First Sunday in Advent - 2023

December 3, 2023~The First Sunday in Advent

 

 

 

Today's Service Leader Rev. Brett Cornelius, Pastor Holy Cross Lutheran Church

 

 

Today's liturgy is the Divine Service, Setting One, LSB pages 151ff.

 

331 The Advent of Our King

 

5 Before the dawning day
    Let sin’s dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away,
    The new self now put on.

 

D 6 All glory to the Son,
    Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one
    Through all eternity.

Text: Charles Coffin, 1676–1749; tr. John Chandler, 1806–76, alt.
Tune: Aaron Williams, 1731–76
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

The sign of the cross T may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

 

Invocation

P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

Exhortation 151

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

"Silent Reflection before Confession"

 

Confession of Sins LSB 151

P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

 

Absolution LSB 151

P 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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

 

Introit Psalm 25:4–5, 21–22; antiphon: vv. 1–3a

To you, O Lord, I lift | up my soul.*
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be | put to shame.
Let not my enemies exult | over me.*
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame.
Make me to know your ways, | O Lord;*
teach me | your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my sal- | vation;*
for you I wait all the | day long.
May integrity and uprightness pre- | serve me,*
for I | wait for you.
Redeem Israel, | O God,*
out of all his | troubles.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
To you, O Lord, I lift | up my soul.*
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be | put to shame.
Let not my enemies exult | over me.*
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be | put to shame.

 

 

Kyrie LSB 152

 

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P 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.

C Amen.

 

Sit

 

 

Old Testament Reading Jeremiah 23:5–8

⁵“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

⁷“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ ⁸but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Gradual Psalm 25:3–4

None who wait for you shall be | put to shame;*
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly | treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, | O Lord;*
teach me | your paths.

 

Epistle Romans 13:11–14

¹¹Besides 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. ¹²The 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. ¹³Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Stand

 

Verse of the Day Psalm 85:7

Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

 

Holy Gospel Matthew 21:1–9

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-first chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

¹When they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ²saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” ⁴This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

⁵“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. ⁷They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. ⁸Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

 

Nicene Creed

C 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 T of the world to come. Amen.

 

Sit

 

 

332 Savior of the Nations, Come

 

5 God the Father was His source,
Back to God He ran His course.
Into hell His road went down,
Back then to His throne and crown.

 

6 For You are the Father’s Son
Who in flesh the vict’ry won.
By Your mighty pow’r make whole
All our ills of flesh and soul.

 

7 From the manger newborn light
Shines in glory through the night.
Darkness there no more resides;
In this light faith now abides.

 

D 8 Glory to the Father sing,
Glory to the Son, our king,
Glory to the Spirit be
Now and through eternity.

Text: attr. Ambrose of Milan, 340–397; German version, Martin Luther, 1483–1546; (sts. 1–2): tr. William M. Reynolds, 1812–76; (sts. 3, 6): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006; (sts. 4–5, 8): tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913–2001; (st. 7): tr. Gifford A. Grobien, 1973
Tune: Geystliche gesangk Buchleyn, 1524, Wittenberg, ed. Johann Walter
Text (sts. 3, 6–7): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House; (sts. 4–5, 8): © 1978 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Text (sts. 1–2) and tune: Public domain

 

Sermon~Rev. Brett E. Cornelius, Pastor Holy Cross Lutheran Church ~ Romans 13:11-14

 

 

Please Stand

 

Offertory LSB 159

 

Prayer of the Church

P Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.

Gracious Lord, awaken Your saints from sleep and idleness as we enter another Church Year. 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,

C hear our prayer.

P 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,

C hear our prayer.

P Almighty God, behold our nation and its leaders and protect our armed forces, taking them under Your care and blessing. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Visit us in Your compassion, O Lord. Deliver the sick from their infirmity, the troubled from their afflictions, the grieving from their sorrow and the dying from their fear [especially _____________]. May all who cry to You receive grace according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Merciful Lord, Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, entered Jerusalem to shouts and cheers of joy. Grant that we may be stirred by the Word and Sacraments to rejoice anew, now and at His second advent. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Holy God, You declared that the days were coming when You would accomplish our salvation, and in Your time You caused Your Son, the righteous Branch, to spring up for David. By Your grace, keep us joined as branches to Christ, that we might bear fruit until the day He returns in glory; for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Please be Seated

 

The offering is presented on the last stanza.

 

334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You

 

5 Sin’s debt, that fearful burden,
    Cannot His love erase;
Your guilt the Lord will pardon
    And cover by His grace.
He comes, for you procuring
    The peace of sin forgiv’n,
His children thus securing
    Eternal life in heav’n.

 

6 He comes to judge the nations,
    A terror to His foes,
A light of consolations
    And blessèd hope to those
Who love the Lord’s appearing.
    O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Your beams so cheering,
    And guide us safely home.

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1607–76; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, alt.
Tune: Johann Crüger, 1598–1662
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Please Stand

 

Preface LSB 160

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

 

Proper Preface (Abbreviated) LSB 161

P It is truly good, right, and salutary . . . evermore praising You and saying:

 

Sanctus LSB 161

 

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving 161

P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Lord's Prayer LSB 162

P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C 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.

 

The Words of Our Lord

P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My T body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My T blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

 

Pax Domini LSB 163

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

 

Agnus Dei LSB 163

 

Please be Seated

 

 

Distribution

 

Distribution Hymns

 

637 Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord

Text: Latin, 7th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818–66, alt.
Tune: Trente quatre Pseaumes de David, 1551, Geneva, ed. Louis Bourgeois
Text and tune: Public domain

 

349 Hark the Glad Sound

Text: Philip Doddridge, 1702–51
Tune: Thomas Haweis, 1734–1820
Text and tune: Public domain

 

341 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

Text: Georg Weissel, 1590–1635; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Tune: August Lemke, 1820–1913
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

Nunc Dimittis LSB 165

 

Post-Communion Collect

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Benediction LSB 166

P 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 T give you peace.

C Amen.

 

 

659 Lord of Our Life

Text: Matthäus Apelles von Löwenstern, 1594–1648; tr. Philip Pusey, 1799–1855, alt.
Tune: Antiphoner, 1746, Poitiers
Text and tune: Public domain

 

 

Acknowledgments

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV^® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2023 Concordia Publishing House.