Guide for Home Worship
January 3, 2021

Please note: the sermon will not be available until after the 9:00 am worship service at The Quechee Church. 
Printable Worship Guide

Opening Prayer

(select someone from your group to open your service in prayer)

Call to Worship

Psalm 8 (ESV)

LEADER: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

CONGREGATION: Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 

LEADER: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

CONGREGATION: Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 

ALL: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Songs and Liturgy

(sing as a group and/or sing along to recorded versions)

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION
(John Rippon, Joseph Funk, 1787)

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame will not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose.
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
^{PUBLIC DOMAIN}

RESPONSIVE READING: Isaiah 9 & Micah 5

LEADER: The Prophets of old had foretold of a coming King that would break the yoke of oppression—that would loose the bonds of sin and death.

CONGREGATION: For unto us a child is born and unto us a Son is given. And the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

LEADER: And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God and they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth.

CONGREGATION: And so, wise men and kings of all nations still seek Him.

BEHOLD OUR GOD
(Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, 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.

CHORUS:
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?
(CHORUS)

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!
(CHORUS)

BRIDGE:
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)
(CHORUS)
^{©2011 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). CCLI #1791178}

Prayer Time

(You may have an open time of prayer or select someone to pray)

• Pray for our nation – that the good news of Jesus Christ would draw people to know God genuinely and personally.
• Pray for those suffering from the ongoing spread of the coronavirus.
• Pray for those experiencing racial injustices; specifically, that God would bring hope, reconciliation, and restoration through the good news of His Son.
• Pray for those in authority at every level in our country, that they would govern wisely and justly.

Listen to Sermon

“The Light of the World”
preached by Pastor Ryan Bouton
Download Audio

Isaiah 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12 (ESV)

Isaiah 60

¹ Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
² For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
³ And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
⁴ Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
⁵ Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
⁶ A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.

Matthew 2

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

⁶ “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” ⁹ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. ¹¹ And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Confession of Faith

adapted from John 1:3-5

LEADER: What do you believe about the Gospel of Jesus?

CONGREGATION: Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has neither understood it nor been able to stop it.

Song of Response

COME BEHOLD THE WONDEROUS MYSTERY
(Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Michael Bleecker)

Come behold the wondrous myst’ry
In the dawning of the King.
He the theme of heaven’s praises,
Robed in frail humanity.
In our longing in our darkness,
Now the light of life has come.
Look to Christ who condescended,
Took on flesh to ransom us.

Come behold the wondrous myst’ry,
He the perfect Son of Man.
In His living in His suff’ring,
Never trace nor stain of sin.
See the true and better Adam,
Come to save the hell-bound man.
Christ the great and sure fulfillment
Of the law in Him we stand.

Come behold the wondrous myst’ry,
Christ the Lord upon the tree.
In the stead of ruined sinners,
Hangs the Lamb in victory.
See the price of our redemption,
See the Father’s plan unfold.
Bringing many sons to glory,
Grace unmeasured love untold.

Come behold the wondrous myst’ry,
Slain by death the God of life.
But no grave could e’er restrain Him,
Praise the Lord; He is alive!
What a foretaste of deliv’rance,
How unwavering our hope.
Christ in power resurrected,
As we will be when He comes.
^{©2012 Bleeker Publishing (Admin. by Michael Bleeker) CCLI #1791178}

Benediction

(The leader or individual should read this aloud relishing in the confident assertion that Christ has conquered.)

Luke 12:29-32

LEADER: Do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

PEOPLE: Amen!