Triune God of glory and love, Father, Son and Spirit, you have loved us from the beginning with a vast and boundless love. Before we took our first breath, your eternal Son, Jesus Christ, took his last and accomplished what we never could: our full and free and forever satisfying salvation. We praise you this morning. We praise you that you love us not simply because Jesus died for us. We praise you that you love us so Jesus died for us. And he rose again that we might be swept up into fellowship with you, our merciful, heavenly Father. No love is higher or wider or deeper or more true. Amen.

Jesus, we praise you that you not only love humanity, but became human. You not only love the broken, but were broken for us. We marvel at the lavish grace offered to us. Holy Spirit, vividly remind us this Advent and Christmas of the humility of Christ. Cause us to wonder at the incarnation – Jesus being fully God limiting himself to the fullness of humanity; all for love’s sake he became poor that we might become rich. Amen.

Lord, we ask that you would minister to our souls this morning. Confront the wayward. Convict the self-righteous. Lift up the downcast. Humble the prideful. Comfort the hurting. Surround the lonely. Give wisdom to the confused. Resolves the doubts of those tempted to give up. Open the eyes of our heart that we might behold all that you are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Holy Spirit, we need your strength that we might love as we have been loved. By your grace, grant us true repentance that we might bear fruit in line we the faith we profess. Help us hate our sin. We repent of our selfishness and greed. We repent of thinking we are better than others. Forgive us Lord, we pray. We repent of our indifference to injustices around us. We repent that we are more excited to receive than to give. We repent that we are more aware of the ways this church doesn’t meet our personal preferences rather than being amazed at your grace that holds us together. We repent of using our words to gossip and tear down rather than to offer grace and build up. Forgive us Lord, we pray. Amen.

In our repentance, let us rejoice O Lord. We cry out with David, “Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us…Restore to us the joy of your salvation, and uphold us with a willing spirit.” Yes, Lord, bring us deep and abiding joy in Christ. Teach us that the holy life is the happy life; that the pursuit of Jesus is the pursuit of true and lasting, forever joy. We rest in his finished work for us. We rejoice that he who took our nature in Bethlehem also died our death in Jerusalem and now sits at your right hand; that he who came once is coming again. Amen.

We praise you that in a small way, we’re able to help families connected to the Porch. Use C and R and all those who lead that ministry to bring the gospel of hope to urban DC youth. We pray for C and J and R as they lead DC127. In your mighty mercy, reverse the DC foster care list so that there are more families waiting to adopt than there are children to adopt. We praise you for the gospel work of The Central Union Mission. We praise you for the ways you use organizations like SOME and Friendship Place to meet the practical and physical needs of the impoverished in our city. Amen.

Grow us in our desire and mercy and ability to meet these needs. Give us real opportunities to minister to those in our church body that have needs and those around us. We thank you for the ways you are a work in this church body. We thank you for the overwhelming unity we have in the gospel. We thank you for the members who disciple our children each week in Restoration Kids. We thank you for the Community Group Leaders and hosts who serve our church weekly. We thank you for your financial provision that allows us to facilitate gospel ministry in DC and beyond. For the glory of your name in Christ Jesus continue this work all the more. Use us Lord, use us to bring others to faith in Christ. Even before the end of the year, use the members of this church to bring 3 people to faith in Jesus. Perhaps that’s someone here this morning. Do it, Lord, we ask. Amen.

Thank you Lord, for the gift of music. As we sing songs – some that were written hundreds of years ago, and others that we were composed recently – we’re reminded of the sweetness in song. Encourage us as we lift our voices together. Remind us we are not alone; that we have each other. Give us the grace to carry each other’s burdens and to rejoice with each others happiness. Thank you for healing D; increase her health all the more we pray. We pray for our bother A in England and our sister A in the Middle East. Use them to meet physical needs and to share the hope of the gospel with those who are hurting. Encourage them during the holiday as they likely missed loved ones and the familiar tastes of home. Use this time to make all of us long for the joys of heaven. As we feel homesickness, as we long for change, remind us this world as it is, is not our home that we are sojourners for a better world.

Thank you for your word. As our brother N preaches this morning plant it deep within our souls. Do this we ask, in the name of Jesus. Amen.