Is The Church In the Throes of Adolescence?
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For August 3, 2025:
Is The Church In the Throes of Adolescence?
by Katy Stenta
Hosea 11:1-11
Who has a claim on God’s blessing, and who exactly is a child of God? These may not seem to be burning questions, but in a day of low church attendance and participation, it is a relevant one.
In the Scriptures
In the Bible, more than once, God speaks of Israel as the children of God. In Exodus 4:22, when Moses and God are persuading Pharaoh to free the Israeli people, God calls Israel God’s firstborn son. Moreover, God hints at God’s adoption of more children in the Abrahamic promise, in Genesis 22:17, when God challenges Abraham to count the stars and the grains of sand and promises that Abraham’s descendants will be as many, and that they will all have God’s blessing.
In the News
It doesn’t take more than a quick search to find approximately a million articles and studies to see that all denominations are still in decline. For a while, evangelical denominations were holding their own in attendance, but they too are losing people. The trend is clear, religion is in for a huge change. What used to be part of large mainstream society — going to church in the 1920s-1950s — is no longer cool. Generation Z (my child who is currently 17) and Generation Alpha (and my child who is about 13 right now) are mostly not going to church. This is no doubt compounded by the marrying of politics to white evangelicalism, which has led to toxic policies, including, but not limited to, MAGA, as detailed in John Wayne and Jesus, which promises power and strongman masculinity as part and parcel of Christianity. (You can see a summary of the book here.) You can see a different summary of the partnership between Trump, MAGA, and evangelicals here.
The start of anti-aborition politics and the moving on to anti-trans behavior has certainly tied both parties, if not Christianity itself, in knots. These are not the kind of policies that bring people together in the covenant of Genesis 22, or promises the kind of liberation that one hopes for in Exodus 4.
In the Sermon
When we look at Christianity, or even the United States right now, we are no doubt weeping right along with God. Why is the church not this booming, perfect entity? Why can’t we have everything figured out? What is this rebellious mixed up thing that wants to be popular one minute, but seems to be generous and get it right the next? The church definitely sounds like a teenager going through an identity crisis. After all, in the grand scheme of things, 2,000 years old is probably not all that old to God. And the institution of the church itself is only fiftieish years old in its current iteration, and that is nothing compared to its long life.
What does one do with teenagers who are, rightfully, “angsty” and worried because the whole world is scary? What to do with teenagers who do not know what they are growing up to be? Teenagers whose bodies are changing, identities are forming, who are hanging out with all kinds of entities and trying things on? We hold their hands, we love them exactly as they are, and we tell them that we love them and that everything is going to be okay (maybe especially when we are not exactly sure if that is true or not).
God is having a very parental moment here talking about the cords of human kindness and the bands of love. God is saying that God will always be Israel’s parent. There is nothing that can stop that familial bond. The rebellion is there, but so is the love. God’s compassion will continue to grow.
I am reminded of Aslan when the teenagers ask if Aslan is tame, and the beavers respond that, no, but God is good. During these teenage church times, everything might change in the church, people will stop coming, the pews and hymns and buildings might all disappear, but God will still be God, and we will still be God’s people. This is God’s promise. We can hold one another’s hands and know this.
SECOND THOUGHTS
Jesus Considers the Self-Storage Unit
by Mary Austin
Luke 12:13-21
In the US, a lot of us are like the man in the parable. We need more storage. An estimated four in ten of us pay monthly for some kind of storage. I was feeling slightly judgy about all this excess stuff, until I remembered I’m one of these people. In our apartment building, my husband and I pay for an extra storage closet for (his) camping equipment and (my) holiday decorations.
We shed items to fit into our current apartment, getting down to a painfully tiny number of books, on just two bookshelves. Ouch! And still, we pay money to hold onto things we use just a few times a year.
This gives me sympathy for the villain in this parable. Our storage closet down the hall is just like his barns full of excess. The storage units that pop up every few miles are our cultural equivalent. Many of us are holding onto (too) many things.
The country has “an estimated 52,000 self-storage facilities, covering 2.1 billion square feet — enough for 6 to 7 square feet for every American. The self-storage market is expected to be worth $50 billion by 2029. The industry itself is the perfect union — a service that fulfills a human need and a growth investment that can thrive during historical shifts, such as the dot-com boom and bust, the Great Recession, and Covid-19. One recent survey found that 38% of Americans use self-storage, spending an average of between $75 and $185 month, usually due to one of the four Ds: death, divorce, dislocation, and a disputed fourth D, which toggles between disaster and downsizing, depending on the source.”
There’s also a class divide here. Writer Julie Poole observes, “When wealthy people hoard, there’s a tongue-in-cheek response. In 2022, fans of The Kardashians watched Kim step into a warehouse filled with 30,000 items of clothing. “I’m a memory hoarder,” she later said. During the 2022 show The Great American Tag Sale with Martha Stewart, Joy Behar called Stewart “a high-class hoarder.” They’re forgiven for their massive accumulation of stuff because the stuff is perceived as valuable, with perhaps even cultural significance.” Wealthy people are collectors; poorer people are hoarders.
We’re not just hanging on to Grandma’s fine china and Grandpa’s cribbage game. We’re stockpiling money, too. For people of means, economists say that America has never been wealthier. Regular people say it doesn’t feel that way. “The share of wealth held by families in the top 10% has reached 69%, while the share held by families in the bottom 50% is only 3%, according to the latest reading from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.” (Perhaps the language of “top” and “bottom” is adding to the problem?) This increase in wealth isn’t money people can use to buy a new stove next week. “Much of the uptick has been locked up in what financial analysts call “illiquid assets” — gains in home prices and stock portfolios — which are not easily translated into cash to pay for bills and expenses that are much higher than they were a few years ago.”
An international survey conducted by Pew Research found that more than half of the adults surveyed “say the gap between the rich and the poor is a very big problem in their country. Another 30% say it is a moderately big problem. A median of 60% believe that rich people having too much political influence contributes a great deal toward economic inequality.”
Is it any wonder we’re holding onto what we have?
Jesus tells this parable in response to a man who wants help with a family inheritance, a reasonable question to ask a rabbi. In essence, Jesus tells the questioner, you and your brother have the same problem: Greed. Jesus reminds the man that his focus is in the wrong place, and then he quotes Psalm 49:7, which says, “Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life; there is no price one can give to God for it.”
But, Jesus, we protest. That’s not a satisfying answer for the questioner, and it’s disappointing for us, too. Even with great faith in God, we still need to pay the electric bill. We already know what Jesus is telling us — our lives can change dramatically at any time. We’re looking for security.
In the Sermon
The man in the parable is wealthy and he still craves the reassurance he gets from holding on. He’s not alone. Decluttering is our national pastime. Swedish Death Cleaning even managed to make a TV show about it. So, what would Jesus say about the things we keep? How can we loosen our grip and move toward craving God more than our things? How can we be “rich toward God,” as the parable says?
