The Third Sunday in Advent

December 16, 2007 9:00am

The Colors Of Christmas

A Christmas Service with Children and Choir

Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us. We're glad you're here! Please sign the Friendship Register. Do come again! If you do not have a local church home, we invite you to make your home with us. Here you will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth, warm friendships, and an appreciation of being part of God’s family.

Please Don’t Rush Off After The Worship Service. Stick around for a time of socializing and refreshments as we celebrate a “Birthday Party for Jesus”. We hope you are able to stay! The Education Hour follows. Welcome!

Assisting Us In Worship This Morning

Mary & Jerry Holen, greeters

Carolyn Baumann, organ ~ Margaret Meier, piano ~ Daniel Baumann, trumpet

Our Sunday School Children and Choir

We Gather To Worship The Lord

Words of Welcome

Lighting of the Advent Wreath

Processional Hymn “Oh, Come, Little Children”

Oh come, little children, O come one and all,
To Bethlehem haste, to the manger so small,
God's Son for a gift has been sent you this night
To be your Redeemer, your Joy and Delight.

He's born in a stable for you and for me,
Draw near by the bright gleaming starlight to see,
In swaddling clothes lying so meek and so mild,
And purer than angels, the heavenly Child.

See Mary and Joseph, with love-beaming eyes,
Are gazing upon the rude bed where He lies,
The shepherds are kneeling, with hearts full of love
While angels sing loud hallelujahs above.

Kneel down and adore Him with shepherds today,
Lift up little hands now and praise Him as they
Rejoice that a Savior from sin you can boast,
And join in the song of the heavenly host.

Invocation and Opening Prayer

Pastor’s Message

Congregational Anthem “He Is Born, the Child Divine”

Refrain: He is born, the Child Divine; Play the oboe, Sound the bagpipes,

He is born, the Child Divine; Sing now all, He is born today.

Prophets from the ages past, Have foretold the Savior’s coming;

We for more than four thousand years, Have awaited this joyous time. Refrain

Ah! How fair is the Holy Child, And how perfect are His graces;

Ah, how fair is the Holy Child; Oh, how sweet is the Child Divine! Refrain

In a manger was He born; Straw, a little, for His cradle;

In a manger was He born, What a lodging for Christ, the Lord! Refrain

King of all forevermore, Little infant though You are,

King of all forevermore, Reign in every human heart. Refrain

Narration: Christmas is a colorful holiday. Red and green particularly seem to be two favorite Christmas colors. During this Christmas service we will use colors to help make the Christmas message more meaningful for us.

Black is the opposite of white, the absence of light. God created a beautiful and colorful world. What could have made God's colorful creation dark? Sin! God gave Adam and Eve one command, and they disobeyed that command.

+ BLACK +

Song Verse (children)

Black is the color of the world so dark When creation sinned and missed the mark

Of perfection and love for the Lord above, Sin entered into God's perfect world

Who will give us life, Who can make us grow, Who can change the way of the sin-sick world.

Recitation (grades 7-9)

Song “Are You Lost in the Dark?” (children)

Congregational Anthem “On Christmas Night All Christians Sing”

On Christmas night all Christians sing From out of darkness we have light

To hear the news the angels bring; Which made the angels sing this night.

On Christmas night all Christians sing From out of darkness we have light

To hear the news the angels bring, Which made the angels sing this night:

News of great joy, news of great mirth, "Glory to God and peace to men

News of our merciful King's birth. Now and forevermore. Amen."

+ BLUE +

Blue is for skies and heaven and that's where Jesus came from. Jesus left His Father in heaven and all of heaven's glory, peace, and holiness. He traded it for poverty, humility, sinfulness and the darkness of earth.

Song Verse (children)

Blue is the color of the skies above, God's home called heav'n where Jesus is from

He left glory and holiness to be a man ‘cuz He loved us so we might be with Him,

He can give us life, He can make us grow, He will bring us all to our heavenly home.

Recitation (grades PreK-2)

Choir Anthem “Still, Still, Still”

Congregational Hymn “From Heaven Above To Earth I Come”

1. "From heav'n above to earth I come 2. "To you this night is born a Child

To bear good news to ev'ry home; Of Mary, chosen virgin mild;

Glad tidings of great joy I bring, This little Child of lowly birth

Whereof I now will say and sing: Shall be the joy of all the earth.

3. "This is the Christ, our God most high,

Who hears your sad and bitter cry;

He will Himself your Savior be

From all your sins to set you free.

