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November 30, 2025
See TodayFirst Sunday in Advent
One-Year Lectionary
- First Reading
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Jer. 23:5–8 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
KJV Scripture text
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5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
- Psalm
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Psalm 24 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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A Psalm of David.
1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
- Epistle
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Rom. 13:(8–10) 11–14 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
KJV Scripture text
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8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
- Gospel
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Matt. 21:1–9 (read in KJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
First Sunday in Advent
One-Year Lectionary
About this service
The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us
The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey” (Matt. 21:5). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be “The LORD is our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:5–6). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ’s body and blood, we also sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for “our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11).
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — One-Year Lectionary (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 One-Year Series Propers Chart (opens in a new tab). Citations only; no liturgical or Scripture text is reproduced.
Collect
Historical Collect — First Sunday in Advent
STIR up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come; that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (Baltimore, 1893), Introits and Collects for the Church Year (opens in a new tab). Public-domain text (published 1893), transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of the Princeton Theological Seminary Library copy.
Historical Collect for Advent — For Grace to Do God’s Will
ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when He shall come again in His glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Source: Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church (1919), Collects and Prayers, no. 17; Project Wittenberg transcription (opens in a new tab). Public-domain text. Project Wittenberg permits free distribution, copying and printing of its transcription.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for November 30, 2025 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Be with Your whole Church, Lord, that as we wait for the coming of Christ, our King, our hearts may be filled with His joy and our lips with His praise. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, encourage the preachers of Your Word and all who hear, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. Give boldness and faithfulness to Matthew, our Synod president; _____________, our district president; _____________, our circuit visitor; and all pastors in Christ. Renew the faith and quicken the love of all Christians to cast off the works of darkness, put on Jesus Christ and live as children of the eternal day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, our Father, Giver of all good gifts, look upon the households of Your people. Provide companionship for those who are alone and strengthen the bonds of marriage. Equip parents to raise their children in love and faith. Grant that our homes may be places of joy, reasonableness, peace and prayer. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, behold our nation and its leaders and protect our armed forces, taking them under Your care and blessing. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, show compassion to the sick, the suffering and those in need [especially _____________]. Relieve their pain, increase their faith, and grant healing and peace in accordance with Your wisdom and will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful God, comfort those who mourn with Your promises in Christ, [especially _____________,] and fill their hearts with the peace that passes understanding. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of life, Your Son humbly rode into Jerusalem to the shouts of “hosanna!” so that He might give us righteousness and salvation by His death and resurrection. Mercifully grant that we would repent of our sins and rejoice in His presence as He visits us with His body and blood in His Holy Supper this day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, You have made us glad to enter into Your presence to hear the good news of our Savior and receive Your gifts. Preserve Your Church against all her enemies, and lead us to walk in Your ways and to follow Your paths, that when Jesus returns in His glory we may welcome Him with glad hosannas. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through 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 — One-Year 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 whole Church, that as we wait for the coming of our King, our hearts may be filled with His joy and our lips with His praise, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For Matthew, our Synod president; _____________, our district president; _____________, our circuit visitor; and all pastors in Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
That the Lord would renew the faith and quicken the love of all Christians to cast off the works of darkness, put on Jesus Christ and live as children of the eternal day, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our homes, that God would provide companionship for those who are alone, strengthen the bonds of marriage, and equip parents to raise their children in love and faith; and that, for Jesus’ sake, our homes would be places of joy, reasonableness, peace and prayer, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our nation, its leaders and our armed forces, that God would take them under His care and let His blessing rest upon them, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the sick, the suffering and those in need, [especially _____________,] that our Father in heaven would ease their pain, increase their faith, and grant them healing and peace in accordance with His own wisdom and will, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who mourn, that Christ would comfort them with His promises and fill their hearts with the peace that passes understanding, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who commune, that the Lord, who humbly rode into Jerusalem for our salvation, would give us hearts that confess our sin and rejoice in His presence in the Holy Communion for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Holy Church, that God would preserve her against all enemies and lead His people to walk in His ways and follow His paths, so that when Jesus returns in His glory we may welcome Him with glad hosannas, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, 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 — One-Year 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 343 Prepare the Royal Highway
- Distribution LSB 333 Once He Came in Blessing
- Distribution LSB 340 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
- Distribution LSB 350 Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come
- Closing LSB 335 O Bride of Christ, Rejoice
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn Suggestions — One-Year Lectionary Series 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.