The Celebration of the Gospel
September 25, 2016 —19th Sunday after Pentecost
There was a rich man… and at his gate lay a poor man…
— Luke 16.19, 20
______We Gather as the Body of Christ____
GREETING
PRELUDE God Will Take Care Of You Tune: “GOD CARES”, arr: Lyndell Leatherman
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: God of abundant generosity, you bless us.
All: We are rich in your grace.
Loving Christ, you bless the broken and the needy, and you come to us.
We are poor in spirit.
Holy Spirit, you rouse us, you open our eyes, you stir us to compassion.
We open the gates of our hearts to you. Come in, and be our love.
* SONG God will Take Care of You Blue hymnal # 130
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
[We invite you to sign and pass the red attendance pads down the row and across the aisle—
and back again, so you can learn your neighbor’s names.]
_________We Attend to the Word_______
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG
Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace Kevin McChesney (Bells Of Saint Matthew’s)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Pastor: The grace of God is with you.
Congregation: And also with you.
Trusting in God’s tender mercy, we open ourselves in honesty to God.
God of love, help us to see ourselves with the eyes of love,
to see what is in us that is loving,
and what is not loving.
God, we recall when we have been in harmony with you, or with life, and we give thanks. [Silent prayer…]
We recall when we have been out of harmony, and we seek your grace. [Silent prayer…]
God of mercy, in Christ you have shown us your grace.
Forgive us, heal us, and perfect your love in us.
THE WORD OF GRACE
RESPONSE
[Suing:] There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of love, Holy Oneness, you who are wholeness and life and truth, we open our hearts to you. Dulled by our comforts and our privilege, we ask you to open our eyes, stir our hearts, and move us to do your will. Speak to us and awaken us with your Word. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT Isaiah 1.10-19
[God says “I don’t want your hypocritical religious words and actions. Do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed and advocate for those who are powerless.”]
Hear the word of the Lord,
you people, and the powers that rule you!
Why should I care about your religious ceremonies?
I have had enough of them, says the Lord.
They have become a burden to me,
I am weary of bearing them,
for your hands are full of blood.
Here is how to wash yourselves,
to make yourselves presentable to me:
remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes.
Cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
your own violence will devour you.
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(10:30) PSALTER Psalm 92
[How great are the things you do! You have protected me from my enemies. Those who trust in God are blessed, and flourish.]
It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
How great are your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep!
The dullard cannot know,
the stupid cannot understand this:
though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever,
but you, O Lord, are on high forever.
For your enemies, O Lord, for your enemies shall perish;
all evildoers shall be scattered.
But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
The righteous flourish like the palm tree,
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of the Lord;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
In old age they still produce fruit;
they are always green and full of sap,
showing that the Lord is upright; God is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in God.
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NEW TESTAMENT Hebrews 13.1-6
[Show radical hospitality and care for those in prison as if we ourselves are suffering. Though our love of money makes us feel separate, we are one.]
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”
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GOSPEL Luke 16.19-31
[A parable of a man so obsessed with his own wealth and comfort that he can not see the poor, either in this life or the next. Notice how rich this story is with language and images of family.]
There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.
The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.”
He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my home— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
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SERMON
SONG Feast On Mercy Steve G-H
Refrain:
May not my comforts cloud my eyes
to see the needy at my door,
but, poor in spirit, may I rise
and feast on mercy with the poor.
1. Poor,Christ, I confess:
I cling to all that I posses.
Open my eyes to see the poor
who bear your image to my door.
2. May my privilege and place
not blind me to my need for grace.
With empty hands I come for I am sure
with grace, O God, you feed the poor.
3. As one who by your hand is fed
I hunger now to share your bread.
To see that justice for the poor is done,
for at your table we are one.
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
We trust in you, God, creator of all things, provider of life. You create us in your image, covenant to be our God, walk with us all our days, set us free from all that diminishes life, and lead us toward your Reign of Grace.
We follow Jesus, your Christ, the embodiment of your love and presence. He healed and taught, fed the hungry and gathered the outcast, and announced the good news of your forgiveness. For his witness he was killed; but you have raised him from the dead.
We live by the Holy Spirit, your resurrected love in us. In gratitude and humility we devote ourselves as the Body of Christ to love, mercy, reconciliation and justice. Open our eyes to know your desire for us, that we may live for the sake of your Reign of Grace, in the name of Christ, now and always. Amen.
* SONG Move Me Blue hymnal # 471
(10:30) CALL TO PRAYER
Be Still and Know Steve Curtis Chapman (Karen Lee, Al Hewett)
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
PASSING THE PEACE
____We Are Sent in Ministry to the World___
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
8:15: Larghetto, Samuel Wesley
10:30: Beautiful Saviour , Julie Knowles
* OFFERING SONG Move me Blue hymnal # 471
* PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you these gifts as symbols of our lives. Receive them with love, bless them with grace and use them according to your will. Open our eyes to the needy among us, and send us, in true poverty of spirit, to share with them, for the sake of the healing of the world, in the name of Christ. Amen.
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG We Are Called Black hymnal #2172
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.
POSTLUDE O Worship The King Tune: “HANOVER”, arr: David Cherwien
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]