Worship & Sermon Resources > Liturgy > All Saints Sunday, Year B
Summary
All Saints Sunday occurs on the first Sunday of November each year. This Year B liturgy draws on the Revised Common Lectionary readings for All Saints (Isaiah 25:6-9, Psalm 24, Revelation 21:1-6a, and John 11:32-44) and includes overlapping themes, preaching ideas, a call to worship, a prayer of confession, an assurance of pardon, a prayer for illumination, a prayer of dedication, and a benediction.
Readings for All Saints Sunday, Year B
Isaiah 25:6-9: God promises a great feast for all peoples on the mountain, where the Lord will destroy the shroud of death and wipe away the tears from every face. It is a vision of salvation and joy, a God who delivers the people and gives them lasting comfort.
Psalm 24: The psalm celebrates God as Creator and rightful King over all the earth. The gates lift up their heads for the King of glory, and the question "Who is this King of glory?" is answered: the Lord, strong and mighty, mighty in battle.
Revelation 21:1-6a: John sees a new heaven and a new earth, where God dwells with the people, wipes away every tear, and ends death, mourning, crying, and pain. God declares, "See, I am making all things new." It is the culmination of the whole story, a new creation that echoes the "very good" of Genesis 1. Read more: What Is the New Heaven and the New Earth? and Revelation 21: Outline and Meaning.
John 11:32-44: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Moved by the grief of Mary and the mourners, Jesus weeps, then commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb. He shows his power over death and foreshadows his own resurrection. Study the passage in our Gospel of John Bible study.
A Reflection on Love and Grief
Writer Heidi Priebe, in a reflection James Clear shared in his newsletter, describes grief as love's natural continuation. As long as we love, she writes, we will grieve: in the store aisles we used to walk together, in the familiar scent that catches us years later, in the empty places once full of someone's laughter. Grief, in her image, is a sign that love was here, and a quieter sign that love still is.
Overlapping Themes for All Saints Sunday
Victory over death. Isaiah and Revelation both announce the end of death, mourning, and suffering, while the raising of Lazarus shows Jesus' power over death and foreshadows his own resurrection.
God's presence with the people. Isaiah and Revelation both speak of God dwelling with the people, offering comfort, peace, and the fulfillment of God's promises. In John, Jesus stands with those who grieve, revealing God's compassion and nearness in times of loss. Sometimes people need to hear about the God who is high and lifted up. Sometimes they need to hear about the God who comes close.
Hope and restoration. All four passages point to a future where sorrow gives way to joy. Isaiah envisions a feast, Psalm 24 welcomes the King of glory, Revelation presents the renewal of all things, and John shows life restored to Lazarus here and now.
Preaching Ideas for All Saints Sunday
Victory Over Death: The Promise of Eternal Life
Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44
Isaiah 25, Revelation 21, and the raising of Lazarus in John 11 together offer assurance of eternal life. God removes the shroud of death and wipes away tears, promising deliverance and an end to suffering. John 11 shows Jesus' power over death. Amid the weeping and grief, death does not have the last word, because Jesus knows the future that Revelation 21 describes.
God's Presence in Suffering: A Comforting Promise
Isaiah 25:6-9, Psalm 24, Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44
I have lived in Poughkeepsie since 2016 and have officiated more than 70 funerals, about 80 percent of them for people in the community who were not members of my congregation. I have found that being a non-anxious, faithful, and kind presence comforts grieving families. I witness to the resurrection of Jesus and to God's deep love. I read how Jesus entered the grief of Mary and Martha, how God also lost someone to death at the cross, and how heaven is a great homecoming. So many hearts are stirred by this message. Afterward, people who grew up in church but drifted away from it often come up and ask, "What kind of Christian are you? I've never heard this before!" They are deeply moved by a hope they did not know was theirs. We must not take this for granted.
The Valley of the Six Shadows
Revelation 21:1-6a, Psalm 23
I have preached this sermon several times. In it, I tell of preaching the funeral of a biker whose friends were skeptical of my presence and of Christianity itself, yet by the end were moved to tears by the hope of the gospel. For more funeral and memorial preaching, see All Saints Sermons.
Liturgy for All Saints Sunday, Year B
Call to Worship
Based on Isaiah 25:6-9, Psalm 24, Revelation 7:9-12, and Psalm 30:5
One: Come, let us celebrate the promises of our God, who prepares a feast and swallows up death forever.
All: We come with hope, for the Lord is the King of glory, strong and mighty!
One: We join the angels and the saints who have gone before us, a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, robed in white with palm branches in their hands. They cry out with a loud voice:
All: "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
One: Friends, weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
All: Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen!
The great multitude comes from Revelation 7. Read the commentary on Revelation 7:9-17, or find more in 7 Calls to Worship for All Saints Sunday.
Prayer of Confession
Beloved God, you were known to our mothers and fathers and to all our spiritual forebears. Have mercy on us. Like those who have gone before, we have not followed you without stumbling. We have clung to grief and forgotten your promise of life. We have feared death more than we have trusted your love. Forgive us. Thank you for the grace that not only sustains us but also corrects us and empowers us to live in wise and faithful ways. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Isaiah 49:15-16
This is God's word to you forever: "I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands." Friends, believe the good news: in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
More on the Assurance of Pardon
Prayer for Illumination
Gracious God, as we open your Word today, illuminate our hearts and minds with the truth of your promises. Help us grasp the vision of the feast you prepare, the majesty of your kingship, and the hope of the new creation you hold for us. May your Spirit guide our understanding, fill us with awe, and inspire us to live out your love and share the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
For intercessions written for this day, see 3 All Saints Day Prayers of Intercession.
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, we dedicate this time and our offerings to you. As we reflect on your promises and your hope, use our worship and our lives for your glory. Guide us to live out your truth and share your love with the world. Through Christ our Lord, we commit ourselves to your service. Amen.
Benediction
Go now into a world still marked by grief, carrying the hope of the One who called Lazarus from the tomb. May the God who wipes away every tear go before you, and may the Lord who makes all things new keep you in peace, until we feast together with all the saints. Amen.
