https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd5c_TgSgfQ

“A Voice Calls – Prepare the Way of the Lord!”

 The Second Sunday in Advent, December 8, 2024

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS

700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016  

Rev. Daniel L. Bohn & Church 1(920) 341-2025  shepherdatzion@gmail.com

Worship Times: Sundays – 8:30am & Wednesdays – 7:00pm

To View Past Services & Other Information: Website – zionclyman.org or Facebook – zionclyman

Watch Live on Sunday @ 8:30am: YouTube – zionclyman

Music – Dee Dee Wille      Elder – Dave Stuebe

Bulletin Announcements: Email: zionclyman@gmail.com

Congregation Information: Neal Kohlhoff Email: neal.kohlhoff50@gmail.com

Altar Guild for December:  Nancy Basol                       Thank you.

 Guests.  Welcome to Zion.  We are happy to have you worship with us.  Please sign our guestbook located in the Narthex.  About Holy Communion:  We welcome to the Lord’s Table all who have repented of their sins and seek to amend their sinful life; all who believe that Jesus is truly present in, with, and under the bread and the wine; and all who believe that through the words “given and shed for you” forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given.  If this is your confession and you are a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, then come with a thankful heart and join us.   If you are a visitor and would like to commune, please talk with Pastor Dan before the service.  To help in preparing to receive Holy Communion open the front cover of the Burgundy hymnal or turn to pages 329 & 330.  Gluten free wafers are available, please talk with an Elder or Pastor before the service if you would appreciate them.

AS WE GATHER  In this month of December, we find ourselves getting ready and preparing for many things, gatherings with family and friends, gifts to wrap and give, and decorations for the season.  In the business of the Christmas season we need to remain focused on the most important preparation, our hearts for our Savior’s birth.  Today we hear how God prepared hearts for His Son.  He sent John the Baptist, with a message which prepared the hearts of sinful people for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Allow John’s message and the Holy Spirit to focus your heart on and give thanks for the one who would raise the valleys, level the mountains of pride, and make a straight path into your heart for His forgiveness, grace and love.

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

Invocation – In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.      Amen.

The Lighting of the Advent Wreath

We light our second Advent candle, anticipating the Savior who has come to save the world in human flesh and who promises to come again.  This candle has been known by different names, the Bethlehem candle, the preparation candle, and the candle of peace.  As we look forward to the Angels proclaiming “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace good will toward men!”, we rejoice in the daily peace Christ has assured in and through Him until He brings eternal peace at His return.      In a world lost in the darkness of sin, a light shines.  It is the Light of the World, Jesus Christ our Lord!  Alleluia!  He is the light which shines in the darkness, and the darkness of sin and satan has not overcome it.  Alleluia!

 Hymn “The Advent of our King”        LSB 331

 Confession and Absolution – John the Baptist would preach a Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  We, too, seek the forgiveness our Lord has promised, and our Savior assures us that if we humble ourselves and repent of our sin He will forgive us of all our sin.  Let us now stand before Him in humble and contrite confession.      All: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.  We are by nature sinful and unclean.  We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by the things we have done and left undone, and we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition.  We have not loved You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.  We justly deserve present and eternal punishment, but for the sake of Jesus Christ, we pray: Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.    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 the Word, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen  May He who has begun a good work in you bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen, Come Lord Jesus, Amen.

Psalm of the Day  Psalm 81 – The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”  Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!  O Israel, if you would but listen to me!  I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.  Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.  But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!

Kyrie      LSB 168 – In peace let us pray to the Lord.    Lord, have mercy.    For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.     Lord, have mercy.      For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.    Lord, have mercy.     For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.   Lord, have mercy.    Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.   Amen.

Hymn of Praise – This is the Feast – This is the feast of victory for our God.  Alleluia!  Worthy is Christ, the lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.  Power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and blessing and glory are His.     This is the feast of victory for our God.  Alleluia.  Sing with all the people of God, and join in the hymn of all creation.  Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever.  Amen.  This is the feast of victory for our god, for the lamb who was slain has begun His reign.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 Salutation – The Lord be with you.      And also with you.

 Prayer of the Day – Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

 Old Testament Reading   Malachi 3:1-7 –   “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.  Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty.  But who can endure the day of his coming?  Who can stand when he appears?  For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.  Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.  “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.  “I the LORD do not change.  So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.  Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

Epistle or New Testament Reading      Philippians 1:2-11 –   Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.  God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.  And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Gradual – Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight; all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel   Luke 3:1-9, 15-20 – The Holy Gospel according St. Luke, the Third chapter.       Glory to You, O Lord.        In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.  He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all people will see God’s salvation.’”  John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”  Vs.15-20  The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.  John answered them all, “I baptize you with water.  But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.  But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.    This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to You, O Christ.