More than money is at stake for the man with the barns. Dr. Sarah Stein Lubrano writes that hoarding wealth erodes our social fabric, as “sociologists are able to measure the long-term decline in social trust that is happening in Western societies in the last half century or so, a shift occurring in no small part due to people’s ongoing sense that their lives are no longer part of an intricate and caring social fabric, but are instead reduced to a logic of transactions. Indeed, income inequality and social trust are almost perfect inverse correlates.” With every full barn, the man in the parable is less admired and less trusted by his neighbors. They can tell by his hoarding that he doesn’t care about them. The sermon could explore how we nurture networks of connection, instead of stuffing ourselves full of things.
Or, the sermon could talk about the things that do give us security. Enough money, although not too much. A network of friends and neighbors we can count on. The equanimity of faith. Rhythms that calm us down.
Chronicling her mother’s use of storage units over several decades, Julie Poole notes that the storage units have seen her mother through divorce, address changes, and being functionally homeless while she stayed with relatives. For her mother, “storage remains her most fixed address, an extension of home.” Her mother once told her, “I think I know why people hoard. They’re tired of losing.” The sermon might focus on what the man in the parable is afraid of losing, and what we fear losing, too. What fears are we holding at bay with our piles of possessions?
The sermon might also explore how we pay our lives forward when we’ve been fortunate? How do we give our ransomed lives back to God with our actions, talents, and funds?
I’ll be thinking about the wealthy man and his full barns as I try to root things out of my overflowing storage closet.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean Feldmeyer
Both the Epistle and Gospel lessons for today warn against the temptation to greed.
Quick Stories of Greed
Ask your AI source and you will discover, as I did, that classical and folk literature is full of stories about people whose greed leads them into trouble. There is King Midas, of course. And Tolstoy’s story of the man who runs himself to death trying to increase his land holdings. Most of us have heard of those African monkeys who reach into the hollowed-out gourd to get some peanuts but can’t pull their fist out of the hole. They refuse to give up the gourd and are easily captured.
There is a Grimm’s fairy tale about “The Fisherman and His Wife.” In it a magical fish grants wishes, but the wife’s greed grows — from wanting a cottage to ruling the universe and, eventually, they lose everything and are returned to poverty.
In WW Jacobs’s classic horror short story, “The Monkey’s Paw,” a cursed paw grants wishes but a family’s greed leads to horror and heartbreak as each wish twists into tragedy. In the African folk tale, “Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom” a spider tries to keep all wisdom for himself. In his greed, he fails and loses it all, leaving the wisdom to be shared with the world.
And don’t forget to look up “Ali Babba and the 40 Thieves.”
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What Would You Do?
According to The Motley Fool, here are the top five things people say they would be willing to do for a million dollars:
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Greed Goes to the Movies
Most critics agree that the greatest film ever made is Citizen Kane, a 1941 movie about greed and the slow destruction of Charles Foster Kane, who is driven by it. It’s worth a look, but if you’re wanting something a little more contemporary, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) says that these are the top ten recent Hollywood movies about greed listed from 10-1.
10. The Social Network — As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
9. The Devil’s Double — A chilling vision of the house of Saddam. The world of Hussein comes to life through the eyes of the man who was given a choice; either be the double for Saddam’s sadistic son, or die.
8. American Psycho — A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
7. There Will Be Blood — A story of family, religion, hatred, oil, and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the prospecting business.
6. Scarface — In the 1980s, a determined criminal-minded Cuban immigrant becomes the biggest drug smuggler in Miami, and is eventually undone by his own drug addiction.
5. Goodfellas — The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
4. Catch Me if You Can — Barely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street — Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption, and the federal government.
2. Casino — In Las Vegas, two best friends — a casino executive and a Mafia enforcer — compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.
1. Wall Street — An impatient young stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless, greedy, corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing.
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Ponzi
Look up the word “greed” in the dictionary and you will likely see a picture of Charles “Carlo” Ponzi, the notorious, early 20th-century Italian conman who tricked and swindled his investors, friends, and family out of millions of dollars throughout his lifetime.
Though his criminal machinations are legion, (he made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling land in Florida that turned out to be underwater) his favorite scheme was to convince investors to invest in a non-existent company he owned with the promise of a 50-100% return on their investments in just a few months. When the first payment came due, he would pay the early investors with money collected from later investors, always skimming a healthy portion off the top for himself.
He made the modern equivalent of about $60 million before people began to become suspicious and investigations uncovered his massive deception.
Consequently, Ponzi spent years in prison and, eventually, died in poverty in a charity hospital bed.
Unfortunately, there are those who just can’t learn from the experience of others.
By leveraging his reputation as a trusted investment advisor, Bernie Madoff lured thousands of investors into a $65 billion “Ponzi” scheme that defrauded average retirees, Hollywood personalities, and even his own children.
On June 29, 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed. On April 14, 2021, he died at the Federal Medical Center, Butner, in North Carolina, from chronic kidney disease.
* * *
In the concluding sentences of Colossians 3:1-11 Paul calls the faithful to embrace what, today, might be referred to as the “Big Tent” notion of Christianity, an “inclusive” idea that would find much opposition among some contemporary Christians.
Inclusive on the Frontier
Texas-based home renovation duo and HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are facing a backlash in recent weeks over their decision to feature a gay couple on their new reality show, Back to the Frontier. While the Gaineses haven’t said anything directly about being LGBTQ-affirming, many conservative Christians condemned the move as a betrayal of Christian values and an attempt to normalize queer relationships. On the flip side, some progressive Christians called out what they view as hypocrisy of conservative leaders who are holding the reality stars to a higher moral standard than the president of the United States.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are executive producers on the eight-episode series, which follows three families spending a summer living like 1880s homesteaders in the grassy Canadian plains west of Calgary, Alberta. The families forgo running water, flushing toilets, and electricity, learning to travel in covered wagons and harvest their own crops.
At first glance, Back to the Frontier, which debuted on July 10 on HBO Max and the Gaineses’ Magnolia Network, seems catered to evangelical Christians — especially those inspired by the modern tradwife, homeschooling, and homesteading movements. One of those families is the Hanna-Riggs household, which includes husbands Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, along with their ten-year-old twin sons.
The pushback was swift. On July 12, Franklin Graham, son of the late famed evangelist Billy Graham and president of evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritan’s Purse, called the Gaines’ decision to feature the Hanna-Riggs family “disappointing.”
“While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s word. His word is absolute truth,” Graham wrote on X. “God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.”
Conservative Christian commentators such as Allie Beth Stuckey and Megan Basham joined the call for the Gaineses to repent, as did the evangelical pastor Mark Driscoll, apologist Frank Turek, and Joel Berry of the Babylon Bee, a Christian news satire website.
