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
Long ago, at many times and in many ways,
God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed the heir of all things,
through whom also he created the world.
Heb.1:1-2
There are times when silence has the loudest voice.
– Leroy Brownlow
Never can God and man meet.
– Plato
The central miracle asserted by Christians is the incarnation. They say that God became man.
– CS Lewis
The fact is that the greatest mystery of all – the incarnation – comes at the every beginning and is the central reason why we believe in God. We cannot explain it: there is the beginning of the mystery of the faith. But because of the evidence neither can we explain it away: there is the beginning of the rationality of the faith.
– Os Guinness
WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP
A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Isaiah 40:3
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
[Verse 1]
Come, thou long expected Jesus
Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
[Verse 2]
Born thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now thy gracious kingdom bring
By thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne
[Outro]
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart
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.
ADVENT SCRIPTURE READINGS
Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land…
Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Psalm 80
“Behold, I send my messenger,
and he will prepare the way before me.
And the Lord whom you seek
will suddenly come to his temple;
and the messenger of the covenant
in whom you delight,
behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming,
and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and he will purify the sons of Levi
and refine them like gold and silver,
and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
will be pleasing to the Lord
as in the days of old and as in former years.
Malachi 3
SONG
What Child is This?
[Verse 1]
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
[Chorus]
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
[Verse 2]
Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and lamb are feeding?
Good Christian, fear for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh
Come peasant, king, to own Him
The King of kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
[Chorus]
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ladies’ Holly Jolly Christmas Party Potluck (12/7) Sunday 5-8pm.
URM Outreach (12/4) 5:30-7pm. The Thursday evening chapel service is a volunteer opportunity at the United Rescue Mission supporting Angelenos experiencing homelessness in South LA. Sign ups are open.
KCC Basketball (12/12) Friday 8-9:30pm @ Jump Beyond Torrance
Children’s Ministry Performance (12/14) our Children’s Ministry will present a special performance during the worship service. Invite your family and friends to celebrate with us.
OFFERTORY
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GIVING & BUDGET
Total 2025 Annual Budget: $764,000
Giving as of 11/2/25: $619,120
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If you would like to give electronically, you can do so here or through the mobile app by selecting “Giving” at the bottom-right corner. For cash or check donations to King’s Cross Church, please use the offering box located at the back of our worship space.
SERMON
Message “Songs of Advent: Benedictus (Zechariah)”
67 And his father Zechariah was filled
with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets
from of old,
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child,
will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the wilderness until the day
of his public appearance to Israel.
Luke 1:68-80 (ESV)
SONG
Never See the End
[Verse 1]
Where can we run, where can we hide
That You will not find us?
Deepest of depths, highest of heights
Your love, it chases us
No matter where we’ve been, no matter what we’ve done
We can’t escape Your love
[Chorus]
We will never see the end
We will never see the end of Your goodness
[Verse 2]
Though we pass through the fire or we pass through the flood
You will be with us
Though we walk through the valley, the darkest of night
Your love will be our light
And when we are in plenty or we are in want
You will always be enough
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
And in our darkest hours, on our hardest days
We do not have to be afraid
For You will never leave, You will not forsake
The promises You have made
[Chorus]
BENEDICTION
“By of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79
CONNECTION
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