The divine services in November, which mark the end of the liturgical year, are all devoted to an eschatological theme. The sermons explore the subjects of death, the immortality of the soul—which is a condition for the dead to be able to receive the sacraments—and our hope for the future, which ranges from the return of Jesus to take home the bridal congregation right up to the new creation, the completion of the world.
On the first Sunday in November, we will celebrate the divine service for the departed. The New Testament attests that salvation is also open to the departed through the word and the sacraments (1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Peter 3:18). The confessional statement in the Apostles’ Creed that Jesus “descended to the dead” after His crucifixion can be understood as a reference to the possibility of salvation for the dead.
The sermon on the second Sunday will deal with the return of Christ and inquire into the kinds of situations in which the Lord will take His own to Himself. Those who will be accepted will likely find themselves in the most diverse of situations and confronted with all kinds of problems. All of this is intended to help us understand that we are not entitled to judge others.
The divine service on the third Sunday will reflect on the different aspects of judgement. When we think about divine judgement, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Last Judgement. In the sermon, however, we are to make it clear that there are different judgements. One judgement, for example, takes place immediately after death. Another judgement will take place at the return of Jesus Christ. At this point, God will decide who will be part of the bridal congregation. At the very end, the Last Judgement will take place. When we talk about the subject of judgement, we should take care not to instil fear into the hearts but rather encourage and strengthen everyone to trust in God’s justice and mercy.
On the last Sunday of the church year, the divine service will focus on the new creation. God will offer us a life beyond anything we can imagine. We will then be part of a creation that is no longer susceptible to evil and that will consist of perfect fellowship between human beings and God. This can also be a comfort for those who have lost a loved one or who have to live in situations of discord and injustice.