Now, though, the couple have drawn fire from Christian conservatives. As the blowback accelerated on social media last week, Chip Gaines, tweeted encouragement to people on X to ask questions, listen, and learn. “It’s a sad Sunday when ‘non believers’ have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian,” he wrote.
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From team member Tom Willadsen:
Colossians 3:1-4
Already dead!
This text can be divided after verse 4. In the first verses, Paul describes what has already happened. These verses in Greek are in the indicative mood, so one can read them as “Since you have already been raised with Christ…” That may sound a little creepy for those in the pews when you reach verse 3 “since you have already died.” At this point, recall that the language of baptism is to die in Christ, then to rise from the waters of baptism as a new creation.
In the Presbyterian baptism liturgy one is baptized into “Christ’s death and resurrection.” This is sort of a trick question I like to spring on parents of infants at the pre-baptismal meeting, “What are we baptized into?” Not the church, not water, no, we’re baptized into “Christ’s death and resurrection.”
I was instructed in my Baptism and Eucharist class, more than 30 years ago, that the water in baptism should be “visible and generous.” The professor went on, “enough to recall the peril of drowning.” So, when the grandmother asked to not disturb the cute, little bonnet on the baby’s head, I informed her, “No, that won’t be possible.”
When I baptized my nephew, guided by this instruction, his grandfather told me afterward, “I thought you were going to drown the little guy!”
“Excellent! You got the point,” I replied.
There’s no resurrection without death.
When I was in my legalistic phase — this is before I began to understand grace, a lesson I am continually learning — I thought worshipers who did not attend on Good Friday should not be admitted on Easter. I’ve lightened up since then, but c’mon, there’s too much denial of death!
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Colossians 3:5-11
….therefore….
Because you have been raised with Christ, new behavior is expected of you, Christian. The metaphor of “stripping off” the old self and being “clothed” harkens back to baptismal imagery, too. In ancient Christian practice proselytes were baptized by immersion at the end of the Easter vigil, they were then wrapped in new white robes and led to their first celebration of the eucharist. Paul is using this language to explicitly tie the practice of baptism to the new life, symbolized by new clothing, and a new, risen identity.
* * *
Colossians 3:1-11
But wait, there’s more
It may be tempting to imagine the newly resurrected and clothed self as being only about the individual. My new identity. My new clothes. My new life. The last verse of today’s reading, however, makes it clear that this new individual is part of a community of the renewed, “In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!” (3:11, NRSV) This language is even more inclusive than the words Paul used to the Galatian Christians (cf. Galatians 3:28).
* * *
Luke 12:13-21
The greedy (secure) farmer
It’s interesting to note that the farmer, who is clearly the fool in this parable, has not done anything wrong. There’s nothing to indicate that he cheated anyone or stole anything. He had been a good, prosperous farmer. He even had reached a point where he had “enough.” He was prepared to retire, stop farming and enjoy the literal fruits of his labor. Most of our members have worked hard all their lives, paid into Social Security and contributed to their IRAs. They have “ample goods laid up for many years;” they have earned the right to “relax, eat, drink, be merry.”
The last thing anyone would call these people is “fool;” the last thing they will be is a burden to their children, or society!
There is a quote that has been attributed to John D. Rockefeller, when he was asked, “How much is enough?” he replied, “One more dollar.” While the quote is most likely apocryphal, it illustrates the sort of never-ending greed that appears to motivate people who are already extremely wealthy. That’s the kind of sinful greed that is obviously destructive. This parable is, I believe, about something a little more subtle: security. JD Greear defines an idol as “anything that promises a life of security and joy apart from God.” The farmer in the parable is foolish because his security is in what he stored up for himself. He dies a fool, because his hard work did not bring him the leisure of retirement. He dies a fool because his toil had estranged him his creator.
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From team member Nazish Naseem:
Colossians 3:1-11
Emerging Into Grace: The Transformation of New Life
Have you noticed the process of a beautiful butterfly emerging from its cocoon? For a time, it was confined, hidden away, and seemingly lifeless. But as it breaks free, it stretches its wings and takes to the skies, a joyous symbol of transformation and new life, a breathtaking sight of beauty and grace, liberated from its former state. This beauty is a reflection of the spiritual renewal that we can experience.
In Colossians 3:1-11, Paul invites us to experience our transformation. Just as the butterfly sheds its old form, we are called to set our minds on the things above on love, grace, and renewal. We are urged to let go of our earthly behaviors, such as anger, deceit, and selfishness, which weigh us down.
In my backyard, I constantly pull-out weeds to ensure that the vegetables and flowers thrive. Similarly, as we focus on Christ, we are called to ‘put to death’ those old ways and cultivate our true selves, united in love and purpose.
This passage reminds us that just as the butterfly emerges anew, we, too, can rise above our past, embracing our identity in Christ and blooming in the beauty of God’s grace. Through this transformation, we not only grow ourselves but also play a vital role in contributing to a flourishing community that reflects God’s love to the world.
* * *
Psalm 49
Echoes of Eternity: The Timeless Wisdom of Psalm 49
In the quiet of a moonlit night, the wisdom of Psalm 49 resonates through the ages, calling to those who dwell in wealth and power. As the fading light reveals the contours of our lives, the psalmist urges us to listen: “Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world.” It’s a reminder that the riches we accumulate and the status we strive for are but fleeting shadows.
Last week, I was at my cousin’s grand feast by their pool; a scene filled with opulence and abundance, where laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air. Yet beneath this facade of prosperity lies a profound truth waiting to be revealed. This truth humbles the proud and comforts the meek. The wealthy may boast of their riches, and the influential may strut like peacocks, but ultimately, “no one can by any means redeem his brother” or secure his own life against the inevitable grasp of death.
As the night deepens, the psalm unveils a striking reality: ‘For when he dies, he carries nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.’ Here, the fragility of human existence is laid bare, challenging our perception of success and eternity. The contrast between wealth and the afterlife becomes clear: earthly treasures fade, while spiritual wealth, which is not measured in material possessions but in the depth of our relationships and the impact we make, endures.
We are left to ponder the legacy we choose to cultivate. This is not a passive decision, but an active choice we make every day. Will we chase the ephemeral, or seek what truly satisfies? As dawn breaks, the truth of Psalm 49 resonates — our lives are not defined by what we have, but by whom we serve and how we love. In the end, it is not the riches we leave behind, but the impact we make through our service to others and the love we share that echo through eternity.
* * *
Luke 12:13-21
The True Wealth: Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool
In this parable of the rich fool, Jesus presents a powerful illustration of the futility of placing trust in wealth. The story tells of a farmer who, blessed with a bountiful harvest, becomes so consumed by his riches that he neglects the importance of relationships and the eternal treasures of faith and community. He dreams of building larger barns and enjoying endless comforts, believing that his wealth will secure his future. However, the unexpected arrival of death shatters his plans and reveals a harsh truth: wealth can be an illusion, providing a false sense of security. This parable serves as a poignant reminder for all of us, regardless of our material possessions, to consider the true value of our lives.
