​​​​​​​​​​​​​14TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2025

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INTRODUCTION​

The grumbling of the religious leaders in today’s gospel is actually our holy hope:
     This Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. That our God seeks and saves
     the lost is not only a holy hope, it is our only hope. As the writer of 1st Timothy
     reminds us, “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus
     came into the world to save sinners.” Thanks be to God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

O God, overflowing with mercy and compassion, you lead back to yourself all
     those who go astray. Preserve your people in your loving care, that we may reject
     whatever is contrary to you and may follow all things that sustain our life in your
     Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.​

FIRST READING

EXODUS 32:7-14
While Moses is on Mount Sinai, the people grow restless and make a golden calf
     to worship. Today’s reading shows Moses as the mediator between an angry
     God and a sinful people. Moses reminds God that the Israelites are God’s own
     people, and boldly asks for mercy for them.

7 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up
     out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn
     aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an
     image of a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are
     your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ” 9 The Lord
     said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me
     alone so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, and
     of you I will make a great nation.”

     11 But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath
     burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with
     great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was
     with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to
     consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change
     your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham,
     Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying
     to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land
     that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it
     forever.’ ” 14 And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned
     to bring on his people.​

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PSALM

PSALM 51:1-10
(Response) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. (Ps. 51:1)

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
in your great compassion blot out my offenses.
2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my offenses,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are justified when you speak and right in your judgment.
(Response) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. (Ps. 51:1)

5 Indeed, I was born steeped in wickedness,
a sinner from my mother’s womb.
6 Indeed, you delight in truth deep within me,
and would have me know wisdom deep within.
7 Remove my sins with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be purer than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my wickedness.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
  and renew a right spirit within me.
(Response) Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. (Ps. 51:1)

SECOND READING

1ST TIMOTHY 1:12-17
 The letters to Timothy and Titus are called the pastoral epistles because they
     contain advice especially intended for leaders in the church. Here the mercy
     shown to Paul, who once persecuted the church, is cited as evidence that even
     the most unworthy may become witnesses to the grace of God.
 
12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he
     considered me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13 even though I was
     formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy
     because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord
     overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying
     is sure and worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to
     save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16 But for that very reason I received
     mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost
     patience as an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal
     life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and
     glory forever and ever. Amen.

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​​​​GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Alleluia. (Luke 15:10)

GOSPEL READING

LUKE 15:1-10
Jesus tells two stories that suggest a curious connection between the lost being
     found and sinners repenting. God takes the initiative to find sinners, each of
     whom is so precious to God that their recovery brings joy in heaven.

1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus.]
     2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow
     welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

     3 So he told them this parable: 4 “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and
     losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after
     the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his
     shoulders and rejoices. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends
     and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’
     7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
     than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
 
     8 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light
     a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she
     has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with
     me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in

     the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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Annual License #SB144368. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 2/28/2026.
Our Hymns and Worship Music are used via permission through CCLI One
License #11327166. The next Subscription Renewal Date is 1/31/2026.

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​SERMONS​
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