Welcome to our visitors! We appreciate your joining our worship family this morning, and we invite you to sign our guest book. If you would like more information about our church, please contact the pastor at 414-427-9337.

Sunday family worship….8:00 and 10:45 A.M. Choir...9:10. Sunday School...9:30. Adult Bible class...9:45 A.M.

Today's Worship

“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk. 1:47).

Choir (second service): The Promise of Advent

Greeting and prayer:

Invocation P: As we continue our Advent journey, we begin this service and recall our baptismal grace. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

P: To the Father, who made the heavens and the earth and mankind as the crown of His creation, C: be all glory.

December 11, 2016 Advent 3

Church of the Lutheran Confession

12145 W. Edgerton Avenue Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130

414-427-9337 http://www.messiahhalescorners.com

Michael Eichstadt, Pastor Phone: 414-427-9303 Ted Quade, Principal Phone: 262-522-9824 Amy Mielke, Teacher Phone: 414-427-1512

Announcements Thank you! Thank you to the carolers who brought the timeless good news of a Savior born in Bethlehem to the residents of Brenwood and Hales Corners Care Center.

Christmas lunch

A lunch will be provided by the activities committee for the Sunday School children participating in the Christmas Eve program and those helping with serving and cleanup on Sunday, December 18th. Parents, please bring a plate of bars or cookies to pass.

Professor gifts One way by which we praise God and express our thanks for the gift of His Son is through our gifts of love to others. We would like to gather a gift for the 12 professors who serve our church body at Immanuel Lutheran College in Eau Claire. Monetary gifts may be placed in the designated box in the hallway. Make checks out to “Messiah.”

Christmas concert

The ILC Christmas concert will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Eau Claire on Fri., Dec. 16, at 7:30 pm. This will include the flute choir, band, mass choir, and tour choir. The choir portion of the event is considered a sacred worship service as the students sing the Christmas Gospel message. This is always a spiritually edifying concert to help one focus, even in the midst of the busy holiday season, on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The concert ends the busy finals week for the students as they conclude their first semester of the academic year. Classes resume Jan. 9, 2017.

Pastoral calls Pastor Luke Bernthal of Valentine, NE has accepted the call to St. Stephen, Mountain View and Hayward, CA. Pastor Michael Wilke has returned the call to Zion Atlanta, GA. The congregation has now called Pastor Frank Gantt of Lemmon, SD.

CLC Ministry by Mail Ministry by Mail is a weekly sermon publication produced by pastors of the CLC. Sermons are available through a weekly postal mailing, email, on our webpage (www.lutheransermons.org), and on our Facebook page. Annual subscriptions for printed copies of "Ministry by Mail" is $42.00 and begin on Sunday, January 15, 2017. To receive this weekly publication by print or email, please contact the editor, Nathan Pfeiffer. Email: editor@lutheransermons.org. Phone: 509-327-4203 Mail: 4704 N. Wall St / Spokane, WA 99205.

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Looking Looking Looking Looking

Ahead⁄Ahead⁄Ahead⁄Ahead⁄

DDDDToday: 9:30 A.M: Christmas Eve rehearsal.

DDDDTuesday: 5:30 P.M: Bd. of Property. 7:00 P.M: Adult information. 7:00 P.M: Bd. of Education.

DDDDWednesday:

7:00 P.M: Advent service.

DDDDThursday: 7:00 A.M: School staff. 6:30 P.M: Church Council.

DDDDFriday:

6:00 P.M: Public school confirmation class.

DDDDDecember 24th:

6:00 P.M: Christmas Eve service.

DDDDDecember 25th:

10:30 A.M: Christmas Day Song Service.

Advent Worship Wednesday 7 p.m.

Location, Location,

Location!

“Surrounded!”

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Daily Bible Readings: M: Hos. 1-3; Rev. 1. Tu: Hos. 4-6; Rev. 2. W: Hos. 7-9; Rev. 3. Th: Hos. 10-14; Rev. 4. F: Joel; Rev. 5. Sa/Su. Amos 1-3; Rev. 6.

Church cleaning: Dec. 17-23: Church: D. Albrecht, L. Albrecht. School: N. Mackensen, A. Mackensen.

Dec. ushers: 1st: M. Weibye, S. Weibye. 2nd: A. Rentas, C. Blue. Advent: A. Albrecht, D. Mueller. Christmas Eve: T. Taylor, P. Saal. Christmas Day: M. Gescheidle, M. Traub. New Years Eve: B. Lillo, S. Lillo.

