First Sunday in Advent 12/1/24
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 1, 2024
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, FALLS CHURCH, VA
✠ ✠ ✠
PRELUDE Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying Setting: Jeffery Blersch
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN (Stand) Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying LSB 516
1 “Wake, awake, for night is flying,”
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?
The Bridegroom comes, awake!
Your lamps with gladness take!
Alleluia!
With bridal care
Yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.”
2 Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom.
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious;
Her star is ris’n, her light is come.
Now come, Thou Blessèd One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son,
Hail! Hosanna!
We enter all
The wedding hall
To eat the Supper at Thy call.
3 Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee,
Let saints and angels sing before Thee
With harp and cymbals’ clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, joining with the choir immortal,
We gather round Thy radiant throne.
No eye has seen the light,
No ear has heard the might
Of Thy glory;
Therefore will we
Eternally
Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sin, be our advocate in heaven, and bring us to eternal life. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, resolved to keep God’s commandments and to live in love and peace with all.
(We kneel)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we confess that we have sinned against You and against our neighbor in thought, word and deed; through negligence, through weakness, and through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross, forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may serve You in newness of life, to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
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 Son ✠ and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
KYRIE (Kyrie eleison means “Lord have mercy”) (Stand) LSB 943
Kyrie, Kyrie eleison. Kyrie, Kyrie eleison.
For peace in our hearts as we gather for worship, and for the peace of the whole world and the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie, Kyrie eleison. Kyrie, Kyrie eleison.
For the proclamation of the Gospel in this and every place and for the calling of all to faith, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie, Kyrie eleison. Kyrie, Kyrie eleison.
For grace to await our Lord’s coming again in glory, and for the joyful anticipation of his coming into our hearts today, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie, Kyrie eleison. Kyrie, Kyrie eleison.
HYMN OF PRAISE (omitted during this penitential season)
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
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.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Jeremiah 33:14-16
“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. In 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. In 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.’”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 25:1-10 (Sung responsively)
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;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,5
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
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.
SECOND LESSON 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
What thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 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.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
GOSPEL VERSE (stand) Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord Sts. 1-2 LSB 352
1 Let the earth now praise the Lord,
Who has truly kept His word
And at last to us did send
Christ, the sinner’s help and friend.
2 What the fathers most desired,
What the prophets’ heart inspired,
What they longed for many_a year,
Stands fulfilled in glory here.
GOSPEL Luke 21:29-36
The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke the 21st chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
You know what emoji’s are, right? They’re images that are used to convey emotions. If you use your smartphone, email or social media to send and receive messages, then you’re probably very familiar with emojis.
But the idea of emojis has moved beyond emotions. The term now also refers to any kind of symbol that you might wish to use in your message. For example, if you’d like to mention Christmas, you could use a little Christmas tree emoji, or a gift-wrapped box, or a Santa Claus. Most phones have these emojis ready and waiting for your use.
Just so you know, emojis are really nothing new. Images have been used in the church for a long time. Christian paintings have used symbols for centuries. And icons from the Eastern church are even thought of as “windows into heaven.”
The author of the third gospel, Luke, whose gospel account we’re now reading in this new church year, is venerated in some traditions as the original iconographer of the church. He is believed to have painted the face of Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as the images of Peter and Paul.
Whether or not this is actually true, Luke and the authors of scripture certainly knew how to paint pictures, so to speak. And this they often did through the use of images. Last Sunday I taught the kids about the image of the sword, which Paul uses to symbolize the word of God. And you probably know that the cross has a symbolic meaning too, sometimes standing in for the idea of suffering.
In our Old Testament reading today, the prophet Jeremiah uses the image of a branch in order to help make his point. This is an emoji, if you will – one first used by Isaiah and then later also by Zechariah.
Speaking about 600 years before the birth of Jesus, Jeremiah’s point is that God will restore good leadership among his people through a righteous new leader, at some point in the future, as he has promised. Jeremiah does this by saying: “The days are surely coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In 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” (vv. 14-15).
Before we say more about the Branch, notice first that the branch is “for David.” Here David is shorthand for a united Israel and Judah – reminding the people of the time the two nations were together and powerful. David’s name here, we could say, acts as another emoji used by the prophet.
David’s name serves two other purposes here as well. First, it indicates that this branch will emerge out of David’s family tree. And second, it indicates that the Branch’s rule would be righteous. For David was not only one of Israel’s greatest kings, but also the one who was — despite his flaws — “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).