The farmer’s folly lies not in his prosperity but in his selfish accumulation of wealth. He becomes so absorbed in his possessions that he loses sight of the richness of life’s relationships and the eternal treasures of faith and community. His focus on material wealth leads to isolation and spiritual poverty. Jesus admonishes, “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
This powerful narrative urges us to reflect on the true currency of our lives. Are we investing in temporary riches or are we nurturing connections, kindness, and spiritual growth? Ultimately, the story reminds us that life’s true abundance is found in giving, loving, and living with purpose. What we cherish in our hearts the spiritual wealth we accumulate will outlast any earthly treasure, offering us hope and reassurance.
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WORSHIP
by Katy Stenta
Call to Worship
One: O Give thanks to God
All: God is good, God’s steadfast love endures forever
One: God gathers—from the North and the South, from the East and the West
All: Some wandered in with hunger and thirst and their souls were fainting within them
One: When they cried to God in their double, God delivers them
All: God fells them with good things
One: Let us praise God, who takes care of us
All: Let us praise God, who fills us with Good Things
Or
One: God calls us to the good
All: God does not store goodness away
One: There is no expiration date on God’s blessings
All: God gives them to us in excess
One: Come let us praise the God of bounty
All: Come let us share God’s blessings
One: Come let us praise God, who is full of Grace
All: Come let us share God’s sanctuary with one another
Prayer of Confession
One: Come let us bring our full selves to God, that we might understand the fullness of God’s blessings together.
All: God we confess that we do not understand the magnitude of your blessings, we feel like blessings are like pie, that they might diminish over time or that their might not be enough to go around or that we might need to hoard them so that they can be saved up for later. We fail to understand that the very nature of blessings is their multiplicity. You charge us to be blessed and be a blessing. You remind us to share blessings with everyone. Remind us how to bless all those we meet we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Grace
Hear the Good News, God is grace, and forgiveness pours out on all those who ask, and thus we know the mighty truth In Jesus Christ we Are Forgiven.
Prayers of the People
God with lift up to you the blessings of prayer for those who are in need of grace and prayer because they are sick, lonely or suffering. We call on the Holy Spirit to comfort and counsel those who need encouragement. We offer these prayers …(names of those in need)
Similarly, we ask those blessings for those who we are celebrating with, those who we know have experienced joy or hope or blessings in their lives, we offer these names (names of those in celebration)
God, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we lift these and all those prayers that remain on our hearts to you, you know who they are, that you may bless them and keep them and fill them all with good things, physical, mental, spiritual. Give people in our community and across the world what we need so that we can continue to work on living out your kin(g)dom promise of love and peace on earth. We pray this using the prayer your son taught us together (The Lord’s Prayer) Amen.
Prayer of the Day/Collect
God guide us as we search for signs of your Goodness and strength in the world, so that we are able to feel and share your blessings and to experience your sanctuary we pray, in your most Divine Name. Amen.
Hymns and Music
Blest Be the Tie That Binds
UMH 557
PH 438
GTG 306
AAHH 341
NNBH 298
NCH 393
CH 433
LBW 370
ELW 656
W&P 393
AMEC 522
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
UMH 400
H82 686
PH 356
GTG 475
AAHH 175
NNBH 166
NCH 459
CH 16
LBW 499
ELW 807
W&P 68
AMEC 77
STLT 126
Spirit of the Living God
UMH 393
PH 322
GTG 288
AAHH 320
NNBH 133
NCH 283
CH 259
W&P 492
Renew 90
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH 454
PH 324
GTG 451
NNBH 218
CH 586
W&P 480
AMEC 28/
Create in Me a Clean Heart
CCB 54
Renew 181/182
Music Resources Key
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
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CHILDREN’S SERMON
A Bad Case of the Gottas
by Chris Keating
Luke 12:13-21
Bring with you:
An empty school backpack.
Information about donating school supplies in your local area.
After welcoming the children, ask them if they are getting ready to go back to school. If they are toddlers, you can ask if there is anyone in their homes who are headed back to school, or if they will be attending preschool or daycare. Ask them, “Raise your hands if you are excited for school to begin!” Then, to make things fun, ask the adults in the congregation to raise their hands if they are ready for school to start!
Many churches and other organizations may be holding back-to-school drives. If your church is collecting supplies or backpacks, you can talk to the children about that and share bit about the organization you are supporting. School supplies are expensive and not every family can afford them.
According to CapitalOne, Americans spend $125 billion on back-to-school. What would happen if we tried to put all those things into this empty backpack? (They would not fit, of course). Share with the children that across America, the average family spends more than $500 per child on helping them get ready to go back to school. For many people, that is money they just don’t have.
Say to them, “Imagine if you went to school with an empty backpack. How would you feel looking at other kids and the things they brought in? It’s important to share, because we know God wants us to love our neighbors.”
Today, Jesus tells us a story about a man who had a bad case of the “gotta haves.” Have they ever heard that? You’re being a bit silly, but the story is about a farmer whose farm had an exceptional harvest. He brought in more crops than he could store. But instead of sharing that food with his neighbors, he decided to keep it all for himself. He said, “I gotta have more barns! I gotta take care of myself!”
When we say, ‘I gotta have more’ stuff, sometimes we are forgetting that there are differences between things we need and things we may want. A bad case of the ‘gottas’ sometimes makes us cranky with our parents when we see new toys in stores. Sometimes, we see special treats in grocery stores and we say, ‘Oooo…I gotta have that!’
For example, if we have a bad case of the “gotta haves,” we may tell our parents we need not just one marker set for school, but maybe two or even three. We think we “gotta” have the markers at home and at school. Sometimes we really do need things, but other times we are being a bit greedy and decide we “gotta have” more. Then, like the man, we end up thinking we just gotta have more places to store our stuff.
Jesus suggests that the best cure for “gotta haves” is to think about others who may need things they cannot afford. We can buy and share with others, instead of just keeping things to ourselves. That can be a way of not letting the “gottas’ keep us from loving God and our neighbors.
Prayer: Loving God, you have given us many things. Help us to share what we have with others so that they too may know they are loved by you and others. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, August 3, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
- Is The Church In the Throes of Adolescence? by Katy Stenta based on Hosea 11:1-11.
- Second Thoughts: Jesus Considers the Self-Storage Unit by Mary Austin based on Luke 12:13-21.
- Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Tom Willadsen, Nazish Naseem.
- Worship resources by Katy Stenta.
- Children’s sermon: A Bad Case of the Gottas by Chris Keating. Jesus teaches a story about greed and how it prevents us from being thankful.