+ BROWN +

Brown reminds us of a wooden manger box – Jesus’ first bed and it reminds us of His last "resting place", the wooden cross. Jesus was born and laid in a humble manger bed when He came into the world and 33 years later He paid the punishment for our sins on that brown wooden cross.

Song Verse (children)

Brown is the color of the manger bed From which Jesus started and then was led,

To the wooden cross where He saved us all, Where He paid the price of our sinful race,

He can give us life, He can make us grow, He can lead us to our eternal home.

Recitation (grades 3-6)

Hymn “Silent Night”

Stanza 1: children

Stanza 2: choir

Stanza 3: children, choir, and congregation

3. Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

The story of Jesus death on the cross is found in John 19 verses 16-18 and 30. “Finally Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. Carrying His own cross, He went out to the place of the Skull. Here they crucified Him. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Anthem “A Christmas Lullaby” (children and choir)

Congregational Hymn “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice” (please stand)

Now sing we, now rejoice, Now raise to heav'n our voice;

He from whom joy streameth Poor in a manger lies;

Not so brightly beameth The sun in yonder skies.

Thou my Savior art! Thou my Savior art!

Now through His Son doth shine The Father's grace divine.

Death o'er us had reigned Through sin and vanity;

He for us obtained Eternal joy on high.

May we praise Him there! May we praise Him there!

+ RED +

Red is the color of blood and the color of hearts of love. Jesus loved us and gave His life for us and we in turn love Jesus.

Song Verse (children)

Red is the color of the blood that flowed Down the face of Someone who loved us so

He's the perfect man; He's the Lord's own Son; He's the Lamb of God; He's the only One

That can give us life, That can make us grow, That can make the love between us flow.

Recitation (grades 7-9)

Choir Anthem “Were You There on Christmas?”

Congregational Hymn “To Thee My Heart I Offer”

To Thee my heart I offer, O Christ-child sweet and dear,

Upon Thy love relying; Oh, be Thou ever near!

Take Thou my heart and give me Thine, And let it be forever mine,

O Jesus, holy, undefiled, My Savior meek and mild.

What brought Thee to the manger, O Christ-child sweet and dear?

Thy love for me, a stranger – Oh, be Thou ever near!

O Lord, how great is this Thy love That reaches down from heav’n above,

My heart, my soul, and all I own – Let these be Thine alone.

+ GREEN +

Green is the color of plants, grass, Christmas trees and the color of new life and growth. Because Jesus sacrificed himself on the tree of the cross, we have new life that grows out of our great love for Jesus. How can we show and grow in our love for Jesus? Angels showed their love for Jesus by appearing to shepherds and telling them of the birth of their Savior. Shepherds showed their love for their new born Savior by spreading the new to the people of Bethlehem.

Song Verse (congregation)

Green is the color of new life and growth, That God's Son gave us when His love was shown

On the cross Jesus suffered, died, and rose again So that we may rise some day like Him.

He can give us life, He can make us grow, He can help us spread the Good News to all.

Recitation (grades 3-6)

Anthem “That First Nowell” (children and choir)

Recitation (grades 3-6)

The Gospel News of Jesus is to be preached throughout the world, as Luke 24:46 says, “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations.” Jesus' last command to His disciples was, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will by My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth,” Acts l:8.

Congregational Hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie!

Above thy 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.

For Christ is born of Mary, And, gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wond'ring love.

O morning stars, together Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the King And peace to all the earth.

+ YELLOW +

The color yellow can remind us of Jesus who is the light of the world. On the night of Jesus’ birth a bright star shone in the dark heavens. This star was a light to wise men in a distant land. Jesus came to be the Savior of the world, so we want to take the message of Jesus to all the world.

Song Verse (women’s choir)

Yellow is the color of the one true Light, Who is Jesus Christ born that starry night,

To a world filled with darkness and who needed hope, Jesus spread the light for the world to cope.

He can give us life, He can make us grow, He can bring salvation to one and all.

The story of the star and the wise men who followed it to find their Savior is found in Matthew 2:1-2 and 9-11. “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 in the east and have come to worship Him.’ They went on their way, and the star that they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the Child with Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, and of incense, and of myrrh.”

Jesus truly is the light and salvation of the world, as Isaiah prophesied, “I (God the Father) will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that You may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth,” Isaiah 49:6. Jesus said of Himself, “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. Isaiah foretold the coming of the wise men in Isaiah 60:1-3, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Later in the same chapter, verse 20, God further promises, “The Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of sorrow will end. Then will all your people be righteous.”

