September 28, 2025 – St. John's Lutheran Church

September 28, 2025 11 A.M.

Welcome!

Introduction

Consideration of and care for those in need (especially those “at our gate,” visible to us, of whom we are aware) is an essential component of good stewardship. It is in the sharing of wealth that we avoid the snare of wealth. It is the one whom death could not hold—who comes to us risen from the dead—who can free us from the death grip of greed.

(please stand for our opening song)

Opening Hymn: Gather Us In ELW 532

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, our maker, our helper, and our keeper.

Amen.

Trusting in God’s mercy, let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Merciful and loving God,

we are your stiff-necked people. We trample on the needy. We grumble about your grace to others. We turn away from the poor. Have mercy on us and forgive our sins. Rejoice over us as ones who were lost and have been found. Amen.

Even when we are faithless, God remains faithful. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. You who were lost have been found. In the name of ☩ Jesus, your sins are forgiven!

Amen.

Prayer of the Day

O God, rich in mercy, you look with compassion on this troubled world. Feed us with your grace, and grant us the treasure that comes only from you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

(Please be seated for the readings)

First Reading: Amos 6:1a, 4-7

The prophet Amos announces that Israel’s great wealth is a cause not for rejoicing but rather sorrow, because God’s people have forgotten how to share their wealth with the poor. The wealthy will be the first to go into exile when judgment comes.

R: ^1a Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria.

⁴ Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall, ⁵ who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
and like David improvise on instruments of music, ⁶ who drink wine from bowls
and anoint themselves with the finest oils but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! ⁷ Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

Psalmody: Psalm 146

The Lord gives justice to those who are oppressed. (Ps. 146:7)

¹ Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
² I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
³ Put not your trust in rulers, in mortals in whom there is no help.
⁴ When they breathe their last, they return to earth, and in that day their thoughts perish.
⁵ Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help, whose hope is in the Lord their God;
⁶ who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; who keeps promises forever;
⁷ who gives justice to those who are oppressed, and food to those who hunger. The Lord sets the captive free.
⁸ The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
⁹ The Lord cares for the stranger; the Lord sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.
¹⁰ The Lord shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Timothy is reminded of the confession he made at his baptism and of its implications for daily life. His priorities will be different from those of people who merely want to be rich.

R: ⁶ Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it, ⁸ but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. ⁹ But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

¹¹ But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁶ It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

¹⁷ As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, ¹⁹ thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

(please stand)

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

C: <sung>

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Jesus tells a parable in which the poor one is “lifted up” and the rich one is “sent away empty.” Jesus makes it clear that this ethic of merciful reversal is not new but is as old as Moses and the prophets.

D: [Jesus said:] ¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰ And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹ who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. ²² The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In Hades, where he was being tormented, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ 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.’ ²⁵ 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. ²⁶ 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.’ ²⁷ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house ²⁸ for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ ³⁰ He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ ³¹ 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.’ ”

…This is the Gospel of the Lord

C: Praise to you, oh Christ

We Sing: The Church of Christ, in Every Age ELW 729

with Alex Freer

(please stand for the Apostles’ Creed)

Apostles’ Creed

C: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day, he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

(please be seated for prayer)

Prayers of Intercession

Gracious God, we come to you in prayer for the church, the world, and all in need.

A brief silence.

We pray for the church, that it would remain faithful to the gospel, always striving to serve the needs of those who are oppressed and rejecting the complacency that comes from wealth. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for creation, that the nations work together to protect and restore the earth, preserving the beauty of the planet for future generations and honoring the gift of your creation. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for those in positions of authority, that they govern with justice and compassion, recognizing the dignity of all people and working to promote peace and prosperity for all. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for people in any need (especially). Give them your assurance and courage when the path forward is not clear. Liberate us from all that binds us, lift us up when we are bowed down, and show us your love. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We pray for this congregation, that we would be strengthened to build a world where all can thrive. Incite us to advocate for fair wages and just policies, and guide us in building a community of mutual support. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We remember in thanksgiving the faithful departed. Inspire us by their example to love and serve our neighbors, and bring us to eternal life. God of grace,

receive our prayer.

We entrust these prayers to you, O God, in the name of Jesus Christ, our redeemer and friend.

Amen.

(please stand)

The Sharing of the Peace:

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: And also, with you.

P: We greet one another with the Peace of Christ

We Sing: We Come to the Hungry Feast ELW 479

Offering Prayer

P: Lord of the harvest, we return to you a portion of what you have given to us. Turn us to set our hope not on the uncertainty of riches, but on you, who richly provides for us. Multiply what we have gathered to bless all who are suffering and in need, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C: Amen.

Communion

P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you.

P: Rejoice before your Lord. C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to our God. C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God. You reveal your glory as the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: equal in majesty, undivided in splendor, one Lord, one God, ever to be adored in your eternal glory. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

P: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

P: Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

P: For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

C: Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.

P: O God of resurrection and new life: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and wine. Bless this feast. Grace our table with your presence.

C: Come, Holy Spirit.

P: We pray as Jesus taught us:

C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Invitation to Communion

The kingdom of God is set before you. Eat and rejoice.

(sit)

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Prayer after Communion

O God, through this meal you have strengthened us and appointed us to be your servants. Send us to do good and to share our possessions with all in need. We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.