New Member Class Series #1 Sunday, September 27, 2026 | Class #1 | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, October 4, 2026 | Class #2 + Tour | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, October 18, 2026 | Class #3 + Introduction | 9:30 - 12:30 PM New Member Class Series #2 Sunday, February 7, 2027 | Class #1 | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, February 21, 2027 | Class #2 + Tour | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, February 28, 2027 | Class #3 + Introduction | 9:30 - 12:30 PM New Member Class Series #3 Sunday, April 25, 2027 | Class #1 | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, May 2, 2027 | Class #2 + Tour | 9:30 - 10:30 AM Sunday, May 16, 2027 | Class #3 + Introduction | 9:30 - 12:30 PM ​ Reach out to Meagan Hooper (mhooper@brickchurch.org) with any questions!

We are looking forward to great program year of activities for our tween and teen age congregants! Pioneers is our youth group for 5th-7th grade. Students 9th grade and up participate in High School Youth Group. 8th grade students often participate in Confirmation and are always welcome at All Youth events.

Confirmation is a year-long opportunity for students (typically 8th Graders) to spend time with their peers, discuss the Christian faith, and get more involved in the Brick Church community. At the end of the year, students may choose to join The Brick Church as an active member. Confirmation Class meets Sundays at 9:00 AM in the Carnegie Room (3rd Floor). We ask parents to join us on Sunday, September 20 at 9:00 AM for that first day of class while we go over the calendar, logistics, and answer any questions. We are extremely excited for the year ahead and can’t wait to get to know your students better. For more information, please email lfreman@brickchurch.org.

Calling all seventh - twelfth graders! Members of The Order of St. Paul assist in the worship service each Sunday, carrying the cross (we call the crucifer) in the Procession, serving as flag-bearers, and serving as candle attendants, as well as assisting the pastors at special services during Lent. If you are a seventh grader or older and interested in worship leadership, The Order of St. Paul is for you! Community service credit is available at program-year end based on service hours and commitment to the Order.

Registration is now open for the Youth Choir! Led by Liz Richter, the Youth Choirs offer advanced musical training and extraordinary leadership opportunities for children. They sing in worship on Sundays as well as signature Brick events such as the Park Avenue Tree Lighting. Rehearsals are on Wednesday afternoons. Cherub Choir (Preschool to Kindergarten) *Must be 4 by September 1. Wednesdays, 3:00-3:30 PM Carol Choir (Grades 1st – 3rd) Wednesdays, 3:40-4:20 PM St. Cecilia Choir (Grades 4th – 8th) Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30 PM

Registration is now open for Spring Musical Theater classes! Featuring artists from Brick Church Community Theater, these performing arts classes will help students increase their confidence, build self-esteem, and explore self-expression in a supportive environment.

2 Samuel 7:12–16, Matthew 16:13–23 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8b Ever since the reign of King David in 1000 B.C., Israel has yearned for a ruler like him because history has been cruel. David represented the pinnacle of Israelite sovereignty, and so a prophecy arose: there would be a king like David, who would rule an eternal throne, known as “the messiah” — no more cycle of violence, no more idolatry. This might be akin to America looking back on the halcyon days of George Washington, when leadership was filled with honor and morality — before politics had lost its way to special interests, and the country had forgotten the privilege of freedom, and the responsibility to be a beacon of hope to the world. In George Washington's time, it was an era of unprecedented, timeless wisdom. The war with England honed their understanding of what it not only meant to be a country, but what it meant to be a moral person. The writings in America were both unique at the time, but had also drawn on some of the best minds from around the planet and across the years. There was a similar bursting forth in King David's time. David's rule was a time not only of political stability but of expansion. He executed trade deals with King Hiram of Tyre that brought money and resources, and the arts also flourished. David was not only a warrior, but a poet and a musician. He played the lyre and composed many poems — timeless insights not only into people, but into the very heart of God. Truly, today, what we would call a Renaissance man. Phrases like “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” “The Lord is my light and my salvation — of whom shall I be afraid?” “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” These quotes are all from the Psalms, a timeless collection of some of the world’s greatest poetry. It is unlikely — extremely unlikely — that David wrote all or even the majority of these songs. But this fact underscores a key facet of his legacy. They have been attributed to David because the nation of Israel saw him and that era as their most treasured and coveted time. So when Peter called Jesus the Messiah, we