by Pastor Joel E. Wood
Advent 2: Hurt
Malachi 4:2
https://esv.literalword.com/?q=Malachi+4%3A2
https://www.newlifelamesa.org/pages/worship-guide
CCLI License #390757
December 7, 2025

9:30a Service
Welcome and Announcements

Introit

GREETING & CALL TO WORSHIP   Psalm 27:7-9
Leader: The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
People: The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Leader: Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
People: Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

PRAYER OF ADORATION, ASSISTANCE, & BLESSING

Hymnal #2   "O Worship the King”
O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his pow'r and his love;
our shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

O tell of his might, O sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.

The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, your pow'r has founded of old;
has 'stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
and round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Your bountiful care what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air; it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills; it descends to the plain;
and sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail;
your mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!

O measureless Might! Ineffable Love!
While angels delight to hymn you above,
the humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
with true adoration shall lisp to your praise.

REFLECTION ON GOD’S LAW    

from Exodus 20:1-17 & N.T. corollaries, ESV
Leader: Honor your father and your mother.
People: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Eph. 6:1)

Leader: You shall not murder.
People: Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 Jn. 3:15)

Leader: You shall not commit adultery.
People: Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Mt. 5:28)

Leader: You shall not steal.
People: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.  Do your work quietly and earn your own living. (2 Th. 3:10,12)

Leader: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
People: Having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor. (Eph. 4:25)

Leader: You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor's.
People: For the whole law is fulfilled in one word:  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Gal. 5:14)

SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF GRACE   1 Timothy 1:15

Hymnal #194   “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
in ancient times didst give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. [Refrain]

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan's tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. [Refrain]

O 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. [Refrain]

O come, thou Key of David, come
and open wide our heav'nly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery. [Refrain]

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH   Elder Mike Ewing

Hymnal #88   "With Grateful Heart My Thanks I Bring”
With grateful heart my thanks I bring,
before the great thy praise I sing:
I worship in thy holy place
and praise thee for thy truth and grace;
for truth and grace together shine
in thy most holy word divine.

I cried to thee and thou didst save,
thy word of grace new courage gave;
the kings of earth shall thank thee, Lord,
for they have heard thy wondrous word;
yea, they shall come with songs of praise,
for great and glorious are thy ways.

O Lord, enthroned in glory bright,
thou reignest in the heav'nly height;
the proud in vain thy favor seek,
but thou hast mercy for the meek;
through trouble though my pathway be,
thou wilt revive and strengthen me.

Thou wilt stretch forth thy mighty arm
to save me when my foes alarm;
the work thou hast for me begun
shall by thy grace be fully done;
Forever mercy dwells with thee;
O Lord, my Maker, think on me.

GOD’S WORD READ   Malachi 4:2
GOD’S WORD PREACHED   “Advent 2: Hurt” by Pastor Joel E. Wood

Prayer Of Application & The Lord’s Prayer
All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Hymnal #230   “Thou Who Wast Rich beyond All Splendor”
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour 
All for love's sake becamest poor 
Thrones for a manger didst surrender 
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor 
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour 
All for love's sake becamest poor

Thou who art God beyond all praising 
All for love's sake becamest man 
Stooping so low but sinners raising 
Heavenwards by Thine eternal plan 
Thou who art God beyond all praising 
All for love's sake becamest man

Thou who art love beyond all telling 
Saviour and King we worship Thee 
Emmanuel within us dwelling 
Make us what Thou wouldst have us be 
Thou who art love beyond all telling 
Saviour and King we worship Thee

Hymnal p. 845   “Apostles’ Creed”
Minister: Christian, what do you believe? 
All:  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, and born of the virgin Mary. He 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 catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
Words Of Institution & Warning 
Minister: The Lord be with you;
People: And also with you.

Minister: Lift up your hearts;
People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God;
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

COMMUNION PRAYER
Approach the Table for the Lord’s Supper
Prayer of Thanksgiving

Song   “Holy Child”
Holy Child who chose the hearts of men 
To be His favoured home 
Leaving heaven's gates for Bethlehem 
God came to call His own 
Now to us the highest King is born 
Behold the royal Son 
Glory kneels to bind up all that's torn 
The promised One has come

Joy and pain as man He knew on earth 
No place to lay His head 
As a servant He embraced this world 
And on a cross He bled 
Having borne the deepest grief of man 
He rose to heaven's throne 
Now I'm sheltered in the Father's hand 
Until He calls me home

May the gift of God amaze us still 
The triumph of all time 
As His child I kneel to heaven's will 
To make His purpose mine 
Though this road be scarred with trial and pain 
It's paved with lavish grace 
Knowing Him will be my greatest gain 
His throne my resting place

Hymnal #731:   “Doxology”
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below:
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

THE BENEDICTION
Postlude