Prayer as We Gather: May we be as recklessly faithful, Lord, as willing to wager our uneasy present on your sure future as was imprisoned Jeremiah, when he purchased a field in territory currently occupied by an invading army. Make us crazy like Jeremiah, willing to risk everything for the privilege of standing on your promises instead of just sitting on the premises at church every Sunday morning. Surprise us this holy hour with the guts to follow Jesus, no matter what. Amen.*(Inspired by Jeremiah 32)
Call to Worship:
Living in the Most High’s shelter,
Camping in the Almighty’s shade,
I say to the Lord, “You are my refuge, my stronghold!
You are my God – the one I trust!”
God will save you from the hunter’s trap;
You’ll find refuge under God’s wings.
God’s faithfulness is a protective shield.
Don’t be afraid of terrors at night.
God says “I’ll rescue you, I’ll be with you in troubling times,
I’ll save you, glorify you and fill you full with old age.”*(from Psalm 91, The Common English Bible)
Morning Prayer: Thank you, Lord! It’s all there, fresh from the pen of apostle Paul, every word we need to escape cultural captivity before it’s too late: “Be happy with what you already have, be happy with food and clothing, because the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Tell people who are rich at this time not to become egotistical and place their hope on their finances, which are uncertain. Instead, hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. Be generous, share with others, take hold of what is truly life.” But what might such a life look like, God? Oh, that’s right, it would look like the Galilean who taught us to pray, saying …*(Inspired by 1 Timothy 6)
Prayer of Confession: Forgive us, Lord, for constructing shaky theology on flimsy foundations. We have been distracted by medieval afterlife images of fiery hell and harp-playing angels, ignoring Jesus’ radical call to ministry “among the least” - right now, in the present moment. Help us hear, in Jesus’ short story about “a certain rich man and a poor man named Lazarus,” his warning against a magical approach toward faith which ignores scripture’s ancient witness, its honest plea for authentic change in our hearts and lives, genuine repentance not premised upon ghostly appeals from beyond the grave. Amen.*(Inspired by Luke 16)
Assurance of Pardon: I have good news! The punch line of Jesus’ short story was his candid prediction of what was about to unfold among the very folks hearing him speak: “If people will not listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” Sure enough, when Jesus rose from the dead, the crowd was more dazzled by the mystery than persuaded toward obedient discipleship. Thanks be to God that Jesus doesn’t want admirers, he wants followers.*(Inspired by Luke 16)
Thought for a Sabbath Day: “The rich man is judged harshly not because he had acquired immense wealth, but because he lacked compassion, trivialized the plight of the suffering poor, and ignored mercy extended to him while living.” - Kenyatta R. Gilbert, Homiletics Professor, Howard University Divinity School