can understand his motivation for wanting the Messiah to be another king like David. It was a unique time in Israel's history, never again to be repeated — a time of peace, prosperity, flourishing arts, and pride in what it meant to be the nation of Israel. Any person in Peter's shoes would want the same thing. But alas, Jesus knew better than Peter that even those halcyon days of Israel had a fatal flaw. As with America during the time of Washington, Israel had an infection of sin. For our country, it was the stain of slavery. And for Israel, David's lust. David allowed his passion to lead him to become a murderer. And the fruit of his illicit liaison, Solomon, became the next anointed king of Israel — and it was through his leadership that Israel was set on a path that it still suffers from today. Under Solomon's leadership, taxes became excessively burdensome, and forced labor became the pawns of Solomon's lust for grandeur. But he played favorites, exempting his own tribe from these burdens. He took over seven hundred daughters for wives, and conscripted sons for unwise wars. Eventually, Israel literally split into two kingdoms and two kings, never again to be reunited. Yes, Jesus, more than anyone, knew how the flaws of even one person can lead a whole nation to embrace their lesser selves. This is why he responded so harshly to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan.” I don't think Jesus believed that Peter had been possessed by an evil being, but rather that Peter was offering a temptation. Satan means “tempter.” Peter was tempting Jesus to take an easier path — the path of least resistance. And Jesus knew that such temptation leads to tragic consequences. After the revelation that Jesus was the Messiah, he brought the disciples closer to the truth. He was not going to be a leader like King David — a warrior who slayed Goliath and killed lions with his bare hands. He was not going to establish a political dynasty. In fact, he was going to be a victim. He was going to suffer not only physical pain and death, but social shame and rejection — and most of all, that he would be killed. Peter's conception of the Messiah simply did not account for a messiah to suffer shame rather than adulation. David represented the opposite, and if the Messiah was a king and a ruler like David, Jesus must be mistaken. But the truth was there for Peter to know: the prophet Isaiah, who not only told so many profound prophecies concerning the Messiah, but also explained that he would suffer and that he would not be a violent person. “A bruised reed he would not break.” We have a good idea what Peter and his fellow Israelites wanted from Jesus, and how terribly mistaken they were about the precise nature of his messiahship. But what is it that Messiah means to you and to me, and to Christians in general? What do we want from the Messiah? Unfortunately, like Peter, our conception falls short of the true nature of the Messiah. We see the Messiah's job as savior of our souls. And indeed, this is high on my list as well! But in our modern times, we have turned the Messiah into the servant of our desires rather than the Lord of our lives and the world. Let me explain. We love going out to eat, don't we? It's simply one of the favorite things that Wendy and I do together. And what I like so much about it is the wonderful menu — I can choose pizza with gorgonzola and pears, or a fantastic flounder with broccoli rabe and creamy lemon sauce. I can get a Diet Coke or a delicious frozen margarita with a sugar rim. We love eating out because we can pick and choose what we want and don’t have to clean up the mess we make. The restaurant exists to serve our wants and desires, not to give us what we actually need. We want health, wealth, forgiveness, and then for God to essentially leave us alone. But Jesus loves us too much to simply be a Menu God that preserves our souls just as they are. He loves us too much to allow us to experience less — even one bit less — than the life God intended for us, both here and in the hereafter—Abundant, true life. It is a most sublime destination, but it requires a long, hard road of discipline. Just as Jesus himself had to be disciplined for his mission and suffered much on the path, so too will we — when we struggle with temptation, to do that which we know we ought not to do; when we fail to stand up for others; when we hold on too much for ourselves and don't share enough for others; when we treat those we love the most the worst. So truly receiving what the Messiah has to offer is not a momentary decision, but one we make each day. Every morning we wake up, we seek to be more faithful, more loving, more open. And that is how the Spirit that Jesus sent helps us to change — until eventually we are transformed, like that proverbial butterfly, into something beautiful, perfect, timeless. And it is not only for us. The messiah wants to change us so that we can change the world. It won't all happen in this lifetime, but we can get closer. Jesus, the Messiah: the savior, the sufferer, the servant, the beloved, the friend, the Lord. Peter is not the only one who got it wrong. But the good news is Jesus gives us forgiveness and a road map. Let's follow it, and find that true abundant life — not only for ourselves, but for all God's children. Amen.

