Lectionary Readings — Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost — September 14, 2025
Jeremiah 4:11-12,22-28; Psalm 14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10
Call to Worship (based on Luke 15:1-10)
Leader: Tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus.
People: We too draw near, knowing Christ welcomes all who seek him.
Leader: Like a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to search for one lost sheep,
People: Our God seeks us out with persistent, loving care.
Leader: Like a woman who lights a lamp and sweeps the house to find one lost coin,
People: Our God searches diligently until we are found.
Leader: When the shepherd finds the lost sheep, he calls together friends and neighbors saying,
People: "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost!"
Leader: When the woman finds the lost coin, she calls together friends and neighbors saying,
People: "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost!"
Leader: Jesus tells us there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
People: How much more should we rejoice when we gather as God's found people!
Leader: Come, let us worship the God who seeks the lost,
People: The God who finds us and calls us home.
All: Let us worship together with joy, for we are God's beloved, and we are found!
Opening Prayer (based on Psalm 14)
Let us pray:
Gracious and Almighty God,
We gather before You this day with humble hearts, knowing that You look down from heaven upon all humanity. We confess that too often we live as fools, forgetting Your presence and turning away from Your wisdom. In our pride and shortsightedness, we sometimes act as though You do not see, as though You do not care, as though You are not there.
Forgive us, O Lord, for the moments when we have been among those who do not seek You, who have turned aside from Your ways and chosen the path of corruption over righteousness. We acknowledge that in our own strength, we fall short of Your glory and fail to do good.
Yet we know, gracious God, that You are our refuge. When the world seems overwhelming and evil appears to triumph, You are with the righteous. You are the hope of the poor, the defender of the vulnerable, and the salvation of those who trust in You.
We thank You that You have not abandoned us to our foolishness, but have provided a way of salvation. Pour out Your Spirit upon us today. Open our eyes to see Your truth, our hearts to receive Your love, and our minds to understand Your will.
May this time of worship restore our souls and renew our commitment to walk in Your ways. Help us to be instruments of Your peace and justice in a world that desperately needs to know You.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who brings restoration to Your people.
Amen.
Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].
[Note: All Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]
Sermon Outline: "THE HEART OF HEAVEN"
Based on Luke 15:1-10
Sermon Outline: "The Heart of Heaven"
Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)
I. SEEKING - God's Relentless Pursuit of the Lost (vv. 4, 8)
A. The Initiative Belongs to God
B. The Search is Intentional and Active
C. Application
II. SIGNIFICANCE - The Immeasurable Value of Each Soul (vv. 1, 2)
A. One Matters More Than Many
B. What the World Discards, God Treasures
C. Application
III. SUCCESS - God Always Finds What He Seeks (vv. 5, 9)
A. The Certainty of Divine Discovery
B. The Gentleness of the Finding
C. Application
IV. CELEBRATION - Heaven's Joy Over the Found (vv. 6, 7, 9, 10)
A. Community Rejoicing
B. Heavenly Jubilation
C. The Contrast with Religious Criticism
D. Application
Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Lectionary Link to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.