Tag: 15th Sunday after Pentecost

15th Sunday after Pentecost, 22 Sep 2019: Luke 16:1-13 ~ the small stuff matters

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Prayer: 

God our Savior, you call us into your service. Make us wise and resourceful: children of the light who continue your work in this world with untiring concern for integrity and justice. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

“Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven” – Choir of Westminster

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, to his feet your tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who, like me, his praise should sing?
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him, praise the everlasting King.

Praise him for his grace and favor to our fathers in distress;
praise him, still the same forever, slow to chide and swift to bless.
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him, glorious in his faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us; well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hands he gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes.
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him, widely as his mercy goes.

Frail as summer’s flower we flourish, blows the wind and it is gone;
but while mortals rise and perish, God endures unchanging on.
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him, praise the High Eternal One.

Angels, help us to adore him; you behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him, dwellers all in time and space.
Praise him, praise him, praise him, praise him, praise with us the God of grace.

Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13 (NLT)

Parable of the Shrewd Manager

Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

“The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

“So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’

“‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’

“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
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Intercession:

Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth: You welcome our prayer for all people. Hear us now as we pray for those You place on our minds today –

+ For world leaders and those in authority, help them to govern wisely as those who are accountable to You….

+ For Your people around the world, that we may live quiet, peaceful lives marked by godliness and integrity….

+ For Your people gathered for worship, that we may dress modestly and appropriately, praying with holy hands lifted to God without anger or controversy….

+ For Your church throughout the world, that we might be a light to the nations, a source of help, healing, and hope….

+ For our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted for their faith. that they may relieved of injustice and be restored to their families and communities…..

+ For all those who are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity, that they may receive Your help, mercy, and comfort….

Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth:hear our prayers for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Thee will I praise” ((138:1-5)) – Jason Coghill

Closing: – Luke 16:9 –

“Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends.
Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.”
__________

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

15th Sunday after Pentecost: 17 Sep – Matthew 18:21-35 ~ forgive one another

15th Sunday after Pentecost

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

Undaunted you seek the lost, O God, exultant you bring home the found. Touch our hearts with grateful wonder at the tenderness of your forbearing love. Grant us delight in the mercy that has found us and bring all to rejoice at the feast of forgiveness. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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“Psalm 103 Reading” – Hillsong


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Reading: Matthew 18:21-35 (NLT)

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”
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Intercessory Prayer

Heavenly Father: You are compassionate, full of loving-kindness; hear us as we approach Your throne of grace in prayer –

+ For forgiveness among believers, that we may treat each other as You treat us…. Lord, hear us.
+ For an end to vengeance and hatred, that all people may learn to live together in peace…. Lord, hear us.
+ For men, women and children who have been dispossessed by war and violence, that they may find rest…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all who suffer because of natural disasters, that they receive help and hope…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who respond to the needy, that they may be filled with compassion and guided by Your Spirit…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who mourn the loss of loved ones, that they may be comforted…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those whose have died in Christ, that they may rest in His eternal redemption…. Lord, hear us.

God of mercy and compassion: You heal every one of our ills: help us, we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Forgiven” – Crowder


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 106:4-5 (NLT)

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me. Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!