Join us for Reformation Sunday and celebrate Kirkin’ O’ the Tartan at Brick Church on October 18, 2026! New participants can order and pay for a banner, pole, and stand via credit card. Place orders by July 24 to be ready for the event. The set costs $170 and can be reused for future Kirkin' O' the Tartans. To view the swatches for your Tartan, email sales@greatscotintl.com and reference Brick Church. You can also reach The Scottish Weaver at (704) 535-8955 (ask for Peter) to help you research your family tartan or assist with finding a universal one. The more people we have participating, the better! FOR RETURNING PARTICIPANTS Past participants of Brick Church’s Kirkin’ O' the Tartan do not need to repurchase. Sophie Carnegie will contact you about participating again. Please return your Tartan to the church if it's not stored onsite. VOLUNTEERING For questions, to volunteer, or participate, contact the Brick Church Committee for Kirkin’ O’ the Tartans by emailing info@brickchurch.org by August 22, 2026. FAQs You might ask, what is Kirkin’? 'Kirk' is Scottish for church. Kirkin' means 'churching' or the presentation of tartans in church. You might also ask what is Tartan? It is a colorful fabric representing different Scottish families. A Tartan is a fabric woven in a specific design to represent a group with a mission we revere. 'Kirkin' O' The Tartan" is the presentation of those tartans at church for blessing. Why are we planning this on Reformation Sunday? So we can remember and celebrate our Presbyterian heritage and the reformed churches worldwide. Do you have to be Scottish to participate? Absolutely not! Anyone and everyone is invited to participate in this joyful celebration of our Presbyterian heritage. There are many tartans that are universal and not specific to any one family or Scotland. Check this list for different options. Tradition matters as it provides a link to our important past. We have much for which we can be grateful from Martin Luther, John Knox and John Calvin and the foundation they laid down for us in our reformed faith. At our Kirkin’ service, we will celebrate our Presbyterian denomination and remember ancient times, as well as past and present kith and kin, while asking God’s help and blessings in the future through special music and a procession of bagpipes and tartans. As Scotland is the birthplace of the Presbyterian Church, we host a special Scottish celebration that welcomes everyone to take part. Banners are brought into the sanctuary by church members and led by Scottish bagpipes. Even if you do not have Scottish family roots, as members of the Brick Church, you can celebrate our shared heritage. Click below for more information on understanding the Kirkin'.

