First Service
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Unworthy Made Worthy
November 2, 2025
AS WE GATHER
What does it take to be worthy? Worthy of things such as achievements we desire, promotions for which we strive, inclusions for which we long, and accolades for which we aim? In the way of the world, we know being deemed worthy takes qualities such as hard work, dedication, fortitude, and even some fortunate timing with opportunity. Yet what does it take to be worthy of even greater things? Worthy of the lasting joys and inclusion of God’s eternal kingdom? Our Readings today give us our answer. From Isaiah’s lists of the wickedness of Judah, sins like scarlet will be white as snow. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul prays that God may make them “worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith” (1:11). Is it by hard work? Determination? Fortitude? No, in faith, we find the answer is “By his power.” From Luke 19, a very unworthy (and small) Zacchaeus was not deserving of anything good by our standards. Yet he received not only Jesus’ attention but also salvation upon his house. What does it take to be worthy? For the things of God’s kingdom, it takes faith in the One who has been perfectly worthy for us. “Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God” (LSB, p. 155).
+ PREPARATION +
HYMN Today Thy Mercy Call US TLH 279
Today Thy mercy calls us To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass, Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy Our hearts have turned away,
Thy precious blood can cleanse us And make us white today.
Today Thy gate is open, And all who enter in
Shall find a Father's welcome And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten, A present joy be given,
A future grace be promised, A glorious crown in heaven.
Today our Father calls us, His Holy Spirit waits;
His blessed angels gather Around the heavenly gates.
No question will be asked us How often we have come;
Although we oft have wandered, It is our Father's home.
O all-embracing Mercy, O ever-open Door,
What should we do without Thee When heart and eye run o'er?
When all things seem against us, To drive us to despair,
We know one gate is open, One ear will hear our prayer.
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Pastor: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
People: who made heaven and earth.
Pastor: If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
People: But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.
Pastor: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word and call upon Him in prayer and praise, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people, let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
People: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life.
Pastor: Though your sins are like scarlet,
People: they shall be as white as snow;
Pastor: though they are red like crimson,
People: they shall become like wool.
Pastor: Almighty God, our merciful Father, has declared us to be His children and gathered us into His one, holy church, in which He richly and daily forgives us our sins and grants us new life through His Spirit. In His mercy, He has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power,
People: so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
+ WORD +
HYMN OF PRAISE There Is a Redeemer CH308
There is a Redeemer – Jesus, God’s own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Refrain: Thank You, O my Father, for giving us Your Son,
And leaving Your Spirit till the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners slain. (Refrain)
When I stand in glory, I will see His face.
There I’ll serve my King forever in that holy place. (Refrain)
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Pastor: Let us pray. O Lord, stir up the hearts of Your faithful people to welcome and joyfully receive Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, that He may find in us a fit dwelling place; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Isaiah 1:10–18 (The wickedness of Judah)
10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. 12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 4 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. 18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
EPISTLE 2 Thessalonians 1:1–5, 11–12 (Judgment at Christ’s coming)
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—
11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
HOLY GOSPEL Luke 19:1–10 (Zacchaeus the tax collector)
He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
HYMN How Firm A Foundation TLH 427 vs 1 – 3 & vs 7
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
In every condition, -- in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, --
The Lord, the Almighty, thy strength e'er shall be.
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.
"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never, forsake!"
SERMON
NICENE CREED
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
GREETING/ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Psalm 130
Pastor: Let us pray for the people of God in Christ Jesus and all people according to their needs.
In our needs, and with our prayers, we pray alongside the Psalmist in response. Gracious Lord, in this sin-stricken world, we face trials and temptations and times of feeling unworthy of love from others and from You. Even in our lowest times, we come to You.
People: Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord!
Pastor: Give us peace and understanding amid the noise around us that cause us to lose focus in many ways and be distracted in our relationship with You. We thank You that You hear and answer us at all times.
People: O Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
Pastor: Grant us strength to face our days, and assurance of Your presence. In times of guilt and shame, draw us to You. In times of unworthiness felt in this life, point us to Jesus, who for us became and was the worthy Lamb for the sins of the world. In sin known to us and sins known only to You, assure us of the forgiveness won for us through Christ’s death and resurrection.
People: If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.
Pastor: Guide those who wait for answers sought in this life and give them patience. Comfort those who wait with ailments of the body, mind, or soul, [especially . . .], and give them comfort in times of affliction. Grant Your peace to those who wait in grief and mourning of loved ones lost, and those who wait patiently for the day of redemption to come.
People: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.
Pastor: In the midst of things unknown and unseen, strengthen our faith to hold to what we can be sure of as Your reveal it to us through Your Word and Sacraments. Help us to keep our identity given by You as Your baptized children and redeemed people, that we may keep the hope found in You through Christ alone.
People: O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Pastor: Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
People: Amen.