Finances: Last Week To Date

Budgetary Offerings: $6,837.00 $143,234.00

Sunday School: $2.00

Budgetary Needs: $6,314.00 $145,222.00

Over/(Under) Budget: $523.00 ($1,988.00)

Missions: $175.00 $2,281.00

ILC Building Fund: $125.00 $1,560.00

Attendance last Sunday: 87/45. 11/30: 48

MDF: $55.00 $2,276.00

CDSIF: (Traub Mem:$25/Klenert Mem: $25.00)

$50.00

ILCSAF (Traub Mem $10): $10.00 $60.00

Christmas Eve Party: $40.00 $40.00

Hymns and liturgical settings under copyright are used by permission through Concordia Publishing House, License #000013843, Onelicense.net, #A-720270, or Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series C, Part 4 © 2016 CPH. All rights reserved. Used by permis-sion. Unless otherwise indicated, Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version® of the Holy Bible, ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Gladness and joy

will overtake

them (Is. 35:10)

Closing prayer: P: Thank You, Lord God, for nourishing our souls on this journey of earthly life with the food of everlasting life in Your holy Word. Fortify us to leave here and engage the people in our lives with the love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Use us to bring Your peace into the lives of those who need Your love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

Benediction

P: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. C: Amen.

Hymn: W hat Hope! An Eden Prophesied

© 1998 Stephen P. Starke. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License .NET, no. 100013843.

P: To the Son, who came to suffer sin and death so that we could be free, C: be all glory.

P: To the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and points us to our Savior, C: be all glory.

Hymn 66 (red hymnal): Hark the Glad Sound!

Confession and Absolution: P: Let us confess our sins before God and one another: We come humbly before You, O Lord, recognizing that we have not always responded to Your grace in faithfulness and obedience. C: At times, we are lured by the world’s deceptions, consumed by greed, passion, and desire. We fail to be thoroughly grounded in Your Word. Forgive us, dear Lord, for rejoicing in the temporal treasures on earth instead of the eternal treasures of heaven.

P: We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. C: Forgive my impatience and my neglect. By Your Spirit, lead me to greater faith, obedience, service, and repentance until Your call to eternal glory comes.

P: Our Lord invites us to come and see what He has done. He has sent His Son to be the sacrifice for all sin. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.

P: Peace be with you. C: And also with you.

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Lighting of Advent candle: P: Lord Jesus, Savior and King, the true light who comes into this world, bless us as we light this candle in preparation for Your coming. Enter our hearts and minds with the light of Your love that we may welcome and receive You with joy as true and eternal King; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.

P: 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. Your word is a lamp to my feet. C: and a light to my path.

Verse sung during lighting of candle: Oh, come, Thou Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

P: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy through Jesus Christ, our Lord. C: Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Hymn: Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers

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Offering Offering hymn 355:1 (red hymnal): Thou art the Way; to Thee alone

From sin and death we flee; And he who would the Father seek

Must seek Him, Lord, by Thee.

Prayer of the Church

(Minute of silence for individual prayer and meditation)

P: Ever-present and comforting Lord, we pray for those who have doubts and fears, suffering and sadness, grief and sorrow. As You affirmed to John the Baptist and others that You are the true God to come to His people, we now also lift up in prayer all who wait for You in their time of need. C: Come, Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick, especially Debi Ude, who has been ill and in pain and discomfort for an extended time. We ask that You would aid the doctors in determining the cause of her illness, and that You would grant Your healing, either through medical treatment or simply by the power of Your word. In the meantime, give her patience to bear the trial and a special measure of the Spirit to trust Your good will in all things. C: Come, Lord Jesus, with Your healing Spirit.

P: We pray for the grieving who in their loss wait with heavy hearts. C: Come, Lord Jesus, bring hope to those who feel hopeless.

P: We pray for all who experience transitions in jobs, relationships, and are in the middle of conflict or change, who wait for peace and security. C: Come, Lord Jesus, and grant Your steadfast presence in times of change.

P: We pray for nations and people waiting for peace, C: Come, Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, and bring justice to all.

P: We pray for those who sit in darkness, waiting to hear the Good News of forgiveness, hope, and life in Jesus, C: Come to them in Your Word, and use us as witnesses and instruments through Your Spirit.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Epistle lesson: James 5:7-11….Christian patience will never be in vain. Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

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Gospel lesson: Matthew 11:2-11….According to prophecy, at just the right moment, Jesus came as Savior. Likewise, at just the right moment, He will come again as Judge. And when John heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Apostles’ Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there 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.

Hymn 59 (red hymnal): Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

Sermon: Isaiah 35:1-10

The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance,

with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

TAKE THE HIGHWAY TO CHRISTMAS

I. See the glory of the Lord along the way. II. Trust God for healing and strength.

III. Put on Jesus’ righteousness. IV. Rejoice in the destination.

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