12-7-25 Sermon Hanging of the Greens Oakdale 2025
Notes
Transcript
Hanging of the Greens
Hanging of the Greens
Purple Parament
I'll read and light the advent candle:
Greeting:
The Lord be with you…
and also with you
Lift up your hearts to the Lord…
we lift them up to the Lord
The Living Christ is with us…
Praise the Lord
Welcome and announcements.
As always I'm thankful for all of you that have come this morning.
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Invocation and the Lord's prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,,, As we begin our worship service today,,, I thank you for those that are here in person and those watching by video this morning. We ask for guidance through this service so that it will be pleasing to You! Open our hearts and our mind,,, to make us aware of your presence this morning. We ask these things in Jesus' name,,, who taught us to pray,,, by saying,,,
Our Father,,, which art in heaven,,,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,,,
And forgive us our trespasses,,,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,,, but deliver us from evil,,,
For thine is the kingdom,,,
the power,,, and the glory,,, forever,,, Amen.
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If you will take your handout we will begin with the blessing of the Advent Wreath.
I'll begin reading at the top, then you will respond with the words in bold.
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Christ came to bring us salvation and has promised to come again. Let us pray that we may always be ready to welcome Him.
Come, Lord Jesus.
That the keeping of Advent may open our hearts to God's love, That the light of Christ may penetrate the darkness of sin, That this wreath may constantly remind us to prepare for the coming of Christ, That the Christmas season may fill us with peace and joy as we strive to follow the example of Jesus,
Loving God, your Church joyfully awaits the coming of its Savior, who enlightens our hearts and dispels the darkness of ignorance and sin. Pour forth your blessings upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May their light reflect the splendor of Christ, who is Lord, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Lighting of the Advent Wreath:
Candle of Hope
Reader:
Last Sunday was the first Sunday in the season of Advent. Advent means "coming," and in this season we prepare for the coming of Christ. We light the candle on the Advent wreath to remind us of the blessings that Christ brings to the world.
Reader:
The Advent wreath includes many symbols. The wreath is in the shape of a circle, with no beginning and no ending. This reminds us that there is no beginning and no ending to God, and that God's love and caring for us never ends. The green branches are a sign of ever new life. The candles tell us of the light shining into the world with Jesus Christ. The colors of the Advent candles remind us of our need for God's help to be the people we should be. The pink candle reminds us of the joy we have because of all that's made available to us through Jesus' sacrifice. The white candle, which we light on Christmas Eve, signifies the birth of Jesus.
Reader: Today we light the first candle, the candle of hope. ( Light the first purple candle.)
Reader: The prophet Jeremiah spoke words of hope to Israel. He talked about the promise of Shalom and of a new beginning. We hope and pray for a world of peace and harmony.
Reader: Hope is like a flame that warms and comforts us. As we light this candle, we celebrate the hope of the prophets and the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Reader: We continue to hope in God's promise that Christ will continue to fill our lives and the life of the world with love and joy and peace.
Prayer: Thank you, God for the flame of hope. As we prepare for Christ's coming, help us to
share our hope with others. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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Week Two - PEACE
Now for the 2nd Sunday of Advent,,, we will light the candle of peace.
Reader: John the Baptist called on the people of his day to prepare the path for the coming of
the Messiah. He called them to repent, turn around, change their ways. To live in peace with others, we need to repent and change directions.
Reader: We light this second candle to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He shows us how to share God's peace with others.
(Light the second purple candle.)
Reader: The prayer of St. Francis asks God to help us be peacemakers. Let this be our prayer this morning:
Prayer:
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is sadness, joy;
And where there is darkness, light.
Grant that we may seek
not so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
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Let's stand as we sing "O Come All Ye Faithful" from the projector.