Psalm 33:12-22, I Timothy 2:1-4 ​As I began preparing this sermon I realized something—I love America! It has been my joy throughout my life to live in 13 different states! From the mountains of Idaho, to the beaches of California, the pine barrens of Arkansas, the hills of Kentucky, and this great city of New York (amongst other places), every single place, no matter how rural, how urban, or suburban, has been a fantastic place to live! This is a beautiful country. But that's not why I love America; we all have issues with Washington. But for Presbyterians the core identity is not found in the place of power. For example, the essence of our denomination is not the General Assembly, but it is the people. I love America because I love Americans! The people I've encountered have their unique cultures, eccentricities, and faults but also have this joyous, faithful, peaceful, hopeful, respectful, compassionate, loving,and generous spirit everywhere I have been. Certainly our country has its faults and not minor ones. And God takes these very seriously. Jesus' death on the cross shows us how far God will go to restore justice and harmony. But today that's not what I'm going to focus on. Because I believe it is through focusing on what is good and uplifting that more goodness comes—that can push out our flaws. I want to highlight two founding principles of this country: America as the land of opportunity and the true gift of freedom of religion. America as a land of welcome and opportunity for people from around the world. The US Congress declared December 11, 1783, A Public Day of Thanksgiving for Independence. Brick’s founding pastor, John Rogers, delivered a sermon entitled “Divine Goodness Displayed.” In his sermon Rogers spoke directly to his gospel hope for our country as a place of welcome and refuge. What great things has the God of Providence done for our race! By the revolution we celebrate today, he has provided an asylum for the oppressed in all the nations of the earth, whatever the nature of the oppression. The gathering of people from around the world is the theme of Pentecost. At that moment when the church was born, God had brought people from many different nations into that room and they experienced a miracle! With tongues of flame suddenly people of different cultures and nations and historic enmities all felt the power of the Holy Spirit in their midst. God had shattered those barriers. Over the past few years our country has struggled mightily with this identity. But that is not the only story. Perhaps you saw the following headline: “World Cup visitors aren't holding back their reactions to American culture and Wow!” I clicked on it expecting to be saddened by what I read but it was the exact opposite! "I'm not trying to be offensive at all — so far, every American I’ve met has been incredibly friendly — but man…you guys are loud." "Very diverse (at least in California) and no one treats you as a 'foreigner' if you are not white. You really don’t feel like an outsider as a person of color, which is really nice. As a foreigner, I truly don’t think I’ve ever felt so accepted anywhere else I’ve been so far. This has been such a wholesome experience." (And then one that was just so true!) "Nobody warned me that American portion sizes are actually a threat to your health. I ordered a medium coffee and received what my country would classify as a bucket." It’s been called a great international sleepover with small towns across the country thrilled to welcome Algerians, Scots, Iraqis, and more. There’s been an exchange of culture and a joyous connection between people. International fans have been posting emotional videos about their renewed faith in the American dream. This is what we want and hope to be as a country. And it is one of the most powerful ways I have experienced the presence of God. Meeting people with radically different backgrounds and cultures but all of them amazing. It was the people of Magnolia that taught me that hospitality wasn’t just putting a plate of food out and saying hello; it was a way of helping people encounter the love of God. A wonderful member of the church known as Mama Sue showed me the way. She took me to visit a blind elderly man, Chapman, who had no family or friends. I expected my job was to listen and console him, to offer a pastoral presence. But the refrain that kept coming out of his mouth was “God is so good, God is so good.” And he believed this because of the goodness of the people in that town. But of course, the town was not perfect. In 1994, Magnolia, Arkansas, like many southern towns, feared those affected with AIDS. They had been pushed out of their own churches and had no spiritual support when they needed it the most. But a member of First Presbyterian Magnolia came to the session and asked us to become a church, the only church in town, that would agree to host a RAIN team, Regional AIDS Interfaith Network. And for the next several years we supported those with AIDS, with Mama Sue, with love, with home-cooked meals, with parties at the church, with car rides to the doctor, and help with the byzantine process of navigating the medical bureaucracy. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 2004 a church member was watching the news; there was a severe ethnic war devastating the hill people in Thailand known as the Hmong people. This church member contacted their state representatives, and before you knew it the church and the town were resettling a family that had fled. They had four children and only the youngest boy at five years old spoke any English. They helped the parents find jobs; first it was sweeping and cleaning motels and other places. Over the course of many bumps, including a fire that burned down their house, through the town and the parents' perseverance all four children received an excellent education and are now living successful lives as doctors, teachers, and more. Twenty years later that five-year-old boy came to the church and thanked the entire congregation at a service of worship. Those folks completely changed their lives. So though as a country we seem to struggle with how to welcome people from around the world, in every state I