Live in the rhythm of the Church Year.
Explore the readings, prayers, hymns and seasons that form Christian life week by week.
November 30, 2025
See TodayFirst Sunday in Advent
One-Year Lectionary
- First Reading
-
Jer. 23:5–8 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Scripture text is in high demand right now. Cached readings remain available; other readings can be opened on Bible Gateway. Read Jeremiah 23:5-8 in NIV on Bible Gateway (new tab)
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Psalm
-
Psalm 24 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Scripture text is in high demand right now. Cached readings remain available; other readings can be opened on Bible Gateway. Read Psalm 24 in NIV on Bible Gateway (new tab)
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Epistle
-
Rom. 13:(8–10) 11–14 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
Scripture text is in high demand right now. Cached readings remain available; other readings can be opened on Bible Gateway. Read Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 in NIV on Bible Gateway (new tab)
Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
- Gospel
-
Matt. 21:1–9 (read in NIV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
NIV Scripture text
Select ESV to load this Scripture text.
1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:5“Say to Daughter Zion,‘See, your king comes to you,gentle and riding on a donkey,and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”a6The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,“Hosannab to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”c“Hosannad in the highest heaven!”Select KJV to load this Scripture text.
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.