Twenty Sixth 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):
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; 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 26, 28th 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>
We’ve been journeying through Luke’s gospel these past weeks and listening to Jesus talking about “wealth”, the need for wise use of the earthly gifts we are given, repentance, things lost and found, the call to live as “Children of Light”, and more. Today we hear the last of the stories that comprise chapters 15 and 16 of Luke’s gospel.
This is the second week in a row Jesus starts off by saying, “there was a rich man …” but it’s the only time in any parable that Jesus gives one of the main characters a real name, and instead of naming the rich man who begins the story, it’s the poor man who gets the honour. He is called Lazarus, a form of “Eliezar”, which means “God helps.”
The story puts a gate between the rich man and Lazarus, but it’s more of a barrier than a way to connect them. While the rich man wears expensive clothes, Lazarus only wears sores. The rich man ignores naked and hungry Lazarus as he passes through the gate everyday, on his way to a great feast. Naked, sick, and hungry, Lazarus is ‘invisible’ to the rich man.
Both men die, and suddenly their situations are reversed. Now Lazarus is sitting in Abraham’s lap, being cared for by angels, and the rich man is tormented in Hades and now, FINALLY, he can see Lazarus! Too bad he never noticed him before. <PAUSE>
Before anyone can have compassion for people, they have to see those people. acknowledge their presence, their needs, their gifts and above all their status as valuable in God’s eyes.
The rich man knew who Lazarus was. He knew his name. But he didn’t value Lazarus as a beloved child of God. And even when he is in torment, he still doesn’t see Lazarus. He only sees that Lazarus is in Abraham’s arms and he isn’t.
The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to give him some relief from the flames that torment him. Nope, says Abraham, that’s not how it works. When you were alive, you had good things and Lazarus had nothing. You never helped him, so why should he help you now?
‘Well, at least let him go warn my brothers, so they can repent before it’s too late for them,’ the rich man begs.
Nope again, says Abraham. They have had plenty of warning from Moses and the prophets. If they won’t listen to that warning, someone rising from the dead isn’t going to convince them, either. Lazarus says nothing? He doesn’t need to. His presence at the rich man’s gate all those years spoke volumes, the rich man had plenty of opportunities to reach out, plenty of chances to help, and he ignored every one of them.
Now, I could finish my message right here and let this parable stand as a morality tale about caring for the poor. That is certainly a good thing to do. Jesus himself said, “the poor you will always have with you” (John 12:8).
However, may I also ask you to remember that way back in Luke 4, when Jesus was just beginning his ministry, he preached to his hometown church in Nazareth from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” That’s the point I want to make today. That is what hold this parable before us. Jesus is all about bringing good news to the poor and freeing the oppressed. It’s in his mission statement … and IT MUST BE IN OURS.
This parable is not about giving handouts to the poor. It’s not even a story about what heaven and hell are like, or what happens to us after we die.
This parable is about hearing, AGAIN, the call to live a radically different life.
It is the challenge, YET AGAIN, to reevaluate what we do with our wealth. Or rather, what our wealth does to us, because wealth can blind us.
Remember that the Pharisees, who have been listening to all these parables right along with us, had a value problem. They valued ‘worldly stuff’ (money, prestige, power) more than they valued people. ‘Worldly stuff’ meant more to them than the salvation of their souls. Jesus saw right through their righteous posturing, into their empty hearts. Their wealth had blinded them to their own spiritual poverty.
Jesus says that we need a change of heart, a change of mind, BEFORE it’s too late. The rich man didn’t repent. He was still treating Lazarus as someone less than himself, even after he had experienced the torment of hell’s flames. He still wouldn’t speak directly to Lazarus. “Make him dip his finger in water to cool my tongue,” he orders Abraham. “Make him go to my brothers who are still living.” Even in his tortured state, he couldn’t bring himself to see Lazarus as an equal partner in God’s grace.
So, sisters and brothers, see the parable of the rich man and Lazarus NOT about what happens to us after we die but as a parable about repenting of the notion that someone who is poor in earthly things is less important to God.
In God’s view, every one of us has value. Every one of us is a beloved “child of Light” who needs to come home and only Jesus Christ can open our eyes and help us see ‘the invisible’ amongst us.
Jesus Christ connects us ALL. When we fall at the foot of Christ’s cross, we realise that we are no better than anyone else, and no one else’s sins are worse than our own. When we place Jesus at the very centre of our lives, Christ shows us that we all stand in need of grace. None of us deserves it but we each receive it freely as beloved children of God.
So let me recap for you my messages these recent weeks as we journeyed together through the great good news according to St. Luke:
Heaven rejoices whenever the lost are found.
Heaven rejoices whenever a sinner repents.
God welcomes his children home when they repent.
God values people over wealth, and wants us to do the same. <PAUSE>
and God knows some of us will never choose to accept Christ’s message.
But when we accept the message of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to God will be the glory.
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:
Holy God you invite us to “put on Christ” may we joyfully wear the garments of love, righteousness, tolerance, respect and care for all - showing them to all whom we meet.
(LONGER pause for silent, personal reflection)
Loving God we hold the needs of our sisters and brothers as dearly as our own needs. Help us, your people, to love you with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds and to love our neighbours as ourselves. With these commandments before us, we offer our thanksgivings and our petitions on behalf of our faith community and throughout the world.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Creator God, we pray for the peoples of the world that they may enjoy un-perverted justice whether they be poor or rich, great or small. We pray that those who use violence and terror to bring about their desires and those who then so readily seek revenge following acts of terrorism may instead pursue all that makes for peace.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Loving God, friend of those hungry and in need, Your Son Jesus has loosened our burdens and healed our spirits. We lift before you those still burdened, those seeking healing, those in need, wherever they may be.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
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, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
Merciful God, your Son Jesus was moved to tears at the grave of Lazarus his friend. Look with compassion on those bereaved and grieving at the loss of a loved one; give to their troubled hearts the light of hope and strengthen in all of us the gift of faith, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed brother Craig (Australia).
May all the faithful departed now rest in peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come unto you
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, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
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 care for the needy, the poor, the hungry and all who struggle in this life. May we reflect your love and compassion in the coming week.
(Short Silence) Lord, hear our prayer : and let our cry come to you
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.