With a similar focus on justice and righteousness, this new leader will restore the fortunes of the people. And these fortunes will not be abundance, productivity and partying – like many people define fortune – but rather rightly rendered affairs by the people and worship of the Lord God with a right heart. That’s where the righteous branch will lead them.
This new leader is, of course, Jesus Christ, born into the house and family of David (Luke 2:4). He is the one who leads us rightly and who teaches us true righteousness.
Today, we followers of Christ use the symbol of the branch during our season of Advent to remind us of his coming. It appears as we sing: “Lo, how a rose e’er blooming, from tender stem hath sprung, of Jesse’s lineage coming, by faithful prophets sung.” And it also appears on our Advent wreath – right there, on one of the banners.
One of the reasons the branch image speaks so powerfully is that we can all picture one in our imaginations. Deep black roots, sturdy brown branches, tender green shoots — the image is familiar, colorful and clear.
It’s also an image that conveys Jesus’ story well. Branches come from a tree’s trunk – just like Jesus came from Israel. And branches reach out to give shade and hold leaves to nourish the tree – just like Jesus provides us shelter and gives nourishment to our common life with one another.
When Isaiah introduces this image, he pairs it with the teaching that God’s people will receive their blessing after a time of great failure. Specifically, Isaiah uses it as he points to the destruction of the nation by a foreign power and the new growth that would come through those who survived.
Isaiah first does this in chapter four, where he says: “In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.” Note this mention of survivors.
And then, in chapter eleven, he pairs it with the image of a stump. The stump represents the great loss of the nation after its destruction. The nation was once mighty like a tree, but now had been reduced to just a stump.
But Isaiah also knows that with God there is always hope. So, moved by God’s Spirit, he then prophesied that new growth would come from the stump. He said: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots” (11:1). In other words, growth would start small from the remnant that remained, but eventually a great branch would come. And this branch would come from the family line of David, who was Jesse’s son.
This growth is highlighted in one of our Advent devotion options this year – the one called The Jesse Tree. As introduced at our Intergenerational Sunday School this morning, the Jesse Tree is a series of devotions which give us images to ponder – and color – as we make our way through the season. As you can guess by its title, the Jesse Tree is based on the prophecy of Isaiah eleven and the Branch that it promises.
When Jeremiah tells of the branch in his prophecy, he goes on to say of it: “He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness’” (vv. 15-16).
As much as the image of the branch helps us in understanding the leader God would send, God also felt the need to give this branch a name. Here he calls it: “the Lord is our righteousness.”
I’ll unpack that name for us shortly. But first, let me point out a series of names that Isaiah gave this great leader which come in the context of another powerful image.
Beginning in chapter seven, Isaiah starts to tell of a child to be born. Like his image of a shoot growing from a stump, the image of a child conveys the idea of God doing something new. It also conveys the idea of starting with something small and seemingly powerless.
The first name Isaiah gives to this child is Immanuel – which means “God with us.” A short time later, in chapter nine, Isaiah tells us that this child will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
To explore these names further you can use our second Advent devotional option – the one titled His Name Shall Be Called. We will also address these names at our Advent Midweek Services on Wednesdays and at our Christmas Eve services.
Jesus is our righteous Branch. And here we start to unpack the meaning of this by noting that righteousness is a word probably best defined as “right relationship.”
This definition reminds us, first of all, that Jesus wants us to have relationships with others that are right, not just good. Getting along is not enough. Our relationships are to be characterized by a mutual caring and respect. And they are to be based on what God teaches us in his word.
Last Sunday we explored what Jesus means when he tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Today let’s do a little thinking about the difference between true righteousness and self-righteousness.
Jesus often pointed to the Pharisees as a self-righteous group. And this should remind us that we in the church can easily become self-righteous too. We may know how to live. And we may even do fairly well at it, a good share of the time. But that doesn’t mean we should look down our noses at those who don’t. We must remember, instead, that their struggles and failures aren’t that different than ours.
To be in a right relationship with the people around us, we search for the image of God in them. And we should remember that Jesus said he is hidden inside the so-called least ones. Jesus explained this when he told how our giving food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to the stranger and clothing to the naked is really giving to him (Matthew 25:35-36). Certainly one of the reasons Jesus came into the world as a weak and vulnerable baby was to remind us of the importance of caring for the least of our brothers and sisters.
What’s more, true righteousness also calls us to love God with our whole hearts. And this is not just going to worship and giving offerings, which the self-righteous Pharisees were good at doing. Rather, it means paying attention to what Jesus called “the weightier matters of the law.” Jesus mentions this when speaking to the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23, where he also names these weightier matters as “justice and mercy and faith” (Mt. 23:23).
