Pre-service Reflection
At Ethos as good as it is to meet and greet one another, we try to save this for after the service, and begin service by looking upward to rest in God. Here are a few suggestions for how you can spend this time:
- Sit in silence to “just be.” Just be “still” to know that God is “good.” Try to still your busy mind and put it into a mode of listening. If you find “thought monkeys” that disturb your silence, jot them down, and then continue in silence. You may also use a journal to reflect on your previous spiritual experiences this week.
- Scripture Meditation. A) In your Bible, read Matthew 1:18-25 slowly, pausing between clauses. B) After a minute of silence, read it again and look for words or phrases that catch your attention. C) Read it a third time and begin to wonder: “What might God want to say to me specifically?” D) Turn the previous question into a prayer, and then write down anything God might be saying to you. E) Be still and silent, and then ask yourself and God, “What am I being called to do as a result of the word I have been given?”
Invocation – Calling Upon God
Welcome to Ethos Communion Church. Ethos exists to foster communion with the Triune God in a way that leads to spiritual peace, holistic transformation of character, communion with the visible body of Christ, and the making of disciples from all cultures and generations all to the glory of God.
“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalm 124:8
As we begin our worship service, let us quiet our hearts and minds, and turn our attention to the One who is worthy of all our praise.
Confession of Faith – Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed, written in the fourth century by the Council of Nicaea and later expanded by the Council of Constantinople, holds immense importance for Christians as a foundational statement of faith affirming beliefs in the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Church, and essential Christian doctrines, serving as a unifying declaration of core beliefs across Christian denominations and emphasizing unity in essential theological truths.
Let’s stand together as we recite our common faith
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Doxology (D)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
The Law of God
Having been created by God, he knows who we are, and how we are mean to live so as to flourish in goodness. To guide us he has given us His Law which summarized in the ten words we call the ten commandments.
(Congregation recites bolded lines)
Let us now hear the commandments of God as given to us in Scripture.
We will listen and obey.
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
We will worship the Lord our God and serve Him only.
- You shall not make for yourself an idol.
We will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth, without idols or images.
- You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
We will honor the name of the Lord and speak of Him with reverence.
- Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
We will set aside time for rest and worship, honoring the Lord’s Day.
- Honor your father and mother.
We will respect and care for our parents and those in authority.
- You shall not murder.
We will value and protect human life as sacred.
- You shall not commit adultery.
We will honor marriage and maintain faithfulness in relationships.
- You shall not steal.
We will respect others’ property and rights.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
We will speak truthfully and with integrity.
- You shall not covet.
We will be content and grateful for what we have, avoiding envy and greed.
These are the commandments of God. Let us strive to follow them in love and obedience, seeking to live lives that honor Him.
We will follow God’s commandments with all our heart, soul, and mind.
I Will Delight (D)
VERSE
I will delight in the law of the Lord
I will meditate day and night
Then like a tree firmly planted I’ll be
Grounded in Your Word
CHORUS
Blessed is the one who follows
The way of the Lord
Blessed is the one
Confession of Sin
Though God gave us his law to bless us, the reality is that we have all have failed to keep his law if not in deed, in our thoughts and motives. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20)
As such, let us confess our failure to live up to who God created us to be.
Assurance of Pardon
Hear now the good news of the Gospel!
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.’ (Galatians 4:4-5)
Beloved, on this Christmas Sunday we celebrate the birth of Christ, God’s gift of grace to a sinful world. He was born to redeem, and through Him, your sins are forgiven.
Rejoice, for in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Amen.
Thanks be to God!
Joy to the World (A)
VERSE 1
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and Heaven
And nature sing
VERSE 2
Joy to the world the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat repeat the sounding joy
VERSE 3
He rules the world
With truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders wonders of His love
Prayer for Illumination
You may be seated.
As we prepare to hear the word of God, let us pray for the Holy Spirit’s illumination.
Sermon – Christmas Love (1Jn4.9-12)
Outline
- Initiative: I’ll love you even if you don’t love me
- Generosity: I’ll share all I have with you
- Service: I’ll take care of it for you
- Sympathy: I’ll walk through this with you
- Sacrifice: I’ll lay down my life for you
- Forbearance: I’ll bear your wrongs patiently
Discussion Questions
Read the following questions, and discuss which areas you can grow in the love. How does the way you love relate to the way God loves us in Christ?
