November 23, 2025

SERVICE OF WORD AND SACRAMENT

LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR

The Church has marked the passing of yet another Church Year, waiting for its Lord to return. How long will we have to wait and watch for Jesus to return? We do not know. Jesus said he would return soon. However, the definition of “soon” for the One who has no beginning or end will naturally differ from ours. Whenever Jesus returns, it will take us by surprise. So, how do believers avoid growing lethargic? How do we remain ready and watchful for Christ’s return? Our Savior points us to his Scriptures.

The promises Jesus has made us this past year—promises that give us comfort and hope and purpose—were not merely spoken. Jesus ensured those promises were written down in Scripture. As we see in Scripture all the promises that Christ has fulfilled, there is discernable effect. The Spirit creates within us an eager anticipation regarding the Scriptural promises that are as-of-yet unfilled. While we cannot be certain when the day of fulfillment will come, we are completely confident of what that day will bring. No matter how many years we must mark, we watch with eager anticipation, and we pray, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

HIMNO DE APERTURA HL620 Con gran gozo y placer

1 Con gran gozo y placer
Nos volvemos hoy a ver;
Nuestras manos otra vez
Estrechamos.
Se contenta-el corazón
Ensanchándose de-amor:
Todos a-una voz a Dios
Gracias damos. (estribillo)

Estr ¡Bienvenidos! ¡Bienvenidos!
Los hermanos hoy aquí
Nos gozamos en decir:
¡Bienvenidos! ¡Bienvenidos!
Al volvernos a reunir,
¡Bienvenidos!

2 Dios a todos ayudó,
Ni-un momento nos dejó,
Y-otra vez nos reunió,
¡Bienvenidos!
El Señor su-amor nos dio,
Su poder nos amparó,
Del peligro nos guardó,
¡Bienvenidos! (estribillo)

3 Dios nos guarde-en este-amor,
Para que de corazón,
Consagrados al Señor,
Le-alabamos:
En la-eterna reunión
Do no-habrá separación,
Ni tristeza ni-aflicción:
¡Bienvenidos! (estribillo)

Text: Benjamín Alicea-Lugo (b. 1952)
Text: © 2016 Multilingual Church Media. Used by permission: Onelicense no. 717826

Please Stand

INVOCATION

The grace of our Lord T Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

And also with you.

CONFESSION OF SINS CW93 p26

God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.

Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son T and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dios nos invita a entrar a su presencia y adorarle con corazones humildes y penitentes. Entonces, confesemos nuestros pecados y le imploremos que nos perdone.

Santo y misericordioso Padre, confieso que soy por naturaleza pecaminoso, y que te he desobedecido en pensamiento, palabra y obra. He hecho lo malo y fallado de hacer lo bueno. Por todo esto merezco tu castigo, tanto ahora como en la eternidad. Estoy verdaderamente triste sobre mis pecados, y confiando en mi Salvador Jesucristo, oro: Señor, ten misericordia de mí, un pecador.

Dios, nuestro Padre celestial, ha tenido misericordia de nosotros y nos ha dado a su Hijo unigénito para ser el sacrificio redentor por nuestros pecados. Entonces, como ministro llamado por Cristo y por su autoridad, yo les perdono todos tus pecados en el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo T y del Espíritu Santo.

Amén.

HYMN 973 Now Bless the God of Israel

1 Now bless the God of Israel,
    who comes in love and pow’r,
who raises from the royal house
    deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn
    to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand
    of all who wish us harm.

2 Remembering the covenant,
    God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness
    and peace from year to year;
and you, my child, shall go before
    to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love,
    the grace of God Most High.

3 In tender mercy God will send
    the Dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life
    for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace
    that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One!
    O worship and adore!

Text: Ruth Duck, b. 1947
Text: © 1992 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 717826

THE WORD

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray.

Eternal God, merciful Father, you have appointed your Son as judge of the living and the dead. Enable us to wait for the day of his return with our eyes fixed on the kingdom prepared for your own from the foundation of the world; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Be Seated

FIRST READING Habakkuk 1:1–3; 2:1-4

The LORD instructs the prophet Habakkuk to write down what he was about to hear God say. That revelation empowered God’s people to anticipate God’s deliverance.

1The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received.

2How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.

1I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

2Then the Lord replied:

“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
3For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come
and will not delay.

4“See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.

PRIMERA LECTURA Habacuc 1:1–3; 2:1-4

El SEÑOR le ordena al profeta Habacuc que escriba lo que estaba a punto de oír decir a Dios. Esa revelación fortaleció al pueblo de Dios para anticipar su liberación.

1:1 Ésta es la profecía que el profeta Habacuc recibió en visión.

      2 ¿Hasta cuándo, SEÑOR, he de pedirte ayuda
      sin que tú me escuches?
      ¿Hasta cuándo he de quejarme de la violencia
      sin que tú nos salves?
      3 ¿Por qué me haces presenciar calamidades?
      ¿Por qué debo contemplar el sufrimiento?
      Veo ante mis ojos destrucción y violencia;
      surgen riñas y abundan las contiendas.

2:1 Me mantendré alerta,
      me apostaré en los terraplenes;
      estaré pendiente de lo que me diga,
      de su respuesta a mi reclamo.

2 Y el SEÑOR me respondió:

      «Escribe la visión,
      y haz que resalte claramente en las tablillas,
      para que pueda leerse de corrido.
      3 Pues la visión se realizará en el tiempo señalado;
      marcha hacia su cumplimiento,
y no dejará de cumplirse.
      Aunque parezca tardar,
espérala;
      porque sin falta vendrá.

