First United Methodist ChurchWorship Service

December 13th (Third Sunday of Advent)“WE GATHER TO PRAISE GOD AND BE CHRIST’S PEOPLE”

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” (Psalm 138:2)

Advent Candle Lighting ---- Let’s prepare worship as we bring in the light of Christ. – Annie Jung

Opening Hymns - “Come, Thous Long-Expected Jesus” ---------------------- 196 (UMH)

Opening Prayer (Led by Love, Lavon Bayler) Loving God, we rejoice in this season of anticipation as we remember your promises and look forward to ways that

you reveal yourself to us. May your presence be real to us in this hour. Strengthen us for victories over temptation, for renewal of our love for you and one another, for leadership and service in your church. We give thanks that you have called us into community and commissioned us to make a difference in the world. Equip us here for the tasks you set before us. Amen.

Welcome & AnnouncementsGood morning! How are you today? Welcome to the worship of our Lord. Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. We

are waiting Christmas. Why are we waiting Christmas? Is it because of holiday? Is it because of presents? Is it because of family reunion? No, it is because of our belief that Jesus Christ came for us. That is why we want to celebrate and be happy when we say Christmas. In this season of Advent, we want to remember his everlasting love and grace. That is why we want to worship together.1. From the Lay Servants: As part of the ongoing ministry of BUMC, we’re asking you to participate in a prayer ministry for the residents and staff of Berthoud Living Center, as they deal with the effects of the pandemic and isolation. We

delivered cards to the residents and staff, informing them that we are praying for them. Please add them to your daily prayers.2. Has your address changed? We are updating the church directory for 2021; please let the office know of any changes to your address, phone numbers and/or email addresses as soon as possible. Thank you!3. Christmas Bells: Four churches in Berthoud will be, once again, ringing their Christmas bells in Berthoud beginning today, December 13 and then again on the following Sunday and on Christmas Eve, all at 5:30 PM. The participating churches are Berthoud Foursquare Church, Church of Christ, BUMC, and the First Presbyterian Church.4. From SPRC: Each year, the SPRC circulates a box at several worship services to collect donations for Christmas bonuses for our staff. We would like to continue this tradition in spite of not being able to worship in person, so we have placed the box in Van Amburg Hall. If you wish to contribute to the employee Christmas Bonus fund, you may drop of cash or checks at the church or mail a check with “Staff Christmas” in the memo. The deadline to contribute is December 20. If you have any questions, please contact a member of SPRC.5. Christmas Eve Service Information: Please join us virtually on Thursday, December 24 at 7:00 PM for a special Christmas Eve Candlelight service. We will have music, scripture reading, candlelight and even a special presentation from the youth. You will also be able to see other attendees, as we all come together to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior! Candles are available to pick up at the church, or you can use your own. We hope to “see” you there!6. Calendar: Tuesday, December 15 - JANUARY NEWSLETTER DEADLINE; 7:00 PM– Advent Study, via Zoom/ Thursday, December 17 9:30 AM - Craft Group, library

Passing the Peace of Christ: Please Greet Each Other in Jesus’ Name – “Peace be with you!”

Hymn - “ Hail to the Lord’s Anointed”----------------------------- 203 (UMH) v. 1,2, and 4

Prayers of Joy and Petition It is time for us to open our hearts, and share our joys and concerns. We want to pray for one another. We can remember each other in our hearts and in our prayers.Sharing - Please share your joys and concerns together. Please do not forget to “give thanks to God.”

Meditation – TogetherPastoral Prayer

Heavenly Father, thanks for this time, and this place. We are gathered together today as your children, your saints, and your subjects. We are so thankful that you are near to all those who call on you. Thank You for being with us and even within us. Lord, you are faithful in all your words and kind in all your works, and we are so grateful that we can trust you. We thank you for the gentle voice and promptings of the Holy Spirit that keeps us in the right way and enables us to avoid the hardships and difficulties that come along the way. You are always there even when we are unaware of your presence. Thank you, Lord, for being whom and what you are. You are trustworthy and we can be secure in your everlasting love.

