Let Your Lights Appear

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lights shine and our love for You be evident to all. Ladies: Help us to remember that all the details we attend to at Ch
Let Your Lights Appear

Advent By Candlelight December 4, 2016

[Jesus] said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of Life.” (John 8:12)

Let Your Lights Appear Welcome! Responsive Prayer Leader:

Dear Father, Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation for our Christmas celebration.

Ladies:

Help us balance our obligations and holiday plans with time in Your word, in worship and in Your presence.

Leader:

As we strive to make the holidays special for our families and friends let our lights shine and our love for You be evident to all.

Ladies:

Help us to remember that all the details we attend to at Christmas would mean nothing without the Holy Spirit living in our hearts and the knowledge of Jesus Christ in our lives.

Leader:

Lord, Forgive us when we lose focus and get caught-up in the world’s material ideas of Christmas.

Ladies:

Thank you for providing so many comforts and luxuries in our lives; help us to remember those less fortunate during the holidays and all through the year

Leader:

Lord, we pray that each woman here feels Your presence as she prepares for Christmas. May the time we spend on holiday details and traditions build us up, as You intend, rather than leave us empty and exhausted. We ask that this time of preparation fill the very depths of our souls to overflowing and that Your Holy Spirit gives us the gift of anticipation as we await our King’s second coming. May we continue to prepare our hearts for that day when He comes again in glory. Let our time together honor You. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

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Traditional Lutheran meaning of Advent wreath First Candle – The Prophecy Candle (First candle is lit) Prophecies: Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” Micah 5:2 - But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times. Jeremiah 33:15 – In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel (CW 23) Oh come, oh, come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel. That morns in lonely exile here Until the son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel! Oh, come O Root of Jesse, free Your own from Satan’s tyranny; From depths of hell you people save, And bring them vict’ry o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

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Oh, come, O Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by your drawing nigh, Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel! Oh, come, O Key of David, come, And open wide our heav'nly home. Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Second Candle – The Bethlehem Candle (Second candle is lit) O Little Town of Bethlehem (CW 65, verse 1) O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! Above the deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

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Third Candle – The Shepherd Candle (Third candle is lit)

Ladies: The shepherds are good examples for us. They listened to the Lord and then told people what he said. Luke 2:8-20: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

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Where Shepherds Lately Knelt (CW 54, verses 1 and 3) Where shepherds lately knelt and kept the angel's word, I come in half belief, a pilgrim strangely stirred, but there is room and welcome there for me, but there is room and welcome there for me. How should I not have known Isaiah would be there, his prophecies fulfilled? With pounding heart I stare: a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me, a child, a son, the Prince of Peace for me.

Fourth Candle – The Angle Candle (Fourth candle is lit)

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (CW 61, verses 1 and 3) Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all you nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th' angelic host proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!"

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Hail, the heav'nly Prince of peace! Hail! the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King!" Fifth Candle – The Christ Candle (Fifth Candle is lit) What Child is This? (CW 67, verses 1 and 3) What child is this who, laid to rest, On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Hast, haste to bring him laud, The babe, the Son of Mary! So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come peasant, king, to own him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise the song on high; The virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary!

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A new way to look at our Advent wreath (Extinguish the Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherd, and Angel candles) Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers (CW 7, verse 1) Rejoice, rejoice, believers, And let your lights appear; The evening is advancing, And darker night is near. The Bridegroom is arising And soon is drawing night. Up, pray and watch and wrestle; At midnight comes the cry.

Let Your Light Appear at Home (relight the first candle)

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Shine, Jesus, Shine (Let All the People Praise You, p. 270) Lord, the light of your love is shining, In the midst of the darkness shining. Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us; Set us free by the truth you now bring us. Shine on me, Shine on me. Refrain: Shine, Jesus, shine! Fill this land with the Father’s glory. Blaze, Spirit, blaze! Set your hearts on fire. Flow, river flow! Flood the nations with grace and mercy. Send forth your Word, Lord and let there be light! Lord, I come to your awesome presence, From the shadows into your radiance. By the blood I may enter your brightness; Search me, try me, consume all my darkness. Shine on me, Shine on me. Refrain As we gaze on your kingly brightness, So our faces display your likeness Ever changing from glory to glory, Mirrored here, may our lives tell your story. Shine on me, Shine on me. Refrain

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Let Your Light Appear at Work (relight the second candle)

They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love (LAPPY, 298 verses 1 and 3) We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, And we pray that all unity may one day be restored. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. We will work with each other, we will work side by side, We will work with each other; we work side by side. We’ll respect people’s dignity and in love abide. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Let Your Light Appear in Your Community (relight the third candle) Reading of “The Story of the Christmas Guest” by Helen Steiner Rice

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Let Your Light Appear at Church (relight the fourth candle)

Joy to the World (CW 62, Verses 1 and 2) Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let eve’ry heart prepare him room And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n and nature sing. And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let all their songs employ, Whlle fields and floods, rocks hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

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Closing: Leader: So where does that leave us? Our Advent wreaths are lit for the second time. Hopefully our hearts are lit, too, with the joy of Christ’s coming and the zeal to spread his light. With those thoughts in mind, we pray, “Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day of grace and for the opportunity to worship you. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to be our light, and for sending your Spirit to spark our own lights of faith. Let our lights appear wherever you put us this Advent season and throughout our lives.” Ladies: Amen. Silent Night! Holy Night (CW 60) Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy Infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar; Heav’n-ly hosts sing, Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born! Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face With the down of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

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