Proper 22 (2025)

Paris Otterbein

*Opening Prayer

*Call to Worship

(Based on Psalm 137)

Leader: By the rivers of Babylon, God’s people sat down and wept when they remembered Zion.

People: We, too, bring our grief, our questions, and our longing before the Lord.

Leader: In a foreign land, they hung up their harps, unable to sing the Lord’s song.

People: Yet God meets us even in sorrow and calls us to trust His steadfast love.

Leader: Our God hears the cries of the brokenhearted and remembers His covenant forever.

People: We will worship the God who seeks us in exile, sustains us in trial, and leads us home.

Hymn #47 God Will Take Care Of You

Scripture Reading - Gladys

2 Timothy 1:1–14 NIV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Sharing of Joys and Concerns

Hymn #409, v. 1 I Know Whom I Have Believed

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Lord's Prayer

Children's Message - Donna

Scripture Reading

Luke 17:5–10 NIV

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”

Sermon - The Prayer of Humility

Jesus invites us to pray. At one point He taught His disciples to pray, the prayer we prayed together just a few moments ago. Jesus was often found praying by Himself. And Paul found prayer to be such an important aspect of the life of a Christian, he challenged the church of Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing”.

With that in mind, we begin a new series this morning, entitled, “Prayers of the Journey.” You see, when you and I accept Christ, we begin a journey. Accepting Christ is the beginning, not the end. And along our journey, we learn what it means to be a follower of Christ.

So this morning, if you look around and you think there are people who have it all together. Who are really good at this Christian stuff, just know they may have been on the journey longer than you and they have learned a lot of lessons. But even the most seasoned traveler will admit they still have more to learn.

Even those who walked with Jesus still had much to learn. When they heard His challenge to forgive endlessly, they realized how hard it is—and they prayed, ‘Increase our faith’.

But Jesus’ response to them isn’t that they need “more” faith. In fact, He says their faith need only be as small as a “mustard seed”. They didn’t need more faith—they simply needed to use the faith they already had. And to remind them what genuine faith looks like, Jesus told them a story about a servant and his master. The servant doesn’t seek applause from the master. The servant only does what is required. In the same way, with a small amount of faith, we follow Christ.

That’s the gift of grace. That Christ takes our small faith and uses it for His glory. That God takes this bread and cup and reminds us of His love for us and the forgiveness of our sins through Christ our Lord.

Communion

Giving of Tithes and Offering

Doxology

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn #271 Standing On The Promises

*Benediction

Sanctuary