Today, on this First Sunday of Advent, we would add that true righteousness includes waiting faithfully for Christ’s return. In our Gospel reading Jesus teaches us to do this by looking for signs. Just as one can notice signs about the seasons from a fig tree, so also an increased distress in the world is a sign of his coming. Jesus also teaches us to do this by telling us to stay awake and watch ourselves. And this watching of ourselves certainly includes a warning against self-righteousness.
Yes, Jesus our righteous branch will return someday soon. And we need to be prepared for this, because he will come as our Judge.
But let us remember too – and above all! – that Jesus is called the righteous branch because of the righteousness he gives us.
This giving of his is more than just an example or an encouragement. Jesus’ giving is such that God will declare us to be righteous. Which means that Jesus’ righteousness will, in effect, become ours.
This giving is made possible through Jesus’ self-giving on the cross. There he sacrificed himself to pay for our sins. There he took our verdict of guilt upon himself by dying in our place.
“In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely,” said Jeremiah the prophet. This salvation has come, through the death of Jesus, who gives us life beyond the grave.
If there is any question of this, we have only to note that Jesus then rose from the dead. This signals clearly to all that death has been defeated.
I remember doing tree work at my house one time, years ago, and losing my balance when I reached too far. The ladder supporting one of my legs fell over, but the branch of the tree supporting the other one somehow held. I was saved from injury that day by a branch which was stronger than I imagined. And I’m thankful for that salvation.
But that salvation is a far cry from the one Jesus – God’s righteous Branch – has given me. For through Jesus I am saved from my sins. And because of this, I can live with confidence and joy in this life, and with great glory beyond the grave.
And you can too. For his righteousness is sufficient to cover all of your sins. All he asks is that you place your faith in him and do this with sincerity – seeking to live with righteousness, as you can.
“On my heart imprint thine image” is one of our Lenten prayers. But let us learn to pray this also in Advent, and in all seasons. For God’s greatest image is Jesus. And his great message is salvation through his mercy.
May this faith be yours. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Savior of the Nations, Come LSB 332
1 Savior of the nations, come,
Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.
2 Not by human flesh and blood,
By the Spirit of our God,
Was the Word of God made flesh—
Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.
3 Here a maid was found with child,
Yet remained a virgin mild.
In her womb this truth was shown:
God was there upon His throne.
4 Then stepped forth the Lord of all
From His pure and kingly hall;
God of God, yet fully man,
His heroic course began.
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.
8 Glory to the Father sing,
Glory to the Son, our king,
Glory to the Spirit be
Now and through eternity.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, back cover
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 ✠ everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH (Stand)
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord of all, Your Son declared that if His disciples ceased praising Him the very stones would cry out. Receive our thanks for continuing to preserve Your Word among us. And grant us tongues that joyfully declare Your praise, even when the world opposes us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we often use the cares of this life as an excuse for dissipation, drunkenness and distraction from You and Your promises. Guard us from temptations that would harm our faith. And cause us to rightfully fear Your coming. Preserve us by Your grace, that we may wait with joy to stand before the Son of Man in glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, grant us repentant hearts and an increase of love for one another, that we may show forth our faith in good works. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord our King, righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne and steadfast love and faithfulness go before You. Watch over the authorities of our land and grant that they would govern justly, so that we may live in peace, and proclaim Your love and faithfulness. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give thanks to You, O God, that as You establish our hearts blameless in holiness before You, so You also provide for all our needs in this body and life. Hear our earnest prayers for those who need Your help and care, especially Geraine, Sophia, Norma, Brooks, Trudy, Mary Ann, June, Peter, Wendy, James, Russell, Tawni, Marvin, Yi, Eunice, and all whom we name in our hearts before you at this time… We also ask that you comfort all who mourn and that you keep us all in good faith until the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed are You, O Lord, and blessed is Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came in Your name to save us from sin and death. As He visits us this day with His body and blood, under the bread and wine, give us penitent hearts that worthily welcome His coming and rejoice in His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have loved and chosen us according to Your mercy and called us through the living voice of Your Word. Grant to us the Spirit of Your grace, that what You have begun in us may be brought to completion when Christ appears in His glory on the Last Day; for You live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY (Stand)
1 Soul, adorn yourself with gladness,
Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
Come into the daylight’s splendor,
There with joy your praises render.
