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First Sunday in Advent

Sermon by Rev. Roth

Introit Psalm 89:14-16, 18; antiphon: Zechariah 9:9b, alt.
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation.
Who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord?
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessèd are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Collect of the day
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.

First Reading/Old Testament   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.’”

Psalm 25:1-10
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,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.

Second Reading/Epistle   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.

Holy Gospel Reading   Luke 19:28-40
When [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “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. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As 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, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”