- Initiative: Am I willing to take the first step to show love to someone who seems distant, uninterested, or even unfriendly toward me, without waiting for them to change first?
- Generosity: When I see someone in need—whether it’s a friend who can’t afford something, or a stranger struggling—do I look for ways to share what I have, even if it costs me something important?
- Service: Am I willing to step in and do the hard work—like cleaning up after a messy group project, helping someone move, or taking on an extra chore at home—without expecting praise or recognition?
- Sympathy: Do I take the time to sit with someone who is grieving, struggling, or lonely, truly listening and feeling their pain, even when I don’t have any answers to give?
- Sacrifice: Am I willing to make big sacrifices—like giving up a dream, spending all my savings, or even risking my safety—to help someone else, just as Christ gave everything to save us?
- Forbearance: When someone hurts me with their words, actions, or attitude, do I choose to respond with patience, and forgiveness, instead of holding a grudge or trying to make them pay for it?
Sharing and Prayer Time
Prayers of Thanksgiving
Communion Prayer
Let us give thanks to the Lord for this spiritual meal he has given to us.
Communion
- Because of the significance of the Lord’s Table, only baptized believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should partake.
- Also, if you are willingly living in sin, you should refrain.
- If you are unable to partake of the Lord’s Table today, you may still partake of Christ!
- The Lord’s Table is just an aid in your relationship with Christ. Without it, you can still go to Christ.
- There are some prayers below that you may use to guide you.
Prayer for those searching
Oh God, I am discovering that the more I have, the more I need to have, the more I am loved, the more I need to be loved, the more I achieve, the more I need to achieve. Nothing seems to satisfy me. “Nothing tastes.” Could it be, as someone once said, that “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee.” Dear God, if this is true, and if as the Bible teaches there is life and life eternal in Christ alone, please guide me to him. Open me to the reality of the one who alone can satisfy my restless heart. Give me the courage to believe that which I cannot see but can understand through your Word, sacraments and church family. Lord I want to believe, please help me in my unbelief! Amen.
Prayer of belief
Lord God, I now see that I am weaker and more flawed than I ever before believed, but in Christ, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. Even as I have not loved you or my neighbor with all of my heart, you have shown your love for me in that while I am still sinning, Christ died for me and took upon himself the condemnation that I deserve. I now know that You owe me nothing for my efforts, but you offer acceptance, love and blessing into all eternity because of Christ’s efforts on my behalf. I therefore ask that you would enable me to turn away from trusting in my own efforts to gain your acceptance and forgiveness, and trust in the perfectly righteous efforts of Christ on my behalf in order to be accepted by you and entered into your holy family. And just as you raised Christ from the dead, so too I ask that you would give me a new life in Christ, one that will lead eventually to heaven itself. Thank you for Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit to believe in him alone for my salvation. And as You have called us to follow You in baptism and in a life of committed discipleship in Your church, grant that I may take the necessary steps to be one with Your people, and live in the fullness of Your Spirit. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
- Neighbors
- J. Kim
- M. Song and family
- Hoover Families
- Sister Churches
- Spread of the Gospel
- H. Soung
- G. Lee
- H. & E. Kang
The Love of God (A)
VERSE 1
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen
Can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
CHORUS 1
The guilty pair
Bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
CHORUS 2
O love of God
How rich and pure
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song
VERSE 2
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every tree
On Earth a quill
And every man
A scribe by trade
CHORUS 3
To write the love
Of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll
Contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky
CHORUS 2
O love of God
How rich and pure
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song
Benediction – What is the hope with which you go out?
“17 Now may Christ dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Announcements
- Tithes and offerings may be given online at EthosChurch.Co. FYI the fees are 2.15% + $0.30/donation for credit and debit card donations, and 0% + $0.30 per ACH bank transfer donation. So using your bank is preferred.
- Having looked upward during the worship service, we now want to look outward, in sharing the love of Christ we have in our hearts for one another by sharing a meal together.