Choir Anthem “Star-Led and Wonder Bound”

Congregational Hymn “As with Gladness Men of Old” (please stand)

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 Your foll'wers be.

As they offered gifts most rare At Your cradle, rude and bare,

So may we with holy joy, Pure and free from sin's alloy,

All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to You, our heav'nly King.

Holy Jesus, ev'ry day Keep us in the narrow way;

And, when earthly things are past, Bring our ransomed souls at last

Where they need no star to guide, Where no clouds Your glory hide.

Gathering of the Offering

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer

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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours now and forever. Amen.

+ GOLD +

Is gold a color? Well, perhaps it isn’t. But gold reminds us of the crowns that believers will wear when we enter the Kingdom of Light – Heaven.

Song Verse (congregation and children)

Gold is the color of the crown that’s given When we leave this world and enter heaven.

It’s a crown of glory and a crown of life, That comes to us by faith in Christ.

Who can give us life, Who can make us grow, Who can bring us to God’s glorious home.

Isaiah prophesies about our heavenly home, “Only the redeemed will walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Jesus says in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” Peter assures us in I Peter 5:4, “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” The apostle John brings us this comfort in Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Blessing

Closing Anthem “Go Tell the Good News!” (children and choir)

Announcements

Recessional

This service was written by Ann Karpenko and Merry Leerssen. Thank you!

This Week At Mt. Olive

Today: 8:45am Prayer Time in the Fireside Room

9:00am Children’s Christmas Service

10:00am Birthday Party for Jesus

10:30am Sunday School and Adult Bible Class

3:00pm Christmas Concert at Martin Luther College/New Ulm

Monday: 2:00pm Worship Service at Lyngblomsten

6:30pm Bible Information Class

7:00pm “Beautiful Feet” Bible Study

Tuesday: 7:00pm Congregational Christmas Caroling and Party

Wednesday: 5:30pm Confirmation Class

Thursday: 10:00am “Explorers of the Word” Bible Study

Friday: 7:00pm Christmas Concert at SCLHS

Next Sunday: 9:00am Family Worship Service with Holy Communion

Students and Visitors: Please include your email address in the Friendship Register information. Thanks!

Christmas Caroling: You are cordially invited to come and participate in the congregational Christmas caroling that will take place this Tuesday, December 18^th, at 6:00pm. There will be a caroling party following. Please bring an appetizer and cookies or sweets to share. Cocoa, hot cider, and coffee will be brewing! Come and join in the fun!

"Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel" Prepare your hearts as we celebrate our Savior’s birth. Crusader Chorus, Choir, Band, Croixaliers, Oakdale Avenue Jazz, Chamber Brass as well as various instrumentalists and soloists will bring praises in song at the annual St. Croix Lutheran High School Christmas concert this Friday, December 21^st at 7:00pm. Alumni and guests are invited to join in the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus.

Money For New Round Tables for the Fellowship Hall is still needed. There’s still time for you to donate one or two tables – only $56/each! Thank you!

Quotes From Others:

Regardless of what you think of Bill O’Reilly of the O’Reilly Factor on Fox TV he often has insight and vision. Bill has led the battle against the secularization of Christmas and the drive to change “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays.” It may seem trivial until you follow his argument to the conclusion. The other day he made this statement, “Let’s be honest. The attack on Christmas is not an attack on the holiday. It is a war against Jesus who makes most secularist uncomfortable with His clear cut statements.” - Tom Parrish

I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.

- Napoleon

I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history. - H.G. Wells

The Following have provided Poinsettias to add color to our sanctuary this Christmas season. Sincere thanks!

Harold and Jean Brown To the glory of God

Darryl and Pam Folkens To the glory of God

Jerry and Mary Holen In memory of Loved Ones

Florench Juth To the glory of God

Don Karpenko Family To the glory of God

Joel and Fran Meier In memory of Joseph Falteisek

Norb and Margaret Meier To the glory of God

John and Jane Murray To the glory of God

Mae Schmidt To the glory of God

Greg Schuyler Family To the glory of God

Hilliard Smith In memory of Hilliard H & Evelyn Smith

Marlene Struwe To the glory of God

Tom Thompson Family To the glory of God

Ed and Marcella Voss To the glory of God

Dorothy Wezler In memory of Norman & Janette Wezler