"They Will Repent (Won't They?)"

BULLETIN FOR STREAMING SERVICE 

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HOMEWOOD
MISSION STATEMENT

Through the grace of God, faith in Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we prayerfully seek to discern God’s will for this congregation and to reach beyond ourselves to feed the hungry, body and soul. Adopted by Session 7/31/17

PRAYER FOR PEACE
Peace Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

PRELUDE ||| Mary Ann Wenzelman

 
*CALL TO CONTINUING WORSHIP
Jesus Christ is King of kings
and Lord of lords.
Jesus Christ, who rules over all things, gathers us in love.
Jesus Christ is King of kings
and Lord of lords.
Let us offer our praise and thanksgiving!

*HYMN 805 ||| Come Sing to God ||| Ellacombe

CALL TO CONFESSION
Looking at Jesus, we see that we have fallen short of the glory of God. Yet Jesus looks at us with mercy and grace. Therefore, let us offer our confession in faith.

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of justice and righteousness, you lift up the lowly and fill the empty; yet we adore the high and the mighty. You reach out to the poor; yet we ceaselessly pursue wealth. You talk about treasure in heaven; yet we want dollars in our accounts right now. Correct our misguided ways. Forgive our lack of generosity. Free us from striving for more and more. Change our hearts so that we can tend to things that matter and find our life in Jesus Christ.
(silent prayer)
Amen.

*DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
Without regard for the cost, the precious love of God is poured out in Jesus Christ. This is good news!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

*THE GLORIA 581

MOMENT WITH OUR CHILDREN||| Rev. Matt Lang

WELCOME AND CHURCH COMMUNICATIONS

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING ||| Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. 2At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, 3awhere King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him. 6Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came to me: 7Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, "Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours." 8Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, "Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy; 12and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13In their presence I charged Baruch, saying, 14Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. 15For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.

SPECIAL MUSIC

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING ||| Luke 16:19-31
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 24He called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27He said, 'Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-28for I have five brothers-that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30He said, 'No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God!

SERMON ||| "They Will Repent (Won't They?)" ||| Rev. Matt Lang

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD

*HYMN 314 ||| Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness
(Christ, Be Our Light)  ||| Christ, Be Our Light

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH ||| The Brief Statement of Faith 1983
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS

OFFERTORY

 
*DOXOLOGY 606 ||| Old Hundredth
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
As we offer our treasure and hearts to you, O God, may they be used to pass on the promise of hope, of peace, of life, of community to all in need of your gifts and presence in their lives. Amen.

WE GO IN GOD’S NAME

*HYMN 644 ||| Give Thanks, O Christian People ||| Es Flog Ein Kleins Waldvögelein

BLESSING
Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever!
Alleluia!

CHARGE
To be reconciled to God is to be sent into the world as God’s reconciling community. Christ has called us to this mission and given us the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

POSTLUDE ||| Mary Ann Wenzelman

Some people choose to be seated to listen to the postlude. If you need to leave,
the worship leader is glad to greet you at the entrance of the sanctuary.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!

Rev. Matt Lang, Pastor
Mrs. Mary Ann Wenzelman, Interim Organist/Pianist

Worship Liturgist: Rod Dunlap Usher: Laura Dillman
Web Techs: Phil Dillman, Kathie Hazlett 

 
SCRIPTURES IN WORSHIP – Next Sunday we will be reading Lamentations 1:1-6 and Luke 17:5-10.

PRAYER CHAIN – If you want prayer requests included on the prayer chain, contact Shirley Armistead at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..