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Remain standing for the Affirmation of Faith and the Gloria Patri:
The Affirmation of Faith and the Gloria Patri:
I believe in God the Father Almighty,,,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And 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, dead, and buried;
The third day He rose from the dead;
And ascended into heaven,
And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the quick 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.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
You may be seated:
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Praise and Prayer Concerns:
Have you seen or heard anything this week that we can give God praise and glory for?
What about prayer concern's,,, anything that we need to add to our prayer list?
On the prayer list we have,,,
Dear Heavenly Father,,, Again I want to thank you for the chance to come together in worship this morning! I lift those up that have been mentioned this morning,,, those already on our prayer list,,, and even any need that was spoken or silent because I know that You will take care of that need regardless! I also pray for guidance to be given to the leaders of our country, our states, cities, county government, and all leaders everywhere, and especially the leaders of our churches! We ask all of these things in Jesus' name! Amen!
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Offering:
Doxology:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Offertory Prayer
Dear Lord, we thank you for these tithes and offerings. May we use them to the best of our ability and for your glory. In Jesus's name, Amen.
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Hanging of the Greens Service
Advent is a time of preparation and waiting,,, a time for adorning our homes and hearts,,, in expectation and celebration,,, of Jesus' birth.
Christians throughout the world decorate their homes and churches in preparations for the festive family gatherings and church pageants and services that characterize the Christmas season.
This hanging of the greens service for the first Sunday in Advent focuses on the symbols of Christmas.
These holiday decorations renew the customs of Christians in centuries past.
By shedding light on our Advent traditions,,, we also shed light on God's gracious gift to His children,,, the birth of the babe so many years ago in Bethlehem.
Now,,, we will begin the service of hanging of the greens,,, with cedar for royalty,,, pine boughs for everlasting life,,, and holly,,, symbolizing Jesus' death and resurrection.
If you will take your handouts,,, or read from the projector,,, I will begin reading under the Hanging of the Greens,,, and then you will respond with the bold print.
Responsive Reading:
How shall we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Son of God?
By hearing again, the words of the prophets, who foretold the saving work of God.
For God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
Glory to God in the highest.
(Placement of the 1st cedar/pine branch)
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of the King?
With branches of cedar, the tree of royalty.
In ancient times the cedar was revered as the tree of royalty. It also signified immortality and was used for purification. We have placed this Cedar branch as a sign of Christ, who reigns as King forever, and whose coming, in justice and righteousness, will purify our hearts.
(Placement of the 2nd cedar/pine branches)
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of the eternal Christ?
With garlands of pine and fir, whose leaves are ever living, ever green.
(Pastor reads)
The Prophet Declares A Child Will Be Born.
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
a light has dawned
on those living in the land of darkness.
6 For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end.
He will reign on the throne of David
and over his kingdom,
to establish and sustain it
with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.
Because the needles of pine and fir trees appear not to die each season, the ancients saw them as signs of things that last forever. Isaiah tells us that there will be no end to the reign of the Messiah. Therefore we have placed these evergreen branches to signify the eternal reign of Jesus, the Christ.,
(Placement of the Holly and Ivy wreaths)
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of our Savior?
With wreaths of holly and ivy, telling of his passion, death, and resurrection.
(Pastor reads)
The Fourth Servant Song Isaiah 53:1-6
1 Who has believed what we have heard?
And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to?
2 He grew up before Him like a young plant
and like a root out of dry ground.
He didn’t have an impressive form
or majesty that we should look at Him,
no appearance that we should desire Him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of suffering who knew what sickness was.
He was like someone people turned away from;
He was despised, and we didn’t value Him.
4 Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses,
and He carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded Him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced because of our transgressions,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on Him,
and we are healed by His wounds.
6 We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished Him
for the iniquity of us all.
For Christians, this passage from Isaiah reflects the suffering of Jesus, who saves us from our sins by his death on the cross, and by his resurrection from the dead. In ancient times, holly and ivy were considered signs of Christ's passion. Their prickly leaves suggested the crown of thorns, the red berries, the blood of the Savior, and the bitter bark, the drink offered to Jesus on the cross. We have placed the holly and ivy wreaths upon the windows, let us rejoice in the coming of Jesus our Savior.
