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MIDWEEK ADVENT WORSHIP Grace Lutheran Church, Tucson, Arizona November 29, 2023 Our midweek Advent services this year are considering three times when God’s people in the Old Testament were in exile. Their experience helps us understand the serious nature of sin and the challenge of being far from home. As sinful human beings, we are at risk of being exiled by sin and death, by fear and unbelief, and by our enemies who wish to torment us. We rejoice this Advent season to hear God’s gracious promises to exiles, and we prepare to celebrate anew the birth of the Messiah who has brought us back from exile.

PRESERVICE MUSIC

WELCOME

OPENING HYMN—Arise, O Christian People

Christian Worship 310

Please stand

RESPONSIVE SENTENCES Minister: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.

Congregation: Amen. Praise the Lord from the heavens. Praise him in the heights. (Psalm 148:1) Listen to me! The Lord’s arm is not too short to save, and his ear is not too deaf to hear. No, it is your guilt that has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden God’s face from you, so that he does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2) Be gracious to me, God, according to your mercy. Erase my acts of rebellion according to the greatness of your compassion. (Psalm 51:1) 1

Then the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile because of their guilt, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and delivered them into the hand of their adversaries…I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their rebellion, and I hid my face from them. (Ezekiel 39:23-24) Scrub me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. (Psalm 51:2) Therefore, this is what the Lord God says. Now I will bring about the restoration of Jacob. I will have mercy on the whole house of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will bear their shame and all the unfaithfulness that they displayed toward me, even when they lived securely in their own land with no one to make them afraid. (Ezekiel 39:25-26) For I admit my rebellious acts. My sin is always in front of me. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and I have done this evil in your eyes. (Psalm 51:3-4) When I bring them back from the nations and gather them from the lands of their enemies, I will show myself to be holy among them in the sight of many nations. They will know that I am the Lord their God, because, even though I sent them into captivity among the nations, I also gathered them again to their own land, and I will never again leave any of them there in captivity. Nor will I ever hide my face from them again, because I will have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 39:27-29) Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5) Judah has gone into exile. She endures affliction and harsh labor. She lives among the nations. She finds no rest. All her pursuers caught up with her when she was in great distress. (Lamentations 1:3) Remove my sin with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7) Do not cast me from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Sustain me with a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:11-12) I will let you find me, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back from your exile. I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have sent you as exiles, declares the Lord. I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:14) Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. (Psalm 51:15) The punishment for your guilt is finished, daughter of Zion. He will not send you into exile again. (Lamentations 4:22) I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1) How I love your dwelling place, O Lord of Armies. (Psalm 84:1)

How blessed are those who live in your house. They are always praising you. (Psalm 84:4) 2

PRAYER Let us pray. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires are known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by your Holy Spirit, that we may love you and praise your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Please be seated

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Peter 5:6-11

Therefore humble yourselves under God’s powerful hand so that he may lift you up at the appointed time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8Have sound judgment. Be alert. Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him by being ﬁrm in the faith. You know that the same kinds of suﬀerings are being laid on your brotherhood all over the world. 10

After you have suﬀered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you. 11To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

RESPONSIVE PSALM

Psalm 139:13-24

For you created my inner organs. You wove me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and my soul knows that very well. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unﬁnished body. In your book all of them were written. Days were determined, before any of them existed. 3

Your thoughts to me are so precious, O God!

How great is the sum of them! If I would count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. I awake, and I am still with you. If only you would slay the wicked, O God, so that bloody men would depart from me,

men who speak against you maliciously. Your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and detest those who rise up against you? I absolutely hate them. To me they are enemies. Investigate me, God, and know my heart. Test me and know my troubled thoughts. See if there is any way in me that causes pain, and lead me in the way everlasting.

PSALM PRAYER Lord God, you have been with me from the time of my conception, and you have promised that I will be with you in heaven for eternity. Although you know my sin, you have forgiven me through the mediation of Jesus my Savior. I praise you for your wonderful works! Amen.