lived I have known people devoted to doing exactly that—all to share the love of God. Freedom of Religion The freedom of religion, another foundational principle of this country, has made this an amazing place to live. Listen again to our founding pastor’s sermon from 250 years ago: The rights of conscience—both in faith and worship—are secured to every denomination of Christians. No denomination can oppress another. All stand on the same common level in religious privileges. Nor is this confined to Christians: the Jews also have the liberty of worshiping God in the way they think most acceptable to him. No man is excluded from the rights of citizenship on account of his religious profession—nor ought he to be. In every state I have lived in, I have been enriched by the diverse religious experiences. It has expanded my vision of God. In Pentecost-like fashion despite these differences I have seen people in this country come together across faith differences to make a great difference. In Buffalo it happened at 9/11. The first few days after that terrible day the faith community gathered for a service of prayer — Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and more. They came together to weep as one, to share their stories and to show their love of this country. And when we recited the 23rd Psalm together suddenly those words, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,” took on a power I had never known before. We feared less because we mourned together and prayed as one people of God. But it wasn't only a prayer gathering; the border shut down like a hammer and people who had made their way to Buffalo from all over the world were trying to get into Canada but could not cross; winter in Buffalo was not far off. And so the people of that church went to their homes not to grab their leftover blankets and pillows but brought wonderful furniture and we made a home for 30 refugees. We got them library cards, enrolled the children in school, and we shared fellowship and faith together, despite the religious difference. Here at Brick Church I see it at the Brick Church School. Beginning with its mission: We commit to creating a welcoming and joyful environment for children and adults of all backgrounds in our diverse and inclusive community, where the dignity and value of each person is recognized and celebrated. The school welcomes people of many faiths but all the children come together every Thursday in chapel. I focus on God’s love for all people. I met one Hindu father on the street who told me my son’s favorite time every week is chapel! And I said it’s mine too! As I reflect on God’s great gift of life and my experiences I see the truth of Genesis, which to me is the very core of our country. Genesis tells us that everyone is created in the image of God. And our Declaration of Independence stated it in this way: All are created equal. These truths are at the center of who we are as a people but they do come with responsibility. Listen once more to John Rogers: God has put within our reach all the blessings of civil and religious liberty. Perhaps no nation has ever had so fair an opportunity to become the happiest people on earth. Yet misery as well as happiness lies before us, unless the present state of things is wisely improved. The incredible principles of this country are unmatched on the planet. They are what we aspire to: equality and opportunity​ for all, freedom of religion, the rule of law, and so many more. We have the principles and so we fervently pray God gives us the strength to live into them. As in the words of the wonderful hymn, America the Beautiful, May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine. Finally, as Presbyterians we believe it is not simply the responsibility of the government to deliver them but the call from God to each of us to make this a land of hope, freedom, and abundance for all! America, happy 250th birthday! Amen.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Matthew 15: 10-20 Things That Defile 10 Then Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 Jesus answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.[e] And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 Then Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then goes out of the body? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” This week's passage is different from the parables we have explored in previous weeks. It is much shorter and does not tell a story, yet it is just as important because of the powerful message and the behavior Jesus is cautioning against. Today's passage from Matthew's Gospel specifically exposes acts of religious self-righteousness versus the true inward condition of a person's heart. It asks an important question: How is God honored—or not honored—by our actions? On another level, I think this passage speaks to all of us. It challenges us to consider how we present ourselves to others and whether we have the courage to be vulnerable enough to admit that we don't always feel or act the way we appear on the outside. We don't always have it all together—and that's okay. Jesus knows who we truly are inside. We can never hide our hearts from Him. During Jesus's time, the religious leaders fasted openly, prayed long prayers in public, and made a grand display of giving alms to the poor. In many ways, that resembles the image-conscious world we live in today, where outward appearances and visible acts of devotion can easily become more important than genuine faith. Outward rituals and religious practices can certainly help prepare our hearts to worship God, but they are not enough by themselves. We still need inward devotion to God and love for others. Rituals alone do not make us holy. There were many traditions during Jesus's day concerning ritual washing, including washing one's hands before eating or performing certain religious acts. The religious leaders questioned Jesus because His disciples did not follow the tradition of the elders by participating in ritual cleansing before they ate. To them, this was considered sinful. They had elevated ceremonial handwashing to the level of God's commandments. In this passage, Jesus addresses the very heart of the