(Pastor reads)
God will send a righteous King -
Jeremiah 23:5-6
The Righteous Branch of David
5 “The days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—
“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David.
He will reign wisely as king
and administer justice and righteousness in the land.
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell securely.
This is what He will be named:
Yahweh Our Righteousness.
(Placement of the poinsettia)
The poinsettia, or “Flower of the Holy Night” as the plant is referred to in Mexico,,, is the most popular Advent flower. It was discovered growing wild in Mexico and was taken to North America where it was developed into the type of flower seen here today. The star-shaped center of the bloom reminds us of the star that shone on that first Christmas.
(Pastor reads)
The Mystery of The Incarnation -
John 1:1-5, 9-14
1 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things were created through Him,
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
4 Life was in Him,
and that life was the light of men.
5 That light shines in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome it.
9 The true light, who gives light to everyone,
was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world,
and the world was created through Him,
yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own,
and His own people did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive Him,
He gave them the right to be children of God,
to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born,
not of blood,
or of the will of the flesh,
or of the will of man,
but of God.
14 The Word became flesh
and took up residence among us.
We observed His glory,
the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
As preparation for the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, we have bright lights and Chrismon's placed on the tree. These Chrismon's were made and placed with love by those that decorated this tree! During this advent, whenever you see a lighted Christmas tree, let it call to mind the one who brings light to our darkness, healing to our brokenness, and peace to all who receive him.
(The tree is now lit and the blessing of the Chrismon 'tree may be prayed.)
The Blessing of The Chrismon Tree Prayer
Let us pray:
Holy Lord, we come with joy to celebrate the birth of your Son, who rescued us from the darkness of sin by making the cross a tree of life and light. May this tree, arrayed in splendor, remind us of the lifegiving cross of Christ, that we may always rejoice in the new life that shines in our hearts. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Hymn from the Projector, "Who Is He In Yonder Stall".
Pastor speaks:
I wanted to spend just a couple of minutes on the question,,, What is "Hope"?
I lit the candle of "Hope" at the beginning during the candle lighting.
Hope,,, as I've spoken of before,,, is not a question,,, but something sure,,, something definite,,, given by Jesus Christ,,, because without Him,,, there is no "Hope"!
The way that we use "Hope" is secure because it relies on the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
So because of Him,,, there is no doubt!
A "hope" that is needed more than ever today as we deal with our almost daily struggles!
A "hope" that doesn't make our troubles go away,,, but makes them bearable!
It's Christ that our hope and faith stand on!
I have googled the use of the word "hope" in today's world.
And I wrote down a couple of interesting questions dealing with hope and faith.
1 - The first question is,,, Can you have faith without hope?
It said,, You can,,, but it's not easy,,, but,,, You cannot have hope without faith. ...
When people have hope they have faith,,, because they hold a belief that says “I believe that the future will be better.”
And while they have no grounds to “prove” the hopeful assumption,,, they have faith in it.
While faith without hope is possible,,, hope without faith is not.
2 - The second question is,,, So how does hope and faith differ?
Faith and hope are defined in the dictionary as follows; Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing or a belief not based on proof and Hope is an optimistic attitude of mind based on an expectation or desire. ...
Hope speaks of the future,,, and faith,,, speaks for the now in life.
Both of these are important in our walk with God,,, and they are both easier because of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made for all of us.
Because of Jesus,,, we never need to wonder about our "Hope",,, because our "Hope" is based on Him.
Our "Hope" is sure,,, because God is the same yesterday,,, today,,, and tomorrow,,, He never changes,,, so "Hope" will never change!
We can also see "Hope" in our world today!
While there is a lot wrong in the world today,,, there is also progress made in this world that gives us "Hope",,, like improvements in our overall health,,, helping us to live longer,,, better living conditions,,, especially for third world countries,,, better education for them as well,,, boys and girls,,, even in places where girls education was looked upon as a waste of time and money,,, etc….
