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Trust In God’s Promise
Advent Online Worship
Trust In God’s Promise
“The writer of Matthew’s gospel shows how important it is to the story of Jesus to realize just how long God’s plan was in the making, and through what incredible and messy situations in the lives of people that God was working in, to fulfill the God’s promises.” For this Fourth Sunday of Advent, The Rev'd Rob Park offers prayers and a message reflecting our reading from Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 1:18-25.
Advent Online Worship

Trust In God’s Promise

Welcome to your online worship for The Fourth Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2022. 

This is the last Sunday of the Advent season and I am looking forward to celebrating my first Christmas with you and our St. Mark’s family. Read about our Christmas Service here.

Today’s Opening Sentence

“A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel: God with us.” – Matthew 1.23

Today’s Reading – Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.1

Your Online Message and Prayers

Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.

Thank you again to Ryan Van Dijk for his wonderful music which accompanies this weeks video, and for his music ministry at St. Mark’s as our Music Director. Read more about him here.

And lastly, a reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.

Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.

God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!

Peace,

The Rev’d Rob Park

  1. Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.