God of love, among all the wonderful things that you planned, surely there is none greater than your Son being born a man to save your people from sins. Good and gracious God, we give you thanks for gifts of life, for gifts of love and joy during this season, for gifts of comfort, for gifts of healing and mercy, for gifts of patience and serenity, and for gifts of hope as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. As we celebrate Christ’s incarnation this advent season, we pray that our hearts can be filled with the good news that you came for us.

We pray today for those who are in our minds and hearts. We have many people who are suffering from all kinds of hardships and difficulties. There are people who are struggling against their physical matters. We pray that you would bring healing and wholeness to those that need your physical touch. Please be with those that have sicknesses and physical problems. We pray for those who live under the constant pain of broken relationships. Please reinstate human relationships. Please heal our weakness, comfort our sorrow, and restore our joy. Today we celebrate the hope and the grace you have poured into our lives. Your grace causes our cups to overflow. We believe your goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. We want to dwell in Your house forever. Please help us, protect us, and bless us. We pray in Jesus’ name.

Lord’s PrayerOur 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, Amen.

Scripture Reading ------------------------ “Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11” -------------------------- Rev. KyeongSu Jung

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Sermon --------------------------------------- “The Good News” ------------------------------- Rev. KyeongSu Jung

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. Christmas is coming and the excitement builds. If so, why are people waiting for Christmas? Why are people excited about Christmas? Most people would say, “Why not? Christmas is a special season. It is a holiday. On Christmas, we can enjoy presents, family reunions, good food, and great parties.” Yes, that is right; when we think about Christmas, we are happy because of those matters. That is why people are waiting for Christmas. But we have to realize that the real reason to be happy and excited about Christmas is totally different from those matters. What is Christmas? Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. If so, why do we celebrate Jesus’ birthday that was more

than 2000 years ago? The answer is simple. It is because Jesus came as a human. If so, why did Jesus come? Why did Jesus become a human? What does that mean for us? From today’s text, we can find wonderful truth. Today, we want to share this truth together.

Isaiah had lived 700 years before Jesus came. He prophesied about the Messiah. He clearly proclaimed, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) In today’s text, Isaiah also said, “The Lord has anointed me to preach good news.” Here, Isaiah said, “Good News.” What is the meaning of “Good News?” Why did he say “Good News” when he prophesied about the Messiah? We can find the very same expression in the New Testament. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, an angel of the Lord came to shepherds and said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” What the angel said to them was “Good News.” If so, what was the good news that the angel wanted to say? The angel said, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12) That is, the news that a baby has been born was “Good News.” Why did the angel say that? If so, what does “Christmas” have to do with “Good News?” From here, we can realize God’s amazing love and grace which is for us.

First, Christmas is Good News because it brings Joy. 2000 years ago, the Son of God became a human. It was not because he wanted to be served. It was because he wanted to serve his people with his sacrifice. That is, Christmas is an amazing grace that the Son of the living God came to show God’s love of salvation which was for human beings. Because of our sins, we became God’s enemies. The relationship between us and God had broken. So, the prophet said, “Your misdeeds have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you so that you aren’t heard.” (Isaiah 59) As a result, we became children of wrath. We had to be punished and destroyed. Paul testified, “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way, death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)

However, God did not want our destruction because he loved us. To save us from the power of darkness and destruction, God sent his only son, Jesus Christ. He died on the Cross as the worst sinner to accomplish God’s plan of salvation. When Jesus died on the Cross, “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:38) It was the meaning that the barrier of the sin between God and us was destroyed through the Cross. So, Paul witnessed, “When we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled.” (Romans 5:10) God was pleased to reconcile himself to us by making peace through Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross. That is, Christmas is the day that God’s love for human beings has launched and the day that God’s love has been revealed within us.

