WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
We Three Kings
Verse 1
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain moor and mountain
Following yonder star
Chorus
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Verse 2
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever ceasing never
Over us all to reign
Verse 3
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising all men raising
Worship Him God on high
Verse 4
Myrrh is mine its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing sighing bleeding dying
Sealed in the stone cold tomb
Verse 5
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and sacrifice
Alleluia alleluia
Peals through the earth and skies
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Verse 1
Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
Verse 2
Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne
Scripture, Monologue & Advent Candle Lighting
Wisemen
Well, no wonder King Herod didn’t find him! This whole situation is nothing like we would have expected, but oh how delightful it has turned out to be! As a member of the Magi, I have spent my life studying the stars. Of course, since the days of the Babylonian exile, we were told that the people of Israel believed that God would send a great Saviour to them one day. The Jewish people are so very …optimistic! Their hope never made much sense to me, but of course it was their story, not ours.
Then my colleagues and I saw that magnificent star! Believe me when I tell you that many of my ancestors hoped their whole life to see a star like we saw and never did. We knew we had to come this way to see this King that had likely been born after all, just like the Israelites had said.
We did what was only logical – we went to the place, to King Herod. We were not without trepidation of course – Herod is not an easy man, and we could not be sure of his hospitality. But we did assume that any King would be thrilled to welcome guests such as us who had come to celebrate the birth of his son. Especially when he saw the gifts we brought.
Imagine our surprise when we found out that there was no baby born in the palace on the night we saw the star! We knew we needed to look elsewhere, and Herod did too. He got some of his advisors to search their texts to find out where the prophecies said the Messiah would be born (I’m not sure why he did not know this himself – he obviously hadn’t spent much time reading the Scriptures), and we set out to Bethlehem.
Bethlehem was another surprise. It was nothing but a small village, and we weren’t even sure where to start. There were no palaces or even interesting buildings, just a lot of huts and small homes. And nobody knew what we meant when we said we had come to find the king of the jews.
Our only hope was to go back to the day it all happened, quite a few months back now. We explained the dates and the season we first saw the star, and eventually they pointed us in the direction of a couple who had come to town for the census and had not yet gone home. There were lots of fascinating stories about this couple, but when I saw them, they certainly weren’t impressive. Yet, the stars do not lie. This was the baby the star had told us about.
It was little wonder Herod hadn’t been able to locate him. This family, their dwelling, their situation was very simple. And if you can believe it, they told us – the night the child was born – the region was so crowded that they had to put the baby in the animals’ feed trough. That’s right – the newborn king in a manger! (laughs) I’m certain Herod would not have done that with any of us.
Our gifts felt opulent, yet fitting, in the humble settling in which we found ourselves. It was nothing impressive, but this, we are certain, was the King we had sought to find. A King, born in a manger!
I know it doesn’t make much sense for someone like me to be impressed by baby like him, but I was. I worshipped him, gladly. I’ve thought about it a lot ever sense. I’ve thought about how much we missed the mark thinking Herod’s son was the great King we were hoping to find. I’ve thought about what his parents, Mary and Joseph, described to us about what they believed and how Jesus was part of that. And I’ve thought about the star.
Why did God show the star to us – to me?
I had heard about the God of the Israelites. They believe in only ONE God if you can believe it, and they talk of this God as a God of LOVE. It is absurd, I know, or at least I once thought. A God who loves his people! A God who talks to His people! A God who wants best for his people. This is different than the gods we are always eager to please. It’s a nice idea, this God, but it is, or at least I thought it was – their God. Not mine.
But now I ask, why the star, shown to us? Why the chance for us to worship this new King? And I wonder, is it possible that this story may include us too? I admit, I cannot stop hoping that this is true. Maybe this King in a manger, this story of love, isn’t just for Mary and Joseph and their people. Maybe it is bigger. Maybe it is as big as the stars can shine. Maybe it’s for me. Maybe this God of love, loves me too.
Candle Lighting:
Today, on this fourth Sunday of advent, we light the candle of love.
Call to Worship
Loving and Faithful God,
As we gather on this holy day, we give You thanks for the gift of love that came down at Christmas—love embodied in Your Son, Jesus Christ. We rejoice in the promise of Your steadfast love, a love that was present before time began, a love that never fails, and a love that holds us close in every season of life.
On this fourth Sunday of Advent, we open our hearts to the power of Your love—perfect, boundless, and redeeming. As we light the candle of love, may its flame remind us of the light of Christ, burning brightly in a world that longs for healing and hope.
Prepare us in this time of worship to receive Your love more fully, to rest in its assurance, and to let it overflow into the lives of others. By Your Spirit, may we reflect Your love in all we say and do, bringing glory to Your name.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your ultimate gift of love. Amen.
Prayer
Confession:
Gracious and loving God,
You have poured out Your love upon us from the very beginning, yet we confess that we have not loved You with our whole hearts.
We have turned away from Your commandments, ignored Your call to love our neighbors, and withheld forgiveness from others.
In our busyness, we have overlooked the needs of the hurting.
In our pride, we have failed to reflect Your humility.
In our fear, we have doubted the power of Your perfect love.Forgive us, Lord.
Cleanse our hearts of all that keeps us from fully receiving and sharing Your love.
Prepare us, this Advent season, to welcome Your Son with open hearts and to reflect His love in our words, actions, and lives.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who is Love incarnate. Amen.
Assurance:
Hear the good news: God’s love is steadfast and eternal.
Through Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made new.
