The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost - Online Worship - September 21, 2025
Lord of Life LIVE!
The Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost
Please note: There will be no livestream for worship on Sunday, September 21. We look forward to welcoming you back online next Sunday, September 28, for worship and the Blessing of the Backpacks as Faith Quest kicks off! Thank you for your understanding.
Join us next Sunday as
we celebrate Celebration Sunday and the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost!
The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Confirmed Anew, Each and Every Day!
September 28th, 2025 - 9:30AM
Faith Quest Sunday School Resumes!
Next Sunday also includes, The Rite of Confirmation,
The Affirmation of Baptism!
Registration is now open!
Upcoming Events:
All are welcome, encouraged to visit the Prayer Cross as moved to do so.
Gathering In Spirit & Grace
Jesus Messiah
Tomlin
vs. 1
He became sin who knew no sin
That we might become His righteousness
He humbled Himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing
Love so amazing
refrain:
Jesus Messiah Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer Emmanuel
The Rescue for sinners The Ransom from heaven
Jesus Messiah Lord of all
vs. 2
His body the bread His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn
Love so amazing
Love so amazing
(refrain)
bridge:
All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You God
The Light of the world
(refrain)
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
The Lord of all
The Lord of all
Litany Celebrating & Trusting God’s Faithfulness In a New Beginning
PSALM 111
Today, we celebrate and trust anew, Jesus, Messiah, the Lord of all, blesses us with a new beginning in God’s wisdom and grace; so we worship, in the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen. Praise the Lord! I give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the midst of God’s people who celebrate and glorify his name. I follow the Lord, for great are his works, and his grace.
People of God: The Lord’s work is full of honor and majesty. Let us take a moment of silence to confess our sins and those times we thought we were so clever, and have failed to trust God’s saving grace.
(Silence for reflection)
Friends in Christ: Today, share a new beginning in the grace of these words: Jesus saves; Jesus forgives you all your sins. God is more clever than we are, more gracious than we imagine, blessing us with wisdom and power, grace and mercy; for surely, the presence, of the Lord is in this place!
Song Anew in Grace
Surely the Presence of The Lord
Wolfe
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power
And His grace
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
Today we again celebrate and make Christ known in his mighty works. The Lord makes us faithful in a little, that we might follow, to be faithful in so much more. Thanks be to God, God’s wisdom and grace, cleverly hold fast, and persevere forever!
Friends, the Lord has established you and his covenant forever! Trust anew; Christ in grace saves God’s people. Holy and awesome is the One who is truly clever; the One who is surely present, in this, and every place!
Song Anew in Grace
Surely the Presence of The Lord
Wolfe
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
I can feel His mighty power
And His grace
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings
I see glory on each face
Surely the presence
Of the Lord is in this place
Loving God, today we confess, we often try to cleverly serve two masters; you, our God, and all the other demands and desires on our heart. We are sorry, so much gets in our way of making you, our God, and our neighbors, first. By your Holy Spirit, make known your presence in this and every place; reveal your wisdom, and make us forever faithful in every little miracle, that we would be faithful in so much more still to come. As you give us a new beginning today, renew our passion, commitment, and faith to live in your grace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Faith Quest is Back!
We’re excited to kick off a brand new year of Faith Quest, our Sunday School program at Lord of Life! Children ages 4 through 6th grade are invited to set out on an adventure of faith, discovering God’s love through Bible stories, crafts, music, and community projects.
Faith Quest takes place during the 9:30 am worship service, September through May. Each week, kids will be dismissed from worship to continue the journey together. New friends are always welcome, and enrollment is open all year long!
Old Testament Lesson
AMOS 8:4–7
Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the Sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob; Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
(New Revised Standard Version)
New Testament Lesson
1 TIMOTHY 1:12–17
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all – this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
(New Revised Standard Version)
Song Living Anew In Grace
In Christ Alone
Getty/Townend
In Christ alone
My hope is found
He is my light my strength
My song
This cornerstone
This solid ground
Firm through the fiercest
Drought and storm
What heights of love
What depths of peace
When fears are stilled
When strivings cease
My Comforter
My all in all
Here in the love of Christ
I stand
Gospel
LUKE 16:1–13
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’ And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; 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 eternal homes. Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for a servant will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
(New Revised Standard Version)
BASED ON PSALM 89
As we hear God’s Word, let us take a deep, fresh breath, and boldly speak of all we believe, trusting God’s power and grace in Jesus Christ.