Is The Church In the Throes of Adolescence?
by Katy Stenta
Hosea 11:1-11
Who has a claim on God’s blessing, and who exactly is a child of God? These may not seem to be burning questions, but in a day of low church attendance and participation, it is a relevant one.
In the Scriptures
In the Bible, more than once, God speaks of Israel as the children of God. In Exodus 4:22, when Moses and God are persuading Pharaoh to free the Israeli people, God calls Israel God’s firstborn son. Moreover, God hints at God’s adoption of more children in the Abrahamic promise, in Genesis 22:17, when God challenges Abraham to count the stars and the grains of sand and promises that Abraham’s descendants will be as many, and that they will all have God’s blessing.
In the News
It doesn’t take more than a quick search to find approximately a million articles and studies to see that all denominations are still in decline. For a while, evangelical denominations were holding their own in attendance, but they too are losing people. The trend is clear, religion is in for a huge change. What used to be part of large mainstream society — going to church in the 1920s-1950s — is no longer cool. Generation Z (my child who is currently 17) and Generation Alpha (and my child who is about 13 right now) are mostly not going to church. This is no doubt compounded by the marrying of politics to white evangelicalism, which has led to toxic policies, including, but not limited to, MAGA, as detailed in John Wayne and Jesus, which promises power and strongman masculinity as part and parcel of Christianity. (You can see a summary of the book here.) You can see a different summary of the partnership between Trump, MAGA, and evangelicals here.
The start of anti-aborition politics and the moving on to anti-trans behavior has certainly tied both parties, if not Christianity itself, in knots. These are not the kind of policies that bring people together in the covenant of Genesis 22, or promises the kind of liberation that one hopes for in Exodus 4.
In the Sermon
When we look at Christianity, or even the United States right now, we are no doubt weeping right along with God. Why is the church not this booming, perfect entity? Why can’t we have everything figured out? What is this rebellious mixed up thing that wants to be popular one minute, but seems to be generous and get it right the next? The church definitely sounds like a teenager going through an identity crisis. After all, in the grand scheme of things, 2,000 years old is probably not all that old to God. And the institution of the church itself is only fiftieish years old in its current iteration, and that is nothing compared to its long life.
What does one do with teenagers who are, rightfully, “angsty” and worried because the whole world is scary? What to do with teenagers who do not know what they are growing up to be? Teenagers whose bodies are changing, identities are forming, who are hanging out with all kinds of entities and trying things on? We hold their hands, we love them exactly as they are, and we tell them that we love them and that everything is going to be okay (maybe especially when we are not exactly sure if that is true or not).
God is having a very parental moment here talking about the cords of human kindness and the bands of love. God is saying that God will always be Israel’s parent. There is nothing that can stop that familial bond. The rebellion is there, but so is the love. God’s compassion will continue to grow.
I am reminded of Aslan when the teenagers ask if Aslan is tame, and the beavers respond that, no, but God is good. During these teenage church times, everything might change in the church, people will stop coming, the pews and hymns and buildings might all disappear, but God will still be God, and we will still be God’s people. This is God’s promise. We can hold one another’s hands and know this.
SECOND THOUGHTSJesus Considers the Self-Storage Unit
by Mary Austin
Luke 12:13-21
In the US, a lot of us are like the man in the parable. We need more storage. An estimated four in ten of us pay monthly for some kind of storage. I was feeling slightly judgy about all this excess stuff, until I remembered I’m one of these people. In our apartment building, my husband and I pay for an extra storage closet for (his) camping equipment and (my) holiday decorations.
We shed items to fit into our current apartment, getting down to a painfully tiny number of books, on just two bookshelves. Ouch! And still, we pay money to hold onto things we use just a few times a year.
This gives me sympathy for the villain in this parable. Our storage closet down the hall is just like his barns full of excess. The storage units that pop up every few miles are our cultural equivalent. Many of us are holding onto (too) many things.
The country has “an estimated 52,000 self-storage facilities, covering 2.1 billion square feet — enough for 6 to 7 square feet for every American. The self-storage market is expected to be worth $50 billion by 2029. The industry itself is the perfect union — a service that fulfills a human need and a growth investment that can thrive during historical shifts, such as the dot-com boom and bust, the Great Recession, and Covid-19. One recent survey found that 38% of Americans use self-storage, spending an average of between $75 and $185 month, usually due to one of the four Ds: death, divorce, dislocation, and a disputed fourth D, which toggles between disaster and downsizing, depending on the source.”
There’s also a class divide here. Writer Julie Poole observes, “When wealthy people hoard, there’s a tongue-in-cheek response. In 2022, fans of The Kardashians watched Kim step into a warehouse filled with 30,000 items of clothing. “I’m a memory hoarder,” she later said. During the 2022 show The Great American Tag Sale with Martha Stewart, Joy Behar called Stewart “a high-class hoarder.” They’re forgiven for their massive accumulation of stuff because the stuff is perceived as valuable, with perhaps even cultural significance.” Wealthy people are collectors; poorer people are hoarders.
We’re not just hanging on to Grandma’s fine china and Grandpa’s cribbage game. We’re stockpiling money, too. For people of means, economists say that America has never been wealthier. Regular people say it doesn’t feel that way. “The share of wealth held by families in the top 10% has reached 69%, while the share held by families in the bottom 50% is only 3%, according to the latest reading from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.” (Perhaps the language of “top” and “bottom” is adding to the problem?) This increase in wealth isn’t money people can use to buy a new stove next week. “Much of the uptick has been locked up in what financial analysts call “illiquid assets” — gains in home prices and stock portfolios — which are not easily translated into cash to pay for bills and expenses that are much higher than they were a few years ago.”
An international survey conducted by Pew Research found that more than half of the adults surveyed “say the gap between the rich and the poor is a very big problem in their country. Another 30% say it is a moderately big problem. A median of 60% believe that rich people having too much political influence contributes a great deal toward economic inequality.”
Is it any wonder we’re holding onto what we have?
Jesus tells this parable in response to a man who wants help with a family inheritance, a reasonable question to ask a rabbi. In essence, Jesus tells the questioner, you and your brother have the same problem: Greed. Jesus reminds the man that his focus is in the wrong place, and then he quotes Psalm 49:7, which says, “Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life; there is no price one can give to God for it.”
But, Jesus, we protest. That’s not a satisfying answer for the questioner, and it’s disappointing for us, too. Even with great faith in God, we still need to pay the electric bill. We already know what Jesus is telling us — our lives can change dramatically at any time. We’re looking for security.
In the Sermon
The man in the parable is wealthy and he still craves the reassurance he gets from holding on. He’s not alone. Decluttering is our national pastime. Swedish Death Cleaning even managed to make a TV show about it. So, what would Jesus say about the things we keep? How can we loosen our grip and move toward craving God more than our things? How can we be “rich toward God,” as the parable says?
