Advent 4B – December 24

December 24, 2023
4th Sunday of Advent (Love) / Christmas Eve Morning
“A Tent, A Tabernacle, A Throne”| 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader: We will sing of your steadfast love, O God;
Forever, with our mouths we proclaim your faithfulness.
All: We declare your love, unending, unfailing
We will sing. We will sing.
Leader: Our never-ceasing songs shall show
The mercies of God for the ages to know
All: We declare your love, eternal, enduring
We will sing. We will sing.
Leader: Our song forever shall record
the tender mercies of the LORD;
All: We declare your love, immortal, sustaining
We will sing. We will sing.

  • Inspired by Psalm 89

OPENING SONG SUGGESTIONS
O Come, O Come Emmaneul The New Century Hymnal #116
I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord Celebration Hymnal #161 or Hymnary.com
My Song Forever Shall Record The Presbyterian Hymnal #209

LIGHTING OF THE LOVE CANDLE
*Celebrant invites member of the congregation to light the candle of love. If the congregation is combining this service with a Christmas Eve service, they may invite all to light candles during this time.

Celebrant:
Our souls magnify the Lord.
Our spirits rejoice in God our Savior!
For God’s steadfast love endures forever.

Each Sunday leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we reflect on a theme that centers us as we wait with eager expectation for the glory of God to be revealed. On this Sunday, we center on “Love” as we await the Word Enfleshed.

John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world that God gave God’s Son.” God so loved the world – all of the world, not just certain humans, not just certain regions, not just certain animals or plants. The author of the Epistle to the Romans reminds us that “all of creation awaits with eager expectation for the glory to be revealed.” The birds await. The trees await. The worms wait. The oceans wait. God so loved all of this world, and our hope should be in redemption for all of creation.

As we light this candle of love, let us de-center our human selves and recenter all of creation.
(candle lit)

BIDDING PRAYER
Let us pray:
God with us—
The one who take us from the tent to the throne—
The one who prepares places for us
And promises rest from our enemies—
we open our hearts and souls to the beauty of your kin-dom.
We seek to hear the precious news once again
that we might be continually renewed, transformed, and awed by your abundant love, everlasting peace, miraculous hope, and quenchless joy.
May our praise and prayers be pleasing to you.
May our lives reflect the beauty you have birthed in us. Amen.

  • Inspired by 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

INVITATION TO GENEROSITY
On this day that has become synonymous with gift giving, let us reflect on the gifts of love, hope, joy, and peace. Let us respond to the generosity of the Giver of all things beautiful. Let us give generously to share God’s beauty in our community.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Generous God, we give thanks for all the beautiful resources you have given to us. Let these gifts bring glory and honor to you and beauty and peace to your creation. Amen.

BENEDICTION – “The Work of Christmas” by Howard Thurman
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.
Go in hope, peace, joy, and love…to spread the beauty of Christmas.

SONG SUGGESTIONS
I Choose Love Mark A. Miller
I Love the Lord, God Heard My Cry Richard Smallwood, The New Century Hymnal #511
O Come, All Ye Faithful The New Century Hymnal #135

A Tent, A Tabernacle, A Throne: Service Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve Morning Year B was written by The Rev. Mia M. McClain, Senior Pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Washington D.C. She is an ordained UCC minister.

The poem, “The Work of Christmas” is excerpted from Howard Thurman’s The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations and is used by permission of Friends United Press. All rights reserved. https://bookstore.friendsunitedmeeting.org/collections/howard-thurman/products/mood-of-christmas-and-other-celebrations-the