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the sky can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, great and awesome above all that are around him? O Lord, God of hosts, who is as mighty as you? Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.
Be Anew, You Who Think You Are So Clever!
AMOS 8:4-7; 1 TIMOTHY 2:1-7; LUKE 16:1-13
While most of us can relate to that old saying, "It's better to be lucky than good," we know in the end it doesn't hurt to be good. Sometimes we try to be good at what we do, and sometimes we try to be clever or cute or creative. Nothing pays off like discipline and hard work. Jesus reminds us today, when it comes to our spiritual journey, we are called to be faithful. We are called to be faithful with those blessings we have here and now, so God can trust us with all that is still to come. When we forget about obedience and lean on being clever, we are in trouble. There is no fooling our God. God is the one who is both the committed and The Clever One. And when we grow concerned about our walk and future in the kingdom of God, we can trust that old saying has no place. Luck has nothing to do with eternal life. Being good has nothing to do with salvation. Trust The One who graces us with a new beginning is clever and wise, faithful and true, to renew and save us every day!
1. We think we are so clever. When our backs are against the wall, when time is running out, we often fall short of our calling. Let us cleverly tell others Who is far more clever than us!
1 Timothy 2:3-4; Luke 16:3-4
A. We may not think we are “shrewd” like the manager in Jesus’ parable today. Do any of these words sound better? Resourceful, quick thinking, cunning, discerning.
B. We think we are so clever; we often think, `this might work,’ `this might just save me.’
C. We are our most clever when we point others to God. God is so good at being clever, wise. His power works. He saves us.
2. God in Christ is forever cleverly questioning, are we willing to be faithful in a little, not yet knowing the potential all God’s faithfulness will provide?
Amos 8:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:7; Luke 16:7,10-13
A. We cleverly cut corners, even along our spiritual journey. We rationalize, justify, why we do what we do. Jesus is forever asking us, if we are not faithful with the blessings already in our hands, why would he give us more? Nothing clever here.
B. What would happen if we would long to realize our potential, our spiritual potential; if we would long for God’s grace to keep us faithful in a little, not yet knowing all God will do?
C. What would happen if we would trust God’s overflowing cleverness and wisdom, God’s overflowing truth and power!
3. God graces us with a new beginning in wise and clever faithfulness, and so much more still to come.
1 Timothy 2:5-6; Luke 16:10-13
A. It is great for us to always be thinking but we must be careful. Do we really think we can out think The Master?
B. God is The Faithful One who is always thinking! God in grace is The Clever Wise One, gracing us to simply believe!
i. God cleverly calls us and uses us to be his stewards.
ii. God is the clever and wise owner, providing worship, Sacraments, the people of God, study, prayer, fellowship, support, service, spirit, hope, grace, new beginnings, and so much more still to come!
Offering is available for our indoor services. Find a Lord of Life with a volunteer bucket to deposit offering in person as you leave worship today. If you find yourself wanting to offer your gifts to Lord of Life, you can do so online using the link below. You can also drop offering at anytime in our secure mailbox at Lord of Life located in the parking lot.
Song of Hope & Grace Anew
Be Not Afraid
Dufford
vs. 1
You shall cross the barren desert
But you shall not die of thirst
You shall wander far in safety
Though you do not know the way
You shall speak your words in foreign lands
And all will understand
You shall see the face of God
And live
refrain:
Be not afraid
I go before you always
Come follow me
And I will give you rest
vs. 2
If you pass through raging waters
In the sea you shall not drown
If you walk amid the burning flames
You shall not be harmed
If you stand before the pow’r of hell
And death is at your side
Know that I am with you
Through it all
(refrain)
vs. 3
Blessed are your poor
For the kingdom shall be theirs
Blest are you that weep and mourn
For one day you shall laugh
And if wicked men insult and hate you
All because of me
Blessed
Blessed are you
(refrain)
Sharing our Needs and Joy with God in Prayer
… as we pray to you, Jesus, ...
Give us a new beginning in your presence and hope and grace.
