Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church - Olive Branch, MS

Populus Zion
Introit: Ps. 80:1, 3, 14, 17; antiphon: Is. 62:11b; 30:30, 29
Gradual: Ps. 50:2-3a , 5
Old Testament: Mal. 4:1-6
Psalm 50:1-15 (antiphon: v. 15)
Epistle: Rom. 15:4-13
ProperVerse: Luke 21:26b-27
Gospel: Luke 21:25-36

The Lord Comes on the Last Day\rThe day on which our Lord returns will be a "great and awesome day" (Mal. 4:5). For He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a Day of judgment that will "set them ablaze" (Mal. 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: ". . . straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). Christ our Redeemer is coming; the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us "through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures" (Rom. 15:4) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus' coming. Then, by God's grace, we shall escape all these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.

1 Kings 15; 2 chronicles 13-16

Luke 1:26-56 

Mary's Magnificat

Ad Te Levavi
Introit: Ps. 25:4-5, 21-22; antiphon: Ps. 25:1-3a
Gradual: Ps. 25:3-4
Old Testament: Jer. 23:5-8
Psalm 24 (antiphon: v. 7)
Epistle: Rom. 13:(8-10) 11-14
ProperVerse: Ps. 85:7
Gospel: Matt. 21:1-9

The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us
The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. "Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey" (Matt. 21:5). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be "The LORD is our Righteousness" (Jer. 23:5-6). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ's body and blood, we also sing, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for "our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed" (Rom. 13:11).

1 Kings 15:1-8; 2 Chronicles 13

Introit: Ps. 39:4-5, 7-8; antiphon: Isaiah 35:10
Gradual: Ps. 45:14-15
Old Testament: Is. 65:17-25
Psalm 149 (antiphon: v. 2)
Epistle: 1 Thess. 5:1-11 
ProperVerse: Rev. 21:2
Gospel: Matt. 25:1-13

By Faith We Are Prepared for Christ's Return
"The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:1-11). The arrival of the bridegroom will be sudden and unexpected. Therefore you are to be watchful and ready like the five wise virgins. "For you know neither the day nor the hour" when the Son of Man is to return. (Matt. 25:1-13). The lamps are the Word of Christ. The oil in the lamps is the Holy Spirit, who works through the Word to create and sustain the flame of faith in Christ. The foolish are those who do not give proper attention to the working of the Holy Spirit in baptism, preaching, and the supper, and so their faith does not endure. The wise, however, are those who diligently attend to these gifts of the Spirit, and who therefore have an abundance of oil. The flame of faith endures to the end. By God's grace they are received into the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth created by the Lord for the joy of His people (Is. 65:17-25).

Rehoboam in Judah 

Finishing up our study of Baptism