Sunday Worship 28 September 2025
Today’s service is led by the Revd Nicola Furley-Smith
Introduction
Hello, my name is Nicola Furley-Smith and I am the Deputy General Secretary for Ministries. Today’s service is coming to you from Purley United Reformed Church.
Call to Worship
Happy are those whose hope is in the Lord their God. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Our God is generous and just, and lifts up the lowly. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Our God will reign for ever. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Amen.
Hymn Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) Sung by the Northern Baptist Convention and used with their kind permission.
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven
who like thee his praise should sing?
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting King!
Praise him for his grace and favour
to our fathers in distress;
praise him still the same for ever,
slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting King!
Father-like he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hands he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes:
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting King!
Angels, help us to adore him,
ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space:
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting King!
Prayer of Approach, Confession and Lord’s Prayer
God of kindness and compassion, God of fairness and justice,
God who sees all and hears all, we praise you.
God of justice and mercy,
we praise You for the uncomfortable truth of Your Word,
which opens our eyes to the world as it is and as You long for it to be.
You are the God who sees the beggar at the gate,
who hears the cry of the poor,
who lifts up the lowly and brings the proud to account.
God of infinite love and boundless hope,
who calls us to life with you, we praise you.
You are not impressed by riches nor blinded by splendour.
You search the heart, and Your judgment is true.
You remind us that eternity is shaped not by comfort, but by compassion
not by feasting, but by faithfulness. Amen.
Merciful God, so often we have focused on the wrong things
and turned away from those who need our help.
Whether through thoughtlessness, presumption or fear,
we have not embodied the abundant life you offer us.
We confess that we have lived like the rich man dressed in comfort, feasting on abundance, while ignoring the Lazarus at our gate.
We have closed our hearts to the cries of the poor,
turned away from suffering we do not want to see,
and justified our indifference with excuses and distractions.
Forgive us, Lord,
for the times we have known what is right but failed to act.
For the ways we have hardened our hearts,
even when Your law and prophets have spoken clearly.
For building walls of separation
where You call us to hospitality and justice.
We repent of our blindness and beg for Your mercy.
Open our ears to the voices we have silenced.
Open our eyes to the needs we have ignored.
Open our hearts to Your transforming grace.
May we not wait until it is too late.
Teach us now to live with compassion,
to use our blessings for the sake of others,
and to follow the way of Christ,
who became poor so that we might become rich in mercy.
In His name we pray, Amen.
Assurance of forgiveness
Loving God, thank you that it is not too late.
Every day is a new chance to serve you,
to love others and to be the people you made us to be.
Thank you for forgiving us when we get it wrong.
Thank you for being ever willing to begin again.
May we dispense kind words and generous actions.
May we be known for an attitude of love,
that honours you and all you have made. Amen
Hymn Inspired by Love and Anger
John L Bell (born 1949) & Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1987, 2002 WGRG, c/o Iona Community, 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow, G5 9JP, Scotland. OneLicence 178345. Sung by members of the Upper Clyde Parish Church and used with their kind permission.
Inspired by love and anger, disturbed by endless pain,
informed of God’s own bias, we ask him once again:
‘How long must some folk suffer? How long can few folk mind?
How long dare vain self interest turn prayer and pity blind?’
From those forever victims of heartless human greed,
their cruel plight composes a litany of need:
‘Where are the fruits of justice? Where are the signs of peace?
When is the day when prisoners and dreams find their release?’
From those forever shackled to what their wealth can buy,
the fear of lost advantage provokes the bitter cry,
‘Don’t query our position! Don’t criticise our wealth!
Don’t mention those exploited by politics and stealth!
God asks, ‘Who will go for me? Who will extend my reach?
And who, when few will listen, will prophesy and preach?
And who, when few bid welcome will offer all they know?
And who, when few dare follow, will walk the road I show?’