All these things and whatever else you see we need, grant to us we pray, for into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Holy Communion will take place during our service. If you are not worshipping with us in person but would like to receive Communion, we will be offering Drive Through Communion at our building at 16200 Dodd Lane, Lakeville, Minnesota, following our indoor service. Drive Through Communion will be available between 10:15am & 10:30am.
For those worshiping with us in person, we receive communion through intinction; that is, you will receive the bread, the host, then dip into the glass of choice, either a red wine in the chalice closest to the host, or in a light colored non-alcoholic grape juice. All are welcome.
We also offer gluten free and pre-packaged options. Please take these options before arriving at the host to receive a blessing.
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 trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen.
Song During Holy Communion
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Tomlin
vs. 1
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see
vs. 2
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
refrain:
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God my Savior
Has ransomed me
And like a flood
His mercy rains
Unending love
Amazing grace
vs. 3
The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
(refrain twice)
vs. 4
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine will be forever mine
You are forever mine
The body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, strengthen you and keep you in his grace, this day, and on into life everlasting.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ, The Lord of life. Amen.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace, as you trust each new beginning in the living, life-changing grace of Jesus Christ. In the name of The Father, and of The Son, and of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us go in the peace of Christ, celebrating the love of God, and serving the Lord of life.
Thanks be to God!
Going Anew In Glory & Grace
Your Grace Is Enough
Maher
vs. 1
Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner’s restless heart
You lead us by still waters into mercy
And nothing can keep us apart
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember your promise oh God
refrain 1:
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
bridge:
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember your promise oh God
refrain 2:
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me
Your grace is enough
Heaven reaches out to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see
Your grace is enough
I’m covered in Your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me
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Today, Sunday, September 21st, we share, The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost!
“Be Anew, You Who Think You Are So Clever!” Faith Quest Sunday School meets today! Registration available! Today we conclude for this year, “God’s Work! Our Hands!”
As we conclude our seasonal donation efforts to our local food shelf, “The Drawer,” and local school supply efforts! A wish list is available of local school supplies students often need! Thank you!
Join us next Sunday, September 28th, as we share, The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost!
“Confirmed Anew, Each And Every Day!” Faith Quest Sunday School meets next Sunday!
Next Sunday also includes, The Rite Of Confirmation, The Affirmation Of Baptism! Registration available!
Friends, today as always, all who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, are welcome to God’s table of grace as we share Holy Communion. For those sharing their generosity today, we thank you for your faithful giving! Offering is collected in baskets by the ushers as you exit the sanctuary.
We hope our worship will touch you, comfort you, reassure you, and grace you in some way! If you believe others you know would be blessed to receive this bulletin, the sermon notes, or our live stream links, please forward these to them.
From everyone on every level of leadership and service, we continue to pray for you and to give thanks to God for each of you! Please contact Pastor Jamie if he can serve you in any way: jamie.thompson@lordoflifemn.org
We pray The Holy Spirit breathes anew on us to be God’s people and to be God’s Church, as together we make known and we trust anew God’s gifts of hope, peace, justice, clarity, calm, and comfort forever break forth in new ways for you and your loved ones, today, and as we share every gift of God’s light, love and grace!
Acknowledgments for today’s service include:
Litany Celebrating & Trusting God’s Faithfulness In A New Beginning – written based on Psalm 111. “Just As I Am,” “Amazing Grace,” © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW) and With One Voice Hymnal Supplement © 1995 Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis & Board of Publication, Lutheran Church In America, Philadelphia; and Evangelical Lutheran Worship © 2006 by Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, MN. Used with permission. “Prayer of The Day,” “Lord’s Prayer,” “Post-Communion Blessing, Prayer, & Benediction,” based on the LBW. “Jesus Messiah” © 2008 sixsteps Music CCLI #5183443 “Surely The Presence of The Lord” © 1977 Lanny Wolfe Music CCLI #7909 “Jesus Loves Me” © Words and Music Public Domain, CCLI #4771887 “In Christ Alone” © 2002 Thankyou Music CCLI #3350395 “Be Not Afraid” © 1975, 1978, Robert J. Dufford, S.J. and New Dawn Music “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” © 2006 sixsteps Music CCLI #4768151 “Your Grace Is Enough” © 2003 Thankyou Music CCLI #4477026 All rights reserved. All songs used with permission. CCLI License #1380826 & OneLicense #A-724016.