FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

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November 28, 2021

Those Days

Some days in our lives stand out as more memorable than others. The birth of a child, a long-awaited graduation, a particular vacation, or a family gathering are all days of joy that become part of the stories of our lives. A terrible illness, the death of someone dear, the loss of a job—these days, too, stand out as moments seared in our memories of pain that never seems to go away entirely. Some days stand out more than others. Today’s Readings declare the days when Jesus came into the midst of all our joys and sorrows to bring joy, restoration, and hope. Our salvation was won on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. And the day is still coming when Christ will return and all creation will be restored. Jesus fills our days—good or bad, joyful or sorrowful—with His gracious presence from now until He returns on that great Last Day.

+ PREPARATION +

**OPENING HYMN: #332 – *Savior of the Nations, Come***

INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

One Advent candle is lit.

Pastor: Let us pray.
O Lord, let the lighting of this candle signify that You are the light that shines in all the darkness of our lives. As we wait, watch, hope, and pray, guide us all to reflect Your light and let it shine; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

People: Amen.

OPENING SENTENCES Jeremiah 33:14–15; Luke 21:27, 33, adapt.

Pastor: The Lord says, “I will fulfill the promise I made to the houses of Israel and Judah.”

People: We thank You, O Lord!

Pastor: The Lord says, “My righteous Branch will cause justice and righteousness to spring up.”

People: We adore You, O Lord!

Pastor: The Lord says, “You will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

People: We praise You, O Lord!

Pastor: The Lord says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

People: We worship You, O Lord!

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Psalm 25:6–7

Pastor: Having emerged from the waters of Baptism as God’s new creation in Christ, we confess our sins to God and one another.

A time of silence is observed.

Pastor: We confess to You, O Lord, that we are captive to sin in thought, word, and deed. We have neither loved You with our whole heart nor loved our neighbors as ourselves.

People: Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

Pastor: Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

People: according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O Lord!

Pastor: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

+ WORD +

INTROIT Psalm 89:6, 14–16, 18; antiphon: Zechariah 9:9b, alt.

Pastor: Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation.

People: Who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord?

Pastor: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before You.

People: Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of Your face,

Pastor: who exult in Your name all the day and in Your righteousness are exalted.

People: For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Pastor: Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation.

KYRIE

Pastor: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Pastor: Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

People: Amen.

SALUTATION and PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us pray.
Ancient of Days, bring to all our days the hope and peace won for us by Jesus on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, that we may live by Your mercy until that day when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING Jeremiah 33:14–16

(The prophet Jeremiah foresees a day when God would come to bring righteousness to His people.)

¹⁴“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’”

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118:26, alt. (spoken together)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.
            Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Behold, your king is coming to you;
            righteous and having salvation.
Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
            From the house of the Lord we bless you.

EPISTLE 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13

(Paul reminds us that God can cause us to abound in love for one another as we await the coming of the Lord.)

⁹What thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, ¹⁰as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

¹¹Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹²and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.

VERSE Psalm 24:7 (spoken together)

Alleluia. Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL Luke 19:28–40

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the nineteenth chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

²⁸When [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³²So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. ³³And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. ³⁶And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. ³⁷As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Pastor: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY: #334 – O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

SERMON: Those Days

NICENE CREED

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,
      maker of heaven and earth
            and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
      the only-begotten Son of God,
      begotten of His Father before all worlds,
      God of God, Light of Light,
      very God of very God,
      begotten, not made,
      being of one substance with the Father,
      by whom all things were made;
      who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
      and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
      and was made man;
      and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
      He suffered and was buried.
      And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
            and ascended into heaven
      and sits at the right hand of the Father.
      And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
      the Lord and giver of life,
      who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
      who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
      who spoke by the prophets.
      And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
      I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
      and I look for the resurrection of the dead
      and the life + of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

After each petition:

Pastor: … we pray:

People: hear us, coming Lord.

At conclusion:

Pastor: … in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

People: Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

CLOSING PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

People: Amen.

BENEDICTION Numbers 6:24–26

Pastor: May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, . . . so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

People: Amen.

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go in peace! Serve the Lord!

People: Thanks be to God.

FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT – Online Church at Home Service Bulletin