 Hymn  “On Jordan’s Banks, the Baptist’s Cry”      LSB 344

Sermon

Apostle’s Creed –   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, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence 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.

 Prayers of the Church

 We Gather our Tithes and Offerings

 Service of the Sacrament

 Preface   2 Timothy 4:22 – Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.  It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface – It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in His full power and glory.  Therefore, with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

Sanctus                           LSB 178

Prayer of Thanksgiving –  Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and out of perfect love sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior, for whom John the Baptist prepared the way proclaiming a Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.  We thank You for all the work of Your hands and for all the words You have spoken and kept, as You come to us still now with Your healing grace through Christ’s body and blood given and shed for us.   Amen.

The Words of Our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

Proclamation of Christ  1 Corinthians 11:26; Revelation 22:20 – As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.      Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.     O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment.  Remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

The Lord’s Prayer – Our Father who 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 and the power and the glory forever and ever.       Amen.

 Pax Domini – The peace of the Lord be with you always.   Amen

Agnus Dei                                                                                LSB 180

Distribution Hymns:

“Prepare the Royal Highway”                   LSB 343

“Hark the Glad Sound”                             LSB 349

“When All the World was Cursed”            LSB 346

 Post Communion Canticle – Thank the Lord        LSB 181

Post-Communion Thanksgiving – We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.   Amen.

Benedicimus – Let us bless the Lord.      Thanks be to God.

Benediction      Numbers 6:24–26 – The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord look upon you with favor and X give you peace.   Amen.   

Hymn  “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”    LSB 338

Announcements

YES IN CHRIST    Saying Yes With Our Treasures                        

                 Needed per week to make budget: $3177

Attendance/Communed: 11/27/2024 = 36/26   12/1/2024 = 44/37           12/4/2024 = 22/18

Giving: 11/27/2024 & 12/1/2024: Envelopes = $2560   Plate = $40

Memorials to General Fund: $100 for Trisha Seufzer from Chris Seufzer                         $100 for Eli Dornfeld from Tim Dornfeld

Happy Birthday:  Cindy B 12/8  Kevin S 12/14   Jadelyn A 12/15

The small Christmas tree on the steps leading to the altar is in memory of Allen Kohlhoff from Mary Jo Kohlhoff and Family.

Dates to Remember

• Wednesday December 11^th, & 18^th: Advent Service at 7pm
• Thursday December 5^th: Quilting from 11am – 2pm
• Tuesday December 24^th: Christmas Eve Service at 7pm
• Wednesday December 25^th: Christmas Day Service at 8:30am
• Thursday January 9^th: Council Meeting at 6pm

Choir meets on Wednesday nights at 6pm in the Sanctuary.  We welcome everyone to join in the singing fun.

Handbell Choir will be starting in January.  All are invited.   Practices will be immediately following the Sunday service.

Advent theme this year will be: “His Name Shall Be Called” – Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. These titles from Isaiah 9 describe the Savior who is to come, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God in human flesh. During our 3 Wednesday services we will encounter the person and work of Christ as it was foretold by the prophet Isaiah.  Services will be on Wednesday December 11^th, & 18^th at 7pm.

Christmas Eve Service: December 24^th at 7pm.

Christmas Day Service: December 25^th at 8:30am.

24^th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS COOKIE SALE – Immanuel Lutheran Church     210 Lincoln Avenue, Reeseville     Pre-orders ONLY/Call  920-927-5734    Pickup in the Parish Hall Saturday, December 14^th, 2024     11am – 1pm     $15 per 3 dozen box       Also available…Homemade Caramel Corn $7/per gallon bag

Special Prayers

We continue to keep in our prayers, Carol, Mother of member Erica Tyler, Pastor Growth, the families of Bill Martens and all in our congregation who are recovering from surgery, going through testing and in need of God’s comfort, healing and strength. Also keep in prayer all who have lost loved ones over the holidays that they are comforted by knowing the love of their Savior.

We keep Pastor & Karen Schempf and their family in our prayers as their son Philip passed away on November 25^th. Philip’s celebration of life was held on December 6^th in St. Charles, Missouri. If you would like to send them a card or note, their address is:     Pastor Michael & Karen Schempf: 7 Olde Coventry Ct.; St Charles, MO 63301