First Service
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Rejoice at What You See and Hear
December 14, 2025
AS WE GATHER
It is certainly easy to complain. We all do it. We look around and see all those things that are not what we think they should be. We look in the mirror and we see what we lack. When John sent his disciples to Jesus, Jesus called them to rejoice in what is already present. Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, had come. He brings healing and salvation to all who will receive Him. Quite literally, these miracles are still happening all around us. Those wounded by affliction and despair find healing in Christ. The dead in trespasses and sins are raised up to life. The weak are made strong, the poor are made rich, and those with only a past are given an eternal future. What do you see and hear? Look at the world, and you will find only complaint and fear; but look to Jesus, and you will find peace that surpasses all understanding and joy without end.
+ PREPARATION +
(The pink candle and two purple candles are lit after the altar candles are lit)
HYMN Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers TLH 72
Rejoice, rejoice, believers,
And let your lights appear!
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising,
And soon He draweth nigh;
Up, pray and watch and wrestle!
At midnight comes the cry.
The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go meet Him as He cometh,
With hallelujahs clear.
The marriage-feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up, ye heirs of glory;
The Bridegroom is at hand!
Ye saints, who here in patience
Your cross and sufferings bore,
Shall live and reign forever,
When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory The Lamb ye shall behold;
In triumph cast before Him Your diadems of gold!
Our Hope and Expectation,
O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, Desire of nations,
O'er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption,
That brings us unto Thee!
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
People: The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
Silence for self-examination.
Pastor: Holy and gracious God,
People: I confess that I have sinned against You this day. Some of my sin I know—the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed—but some is known only to You. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask forgiveness. Deliver and restore me that I may rest in peace.
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.
People: Amen.
Pastor: He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
People: Amen.
+ WORD +
HYMN OF PRAISE Oh, That I Had a Thousand Voices TLH 30 vs 1, 5 & 6
Oh that I had a thousand voices
To praise my God with thousand tongues!
My heart, which in the Lord rejoices,
Would then proclaim in grateful songs
To all, wherever I might be,
What great things God hath done for me.
Lord, I will tell, while I am living,
Thy goodness forth with every breath
And greet each morning with thanksgiving
Until my heart is still in death;
Yea, when at last my lips grow cold,
Thy praise shall in my sighs be told.
O Father, deign Thou, I beseech Thee,
To listen to my earthly lays;
A nobler strain in heaven shall reach Thee,
When I with angels hymn Thy praise
And learn amid their choirs to sing
Loud hallelujahs to my King.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: 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.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 35:1–10 (“Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads.”)
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 singing. 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 have an anxious heart,“Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters 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; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not 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 gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
EPISTLE James 5:7–11 (“Be patient . . . until the coming of the Lord.”)
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 11:2–15 (“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”)
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the 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. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As 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? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, 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. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness CH 293
Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light.
Praise the One who frees the pris’ners, turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel,
healing ev’ry dread disease,
Calming storms and feeding thousands
with the very bread of peace.
Praise the One who blessed the children
with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the One who drove out demons
with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the One who brings cool water to the desert’s burning sand.
From this well comes living water quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
Praise the one true love incarnate:
Christ, who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose for many that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness, seeing what our God has done.
Praise the one redeeming glory, praise the One who makes us one.
SERMON
NICENE CREED
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 Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe 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 of the world to come. Amen.
GREETING/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Pastor: In peace, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That the church may proclaim the Good News to the poor, forgiveness to the sinner, and healing to all those afflicted in body or soul, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That hope may rule our hearts against despair and that we may know joy in the midst of trials, giving thanks that Jesus Christ has come to set us free from sin, death, and all our enemies, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That peace may calm our upset hearts and love direct our words and our actions, giving thanks that we shall be raised from this mortal life to everlasting life, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That the nations and all the people may be well served by good and faithful leaders, that violence be replaced with peace among the nations, and for our good citizenship, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That the home may be a place of blessing and love, that marriages may be kept holy, that the lonely may find friendship, and that we may serve one another in love, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That we may respect life and gladly serve children and support mothers with child and those whose desire for a child has yet to be fulfilled, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That all those afflicted in body or soul may know healing and peace and that the grieving may be comforted in their loss, [especially . . .], let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy.
Pastor: That we who here receive this Holy Sacrament be granted the fullness of what is to come when at last the dead shall be raised and the heavens and earth be made new and all the people of God reunited in the eternal dwelling place of God Most High, let us pray to the Lord:
People: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Amen.