Advent Devotions

The Advent wreath is lighted, adding the lighting of one candle for each week in Advent. If a rose candle is used, it is lit at the beginning of the third week.

Hymn

Week 1

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,

Who ord’rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go. Refrain

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel

Shall come to thee,

O Israel!

Week 2

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,

Free them from Satan’s tyranny

That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save,

And give them vict’ry o’er the grave. Refrain

Week 3

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,

And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain

Week 4 (Sunday only)

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery. Refrain

Week 4

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear. Refrain

                                                LSB 357:4–6,1

Prophecy

Family members can take turns reading the prophecy for each day.

Nov. 29 – “Make me to know your ways, O Lord;

teach me your paths.” (Ps. 25:4)

Nov. 30 – “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:15).

Dec. 1 – “The scepter shall not depart from Judah” (Gen. 49:10).

Dec. 2 – “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers” (Deut. 18:18).

Dec. 4 – “He shall build a house for my name” 

(2 Sam. 7:13).

Dec. 5 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Is. 9:6).

Dec. 6 – “And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6).

Dec. 7 – Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes” (Is. 62:11).

Dec. 8 – “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end” (Is. 9:7).

Dec. 9 – “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Is. 11:1).

Dec. 10 – “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb…and a little child shall lead them” (Is. 11:6).

Dec. 11 – “The Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you” (Is. 60:2).

Dec. 12 – “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down” (Is 64:1).

Dec. 13 – “[Rejoice,] O heavens, and exult, O earth… for the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.” (Is 49:13).

Dec. 14 – “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch” (Jer. 23:5).

Dec. 15 – “And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness” (Jer. 23:6).

Dec. 16 – “[His] coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

The O Antiphons of Advent (See LSB 357)

Dec. 17 – “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High and covered the earth.” (Ecclesiasticus 24:3).

Dec. 18 – “The Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.”

(Is. 33:22).

Dec. 19 – “In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.” (Is 11:10).

Dec. 20 – “I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (Is. 22:22).

Dec. 21 – “I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.”

(Hag. 2:7).

Dec. 22 – “I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.”

(Hag. 2:7).

Dec. 23 – “For you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.” (Malachi 4:2).

Dec. 24 – “When all was still and it was midnight, Your almighty Word, O Lord, descended from the royal throne” (Wis. 18:14,15). (See Introit for Christmas Midnight.)

Grace

All pray together: 

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest 

And let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen. 

or 

Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

The advent candles may be extinguished after these prayers or after the meal.

At the conclusion of the meal, the family may return thanks: 

O give thanks to the Lord for He is good 

And His mercy endures forever. 

or 

We thank you, Lord God, heavenly Father, for all Your benefits; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.