Last Sunday Of The Church Year ~ 2025

 

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

 

Today's liturgy is the Divine Service THREE, page 184ff.

 

593 See This Wonder in the Making

Text: Jaroslav J. Vajda, 1919–2008
Tune: Lofsånger och andeliga wisor, 1873, Sweden
Text: © 1984 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

+The Rite of Baptism+ Sarah Grace Shellenbarger

 

Stand

 

The sign of the cross 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 LSB 184

P Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.

P Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

 

Kneel/Stand

 

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

 

Confession of Sins LSB 184

P O almighty God, merciful Father,

C I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

 

Absolution LSB 185

P Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

 

Stand

 

Introit Psalm 39:4–5, 7–8; antiphon: Isaiah 35:10

The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with | singing;*
everlasting joy shall be up- | on their heads.
They shall obtain glad- | ness and joy,*
and sorrow and sighing shall | flee away.
O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure | of my days;*
let me know how fleeting | I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing be- | fore you.*
Surely all mankind stands as a | mere breath!
And now, O Lord, for what | do I wait?*
My hope | is in you.
Deliver me from all my trans- | gressions.*
Do not make me the scorn | of the fool!
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.
The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with | singing;*
everlasting joy shall be up- | on their heads.
They shall obtain glad- | ness and joy,*
and sorrow and sighing shall | flee away.

 

Kyrie LSB 186

 

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 187

 

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And with thy spirit.

P Let us pray.

Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth Your Son, we pray, to lead home His bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into His eternal wedding feast; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Sit

 

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 65:17–25

¹⁷“Behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
¹⁸But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.
¹⁹I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and be glad in my people;
no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping
and the cry of distress.
²⁰No more shall there be in it
an infant who lives but a few days,
or an old man who does not fill out his days,
for the young man shall die a hundred years old,
and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.
²¹They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²²They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
²³They shall not labor in vain
or bear children for calamity,
for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,
and their descendants with them.
²⁴Before they call I will answer;
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
²⁵The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Gradual Psalm 45:14–15

In many-colored robes [the king’s daughter] is led | to the king,*
with her virgin companions following be- | hind her.
With joy and gladness they are | led along*
as they enter the palace | of the king.

 

Epistle 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

¹Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. ²For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

 

Stand

 

Alleluia LSB 190

 

Holy Gospel Matthew 25:1–13

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

C Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

¹[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹²But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

 

Apostles’ Creed

C I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

     maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

     who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

     born of the virgin Mary,

     suffered under Pontius Pilate,

     was crucified, died and was buried.

     He descended into hell.

     The third day He rose again from the dead.

     He ascended into heaven

     and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

     From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

     the holy Christian Church,

          the communion of saints,

     the forgiveness of sins,

     the resurrection of the body,

     and the life T everlasting. Amen.

 

Sit

 

516 Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying

Text: tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.
Text and tune: Philipp Nicolai, 1556–1608
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Sermon ~ Rev. Brett E. Cornelius, Pastor

 

Stand

 

Offertory LSB 192

 

Sit

 

HCL Choir ~ “Something Beautiful”

 

Offering

 

Stand

 

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.

Heavenly Father, send forth Your Son, we pray, to lead home His Bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter His eternal wedding feast. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Gracious Lord, You have anointed and enlightened us in Holy Baptism, and You call us always to renew our light by the ministry of Your Church. Keep us by Your Word and Sacraments until Your Son comes. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Creator God, You have called us to build and to plant and so cultivate the world by our various vocations. Endow the faithful with Your Spirit, that they may bear rich fruit in their lives and enjoy the work of their hands. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Loving God, shed Your grace on all nations of the earth. Bless especially our country, its inhabitants and all who are in authority, that Your truth, righteousness and peace would abound. Look favorably on all who serve in our armed forces, that they would do so with integrity and honor. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Gracious Lord, be near to all who cry out to You in the midst of suffering. Remember the sick and those who mourn [especially _____________]. Heal them according to Your will, comfort them with Your steadfast love, and strengthen them to bear their crosses as they follow You. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Almighty God, You kept Abraham and Sarah in safety throughout the days of their pilgrimage and led Your people, Israel, on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Guide all who travel. Bring them safely to their destinations and then bring them safely home again, that their homecomings would be joyful. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P Heavenly Father, give us repentant hearts, that we would eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and proclaim joyfully His death until He comes in glory. Lord, in Your mercy,

C hear our prayer.

P O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together 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, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

 

Preface LSB 194

 

Proper Preface

P It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

 

Sanctus LSB 195

 

Lord's Prayer

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 197

 

Agnus Dei LSB 198

 

Sit

 

618 I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table

Text: Friedrich Christian Heyder, 1677–1754; tr. The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, abr.
Tune: Emskirchner Choral-Buch, 1756, Leipzig
Text: © 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Tune: Public domain

 

336 Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending

Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88, alt.
Tune: Thomas Olivers, 1725–99
Text and tune: Public domain

 

514 The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us

Text: Johann Walter, 1496–1570; (st. 1): tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913–2001; (sts. 2–4): tr. Matthias Loy, 1828–1915, alt.
Tune: Musae Sioniae, 1609, vol. 7, Wolfenbüttel, ed. Michael Praetorius
Text (st. 1): © 1982 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110001518
Text (sts. 2–4) and tune: Public domain

 

Stand

 

Nunc Dimittis LSB 199

 

Thanksgiving LSB 200

 

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.

 

Salutation LSB 201

 

Benedicamus LSB 202

 

Benediction LSB 202

 

644 The Church’s One Foundation

Text: Samuel J. Stone, 1839–1900, alt.
Tune: Samuel S. Wesley, 1810–76
Text and tune: Public domain

 

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book

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 © 2025 Concordia Publishing House.