Reading Amos 6:1a, 4-7
Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria. Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David improvise on instruments of music, who drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore, they shall now be the first to go into exile, and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
Reading St Luke 16:19-31
Jesus said: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus in like manner evil things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house – for I have five brothers -that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”
Sermon Are You Sitting Uncomfortably?
Are you sitting uncomfortably? I ask that not to disturb your morning…
…but because it’s exactly where the Bible places us today. Two readings. Amos and Luke. Both deliver messages that are sharp, uncompromising…
…and deeply unsettling. Messages that refuse to be soothed by soft hymns or polite sermons. Messages that should make us shift in our seats.
Let’s begin with Amos. Amos is not your typical prophet. He’s no temple insider. He’s a shepherd. A fig-tree farmer. A man of the soil. And yet, God calls him to speak out. To confront a culture of luxury and indifference. He condemns a society where the wealthy lie on beds of ivory… …recline on couches……feast on lamb and veal…and pour themselves wine from great bowls. Meanwhile, justice is a distant memory. And the poor? They are suffering, ignored, sold into slavery. Amos does not condemn wealth. He condemns apathy. He condemns indifference. “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,” he cries. Woe to those who live in comfort…while their neighbours weep unseen. Woe to those who feel secure…while others go hungry, unheard, unnoticed. Are you sitting uncomfortably yet?
Because today as we worship in peace and safety children will die of hunger. Not because of war. Not because of disaster. But because this is the everyday life of the world’s poor. What we call normal life is unimaginable luxury for millions. Are you sitting uncomfortably?
Amos’s words are timeless. And so, too, are the words of Jesus. Because now we turn to Luke’s Gospel, and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. And few parables strike the heart as forcefully as this one.
The rich man—unnamed—lives in splendour. He dresses in purple and fine linen. He feasts every day. And at his gate — a gate meant for justice in ancient Israel — lies Lazarus. Sick. Hungry. Covered in sores. Longing for scraps. Licked by dogs. Every day, the rich man walks past him. Every day, he chooses to look away. And then comes the great reversal.
Lazarus dies…and is carried by angels to Abraham’s side — the place of honour. The rich man dies…and finds himself in torment. And now he notices Lazarus. ow he calls out. Now he begs for comfort. But the chasm between them is fixed. It cannot be crossed.
This is not divine cruelty. This is the cost of a lifetime of indifference. The rich man’s sin was not his wealth. It was that he didn’t care. He knew Lazarus. He walked past him every day. he never stopped. Never helped. Never even saw him. Are you sitting uncomfortably?
Because we must ask — Who are the Lazaruses at our gates? Who do we step over…because they’re inconvenient? …because they’re far away? …because we don’t know what to do?
The rich man begs Abraham: “Send Lazarus to warn my five brothers.” But Abraham replies, “They have Moses and the prophets. If they don’t listen to them, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
And we know, of course, someone has risen from the dead. Still, the question remains: Do we listen?
Luke’s Gospel does not shy away from the realities of money and power.
Mary sings in the Magnificat: “The rich he has sent away empty. The hungry he has filled with good things.” Jesus, in the synagogue, declares:
“Good news for the poor. Release for the captives.” In the Sermon on the Plain: “Blessed are the poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” And: “Woe to you who are rich… you have already received your consolation.” Zaccheus gives half his wealth to the poor. The early Church shares everything. No one is left in need. This is the economy of the Kingdom.
This is the Gospel lived out.
The Bible does not say wealth is evil. But wealth becomes dangerous
when it dulls our senses…when it insulates us…when it blinds us to the pain of others. And so Jesus warns us—clearly, repeatedly.
We live in a culture that prizes independence, success, comfort. We’re taught to aim higher. To get more. To secure our own future. But rarely do we ask: More of what? Higher than whom? At what cost? And at whose expense?
The parable of Lazarus is not isolated. It’s part of a string of stories in Luke: The lost coin—joy in what is found. The prodigal son—wealth lost and grace found. The dishonest manager—money used wisely or foolishly. Each parable asks us: What do we truly value? Where is our treasure? Who matters?