More than money is at stake for the man with the barns. Dr. Sarah Stein Lubrano writes that hoarding wealth erodes our social fabric, as “sociologists are able to measure the long-term decline in social trust that is happening in Western societies in the last half century or so, a shift occurring in no small part due to people’s ongoing sense that their lives are no longer part of an intricate and caring social fabric, but are instead reduced to a logic of transactions. Indeed, income inequality and social trust are almost perfect inverse correlates.” With every full barn, the man in the parable is less admired and less trusted by his neighbors. They can tell by his hoarding that he doesn’t care about them. The sermon could explore how we nurture networks of connection, instead of stuffing ourselves full of things.
Or, the sermon could talk about the things that do give us security. Enough money, although not too much. A network of friends and neighbors we can count on. The equanimity of faith. Rhythms that calm us down.
Chronicling her mother’s use of storage units over several decades, Julie Poole notes that the storage units have seen her mother through divorce, address changes, and being functionally homeless while she stayed with relatives. For her mother, “storage remains her most fixed address, an extension of home.” Her mother once told her, “I think I know why people hoard. They’re tired of losing.” The sermon might focus on what the man in the parable is afraid of losing, and what we fear losing, too. What fears are we holding at bay with our piles of possessions?
The sermon might also explore how we pay our lives forward when we’ve been fortunate? How do we give our ransomed lives back to God with our actions, talents, and funds?
I’ll be thinking about the wealthy man and his full barns as I try to root things out of my overflowing storage closet.
ILLUSTRATIONS
From team member Dean FeldmeyerBoth the Epistle and Gospel lessons for today warn against the temptation to greed.
Quick Stories of Greed
Ask your AI source and you will discover, as I did, that classical and folk literature is full of stories about people whose greed leads them into trouble. There is King Midas, of course. And Tolstoy’s story of the man who runs himself to death trying to increase his land holdings. Most of us have heard of those African monkeys who reach into the hollowed-out gourd to get some peanuts but can’t pull their fist out of the hole. They refuse to give up the gourd and are easily captured.
There is a Grimm’s fairy tale about “The Fisherman and His Wife.” In it a magical fish grants wishes, but the wife’s greed grows — from wanting a cottage to ruling the universe and, eventually, they lose everything and are returned to poverty.
In WW Jacobs’s classic horror short story, “The Monkey’s Paw,” a cursed paw grants wishes but a family’s greed leads to horror and heartbreak as each wish twists into tragedy. In the African folk tale, “Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom” a spider tries to keep all wisdom for himself. In his greed, he fails and loses it all, leaving the wisdom to be shared with the world.
And don’t forget to look up “Ali Babba and the 40 Thieves.”
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What Would You Do?
According to The Motley Fool, here are the top five things people say they would be willing to do for a million dollars:
- Go on a bread and water diet for two years.
- Never eat meat again.
- Move to another country permanently.
- Given only a machete, flint and the clothes on your back, live alone on a deserted island for two years.
- Give up television for the rest of your life.
- Get out of debt.
- Set up an emergency fund.
- Invest a lot of it for your future.
- Make a down payment on a new home.
- Buy a new car.
- Take a big trip.
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Greed Goes to the Movies
Most critics agree that the greatest film ever made is Citizen Kane, a 1941 movie about greed and the slow destruction of Charles Foster Kane, who is driven by it. It’s worth a look, but if you’re wanting something a little more contemporary, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) says that these are the top ten recent Hollywood movies about greed listed from 10-1.
10. The Social Network — As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
9. The Devil’s Double — A chilling vision of the house of Saddam. The world of Hussein comes to life through the eyes of the man who was given a choice; either be the double for Saddam’s sadistic son, or die.
8. American Psycho — A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.
7. There Will Be Blood — A story of family, religion, hatred, oil, and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the prospecting business.
6. Scarface — In the 1980s, a determined criminal-minded Cuban immigrant becomes the biggest drug smuggler in Miami, and is eventually undone by his own drug addiction.
5. Goodfellas — The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
4. Catch Me if You Can — Barely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street — Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption, and the federal government.
2. Casino — In Las Vegas, two best friends — a casino executive and a Mafia enforcer — compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.
1. Wall Street — An impatient young stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless, greedy, corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing.
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Ponzi
Look up the word “greed” in the dictionary and you will likely see a picture of Charles “Carlo” Ponzi, the notorious, early 20th-century Italian conman who tricked and swindled his investors, friends, and family out of millions of dollars throughout his lifetime.
Though his criminal machinations are legion, (he made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling land in Florida that turned out to be underwater) his favorite scheme was to convince investors to invest in a non-existent company he owned with the promise of a 50-100% return on their investments in just a few months. When the first payment came due, he would pay the early investors with money collected from later investors, always skimming a healthy portion off the top for himself.
He made the modern equivalent of about $60 million before people began to become suspicious and investigations uncovered his massive deception.
Consequently, Ponzi spent years in prison and, eventually, died in poverty in a charity hospital bed.
Unfortunately, there are those who just can’t learn from the experience of others.
By leveraging his reputation as a trusted investment advisor, Bernie Madoff lured thousands of investors into a $65 billion “Ponzi” scheme that defrauded average retirees, Hollywood personalities, and even his own children.
On June 29, 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed. On April 14, 2021, he died at the Federal Medical Center, Butner, in North Carolina, from chronic kidney disease.
* * *
In the concluding sentences of Colossians 3:1-11 Paul calls the faithful to embrace what, today, might be referred to as the “Big Tent” notion of Christianity, an “inclusive” idea that would find much opposition among some contemporary Christians.
Inclusive on the Frontier
Texas-based home renovation duo and HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines are facing a backlash in recent weeks over their decision to feature a gay couple on their new reality show, Back to the Frontier. While the Gaineses haven’t said anything directly about being LGBTQ-affirming, many conservative Christians condemned the move as a betrayal of Christian values and an attempt to normalize queer relationships. On the flip side, some progressive Christians called out what they view as hypocrisy of conservative leaders who are holding the reality stars to a higher moral standard than the president of the United States.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are executive producers on the eight-episode series, which follows three families spending a summer living like 1880s homesteaders in the grassy Canadian plains west of Calgary, Alberta. The families forgo running water, flushing toilets, and electricity, learning to travel in covered wagons and harvest their own crops.
At first glance, Back to the Frontier, which debuted on July 10 on HBO Max and the Gaineses’ Magnolia Network, seems catered to evangelical Christians — especially those inspired by the modern tradwife, homeschooling, and homesteading movements. One of those families is the Hanna-Riggs household, which includes husbands Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, along with their ten-year-old twin sons.
The pushback was swift. On July 12, Franklin Graham, son of the late famed evangelist Billy Graham and president of evangelical humanitarian aid organization Samaritan’s Purse, called the Gaines’ decision to feature the Hanna-Riggs family “disappointing.”