Back closer to home,,, in our communities,,, we see people helping those in need,,, lending a hand when they really need it,,, without a need of payment,,, just doing what needs to be done!
Yes,,, we aren't perfect,,, and we could be better,,, but we could be worse too!
And for that,,, I'm hopeful,,, and thankful,,, this Christmas season.
So do your best to see where you can see "Hope" around you this season,,, and let "Christ",,, give you,,, the "Hope" you need,,, to live a life of "Hope"!
Our scripture for today was Romans 15:4-13,,, I posted the sermon this morning for these verses on our Facebook page,,, so I'm not going to read them now,,, but if you go back and watch the video,,, or look at them in your Bible,,, you will see that Paul makes it clear to the people of Rome that the only way that they can truly experience “hope” and “peace”,,, is through the blessings that they receive from God!
That’s true for us as well!
And we have the chance to receive those blessings,,, because of Jesus Christ,,, and all that He did for us.
Billy Graham said: “Christ alone can bring lasting peace—peace with God—peace among men and nations—and peace within our hearts.” Billy Graham
He also said: Peace is not arbitrary. It must be based upon definite facts. God has all the facts on his side; the world does not. Therefore God, and not the world, can give peace. Billy Graham
So we can see,,, as we continue to look forward to the celebration of Jesus’ birth,,, we are able to do so with “hope” and “peace” in our hearts regardless of the things going on in our world today.
We can do that,,, as stated during the reading of the advent wreath candle lighting,,, because we are a people rising toward God’s promise,,, and,,, as a sign to the world,,, an announcement there are some who hold on to hope and there are some who work the ways of peace.
This week as we continue our journey toward Christmas day,,, remember the words of Paul,,, and the “proclaimed peace” that is available to all of us,,, this Christmas season,,, and every day,,, of our life!
Communion:
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So as we turn to our thoughts of communion this morning,,, remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us,,, and that He gave His life for us,,, even though we didn't deserve it,,, and for that we should always be truly thankful,,, and through His word we can receive the strength that we need to get us through anything today.
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As we come forward to celebrate Communion,,, I'll remind you,,, “This is the Lord’s table,,, and everyone who desires to come forward in repentance and receive the saving grace of Jesus Christ is welcome.”
Even if you aren't a member of this church,,, you are welcome.
We do not refuse anyone that is looking to participate in communion. Whether you should receive Communion with us,,, is between you and God.
As we begin,,, we know from John 3:28,,, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God".
Because of that,,, let us have a moment of prayer and confession,,, I'll begin,,, then we will have a few moments of silence,,, so that each of us can say our own prayer and confession silently,,, then I'll close the prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father,,, we come to you this morning and thank you for all the blessings that we have received. We thank you for your Son who died on the cross for our sin's and made it possible to come to you in prayer. I ask for forgiveness for my sins and I know that the Holy Spirit will put before you any that I miss. Now we will take just a few moments in silence to allow everyone to speak personally to you, then I'll finish,,,,. ,,,,
Most Gracious and Holy God,,, again we thank you for this opportunity to come before you. We ask forgiveness as a church family together,,, for any sins we've committed before we take of your Holy Communion. These things and all others we ask,,, in Jesus' name,,, Amen
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If you will take your handout,,, we will begin reading responsively.
And we will continue by reading responsively until we get to Amen at the end.
So lets stand as we begin our responsive reading.
And we will continue by reading responsively until we get to Amen at the end.
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The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
And so,
with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The pastor may raise hands.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection
you gave birth to your Church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant
by water and the Spirit.
The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us,
he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup.
When the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me."
The pastor may raise hands.
And so,
in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ's offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.
The pastor may raise hands.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other,
and one in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father,
now and forever.
Amen
Hymn from projector - "O Come Let Us Adore Him
Benediction:
