December 8, 2024 – West Bridgewater Community Church

Here is the worship guide for Sunday, December 8, 2024.

PDF version of the worship guide to download or print.

The livestream will begin at 10:30 a.m. on our Facebook page or YouTube page.

Welcome and Announcements

Opening Prayer

Call to Worship
Luke 1:67–79 (ESV)
⁶⁷And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
⁶⁹ and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹ that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
⁷² to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
⁷⁴ that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Hymn: “Oh, How Good It Is”
Words and music by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Ross Holmes, and Stuart Townend

Oh, how good it is when the family of God
dwells together in spirit in faith and unity.
Where the bonds of peace, of acceptance and loveare the fruits of His presence here among us.

So with one voice we’ll sing to the Lord;
and with one heart we’ll live out His Word.
Till the whole earth sees the Redeemer has come,
for He dwells in the presence of His people.

Oh, how good it is on this journey we share
to rejoice with the happy and weep with those who mourn.
For the weak find strength, the afflicted find grace
when we offer the blessing of belonging.

So with one voice we’ll sing to the Lord;
and with one heart we’ll live out His Word.
Till the whole earth sees the Redeemer has come,
for He dwells in the presence of His people.

Oh, how good it is to embrace His command
to prefer one another, forgive as He forgives.
When we live as one, we all share in the love
of the Son with the Father and the Spirit.

So with one voice we’ll sing to the Lord;
and with one heart we’ll live out His Word.
Till the whole earth sees the Redeemer has come,
for He dwells in the presence of His people.

Hymn: “Behold Our God”
Words and music: Ryan Baird, Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge.

Who has held the oceans in His hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at His voice.
All creation rises to rejoice.

Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him.
Behold our King, nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him!

Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of His words?
Who can teach the One who knows all things?
Who can fathom all His wondrous deeds?

Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him.
Behold our King, nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him!

Who has felt the nails upon His hands,
bearing all the guilt of sinful man?
God eternal, humbled to the grave.
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign!

Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him.
Behold our King, nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him!

You will reign forever.
(Let Your glory fill the earth.)
You will reign forever.
(Let Your glory fill the earth.)
You will reign forever.
(Let Your glory fill the earth.)
You will reign forever.
(Let Your glory fill . . .)

Behold our God, seated on His throne. Come, let us adore Him.
Behold our King, nothing can compare. Come, let us adore Him!

Advent Reading and Candle Lighting

Hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
Words: Latin Hymn, trans. J. M. Neale, H. S. Coffin. Additional words by S. Cook, B. Kauflin.
Music: Plainsong (“Veni Emmanuel”)

O Come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

O Come, Thou, Dayspring from on high and cause Thy light on us to rise;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadow put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, O come, true prophet of the Lord, and turn the key to heaven’s door;
be Thou our comforter and guide and lead us to the Father’s side.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall by His word our darkness dispel.

O come, our great High Priest, and intercede; Thy sacrifice, our only plea;
the judgment we no longer fear; Thy precious blood has brought us near.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel has banished every fear of hell.

O come, Thou King of nations bring an end to all our suffering;
bid every pain and sorrow cease; and reign now as our Prince of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come again with us to dwell.

Sermon: “He Came for Us”
Mark 10:45 (ESV)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hymn: “My Savior’s Love”
Word and music by Charles H. Gabriel

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene,
and wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.