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November 30, 2025
See TodayAdvent 1
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
- First Reading
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Isaiah 2:1–5 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
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- Psalm
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Psalm 122 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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- Epistle
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Rom. 13:(8–10) 11–14 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
ESV Scripture text
Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
(ESV)
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
(ESV)
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- Gospel
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Matt. 21:1–11 or Matt. 24:36–44 (read in ESV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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Advent 1
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
About this service
The Lord Comes in Meekness and Humility to Save Us Now
The Lord Jesus enters Jerusalem “humble, and mounted on a donkey,” riding on “a beast of burden” (Matt. 21:5), as He Himself bears the sins of the world in His body. Now He comes by the ministry of the Gospel to save us from sin, death, the devil and hell. Therefore, we sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Matt. 21:9). For we are called “to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,” His Holy Church, “that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (Is. 2:3). By His Word, we “walk in the light of the Lord” (Is. 2:5). That is to live in love, which “does no wrong to a neighbor” (Rom. 13:10). We “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light,” for “salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11, 12). Hence, the entire Christian life is a time to wake and watch, “for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (Matt. 24:42).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — Three-Year Lectionary Series A (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
Source: LCMS Three-Year Series (A) Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for November 30, 2025 — Responsive Form
Stir up Your power, O Lord, to rescue us from the dangers of this dark world by the advent of Your Son, that we may ever walk in His light and learn the way of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, You have made us glad to enter into Your presence to hear the Good News of our Savior and to receive Your gifts. Preserve Your Church against all her enemies. Lead us to walk in Your ways and to follow Your path, that when Jesus returns in His glory we may welcome Him with glad hosannas. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord of love, visit our homes and defend us from the temptation to walk in the works of darkness. Clothe us with the armor of light. Preserve the single in holiness, and lead husbands and wives to love one another and raise their children in the faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty Father, You are the authority to whom all temporal authorities must bow. Give wisdom and godly insight to our president; our governor; and all who make, administer or judge our laws. Grant peace among the nations, that swords may be beaten to plowshares and spears to pruning hooks. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You have given us Your Son to bear the burdens of our sin and to grant us healing and hope. Hear us on behalf of those in great need, those afflicted with physical and mental ills, those whose hearts are touched by grief, and those in their last days on earth [especially _____________]. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, Your Son has given us a place at His table where we receive the food of His own flesh and blood given for the life of the world. Grant us faith to recognize His body in this bread and His blood in this cup and to receive this blessed communion with joy and thanksgiving. Unite Your people, that we may confess with one voice the truth of Your Word and live together in love and anticipation for that day when Christ shall return in triumph. Bring us with all the saints into Your eternal presence and to the marriage feast of the Lamb without end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank, bless and praise You forever that You have sent Your Son to reign over us poor sinners, who for our trespasses deserve rightly to remain in bondage to sin and Satan. You have given us a righteous and humble King who, through His death, has saved us from sin and eternal death. We implore You, enlighten, govern and direct us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may remain faithful to this righteous King and Savior and not be offended by His humble appearance or despised Word, but believe in Him and obtain eternal salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for November 30, 2025 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above, that our Lord’s advent might kindle in us a love for His name, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That the church would be preserved against all her enemies; and that we, as God’s people, would walk in His ways and one day welcome with glad hosannas Jesus in His glory, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For Christian homes, that God would defend the single, husbands and wives, and all children from the temptation to walk in the works of darkness, clothing them instead with the armor of light, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our president, governor and all in temporal authority, that godly wisdom would guide policy and lead nations into the way of peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those in great need, those afflicted with physical and mental ills, those whose hearts are touched by grief, and those in their last days on earth, [especially _____________,] let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For unity amongst God’s people, that we may confess with one voice the truth of the Word and live together in love and anticipation for that day when Christ shall return in triumph and we will enter with all the saints into the marriage feast of the Lamb without end; and that we would here discern the body and blood of Christ in this holy meal, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank, bless and praise You forever that You have sent Your Son to reign over us poor sinners, who for our trespasses deserve rightly to remain in bondage to sin and Satan. You have given us a righteous and humble King who, through His death, has saved us from sin and eternal death. We implore You, enlighten, govern and direct us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may remain faithful to this righteous King and Savior and not be offended by His humble appearance or despised Word, but believe in Him and obtain eternal salvation; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 332 Savior of the Nations, Come
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for First Sunday in Advent (One-Year) and Advent 1 (Series A, B and C).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 167 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
The Advent of Our King — Historical Advent Hymn
1. The advent of our King
Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing
In strains of holy joy.
2. The everlasting Son
Incarnate deigns to be;
Himself a servant’s form puts on
To set His servants free.
3. O Zion’s Daughter, rise
To meet thy lowly King,
Nor let thy faithless heart despise
The peace He comes to bring.
4. As Judge, on clouds of light,
He soon will come again
And His true members all unite
With Him in heaven to reign.
5. Before the dawning day
Let sin’s dark deeds be gone,
The old man all be put away,
The new man all put on.
6. All glory to the Son,
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever One,
Through all eternity.
TLH 68
Text: Zechariah 9:9
Author: Charles Coffin, 1736
Translator: John Chandler, 1837, alt.
Composer: Aaron Williams, 1770
Tune: ST. THOMAS
Source: Project Wittenberg; The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn 68 (opens in a new tab). Public domain. Project Wittenberg permits distribution, copying and printing.
Suggested hymns
- Entrance LSB 334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You
- Distribution LSB 636 Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness
- Distribution LSB 331 The Advent of Our King
- Closing LSB 343 Prepare the Royal Highway
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — Three-Year Lectionary Series A 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Hymn numbers and titles only; hymn texts are not reproduced. Reproduction for individual, church or school use does not require permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.