Bless the One whose grace unbounded
This amazing banquet founded;
He, though heav’nly, high, and holy,
Deigns to dwell with you most lowly.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION
PREFACE TO HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, 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, whose way John the Baptist prepared, proclaiming Him the promised Messiah, the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and calling sinners to repentance that they might escape from the wrath to be revealed when He comes again in glory. 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 208
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Holy God, mighty Lord, gracious Father:
Endless is Your mercy and eternal your reign.
You have filled all creation with light and life;
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Through Abraham you promised to bless all nations.
You rescued Israel, your chosen people.
Through the prophets you renewed your promise;
And, at this the end of all ages, you sent your Son,
Who in words and deeds proclaimed your kingdom
and was obedient to your will, even to giving his life.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PROCLAMATION OF CHRIST
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Therefore, gracious Father; with this bread and cup
We remember the life our Lord offered for us.
And believing the witness of his resurrection,
We await his coming in power to share with us
The great and promised feast.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Join our prayers with those of your servants of every time and place,
And unite them with the ceaseless petitions of our great high priest
Until he comes as victorious Lord of all.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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.
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 963
1 Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
grant us Your peace,
grant us Your peace.
DISTRIBUTION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
DISTRIUTION HYMN Once He Came in Blessing LSB 333
1 Once He came in blessing,
All our sins redressing;
Came in likeness lowly,
Son of God most holy;
Bore the cross to save us;
Hope and freedom gave us.
2 Now He gently leads us;
With Himself He feeds us
Precious food from heaven,
Pledge of peace here given,
Manna that will nourish
Souls that they may flourish.
3 Soon will come that hour
When with mighty power
Christ will come in splendor
And will judgment render,
With the faithful sharing
Joy beyond comparing.
4 Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
From our sins release us.
Keep our hearts believing,
That we, grace receiving,
Ever may confess You
Till in heav’n we bless You.
POST-COMMUNION COLLECT (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Lift Up Your Heads, You Everlasting Doors LSB 339
1 Lift up your heads, you everlasting doors,
And weep no more!
O Zion’s daughter, sing,
To greet your coming King;
Now wave the victor’s palm
And sing the ancient psalm:
“Lift up your heads, you everlasting gates!”
Your King awaits!
2 Who is this King of great and glorious fame?
What is His name?
Lord God of Sabaoth,
Of whom the prophets wrote,
Whose chosen, humble steed
Declares Him king indeed!
Hosanna, Lord! Messiah, come and save
From sin and grave.
3 Who may ascend Mount Zion’s holy hill
To do God’s will?
The One whose unstained hands
Can meet the Law’s demands,
Whose purity within
Reveals One free from sin.
Come, praise this King who claims the cross as throne—
Praise Him alone!
4 “Worthy is Christ!” The Lamb who once was slain
Now lives to reign.
He rules our earthly ways
As Lord of Ancient Days—
O join the endless song
Sung by the ransomed throng:
“Worthy is Christ!” The Lamb be praised again!
Amen! Amen!
ANNOUNCEMENTS (Be seated)
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE Lift Up Your Heads, You Everlasting Doors Setting Allan Mahnke
FELLOWSHIP CONTRIBUTORS: Board of Fellowship
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.
Greeter: Steve Berg
Comm. assist: Jim Easterly
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.
Greeter: Jason Starck
Comm. assist: Dan Buuck
Reader: Dale Rogers
Acolyte: Noah Starck
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
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 © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.
352 Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord Text: Heinrich Held, 1620–59; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt. Tune: Geystliche gesangk Buchleyn, 1524, Wittenberg, ed. Johann Walter Text and tune: Public domain
937 Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace Text (sts. 1–2): James Quinn, 1919–2010; (st. 3): Henry V. Gerike, 1948 Tune: American Text (sts. 1–2): © 1969, 1989 OCP Publications; (st. 3): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
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
332 Savior of the Nations, Come 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. 110005326 Text (sts. 1–2) and tune: Public domain
333 Once He Came in Blessing Text: Johann Horn, c. 1490–1547; (sts. 1, 4): tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1827–78, alt.; (sts. 2–3): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006
Tune: Michael Weisse, c. 1480–1534 Text (sts. 2–3): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Text (sts. 1, 4) and tune: Public domain
339 Lift Up Your Heads, You Everlasting Doors Text: Stephen P. Starke, 1955
Tune: Paul Liljestrand, 1931–2011 Text: © 2003 Stephen P. Starke, admin. Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
Tune: © 1970 The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
