Family Prayer: December 25

TheFeast of the Nativity

 

Let us worship God: Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, whichshall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David aSavior, which is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the highest, and on earthpeace, good will toward men. Amen.

 

The Confession of Sin: Dearly beloved, we have come together in thepresence of Almighty God our heavenly Father, to render thanks for the greatbenefits we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, tohear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and on behalf of others, thosethings that are necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we mayprepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us with penitent andobedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by hisinfinite goodness and mercy.

 

Almightyand most holy Father; we confess ourselves unworthy of Thine unspeakable gift.We have not loved Thee as we ought; nor have we loved one another as Thou hastcommanded us; we have not been kind-hearted nor have we always been willing toforgive freely and fully, as Thou, for Christ sake, hast forgiven us. We havelived in selfishness and worldly pride; and the good gifts Thou hast bestowedupon us we have not used to Thy glory. Pardon and blot out our offenses, webeseech Thee; through the incarnate life and willing sacrifice of Thy holy Son,even Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

 

The Assurance of Pardon: The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolutionand remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and thegrace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. AMEN.

 

            Leader:O Lord, open our Lips.

                        Family: And our mouthshall show forth your praise. 

                        All:Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in thebeginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. AMEN.

 

The Hymn #160: ÒGod Rest YeMerry, GentlemenÓ

 

The Responsive Reading: Psalm 85

            Lord,you have been favorable to your land;

              You have brought back thecaptivity of Jacob.

            Youhave forgiven the iniquity of your people;

               You have covered alltheir sin.

            Youhave taken away all your wrath;

               You have turned from thefierceness of your anger.

            Restoreus, O God of our salvation,

               And cause your anger toward us tocease.

            Willyou be angry with us forever?

               Will you prolong your anger toall generations?

            Willyou not revive us again,

               That your people may rejoice inyou?

            Showus your mercy, O Lord,

               And grant us your salvation.

            Iwill hear what God the Lord will speak,

               For he will speak peace to hispeople and to his saints, but let them not turn back to folly.

            Surelyhis salvation is near to those who fear him,

               That glory may dwell in ourland.

            Mercyand truth have met together;

               Righteousness and peace havekissed each other.

            Truthshall spring out of the earth,

               And righteousness shall look downfrom heaven.

            Yes,the Lord will give what is good;

               And our land will yield itsincrease.

            Righteousnesswill go before him,

               And shall make his footsteps ourpathway. Amen.

 

Leader: Alleluia! Unto us a child is born: O come let usadore him. Alleluia!

The Hymn #151: ÒO Come All YeFaithfulÓ

 

Leader: Glory be to Thee, O Father Almighty, who hast givenus Thine only-begotten Son, that we might live through Him. Glory be to Thee, OLord Jesus Christ, who became man that we might become sons of God. Glory be toThee, O Holy Spirit, who dost direct and rule our hearts. All glory be to Thee,Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

 

THE SONG OF ZECHARIAH (Luke1:68-79)

 

            Blessedbe the Lord God of Israel; 

               For he has visited andredeemed his people,

            And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

               In the house of his servantDavid,

            As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, 

               Who have been since the worldbegan

            That we should be saved from our enemies, 

               And from the hand of all whohate us,

            To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, 

               And to remember his holycovenant,

            The oath which he swore to our father Abraham,

               To grant us, That we beingdelivered from the hand of our enemies 

               Might serve him without fear,

            In holiness and righteousness before him, 

               All the days of our life.

            And you, child, shall be called the prophet of theHighest; 

               For you will go before theface of the Lord to prepare his ways,

            To give knowledge of salvation to his people 

               By the remission of theirsins,

            Through the tender mercy of our God,

               With which the Dayspring fromon high has visited us;

            To give light to those who sit in darkness and inthe shadow of death, 

               To guide our feet into the wayof peace. Amen.

 

The Gloria Patri

 

The Prayer of Thanksgiving(All): Almighty God, Father of allmercies, we your unworthy servants do give you most humble and hearty thanksfor all your goodness and lovingkindness to us and all men. We bless you foryour creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above allfor your inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord JesusChrist, for the means of grace, and the hope of glory. And, we beseech you,give us that due sense of all your mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedlythankful; and that we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, butin our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before youin holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, towhom, with you and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

 

Intercession:

 

For the Church (All): O Lord our God, who didst send Thy Son to be theSavior of the World; make Thy salvation known to the ends of the earth, that inevery place Thy name shall be worshiped and glorified. We beseech Thee, by thelight of Thine incarnate Word, to illumine and make glad the hearts of all whoserve Thee in Thy Church. Give them the spirit of power, and of love, and of asound mind; comfort them by His presence who is Immanuel, God with us, that inthe faith they may endure unto the end. Amen.

 

For the World (All): O God our Father, who didst send Thy Son to be Kingof Kings and Prince of Peace; grant that all the kingdoms of this world maybecome the kingdom of our Lord, and learn of Him the way of peace. Inspire allmen continually with the spirit of unity and concord. Let those who areoffended forgive, and those who have offended repent, so that Thy children maylive as one family, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

For Ourselves (All): Most merciful God, who hast so loved the world asto give Thine only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should notperish but have everlasting life; vouchsafe unto us, we humbly pray Thee, thegift of persevering faith, whereby we may know that the Son of God is come; andbeing always rooted and grounded in the mystery of the Word made flesh, mayhave power to overcome the world, and gain the blessing of life everlasting,through the merits of the same incarnate Christ, who liveth and reigneth withThee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

 

The Benediction: Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God andFather, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope bygrace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Inthe name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.

 

Hymn #149: ÒJoy to the WorldÓ