Mid-Week Advent Service. December 7, 2011

"The blind receive their sight."
By Norma Boeckler

Advent, December 7, 2011

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Mid-Week Advent, Thursday, 7 PM Central

The Hymn # 62        O Come, O Come Emmanual            4.51
The Order of Vespers                                                         p. 41

The Psalmody            Psalm 2                                              p. 123
The First Lection                      
The Second Lection           
 The Sermon Hymn #657            Beautiful Savior                    4.24

Sanctified by the Word

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer                                     p. 44

The Collect for Peace                                                       p. 45

The Benediction                                                               p. 45

The Hymn # 558     All Praise to Thee                           2.9

KJV Matthew 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

I.                     John’s mission – to send his followers to Jesus.

II.                 Jesus’ answer – to sanctify them with the Word and show Himself as the Messiah.

John had the greatest and most difficult work of all – to point to an ordinary looking man and said, “This is the Christ.”