Let all together praise our God
Before His glorious throne
Today He opens heav'n again
To give us His own Son
To give us His own Son

He leaves His heav'nly
Father's throne
Is born an infant small
And in a manger, poor and lone
Lies in a humble stall
Lies in a humble stall

Your grace
in lowliness revealed
Lord Jesus, we adore
And praise to God the Father yield
And Spirit evermore
We praise You evermore

CCLI Song #774311 Nikolaus Herman Public Domain CCLI License #532995

Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen

Pastor: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

All: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

reflection and self-examination

Pastor: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

All: 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.

Pastor: 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 Son and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

This is the feast
Of victory for our God
Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Worthy is Christ the Lamb
Who was slain
Whose blood set us free
To be people of God

This is the feast
Of victory for our God
Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Power riches
Wisdom and strength
And honor blessing
And glory are His

This is the feast
Of victory for our God
Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

Sing with all the people of God
And join in the hymn of all creation
Blessing honor glory and might
Be to God and the Lamb forever
Amen

This is the feast
Of victory for our God
Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

For the Lamb who was slain
Has begun his reign
Alleluia

This is the feast
Of victory for our God
Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

LSB Divine Service Setting 1

Elder:
This is the Word of the Lord

All:
Thanks be to God

As with gladness men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward beaming bright
So most gracious Lord may we
Evermore be led to thee

As with joyful steps they sped
Savior to thy lowly bed
There to bend the knee before
Thee whom heav'n and earth adore
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat

As they offered gifts most rare
At thy cradle rude and bare
So may we with holy joy
Pure and free from sin's alloy
All our costliest treasures bring
Christ to Thee our heav'nly King

CCLI Song #47727011 William Chatterton Dix and Conrad Kocher Public Domain CCLI License #532995

Message Notes

Psalm 8:3
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place

Matthew 2:1-2
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Matthew 2:6
“ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Matthew 2:1
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

1 - God is calling us to Worship Him

Psalm 19:1-4
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

2 - God wants us to trust His timing

Psalm 139:1-6
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you,
Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

3 - God knows your needs before you even ask

Matthew 6:8
your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Isaiah 40:26-3
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one
by one and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Born 'neath a star was a child so small
with no shelter o'er but a drafty stall
Yet He'd be known as the "Lord of All"
born beneath a star that night

Led by a star was a shepherd boy
after angels told him of wondrous joy
Sent down to earth as a baby boy
born beneath a star that night

And love filled the earth
At the news of the Christ Child's birth
And hope did abound
That through Him peace would be found

Born 'neath a star was a child so small
with no shelter o'er but a drafty stall
Yet He'd be known as the "Lord of All"
born beneath a star that night

Led by a star were the wisemen three
Trav'ling miles and miles the young child to see
Bringing Him gifts for a king He'd be
Born beneath a star that night

Under the star of the Christmas tree
We still share the joy of that ancient eve
When Christ was born the "King of Peace"
born beneath a star that night

And love filled the earth
At the news of the Christ Child's birth
And hope did abound
That through Him peace would be found

Born 'neath a star was a child so small
with no shelter o'er but a drafty stall
Yet He'd be known as the "Lord of All"
born beneath a star that night

CCLI Song #15788 Cynthia Gray 1983, 1984, 1989 Heritage Music Press (Admin.by Music Services, Inc.) CCLI License #532995

Elder: ...Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray,

All: Trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord who taught us to pray;

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

All: 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 the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Preface - Responsive

E: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
E: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them to the Lord.
E: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface - Spoken

Sanctus - Sung

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Words of Institution & Peace of The Lord

The Communing
During Communion please take time to reflect in prayer.

Post Communion Blessing
Pastor :The body and the blood of our Lord…. Depart in peace.
All : Amen

Let us all with gladsome voice
Praise the God of heaven
Who to bid our hearts rejoice
His own Son hath given

To this vale of tears He comes
Here to serve in sadness
That with Him in heaven's fair homes
We may reign in gladness

We are rich for He was poor
Is not this a wonder
Therefore praise God evermore
Here on earth and yonder

Christ our Lord and Saviour dear
Be Thou ever near us
Grant us now a glad New Year
Amen Jesus hear us

CCLI Song #634712 Ander Teil Gesangbuch and Catherine Winkworth Public Domain CCLI License #532995

Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you… give you peace.
All: Amen

Pastor: Go in peace and serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

Take some time to reflect or discuss the following questions with your family:
When you look at the stars, what does it tell you about God?