When we open the Christmas presents and we know it was what we had always wanted; what we had always needed, we are very happy. It fills us with joy. God sent his best present for us, and we unwrapped God’s wonderful present box on Christmas day. How amazing is it? How can we not be filled with joy with this Good News? Please believe this amazing present is for you. Please believe God’s promise that “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12) Please have a lot of joy with this amazing news.

Second, Christmas is Good News because it brings unity. Because of our sins, the relationship between us and God was broken. After we were separated from God, human beings were in trouble because we were under the power of darkness. Consequently, we had to experience a broken heart. We had to be enslaved in sin. We had to suffer from despair and frustration. About this situation, Paul testified, “At that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)

However, through the gift and proclamation of “Good News,” we changed. With the good news of comfort, liberty, and release, we can find unity in Christ because we belong to God all together. As God’s people who experience God’s love, we can be together as God’s children and God’s church for praising the wonderful thing that God has done for us. When Jesus died on the Cross, his followers scattered because they did not know the truth of “Good News.” But, when they realized the meaning of “Good News,” they changed. People who had this “Good News” gathered together as one community. After Jesus ascended into heaven, they did not scatter. They gathered together and waited for Jesus’ promise. When they received the Holy Spirit, they came out to the street together and proclaimed the “Good News.”

It was the beginning of the church. Peter shouted, “God raised from the dead Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 4) Paul also witnessed, “It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came as a human baby, and by being raised from the dead he was proved to be the mighty Son of God, with the holy nature of God himself.” (Romans 1:4-5) In Christianity history, Christians who heard the “Good News” united together in Christ for God’s kingdom and God’s glory. Paul testified,

“though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other.” (Romans 12:5) The differences that exist between us no longer seem important when we accept Christ Jesus who came in the manger as our Lord and Savior. When we realize God’s love which has been fulfilled in Jesus, we experience the love that removes all differences and makes us truly one in Christ.

Third, Christmas is Good News because it brings us power. When we believe the “Good News” is for us, we can be filled with Joy and be united in Christ because we realize that we are all God’s children. After that, we can realize one more thing: power. We can realize we have power which comes from our Lord. Christmas without the Cross and the Resurrection is just a sentimental story that has no power. It cannot be “Good News.” But, with both events, Christmas gives us life direction, purpose, and meaning. It brings “Power” to our spiritual journey.

The reason we celebrate Jesus’ birth is because it cannot be separated from the Cross and the Resurrection. Because the baby who was born to us in Bethlehem was “Good News” (the Son of the living God came as the Lord and Savior to free us from the power of sin), we can celebrate Christmas. Because Jesus defeated the power of death and became our Lord, we have confidence that we are freed from the power of sin. Because Jesus proclaimed, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16) we can be confident that we belong to the heavenly kingdom. Because we believe Jesus who came to the manger is always with us, we can be empowered with his power.

We can rejoice in his power in our lives. We can live in the light of Christ and be the light for others by proclaiming God’s Good News with the power that comes from our Lord. Let’s believe in the “Good News” that Jesus Christ came for us. Let’s share the “Good News” together as God’s people and God’s church. Let’s realize that we have power with the “Good News” that Jesus Christ, our Lord is with us.

Offertory – “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” -------------- 94 (UMH)

Offertory Prayer (Led by Love, Lavon Bayler) In our unworthiness, O God, may we yet bring worthy gifts to honor the Messiah. May the brokenhearted be led

to enriching new celebrations. May the lowly among us come to know their true worth as persons chosen by you to do great things. By your mercy, may the hungry be fed not only with bread but also with opportunities to feed others. We give ourselves as your servants, for no gift is complete without personal commitment. Thank you, God, for expecting great things of us. Our spirits rejoice in the coming of our Savior. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Closing Hymn – “ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” ------------------------------ 240 (UMH)

Commission and BlessingWe believe the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, And the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.Great is our God, and greatly to be praised.May the Lord continue to bless us and keep us.May the Lord continue to make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us.May the Lord continue to look upon us with favor and give us peace.In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.