4 »El insolente
no tiene el alma recta,
pero el justo vivirá por su fe.

SECOND READING Revelation 22:6–13

Christ is coming soon. In the meantime, in eager anticipation, we hold onto and make known what God has revealed in his Word.

6The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

7“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

8I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

10Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

12“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

SEGUNDA LECTURA Apocalipsis 22:6–13

Cristo viene pronto. Mientras tanto, con gran expectación, nos aferramos a lo que Dios ha revelado en su Palabra y lo damos a conocer.

6 El ángel me dijo: «Estas palabras son verdaderas y dignas de confianza. El Señor, el Dios que inspira a los profetas, ha enviado a su ángel para mostrar a sus siervos lo que tiene que suceder sin demora.»

7 «¡Miren que vengo pronto! Dichoso el que cumple las palabras del mensaje profético de este libro.»

8 Yo, Juan, soy el que vio y oyó todas estas cosas. Y cuando lo vi y oí, me postré para adorar al ángel que me había estado mostrando todo esto. 9 Pero él me dijo: «¡No, cuidado! Soy un siervo como tú, como tus hermanos los profetas y como todos los que cumplen las palabras de este libro. ¡Adora sólo a Dios!»

10 También me dijo: «No guardes en secreto las palabras del mensaje profético de este libro, porque el tiempo de su cumplimiento está cerca. 11 Deja que el malo siga haciendo el mal y que el vil siga envileciéndose; deja que el justo siga practicando la justicia y que el santo siga santificándose.»

12 «¡Miren que vengo pronto! Traigo conmigo mi recompensa, y le pagaré a cada uno según lo que haya hecho. 13 Yo soy el Alfa y la Omega, el Primero y el Último, el Principio y el Fin.

Please Stand

GOSPEL Luke 12:35–40

Though we cannot know when Jesus will return, we can be certain what will happen when he does. So, we watch and wait with anticipation.

35“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

EVANGELIO Lucas 12:35–40

Aunque no podemos saber cuándo regresará Jesús, podemos estar seguros de lo que sucederá cuando lo haga. Por eso, velamos y esperamos con expectación.

35 »Manténganse listos, con la ropa bien ajustada y la luz encendida. 36 Pórtense como siervos que esperan a que regrese su señor de un banquete de bodas, para abrirle la puerta tan pronto como él llegue y toque. 37 Dichosos los siervos a quienes su señor encuentre pendientes de su llegada. Créanme que se ajustará la ropa, hará que los siervos se sienten a la mesa, y él mismo se pondrá a servirles. 38 Sí, dichosos aquellos siervos a quienes su señor encuentre preparados, aunque llegue a la medianoche o de madrugada. 39 Pero entiendan esto: Si un dueño de casa supiera a qué hora va a llegar el ladrón, estaría pendiente para no dejarlo forzar la entrada. 40 Así mismo deben ustedes estar preparados, porque el Hijo del hombre vendrá cuando menos lo esperen.

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ.

Be Seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY 491 Come, You Thankful People, Come

1 Come, you thankful people, come;
raise the song of harvest home.
    All be safely gathered in
    ere the winter storms begin.
God, our maker, shall provide
for our wants to be supplied.
    Come to God’s own temple, come;
    raise the song of harvest home.

2       Este mundo-es del Señor,
El eterno Sembrador,
    Y-en su mies han de crecer
    Hasta-el fin el mal y-el bien.
Todo grano brotará,
Flor y-espiga crecerá.
    ¡Haznos, Dios y Segador,
    La semilla de tu-amor!

3        Cuando venga Cristo-el juez
A buscar su propia mies,
    A su campo llegará
    Y su trigo buscará.
Mandará todo-a segar,
Lo que-es malo-hará quemar,
    Mas lo bueno del trigal
    Será siega celestial

4       Even so, Lord, quickly come
to your final harvest home;
    gather all your people in,
    free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in your garner to abide.
    Come with all your angels, come;
    raise the glorious harvest home.

Text: Henry Alford, 1810–1871, alt.
Text: Public domain

SERMON

OFFERING PRESENTED BEFORE THE ALTAR

Please Stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed 325 & 381 AD

Creo en un solo Dios, Padre todopoderoso, creador del cielo y de la tierra, y de todo lo visible e invisible.

Y creo en un solo Señor Jesucristo, Hijo único de Dios, engendrado del Padre antes de todos los siglos, Dios de Dios, luz de luz, Dios verdadero de Dios verdadero, engendrado, y no creado, de la misma naturaleza que el Padre, por quien todo fue hecho; por nosotros y por nuestra salvación, él bajó del cielo, y por obra del Espíritu Santo se encarnó de María la virgen, y se hizo hombre; y por nuestra causa fue crucificado en tiempos de Poncio Pilato: Padeció y fue sepultado, y resucitó al tercer día, según las escrituras: Y subió al cielo, y está sentado a la derecha del Padre; y de nuevo vendrá con gloria para juzgar a los vivos y a los muertos, y su reino no tendrá fin.

Y creo en el Espíritu Santo, Señor y dador de vida, que procede del Padre y del Hijo, que con el Padre y el Hijo recibe una misma adoración y gloria, que habló por los profetas. Y creo en una sola iglesia, santa, apostólica, y universal. Reconozco un solo bautismo para el perdón de los pecados, y espero la resurrección de los muertos y la vida del mundo que ha de venir. Amén.

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Be Seated

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Lord of glory, Light of the nations, King eternal, you sit on high in glory. Your kingdom will have no end.