death, [including _____________,] that God, who has visited and redeemed us by the birth of His Son, would visit them with His comforting presence and give them endurance until He grants His healing, relief, deliverance and peace at the proper time, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For all who will receive Christ’s body and blood this night, that they would have true faith in His Word and promises, be fed in body and soul, and be sustained in humble repentance and godly living, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P For the bereaved and all who grieve this night, [especially _____________,] that they might find hope through the celebration of our Lord’s nativity, knowing that Christ was born to conquer death and give eternal life to all believers, let us pray to the Lord:

C Lord, have mercy.

P All these things we pray, O Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, Your own Son, whom You have made known to us in the mystery of the Word made flesh, who has fulfilled all the Law and the prophets and delivered us to You as Your own people through the blood of the everlasting covenant, that we may do what is good and right and pleasing in Your sight. To You be all glory and honor, worship and praise, now and forevermore.

C Amen.

 

Sit

 

Offering

 

Stand

 

Offertory LSB 159

 

Preface LSB 160

 

Proper Preface

P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for in the mystery of the Word made flesh You have given us a new revelation of Your glory that, seeing You in the person of Your Son, we may know and love those things which are not seen. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

 

Sanctus LSB 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

 

Agnus Dei LSB 163

 

Sit

 

Distribution Hymns

 

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

 

360 All My Heart Again Rejoices

 

5 Softly from His lowly manger
    Jesus calls
    One and all,
“You are safe from danger.
Children, from the sins that grieve you
    You are freed;
    All you need
I will surely give you.”

 

6 Come, then, banish all your sadness!
    One and all,
    Great and small,
Come with songs of gladness.
We shall live with Him forever
    There on high
    In that joy
Which will vanish never.

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76, abr., adapt.; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Tune: Johann Crüger, 1598–1662
Text and tune: Public domain

 

364 Away in a Manger

Text (sts. 1–2): Little Children’s Book, 1885, Philadelphia; (st. 3): Vineyard Songs, 1892, Louisville, alt.
Tune: James R. Murray, 1841–1905
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

Nunc Dimittis LSB 165

 

Post-Communion Collect

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 

Benediction LSB 166

 

388 Go Tell It on the Mountain

Text (sts. 1–3): John W. Work II, 1873–1925, alt.
Text (ref) and tune: African American spiritual
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book

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 © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.