Welcome, we’re glad you’re here. Our vision echoes the Lord’s prayer: may it be “in the South Bay, as it is in heaven.” We yearn to see people flourishing in Jesus. Join us in the worship of our Lord.
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP
There shall not be found among you anyone
who burns his son or his daughter as an offering.
Deuteronomy 18:10
And [the king] burned his son as an offering
and used fortune-telling and omens
and dealt with mediums and with necromancers.
He did much evil in the sight of the Lord,
provoking him to anger.
2 Kings 21:6
For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight,
declares the Lord…
They have built the high places of Topheth…
to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire,
which I did not command,
nor did it come into my mind.
Jeremiah 7:30-31
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered
up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises was in the act of offering up his only
son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall
your offspring be named.” He considered that
God was able even to raise him from the dead,
from which, figuratively speaking, he did
receive him back.
Hebrews 11:17-19
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him,
and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29
“Christians declare me redeemed by a human
sacrifice that occurred thousands of years
before I was born. I didn’t ask for it, and would
willingly have foregone it, but there it is.”
– Christopher Hitchens
“Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac,
because he believed that God had commanded
it. To kill your son is unthinkable. A crime. But if
you are acting in the belief that your God, your
supreme deity whom you must obey, has
demanded it of you, is it still a crime?”
– Libba Bray
“The ethical expression for what Abraham did is
that he meant to murder Isaac; the religious
expression is that he meant to sacrifice Isaac—
but precisely in this contradiction is the anxiety
that can make a person sleepless, and yet
without this anxiety Abraham is not who he is.”
– Søren Kierkegaard
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP
by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1
SONG
Angels We Have Heard on High
[Verse 1]
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
[Chorus]
Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo
[Verse 2]
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
[Chorus]
SONG
Go Tell it on the Mountain
[Chorus]
Go tell it on the mountain,
over the hills, and everywhere
go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born
[Verse 1]
While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light
[Chorus]
[Verse 2]
The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Savior’s birth
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born
and God sent us salvation
that blessed Christmas morn
[Chorus]
DANIELLE’S COMMISSIONING
SONG
Once in Royal David’s City
[Verse 1]
Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
in a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
[Verse 2]
He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and His shelter was a stable,
and His cradle was a stall:
with the poor, and meek, and lowly,
lived on earth our Savior holy.
[Verse 3]
For He is our childhood’s pattern
Day by Day, like us He grew
He was little, weak and helpless
Tears and smiles, like us He knew
And He feeleth for our sadness
And He shareth in our gladness
[Verse 4]
And our eyes at last shall see Him,
through His own redeeming love;
for that Child so dear and gentle
is our Lord in heav’n above,
and He leads His children on
to the place where He is gone.
[Verse 5]
Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing by,
we shall see Him, but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high;
when like stars His children crowned
all in white shall wait around.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Men’s Social (12/12): Men, you’re invited to join us next Thursday at Mr. Lucky’s Billiards in Torrance at 7:30pm for a game of pool and some fellowship. Check out the details here. Our men’s group meets on Thursdays to discuss the previous weeks’ sermon, to share with one another and to support one another in prayer. The second Thursday of every month is a social outing. All men are invited.
Lessons & Carols (12/15): Next Sunday will be our Lessons & Carols service at 10am. The children’s ministry has a special performance for us. The worship service will consist of classic Christmas hymns and traditional readings interspersed with brief meditations to celebrate the joy of the Incarnation. This service would be a great time to invite a friend or family member.
December Children’s Ministry schedule: Reminder to parents and volunteers: this Sunday will be the last full children’s ministry of 2024. Our nursery will remain fully staffed with our wonderful care workers throughout the month. However, Children 3 years old through 5th grade will be joining us in service for our Lessons & Carols service (12/15), our Christmas service (12/22) and New Year’s week (12/29).
Christmas Service opportunity: We have an opportunity to bless a West High family this month for Christmas. Please email Johnny Park if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation. The Vessel youth group students will take the proceeds and buy the family gifts to celebrate the season of giving when – as a demonstration of love – God gave us his greatest gift.
OFFERTORY
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MONTHLY FINANCIAL UPDATE
After November 2024
YTD 2024 Projected Giving: $621,250
YTD 2024 Actual Giving: $593,053
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If you would like to give electronically, you may do so here or in the mobile app, select “Giving” at the bottom-right corner in the app. If you would like to give via cash or check to King’s Cross Church, there are white baskets in the back of our worship space.
SERMON
“The Ram”
After these things God tested Abraham
and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Take your son,
your only son Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering on one
of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning,
saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him,
and his son Isaac.
And he cut the wood for the burnt offering
and arose and went to the place
of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes
and saw the place from afar.
5 Then Abraham said to his young men,
“Stay here with the donkey;
I and the boy will go over there and worship
and come again to you.”
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son.
And he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham,
“My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself
the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place
of which God had told him,
Abraham built the altar there
and laid the wood in order
and bound Isaac his son
and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 Then Abraham reached out his hand
and took the knife to slaughter his son.
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him
from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy
or do anything to him,
for now I know that you fear God,
seeing you have not withheld your son,
your only son, from me.”
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him was a ram,
caught in a thicket by his horns.
And Abraham went and took the ram
and offered it up as a burnt offering
instead of his son.
14 So Abraham called the name of that place,
“The Lord will provide”;
as it is said to this day,
“On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Genesis 22:1-14 (ESV)
SONG
Come All You Unfaithful
[Verse 1]
O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone
[Verse 2]
O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done
[Chorus]
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
[Verse 3]
O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love
[Verse 4]
O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done
[Chorus]
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
[Bridge]
He’s the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe
He’s the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe
[Verse 5]
So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done
[Chorus]
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you
BENEDICTION
And my God will supply every need of yours
according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
CONNECTION
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