Lectionary Readings — Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost — September 28, 2025
Jeremiah 32:1-3a,6-15; Psalm 91:1-6,14-16; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31
Call to Worship (based on Luke 16:19-31)
Leader: We gather in the name of the God who sees all people— the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless.
People: We come seeking to hear God's Word with open hearts.
Leader: Jesus teaches us through stories that challenge and convict us, calling us to examine how we live and how we love.
People: Help us to listen with ears that truly hear.
Leader: God calls us to notice those who suffer at our gates, to see the hungry, the sick, and the forgotten.
People: Open our eyes to see as You see, O God.
Leader: We have Moses and the prophets, we have Christ's own words— God's truth has been made known to us.
People: May we not harden our hearts to Your call for justice and mercy.
Leader: Let us worship the God who calls us to repentance, who offers us grace, and who challenges us to faithful living.
People: We worship You, O God, and pledge to follow where You lead us.
All: Come, let us worship God with hearts ready to be transformed by Your Word.
Opening Prayer (based on Psalm 91:1-6,14-16)
Let us pray:
Gracious and loving God, we come before You this morning grateful for Your constant presence in our lives. As the psalmist reminds us, You are our refuge and our fortress, the God in whom we trust. We gather here seeking to dwell in Your shelter and to find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Lord, we acknowledge that life brings many challenges and uncertainties. We face fears that trouble us at night and anxieties that pursue us during the day. Yet we are reminded that Your faithfulness surrounds us like a shield and that no harm can truly separate us from Your love and care.
We thank You for Your promise that when we call upon You, You will answer us. You have assured us that You will be with us in times of trouble, that You will rescue us and honor us. With long life You will satisfy us and show us Your salvation.
As we begin our time of worship together, help us to trust completely in You. Quiet our hearts and minds so that we may focus on Your goodness and grace. Open our ears to hear Your word, our voices to sing Your praise, and our hearts to receive what You have for us today.
Bless this time of fellowship and worship. May we leave this place strengthened in our faith and renewed in our commitment to serve You and love one another.
We pray all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 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: "A TALE OF TWO DESTINIES"
Based on Luke 16:19-31
INTRODUCTION:
Jesus speaks this account to the Pharisees who "were lovers of money" (Luke 16:14)
This is not merely a teaching illustration, but Jesus revealing the reality of eternal consequences
Christ pulls back the veil to show us what happens beyond death
Two men, two lives, two eternities—with lessons that echo through time
I. DISPARITY: The Great Divide in Life (vv. 19-21)
A. The Rich Man's Luxury
"Dressed in purple and fine linen" (v. 19)
"Who feasted sumptuously every day" (v. 19)
B. Lazarus's Suffering
"Covered with sores" (v. 20) - physical suffering and illness
"Longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table" (v. 21)
"Even the dogs would come and lick his sores" (v. 21)
C. The Proximity Problem
Lazarus was "at his gate" (v. 20)
II. DESTINY: The Great Reversal in Death (vv. 22-23)
A. Lazarus's Exaltation
"Died and was carried away by the angels" (v. 22)
B. The Rich Man's Condemnation
"The rich man also died and was buried" (v. 22)
"In Hades, where he was being tormented" (v. 23)
C. The Reversal Principle
Luke 6:20-21: "Blessed are you who are poor...who are hungry now"
Luke 6:24-25: "Woe to you who are rich...who are full now"
Application: What does our use of resources reveal about our hearts?
III. DISTANCE: The Great Chasm in Eternity (vv. 24-26)
A. The Rich Man's Desperate Plea
"Father Abraham, have mercy on me" (v. 24)
B. Abraham's Sobering Response
"Child, remember..." (v. 25)
C. The Unbridgeable Gap
"Between you and us a great chasm has been fixed" (v. 26)
IV. DECLARATION: The Great Sufficiency of God's Word (vv. 27-31)
A. The Rich Man's Second Request
"Send him to my father's house" (v. 27)
B. Abraham's Definitive Answer
"They have Moses and the prophets" (v. 29)
"Let them listen to them"
C. The Ultimate Declaration
"If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets" (v. 31)
"Neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead"
Conclusion
The Urgent Questions This Account Raises:
Who is at our gate? Are we aware of those suffering around us?
What does our wealth reveal? Does our abundance create compassion or indifference?
Are we listening? God's word is sufficient—are we heeding its call?
What legacy are we leaving? Our choices now determine our eternal destiny
Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers
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