{"id":749,"date":"2013-12-20T03:02:37","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T03:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/?p=749"},"modified":"2026-02-28T21:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T21:56:16","slug":"worship-december-15-2013-third-sunday-in-advent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/?p=749","title":{"rendered":"Worship – December 15, 2013 – Third Sunday in Advent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“The Meaning of Christmas”<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psalm 51:1-2, 4, 7, 13  (English Standard Version)<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

51 Have mercy on me, O God,     according to your steadfast love… 2 <\/sup>Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!… you may be justified in your words     and blameless in your judgment… 7 <\/sup>Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow… 13 <\/sup>Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ephesians 5:8-15  (Common English Bible)<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

8 <\/sup>You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. 9 <\/sup>Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. 10 <\/sup>Therefore, test everything to see what\u2019s pleasing to the Lord, 11 <\/sup>and don\u2019t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. 12 <\/sup>It\u2019s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. 13 <\/sup>But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. 14 <\/sup>Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper!<\/i> Get up from the dead,<\/i> and Christ will shine on you. <\/i>15 <\/sup>So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isaiah 9:2-7  (Common English Bible)<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2 <\/sup> The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. 3 <\/sup>You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice. 4 <\/sup>As on the day of Midian, you\u2019ve shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor. 5 <\/sup>Because every boot of the thundering warriors, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned, fuel for the fire. 6 <\/sup>A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 <\/sup>There will be vast authority and endless peace for David\u2019s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday School:<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:30 \u2013 11:30 AM <\/b>– in the Parish Hall Lower Level.  A Children\u2019s Church program is available weekly on Sunday mornings.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nursery Ministry:<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:30 \u2013 11:30 AM <\/b>– in the Parish Hall Lower Level.  Available every Sunday morning during the worship service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunday Morning Worship:<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:30 AM<\/b> \u2013 in the Sanctuary.  Join us today for Pastor Tom Hendershot\u2019s Third Sermon in the series \u201cThe Meaning of Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“The Meaning of Christmas” Psalm 51:1-2, 4, 7, 13  (English Standard Version) 51 Have mercy…<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-worship-this-week","no-post-thumbnail"],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Sharon Tali","author_link":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/?author=2"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=749"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5047,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/749\/revisions\/5047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stpaulsmarietta.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}