“While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s word. His word is absolute truth,” Graham wrote on X. “God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.”
Conservative Christian commentators such as Allie Beth Stuckey and Megan Basham joined the call for the Gaineses to repent, as did the evangelical pastor Mark Driscoll, apologist Frank Turek, and Joel Berry of the Babylon Bee, a Christian news satire website.
Now, though, the couple have drawn fire from Christian conservatives. As the blowback accelerated on social media last week, Chip Gaines, tweeted encouragement to people on X to ask questions, listen, and learn. “It’s a sad Sunday when ‘non believers’ have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian,” he wrote.
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From team member Tom Willadsen:Colossians 3:1-4
Already dead!
This text can be divided after verse 4. In the first verses, Paul describes what has already happened. These verses in Greek are in the indicative mood, so one can read them as “Since you have already been raised with Christ…” That may sound a little creepy for those in the pews when you reach verse 3 “since you have already died.” At this point, recall that the language of baptism is to die in Christ, then to rise from the waters of baptism as a new creation.
In the Presbyterian baptism liturgy one is baptized into “Christ’s death and resurrection.” This is sort of a trick question I like to spring on parents of infants at the pre-baptismal meeting, “What are we baptized into?” Not the church, not water, no, we’re baptized into “Christ’s death and resurrection.”
I was instructed in my Baptism and Eucharist class, more than 30 years ago, that the water in baptism should be “visible and generous.” The professor went on, “enough to recall the peril of drowning.” So, when the grandmother asked to not disturb the cute, little bonnet on the baby’s head, I informed her, “No, that won’t be possible.”
When I baptized my nephew, guided by this instruction, his grandfather told me afterward, “I thought you were going to drown the little guy!”
“Excellent! You got the point,” I replied.
There’s no resurrection without death.
When I was in my legalistic phase — this is before I began to understand grace, a lesson I am continually learning — I thought worshipers who did not attend on Good Friday should not be admitted on Easter. I’ve lightened up since then, but c’mon, there’s too much denial of death!
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Colossians 3:5-11
….therefore….
Because you have been raised with Christ, new behavior is expected of you, Christian. The metaphor of “stripping off” the old self and being “clothed” harkens back to baptismal imagery, too. In ancient Christian practice proselytes were baptized by immersion at the end of the Easter vigil, they were then wrapped in new white robes and led to their first celebration of the eucharist. Paul is using this language to explicitly tie the practice of baptism to the new life, symbolized by new clothing, and a new, risen identity.
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Colossians 3:1-11
But wait, there’s more
It may be tempting to imagine the newly resurrected and clothed self as being only about the individual. My new identity. My new clothes. My new life. The last verse of today’s reading, however, makes it clear that this new individual is part of a community of the renewed, “In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!” (3:11, NRSV) This language is even more inclusive than the words Paul used to the Galatian Christians (cf. Galatians 3:28).
* * *
Luke 12:13-21
The greedy (secure) farmer
It’s interesting to note that the farmer, who is clearly the fool in this parable, has not done anything wrong. There’s nothing to indicate that he cheated anyone or stole anything. He had been a good, prosperous farmer. He even had reached a point where he had “enough.” He was prepared to retire, stop farming and enjoy the literal fruits of his labor. Most of our members have worked hard all their lives, paid into Social Security and contributed to their IRAs. They have “ample goods laid up for many years;” they have earned the right to “relax, eat, drink, be merry.”
The last thing anyone would call these people is “fool;” the last thing they will be is a burden to their children, or society!
There is a quote that has been attributed to John D. Rockefeller, when he was asked, “How much is enough?” he replied, “One more dollar.” While the quote is most likely apocryphal, it illustrates the sort of never-ending greed that appears to motivate people who are already extremely wealthy. That’s the kind of sinful greed that is obviously destructive. This parable is, I believe, about something a little more subtle: security. JD Greear defines an idol as “anything that promises a life of security and joy apart from God.” The farmer in the parable is foolish because his security is in what he stored up for himself. He dies a fool, because his hard work did not bring him the leisure of retirement. He dies a fool because his toil had estranged him his creator.
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From team member Nazish Naseem:Colossians 3:1-11
Emerging Into Grace: The Transformation of New Life
Have you noticed the process of a beautiful butterfly emerging from its cocoon? For a time, it was confined, hidden away, and seemingly lifeless. But as it breaks free, it stretches its wings and takes to the skies, a joyous symbol of transformation and new life, a breathtaking sight of beauty and grace, liberated from its former state. This beauty is a reflection of the spiritual renewal that we can experience.
In Colossians 3:1-11, Paul invites us to experience our transformation. Just as the butterfly sheds its old form, we are called to set our minds on the things above on love, grace, and renewal. We are urged to let go of our earthly behaviors, such as anger, deceit, and selfishness, which weigh us down.
In my backyard, I constantly pull-out weeds to ensure that the vegetables and flowers thrive. Similarly, as we focus on Christ, we are called to ‘put to death’ those old ways and cultivate our true selves, united in love and purpose.
This passage reminds us that just as the butterfly emerges anew, we, too, can rise above our past, embracing our identity in Christ and blooming in the beauty of God’s grace. Through this transformation, we not only grow ourselves but also play a vital role in contributing to a flourishing community that reflects God’s love to the world.
* * *
Psalm 49
Echoes of Eternity: The Timeless Wisdom of Psalm 49
In the quiet of a moonlit night, the wisdom of Psalm 49 resonates through the ages, calling to those who dwell in wealth and power. As the fading light reveals the contours of our lives, the psalmist urges us to listen: “Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world.” It’s a reminder that the riches we accumulate and the status we strive for are but fleeting shadows.
Last week, I was at my cousin’s grand feast by their pool; a scene filled with opulence and abundance, where laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air. Yet beneath this facade of prosperity lies a profound truth waiting to be revealed. This truth humbles the proud and comforts the meek. The wealthy may boast of their riches, and the influential may strut like peacocks, but ultimately, “no one can by any means redeem his brother” or secure his own life against the inevitable grasp of death.
As the night deepens, the psalm unveils a striking reality: ‘For when he dies, he carries nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.’ Here, the fragility of human existence is laid bare, challenging our perception of success and eternity. The contrast between wealth and the afterlife becomes clear: earthly treasures fade, while spiritual wealth, which is not measured in material possessions but in the depth of our relationships and the impact we make, endures.
We are left to ponder the legacy we choose to cultivate. This is not a passive decision, but an active choice we make every day. Will we chase the ephemeral, or seek what truly satisfies? As dawn breaks, the truth of Psalm 49 resonates — our lives are not defined by what we have, but by whom we serve and how we love. In the end, it is not the riches we leave behind, but the impact we make through our service to others and the love we share that echo through eternity.
