Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

(words for hymns can be found below the order of service)

Welcome & Intimations
Call to Worship
Prayer
Hymn O come all ye faithful
Introduction to service
Reading Luke 2 : 25 – 35
MP 1319 : Joy has dawned
Reading  Luke 2 : 36 – 38
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
Video : Come thou long expected Jesus
A thought
Hymn : In the bleak midwinter
A story
Prayer
Hymn: Good Christians all rejoice
Blessing

Call to Worship

 When the time was right, God sent his Son
Jesus was born for us
He grew and lived as one of us
The word became flesh
And dwelt among us

Hymn O come all ye faithful

1 O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him, Born the King of angels;

Chorus
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s  womb,
Very God, Begotten, not created.
Chorus

3 Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exaltation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above,
‘Glory to God, In the highest’:
Chorus

4 Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given:
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing;
Chorus

Reading 1: Luke 2: 25 – 35

The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every first-born male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.

At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah. Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:

“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”

MP 1319 : Joy has dawned

Reading 2 : Luke 2: 36 – 38

A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now eighty-four years old.
She never left the Temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying.
That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.

Hymn : In the bleak midwinter

1 In the bleak mid-winter,
frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
snow had follen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
in the bleak mid-winter,
long ago.

2 Our God, heaven cannot hold Him,
not earth sustain,
heaven and earth, shall flee away
when He comes to reign;
in the bleak mid-winter
a stable-place sufficed
the Lord God almighty,
Jesus Christ.

3 Angels and archangels
may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air;
but His mother only,
in her maiden bliss,
worshipped the Beloved
with a kiss.

4 What can I give Him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man,
I would do my part;
yet what I can give Him –
give my heart.

Hymn: Good Christians all rejoice

1 Good Christians, all rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now give heed to what we say,
Jesus Christ is born today:
ox and ass before him bow,
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!

2 Good Christians, all rejoince
with heart and sould and voice;
now you hear of endless bliss,
Jesus Christ was born for this:
he has opened heaven’s door,
and all are blessed for everymore
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!

3 Good Christians, all rejoice
with heart and soul and voice;
now you need not fear the grave,
Jesus Christ was born to save,
calls you one, and calls you all,
to gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!