December 5, 2010 – Vintage21 West Campus

Vintage21 Church celebrated the 2nd week of Advent this past Sunday at Vintage21 Church’s West Campus. We’re continuing our study of Isaiah’s prophecy in verse 9:6, in which he said the Messiah would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. To study the name Mighty God, @PastorTyler Jones preached from Hebrews 1:1-3.

Call To Worship
Today we celebrate the second week of Advent, and continue our series on Isaiah’s prophecy found in Isaiah 9:6. How can Jesus be both Mighty God and helpless infant? Our Call to Worship this morning contrasts the mighty power of God in Jesus and the humble role he played in becoming our sin (2 Cor. 5:21)

Leader: “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7)
People: “Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world.” (Hebrews 1:2)
Leader : “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2)
People: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3)
All: “And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”

Let us now worship Jesus, Mighty God, through song.

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
Words by Charles Wesley, 1745
Music by Rowland Pritchard, 1830
Arrangement by Red Mountain Church

“Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.”

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
Words: John Morrison, 187
Music: Bruce Benedict, 2009 cardiphonia.org

This hymn arrangement by Bruce Benedict is one of many amazing songs he’s written, sung and produced. As Worship Director at Christ The King Church here in Raleigh, NC, Bruce leads their congregation in rich liturgies each week. His influence and friendship is valuable to me, and his support is invaluable as we go through our Calvin Grant process. His arrangement of this hymn is so beautiful, several band members said “Can we just play it exactly as it’s recorded?” That is essentially what we did.

This advent hymn is based on Isaiah 9:6, thus making it a theme song of Vintage21 Church’s advent series on the same passage. The recording below was taken from the 6:00 pm service at Vintage21’s West Campus on December 5, 2010. You can find Bruce’s recording of this hymn and others here. Follow @cardiphonia on Twitter!

Sermon: Isaiah 9:6 and Hebrews 1:1-3
@PastorTyler Jones

Death In His Grave
Words and Music by John Mark McMillan
This is not an Advent hymn, but was requested by Pastor Tyler as we study the topic of “Mighty God” in Isaiah 9:6. The following quote, taken from his sermon, explain why we sang this song on this Sunday of “Mighty God”:

He is all the beauty of God, He is all the forgiveness of God. He is all the love of God. He is all the pursuit of God. He is the light of the world. Jesus is the glory of God. Here’s the dumbfounding thing that we must conclude with. 2 Corinthians 5 says that he emptied himself of this glory. He set it aside, and he became the opposite of this glory. He became my lust, and he became my hatred. He became our genocide and he became our rape. He became our most broken things. He became our sin. Why would he do that? How does that resonate in your heart to such a level that you leave different than when you came? In response, we’re going to sing a song, “Death In His Grave”. The words of this song so articulate what Jesus has done.

To Us A Child Of Hope Is Born
Words: John Morrison, 187
Music: Bruce Benedict, 2009 cardiphonia.org

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
This traditional Advent hymn beautifully portrays the tension of this season. We sing longingly “Come, Emmanuel” and also “Rejoice”. The beauty of Advent is the existence that we can rejoice at the saving grace of Jesus the Messiah as we long for his return.

Drums: Joshua Snyder
Bass: Josh Phillips
Keys: Scott Andrews
Lead Guitar: Steven Suits
Vocals: Heather Pond
Vocals, Synth: Kevin Donnelly
Vocals, Guitar: @MattStevensNC

Join us tomorrow as we prepare our hearts for the third Sunday of Advent. @PastorTyler will preach on the name “Everlasting Father” from Isaiah 9:6.