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Luke 12:13-21
The True Wealth: Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool
In this parable of the rich fool, Jesus presents a powerful illustration of the futility of placing trust in wealth. The story tells of a farmer who, blessed with a bountiful harvest, becomes so consumed by his riches that he neglects the importance of relationships and the eternal treasures of faith and community. He dreams of building larger barns and enjoying endless comforts, believing that his wealth will secure his future. However, the unexpected arrival of death shatters his plans and reveals a harsh truth: wealth can be an illusion, providing a false sense of security. This parable serves as a poignant reminder for all of us, regardless of our material possessions, to consider the true value of our lives.
The farmer’s folly lies not in his prosperity but in his selfish accumulation of wealth. He becomes so absorbed in his possessions that he loses sight of the richness of life’s relationships and the eternal treasures of faith and community. His focus on material wealth leads to isolation and spiritual poverty. Jesus admonishes, “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
This powerful narrative urges us to reflect on the true currency of our lives. Are we investing in temporary riches or are we nurturing connections, kindness, and spiritual growth? Ultimately, the story reminds us that life’s true abundance is found in giving, loving, and living with purpose. What we cherish in our hearts the spiritual wealth we accumulate will outlast any earthly treasure, offering us hope and reassurance.
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WORSHIPby Katy Stenta
Call to Worship
One: O Give thanks to God
All: God is good, God’s steadfast love endures forever
One: God gathers—from the North and the South, from the East and the West
All: Some wandered in with hunger and thirst and their souls were fainting within them
One: When they cried to God in their double, God delivers them
All: God fells them with good things
One: Let us praise God, who takes care of us
All: Let us praise God, who fills us with Good Things
Or
One: God calls us to the good
All: God does not store goodness away
One: There is no expiration date on God’s blessings
All: God gives them to us in excess
One: Come let us praise the God of bounty
All: Come let us share God’s blessings
One: Come let us praise God, who is full of Grace
All: Come let us share God’s sanctuary with one another
Prayer of Confession
One: Come let us bring our full selves to God, that we might understand the fullness of God’s blessings together.
All: God we confess that we do not understand the magnitude of your blessings, we feel like blessings are like pie, that they might diminish over time or that their might not be enough to go around or that we might need to hoard them so that they can be saved up for later. We fail to understand that the very nature of blessings is their multiplicity. You charge us to be blessed and be a blessing. You remind us to share blessings with everyone. Remind us how to bless all those we meet we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Grace
Hear the Good News, God is grace, and forgiveness pours out on all those who ask, and thus we know the mighty truth In Jesus Christ we Are Forgiven.
Prayers of the People
God with lift up to you the blessings of prayer for those who are in need of grace and prayer because they are sick, lonely or suffering. We call on the Holy Spirit to comfort and counsel those who need encouragement. We offer these prayers …(names of those in need)
Similarly, we ask those blessings for those who we are celebrating with, those who we know have experienced joy or hope or blessings in their lives, we offer these names (names of those in celebration)
God, in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we lift these and all those prayers that remain on our hearts to you, you know who they are, that you may bless them and keep them and fill them all with good things, physical, mental, spiritual. Give people in our community and across the world what we need so that we can continue to work on living out your kin(g)dom promise of love and peace on earth. We pray this using the prayer your son taught us together (The Lord’s Prayer) Amen.
Prayer of the Day/Collect
God guide us as we search for signs of your Goodness and strength in the world, so that we are able to feel and share your blessings and to experience your sanctuary we pray, in your most Divine Name. Amen.
Hymns and Music
Blest Be the Tie That Binds
UMH 557
PH 438
GTG 306
AAHH 341
NNBH 298
NCH 393
CH 433
LBW 370
ELW 656
W&P 393
AMEC 522
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
UMH 400
H82 686
PH 356
GTG 475
AAHH 175
NNBH 166
NCH 459
CH 16
LBW 499
ELW 807
W&P 68
AMEC 77
STLT 126
Spirit of the Living God
UMH 393
PH 322
GTG 288
AAHH 320
NNBH 133
NCH 283
CH 259
W&P 492
Renew 90
Open My Eyes, That I May See
UMH 454
PH 324
GTG 451
NNBH 218
CH 586
W&P 480
AMEC 28/
Create in Me a Clean Heart
CCB 54
Renew 181/182
Music Resources Key
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
GTG: Glory to God, The Presbyterian Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
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CHILDREN’S SERMONA Bad Case of the Gottas
by Chris Keating
Luke 12:13-21
Bring with you:
An empty school backpack.
Information about donating school supplies in your local area.
After welcoming the children, ask them if they are getting ready to go back to school. If they are toddlers, you can ask if there is anyone in their homes who are headed back to school, or if they will be attending preschool or daycare. Ask them, “Raise your hands if you are excited for school to begin!” Then, to make things fun, ask the adults in the congregation to raise their hands if they are ready for school to start!
Many churches and other organizations may be holding back-to-school drives. If your church is collecting supplies or backpacks, you can talk to the children about that and share bit about the organization you are supporting. School supplies are expensive and not every family can afford them.
According to CapitalOne, Americans spend $125 billion on back-to-school. What would happen if we tried to put all those things into this empty backpack? (They would not fit, of course). Share with the children that across America, the average family spends more than $500 per child on helping them get ready to go back to school. For many people, that is money they just don’t have.
Say to them, “Imagine if you went to school with an empty backpack. How would you feel looking at other kids and the things they brought in? It’s important to share, because we know God wants us to love our neighbors.”
Today, Jesus tells us a story about a man who had a bad case of the “gotta haves.” Have they ever heard that? You’re being a bit silly, but the story is about a farmer whose farm had an exceptional harvest. He brought in more crops than he could store. But instead of sharing that food with his neighbors, he decided to keep it all for himself. He said, “I gotta have more barns! I gotta take care of myself!”
When we say, ‘I gotta have more’ stuff, sometimes we are forgetting that there are differences between things we need and things we may want. A bad case of the ‘gottas’ sometimes makes us cranky with our parents when we see new toys in stores. Sometimes, we see special treats in grocery stores and we say, ‘Oooo…I gotta have that!’
For example, if we have a bad case of the “gotta haves,” we may tell our parents we need not just one marker set for school, but maybe two or even three. We think we “gotta” have the markers at home and at school. Sometimes we really do need things, but other times we are being a bit greedy and decide we “gotta have” more. Then, like the man, we end up thinking we just gotta have more places to store our stuff.
Jesus suggests that the best cure for “gotta haves” is to think about others who may need things they cannot afford. We can buy and share with others, instead of just keeping things to ourselves. That can be a way of not letting the “gottas’ keep us from loving God and our neighbors.
Prayer: Loving God, you have given us many things. Help us to share what we have with others so that they too may know they are loved by you and others. Amen.
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The Immediate Word, August 3, 2025 issue.
Copyright 2025 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
