First Lutheran Church

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3rd Sunday in Advent

Kurt Christenson

Sunday, December 14, 2025

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Prelude

What Sweeter Music Arranged and played by Mike Klingbeil

by Robert Herrick 1647, set to music in 1987 by John Rutter

What sweeter music can we bring / Than a carol for to sing

The birth of this our Heavenly King? /Awake the voice, awake the string

Welcome & Announcements

*Advent Wreath Peter Mydra & Lorena Lara

Come to Be Our Hope, O Jesus v. 1

We praise you, O God, for this victory wreath that marks our days of preparation for Christ’s advent. As we light the candles on this wreath, strengthen our hearts as we await the Lord’s coming in glory. Enlighten us with your grace, that we may serve our neighbors in need. Grant this through Christ our Lord, whose coming is certain and whose day draws near. Amen.

Come to Be Our Hope, O Jesus v 2

*Confession & Forgiveness at the Cradle of Hope

Blessed be the holy Trinity, one God, whose home is heaven and earth, whose salvation is sure. Amen.

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Long-expected God, we confess that we look to ourselves

for the peace and security only you can provide. We reach for swords and spears, reluctant to release our grip on the ways of war. We become impatient while waiting and weary of keeping awake. Free us from self-reliance, and teach us to live in harmony with our neighbors. Increase our trust in God’s timing, and awaken us to your advent among us, that we may abound in the hope you have promised. Amen.

God judges us not as we deserve, but according to God’s own righteousness. You are freed and forgiven, saved by grace,

and ready to welcome the Savior.

Amen.

*Gathering Hymn Canticle of the Turning

*Prayer of the Day

Stir up the wills of all who look to you, Lord God, and strengthen our faith in your coming, that, transformed by grace, we may walk in your way; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 35:1-10

1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees 4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; 6 then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp; the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

Psalm Luke 1:46b-55

46b My soul proclaims the greatness | of the Lord,

47 my spirit rejoices in | God my Savior,

48 for you, Lord, have looked with favor on your | lowly servant.

From this day all generations will | call me blessed:

49 you, the Almighty, have done great | things for me

and holy | is your name.

50 You have mercy on | those who fear you,

from generation to | generation. R

51 You have shown strength | with your arm

and scattered the proud in | their conceit,

52 casting down the mighty | from their thrones

and lifting | up the lowly.

53 You have filled the hungry | with good things

and sent the rich | away empty.

54 You have come to the aid of your | servant Israel,

to remember the prom- | ise of mercy,

55 the promise made | to our forebears,

to Abraham and his chil- | dren forever. R

The Epistle Lesson James 5:7-10

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

*Gospel Acclamation

*Gospel Matthew 11:2-11 Glory to you O Lord

2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What, then, did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon Pastor Kurt Christenson

*Hymn of the Day The Day is Near

*Exchange of Peace

The peace of the Lord be with you. And also with you.

*Prayers of Intercession

Response to each petition: God of grace, hear our prayer.

*Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Offering

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Offering Music

All through the Night ‘Ar Hyd y Nos’ Welsh Folksong

Welsh lyrics by John Hughes and English Translation by Harold Boulton played by Mike Klingbeil

All the stars' twinkles say / All through the night

"This is the way to the realm of glory,"

All through the night. | Other light is darkness

To show true beauty | The Heavenly family in peace

All through the night. | Through the night.

Offering Prayer

Nourishing God,

you are water in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Through this meal, satisfy our parched places,

that we may rejoice and be for the world

signs of your kingdom come.

Amen.

*The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

*Preface

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ;

who on this day overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

*Sanctus

*Eucharistic Prayer

On the night our Lord Jesus was betrayed, …

Remembering, then, his death and resurrection, we take this bread and cup...through whom all glory and honor are yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, in your holy church, both now and forever.

Amen.

*The Lord’s Prayer

Lord, remember us in your Kingdom and teach us to pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Agnus Dei

Communion Distribution

Communion Music In The Bleak Midwinter arr. By Julie Gaulke

Choir

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan | Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow | In the bleak midwinter, long ago

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain | Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign | In the bleak midwinter, a stable-place sufficed.

*Communion Blessing and Prayer

God our host,

at this table you have fed us with joy and gladness.

Send us forth, eager to share the feast,

welcome the stranger,

and bear good fruit in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

*Sending Hymn Awake! Awake! And Greet the New Morn