GOSPEL

Luke 1:67-79

His father Zechariah was ﬁlled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

69 70 71 72 73 74

77 78

Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited us and prepared redemption for his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he said long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets. He raised up salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, in order to show mercy to our fathers by remembering his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to grant deliverance to us from the hand of our enemies, so that we are able to serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, because you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people the knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins, because of God’s tender mercies, by which the Rising Sun from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN OF THE DAY—O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

SERMON 1

4 5 6

Christian Worship 324

Exiled by Enemies and Tormentors Psalm 137 Beside the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, and, yes, we wept as we remembered Zion. There we hung up our lyres on the willows, because there our captors asked us for words of a song, and our tormentors asked for a happy song: “Sing for us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing a song of the L on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget how to play music. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my highest joy. Remember the day of Jerusalem, O L , against the descendants of Edom who said, “Tear it down, tear it down to its foundations!” Daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, how blessed is the one who repays you with the same deeds you did against us. How blessed is the one who seizes your children and dashes them against the cliﬀ. 5

Please stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH

Luther’s Explanation to the Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver

but with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suﬀering and death. All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true.

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 favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

For our deliverance from all aﬄiction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.

PRAYER FOR PEACE Lord God, all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works come from you. Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments. Defend us also from the fear of our enemies, that we may live in peace and quietness, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 6

LORD’S PRAYER Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Please be seated

CLOSING HYMN—O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Christian Worship 327

POSTLUDE MUSIC Please ﬁll out the Friendship Register located in the red folder at the end of the row. Thank you!

If you would like to leave an offering, you may place it in the offering plates located at either exit. Members of Grace respond to their Savior’s love with offerings that are given joyfully, generously, regularly, and in a way that is proportionate to how the Lord has blessed them. Their cheerful gifts support the mission and ministry of our congregation. If you are a guest today, please know that we do not expect you to contribute to our congregation’s work. However, if you would like to give an offering to the Lord in response to his love to you, we are happy to receive it and put it to work in God’s kingdom. If you prefer, use your smart phone to give online by scanning this QR code: 7

There is no cost to park in our parking lot during worship services. If you receive a citation by mistake, please let our oﬃce staﬀ know so it can be cleared.

HOLIDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE Midweek Advent Services Wednesdays: Nov 29, Dec 6 & 13 10:00 AM Grace-Benson (lunch following worship) 10:00 AM & 6:00 PM Grace-Sahuarita 10:00 AM & 7:00 PM Grace-Tucson (supper at 6:00 PM)

Sunday, December 24 7:30 AM Benson Christmas Worship 10:00 AM Grace-Sahuarita Children’s Christmas Service

Christmas Day Worship Monday, December 25 10:00 AM Grace-Sahuarita 10:00 AM Grace-Tucson

10:00 AM Tucson Worship 10:00 AM Vail Christmas Worship Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship 7:00 PM Grace-Sahuarita & Tucson Sunday, December 31

Sunday Morning 7:30 AM Benson Worship 10:00 AM Sahuarita, Tucson, and Vail Worship

All-Site New Year’s Eve Worship 5:30 PM Grace-Sahuarita Followed by dinner & fellowship

THOSE ASSISTING IN WORSHIP TODAY Minister .......................................................................................................................... Pastor Ron Koehler Accompanists ............................................................... Teri Guenther (10:00 AM), Jim Bakken (7:00 PM) Vocalist .................................................................................................................. Jeﬀ Weinstein (7:00 PM) Acolyte ............................................................................................................... Elsa Wiechmann (7:00 PM) Greeter........................................................................................................ Stephanie Weinstein (7:00 PM) Ushers .............................................. Stanley Mead (10:00 AM), Justin Harris, Dylan Guenther (7:00 PM) Sound and Recording Techs .................................................. Jeremy Snavely, Danny Koehler (7:00 PM) Copyright Information: