Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
Help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of your Name; deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's sake.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 25, 21st Sept 2025
Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. MAY the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. <Amen>
The parable from Jesus that we heard today is regarded by many as complex and confusing. Even theologians cannot agree on any single interpretation.
On the surface the parable seems to suggest that Jesus is commending someone who has been mis-managing his duties and, when he gets fired, appears to continue to be dishonest and cheat his master … who then praises him for being shrewd! What ???
What is really going on here?
Well, and I’m sure you remember me saying this before in many of my messages - one of the most important things that we must do whenever we are studying the Scriptures is to make sure that we take into consideration the culture\society of 1st century Judea. It was very different from our own and if we are not careful we may force or read our own culture into the culture of Jesus’ time.
Today a business manager gets hired and is paid a salary - clear, simple. In Jesus’ day things were often very different. Someone would be hired to collect debts but whenever they charged above and beyond what was owed they could put that extra in their own pocket and that is how they made their money. <PAUSE>
In this parable we hear that the debtors are happy because they think they are getting a discount. The master is happy because he is getting the money owed to him. The manager is happy because he now has people who owe him favours.
This brings us to the moral of the story, and this is where things can get confusing. Listen again to Jesus explain this parable:
“For the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
Jesus is identifying two different groups of people: the “children of this age”, and the “children of light”.
What Jesus is saying here is that the manager and his boss knew how to handle the system of WORLDLY wealth to their best advantage. However, we, as “children of light”, need a different way of living.
When you read this parable in older translations of The Bible, the word used is “mammon” and I like this word, because it is rich in meaning. It says far more than the words “money” or “wealth” can convey.
Jesus is BEAUTIFULLY using words in the native language of His hearers. We may think of Mammon as evil money, OR … whatever you trust when you aren’t trusting God. <PAUSE>
Jesus is telling us, yet again, don’t put your trust in the wrong thing. Put your trust in God, and stop worrying about, stop focussing on “Mammon”, because “mammon” won’t do you any good when your new eternal life arrives, when God’s kingdom is fulfilled and Christ comes again in glory … be, CHILDREN OF LIGHT, do not focus on, or put your trust in, earthly wealth and false friends.
Again and again, Jesus tells us, to put ourselves in a good position through the wise CARING, SHARING of our resources, that He provides us with (but don’t put your TRUST in them).
The point Jesus is making, AGAIN - you cannot put your trust in both God and “other stuff” (Mammon). Turn away from putting your trust in anything that isn’t of God.
Yes, we have heard this lesson before. Jesus has been saying it to us again and again, over recent weeks. <PAUSE>
Maybe that’s the point. Jesus has to keep repeating the same lesson over and over, because we humans often just don’t get it right, any more than his original listeners did!
We still keep trying to live our lives according to the rules of this world, instead of living lives of total trust in God. GOD WILL PROVIDE. Trust in God. Have faith!
Jesus is asking us to hear this lesson over and over, until we get it right.
The parables He uses may get more challenging to interpret, but until we get it right, he keeps repeating the lesson for us. <PAUSE>
So here it is again. God’s radical love for us demands a radical response.
If we want to call ourselves followers of Jesus, we have to re-prioritise everything, and start living a radically different life.
We HAVE to be willing to focus all your energy and put all our TRUST in following Jesus and, in our human weakness accept the challenge and difficulty of living radically different lives.
Yet, when we turn away from trusting earthly things, and we start trusting God to save us and to provide for us, we find that everything WILL be well … because we TRULY find the One who loved us so much that He lived for us. He died for us. He rose agin for us - His … Children of Light.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Everlasting God, we cannot begin to understand how wonderful you are for you have not only shown us a way of life, you are "The Way"; and as we follow, guided by your Spirit, you lead us to your son Jesus Christ and to a true relationship with one another.
We pray for Your people throughout the world and we ask that You Help us to respect the beliefs and opinions of others even if we do not share them, to celebrate what we have in common, to accept our differences with grace and respect and to turn away from violence and hatred.
(LONGER pause for silent, personal reflection)
In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our response is, “hear our prayer!”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God , drive away despair from our politics, revive our dreams of justice and truth, and restore our passion for what is good and right. Establish Your just and gentle rule throughout the world especially where there is conflict; where peace seems so far away and so many have lost everything, even the faint hope of a peaceful future.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Faithful God, we pray for all those who work for, and in, our faith communities. We especially thank You for those who provide places for the faithful to gather, those who prepare and lead services, those who provide music, hospitality and flowers; those who assist, serve read and lead intercessions and for all who attend our worship, our fellowship groups and our social gatherings.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father, God of the living earth You have called people to care for Your world - You asked Noah to save creatures from destruction. May we now understand how to sustain Your world – not over-fishing, not over-hunting, not destroying trees, protecting the precious rainforests; not farming soil into useless dust. Help us to find ways to use resources wisely to find a path to good, sustainable living in peace and harmony with creatures around us.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, at a time when many question the relevance of faith, help us to be witnesses in the world. Witnesses who strengthen the presence of Christ in our communities; in our families, in the places where we work and in all the places where we spend our leisure time.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious God, we pray for those who face difficulties in their personal lives. We raise before you all who are sick, the bereaved, those with problems in their families, in their relationships, in their neighbourhoods or in their workplace. Give them a patient faith in their troubles and the knowledge that you share their sufferings with them.
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
We thank you for those who have come through illness and are on the road to recovery and also for those facing the reality that there is little light at the end of their earthly tunnel.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God, we pray for all those departed this life and for those who are bereaved by their passing. Help us to be sympathetic, caring and loving with the bereaved and always ready to help practically and to pray for them in their time of greatest need.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed brothers and sister Andrew and Martin (Australia), Lautaro (Argentina, and Precious (Singapore).
May all the faithful departed now rest in peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your Mercy: Hear our prayer
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that we choose to do worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful Father and Lord of all life, we praise You that we are made in Your image and we ask that You help us to reflect your truth and light in the coming week.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