And here, in Lazarus and the rich man, we see the warning in sharpest relief. This is about more than charity. This is about transformation. About the shape of God’s kingdom. About the reversal of the world’s values. About the cost of turning a blind eye.
This is not just personal. It’s collective. It’s about us. The Church. Society. Community. Because the parable always ends the same way…unless we live a new ending.
Are you sitting uncomfortably? Good. Because maybe discomfort is where transformation begins. The kind of discomfort that wakes us up.
That opens our eyes. That stretches our hearts. That makes space for the Spirit to move.
We are a privileged people. Privileged in education, security, health, opportunity. Privileged to worship freely. Privileged to hear the Word of God. And with privilege comes responsibility. To see. To care. To act.
As Paul wrote: “You know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) Christ gave himself –
not to make us comfortable, but to make us whole. And now calls us to do likewise.
This parable always ends the same way. Unless…unless we live differently.
Unless we rewrite the ending. With our lives. With our love. With our justice. With our generosity. So…over to you. Amen.
Hymn For the Healing of the Nations
Fred Kaan (1929-2009) © 1968 Stainer & Bell Ltd One Licence 178345 Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission.
For the healing of the nations, Lord, we pray with one accord,
for a just and equal sharing of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action help us rise and pledge our word.
Lead us now, Lord, into freedom, from despair your world release,
that, redeemed from war & hatred, all may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness fear will die and hope increase.
You, Creator-God, have written your great name on humankind;
for our growing in your likeness bring the life of Christ to mind;
that by our response and service earth its destiny may find.
Prayers of Intercession
God of compassion and justice,
You see what is hidden, and You hear every silent cry.
With the story of the rich man and Lazarus still echoing in our ears,
we come before You, lifting our prayers for the world You love.
We pray for those who sit at the gates of our comfort—
the hungry, the homeless, the refugee, the forgotten.
May they know dignity, healing, and hope.
May we not walk past them, but kneel beside them,
offering not only words, but action shaped by love.
We pray for the powerful and wealthy,
for those who live in ease while others suffer.
Soften hardened hearts. Shake loose the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Open eyes to the responsibility that comes with privilege.
We pray for the Church, that we might not simply hear the prophets,
but respond with courage and faith.
Make us bold in our witness, tender in our service, and urgent in our love.
We pray for those who live with regret,
who wish they had acted differently—
that they may know Your mercy and find a new way forward.
We pray for ourselves, that we would live each day in light of eternity,
trusting Christ, walking with the poor,
and listening to the voice of Scripture.
God of Lazarus, God of justice, God of mercy –
hear our prayers and make us instruments of Your kingdom.
We pray this morning for the rich and powerful;
for the leaders of nations and multi-national companies,
for diplomats and generals.
May they not feel so elevated
that they are unable to see the poor at their feet.
God of the poor: meet us in our need.
We ask that your Church should be on the side of Lazarus.
Help us to see those around us in need
and to welcome all those excluded by society because of religion, wealth,
background or birth. God of the poor: meet us in our need.
We pray for everyone in need:
for all those ill, physically, mentally, spiritually;
for the despised, excluded and hated; for the bereaved and lonely.
God of the poor: meet us in our need.
Help us to meet others this week as you have met us,
and help us to share in the riches that you give us. Amen.
Hymn All My Hope on God is Founded
Joachim Neander (1650-1680) paraphrased Robert Bridges (1844-1930) BBC Songs of Praise
All my hope on God is founded;
He doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown, He alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Human pride and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
tower and temple, fall to dust.
But God’s power, hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God’s great goodness aye endureth,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springeth out of nought.
Evermore, from his store,
new-born worlds rise and adore.
Still from earth to God eternal
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Christ doth call one and all:
ye who follow shall not fall.
Blessing
Go with eyes and hearts open to the needs of the world.
As you are blessed with belonging,
so may you enfold others in God’s community of care.
Amen.