As Scripture assures us, “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Receive this truth with joy: In Christ, we are forgiven, redeemed, and deeply loved.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
The Star
A Journey of Love
Today's Message: Pastors Marlee Page and Dave Page
Welcome, dear friends, to this final Sunday of Advent. Though we may not all gather physically in the same space, we are so grateful we can connect in spirit, united by the love and hope of this beautiful season. Advent, as you may remember, comes from a Latin word meaning “coming.” It’s a season of expectation, as we look forward to the arrival of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Together, we journey through Advent’s themes of hope, love, joy, and peace, preparing our hearts to celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus.
Today, we invite you to continue our journey of love.
More than 2,000 years ago, a star appeared in the sky, guiding shepherds and wise men to the manger where Jesus lay. That star, though briefly mentioned in Scripture, has become a powerful symbol. It reminds us to look for the light of Christ in our lives, a light that leads us to the love of God. This season, as we follow the light of that star, we reflect on the greatest love of all—God’s love, a love so perfect and enduring that it came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus.
God’s Love from the Start
We often think of Christmas as the moment when God’s love came into the world. But in truth, God’s love has been with us from the very beginning. From the moment of creation, God’s love was woven into the fabric of our existence. Psalm 139 tells us that God knew us intimately before we were even born. And in Ephesians, Paul reminds us that God chose us in love before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4–5).
What does this mean for you, especially as you may sit in a quiet room, perhaps feeling distant from others or from the activities of this season? It means that God’s love is not confined by time, space, or circumstances. God’s love reaches you where you are—right now, right here. His love for you has always been and will always be. It’s a love that asks nothing of you but simply invites you to receive it. This Advent, take a moment to reflect on that incredible truth: You are known and loved by God, deeply and perfectly.
God’s Love Is Enough
Sometimes, in moments of solitude, we might wrestle with doubts. Do you ever find yourself questioning if God’s love is enough? Does it cover the pain, the struggles, or the feelings of isolation you may experience? The answer is a resounding yes. God’s love is more than enough. It is a love that meets us in our hardest moments and carries us through.
The people in the Christmas story remind us of this truth. Mary and Joseph were humble and ordinary, yet God’s love chose them to play a central role in His divine plan. The shepherds, who were considered lowly and unimportant, were the first to hear the good news of Jesus’ birth. The wise men traveled from afar, guided only by faith and a star, to meet the Saviour. Each of these characters reminds us that God’s love does not discriminate or depend on status, worthiness, or circumstances. It is for everyone, including you.
Paul wrote in Romans,
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
Romans 8:38–39
Nothing can separate you from God’s love—not illness, not distance, not even loneliness. His love surrounds you right where you are.
God’s Love Overflows
One of the beautiful things about God’s love is that it doesn’t stop with us. It overflows. God’s love is like a fountain, pouring into our lives so abundantly that it spills over to others. Even if you are unable to go out and be with others in person, your prayers, your kind words, your phone calls, and your presence in the lives of those around you are powerful expressions of God’s love.
First John reminds us,
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God… This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”
1 John 4:7–11
Even from where you are, God’s love can flow through you. You might send a card, share an encouraging word with a caregiver, or simply pray for someone who is struggling. God’s love is not bound by physical limitations. It works through us in ways we might not always see or understand. By resting in His love, you become a vessel of that love to others.
Conclusion
As we continue this Advent journey, I encourage you to meditate on the depth of God’s love. Let it fill your heart and mind. Remember, this love is not something we earn; it is God’s gift to us, a gift that began with creation, came to earth in Jesus, and will never end.
Let me leave you with the prayer and benediction Paul shared with the Ephesians:
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”
Ephesians 3:17–19
Prayer
Gracious and Loving God,
As we gather on this sacred Sunday of Love, we pause to reflect on the depth of Your boundless love that entered our world on that first Christmas night. In this season of Advent, as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth, we thank You for the love that reaches into every corner of our lives, even when we feel unworthy or distant.
Your love, O Lord, is steadfast and eternal. It is a love that pursued us before we even knew You, a love that called us by name and made us Your own. You sent Your Son, Jesus, into this world as the ultimate expression of that love—a love that sacrificed, a love that heals, a love that never fails.
In this moment, Lord, we pray that Your love would fill our hearts and overflow into the lives of others. Teach us to embody the love You have shown us, to be patient and kind, forgiving and gracious, even when it feels difficult. Help us to love the lonely, the hurting, the forgotten, and the difficult-to-love, just as You love us in our brokenness.
We lift up those who feel far from love this season—those who are grieving, isolated, or weighed down by burdens. Wrap them in the warmth of Your presence and remind them that nothing can separate them from Your love in Christ Jesus.
Lord, as we light the candle of Love this Advent, may it serve as a beacon of hope to a world in need. May its light guide us to live as people of love, bringing peace, joy, and healing wherever we go.
We pray for our communities, our families, and our world. Let love be the language we speak and the gift we give. Shape us, O God, into reflections of Your perfect love, so that others may come to know You through us.
Thank You for Your promise to abide with us always, for the love that never lets us go, and for the gift of Jesus, in whom Your love is made complete. We offer this prayer in the name of the One who is Love incarnate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Song
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Verse 1
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight
Verse 2
For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep
The angels keep their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth
Verse 3
How silently how silently
The wondrous gift is given
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world of sin
Where meek souls will receive Him still
The dear Christ enters in
Verse 4
Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child
Where misery cries out to Thee
Son of the mother mild
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door
The dark night wakes the glory breaks
And Christmas comes once more
Verse 5
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
Benediction
As we prepare for His coming, may the immeasurable love of God surround you, the redeeming love of Christ inspire you, and the abiding love of the Holy Spirit sustain you.
May your heart overflow with the perfect love that casts out fear, and may you share that love freely with a world longing for hope.
As you await the fullness of His coming, may His love fill you, guide you, and shine through you, today and always. Amen.