problem. The crowds had just witnessed His stern rebuke of the religious leaders, exposing not only their lack of inward devotion to God but also their failure to truly obey God's commandments. No amount of handwashing can change our character. God looks at our hearts. Jesus explains that the human heart is the ultimate source of defilement. His message to both the crowd and His disciples is that they should be far more concerned about their inward condition than about the supposed defilement that came from eating with unclean hands or eating foods considered unclean. God knows what is in our hearts, and that is what He sees when He looks at us. Not our appearance. Not our leadership skills. Not our power. Not our wealth. Not our authority. Not our cleanliness. Not even our rituals of worship. None of these things are inherently bad. But above all else, God wants our hearts. By the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, our hearts can be transformed into the kind of hearts God desires—hearts that love Him and love others. As the Apostle Paul writes in his Second Letter to the Corinthians: "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" That is the Good News we cling to as disciples of Jesus. God accomplishes His purposes by changing us from the inside out. So yes, wash your hands before you eat—that's simply good hygiene. But when Jesus cleanses our hearts, then our hands are truly clean, and we become people whom God can use for His great purpose in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham.[a] The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.[b] 24 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.’ 25 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. 26 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.’ 27 He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ 30 He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 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.’ ” Isn’t it interesting that so many of Jesus’s parables have to do with how we treat other people? Today, our parable once again explores the theme of caring for our neighbor, but with a different twist at the end. First, this is not a story about the afterlife in the sense that if we do the right things, we earn our salvation and a place in heaven, while those who sin are punished eternally. Nor is this story teaching that wealth is inherently bad or that poverty is inherently good. The amount of wealth we possess is not a reflection of our character. In his First Letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul writes: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains." The distinction here is not about having money itself, but about the love of money—how we view our relationship to wealth and how we choose to use it. In Judaism at that time, many would likely have concluded that Lazarus's miserable condition was the result of God's punishment for sin, while the rich man's wealth was evidence of God's blessing. Riches were often believed to be a reward for obedience, while suffering was viewed as punishment for sin. Yet in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, we hear God's command: "Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.'" The rich man did not open his hand to the needy. At the same time, we are not given any indication that Lazarus was particularly pious. The contrast in the parable is not based on one man's goodness and the other's wickedness. When Lazarus and the rich man both die, Lazarus finds himself with Father Abraham, perhaps even enjoying the abundant banquet he never experienced during his earthly life. Meanwhile, the rich man appeals to Abraham for mercy. Yet even then, there is no repentance for the way he treated Lazarus during his lifetime. After Abraham explains the great chasm fixed between them, what does the rich man ask? He asks that Lazarus be sent to warn his five brothers so that they will not suffer the same fate. Abraham's response foreshadows Jesus's own resurrection. Even after Christ overcomes death itself, there will still be many who refuse to believe or accept Him. Living faithfully within our covenant relationship with God calls us to "love God and love our neighbor as ourselves." Through the love and grace of Christ, shown to all who receive Him and seek His forgiveness, our hearts are transformed so that we can extend that same love, compassion, and grace to others. And the good news is this: It is never too late. Day by day, as we journey in faith, God continues shaping us into the people He has called us to be.

Let Us Pray Our dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us ears to hear your Holy Word. We pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit to make these ancient words of Scripture relevant and near to each of us this day. Shine your light in our hearts so we may share it with others. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen. From the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan 25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.[a] “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And Jesus said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” One of the central themes of Luke's Gospel is that God's hospitality is extended to all people. But how would Jesus's original audience have heard this parable? The message about being charitable and helping others was not new to Jesus's contemporaries. The Jews were commanded in the Law to care for the widow and the orphan, so the command to "love your neighbor," which the expert in the law quotes at the beginning of the passage, was already well known. The expert in the law sets out to test Jesus by asking how to inherit eternal life. His view seems to be that eternal life is something to be earned—another action to check off a spiritual to-do list. He is looking for justification because he believes he has already been doing what he should. Then he asks the question, "Who is my neighbor?" Perhaps this is another way of asking, Who do I not have to love? Or, Whom can I exclude? In New Testament times, Jews and Samaritans were enemies. They wanted nothing to do with one another and often went out of their way to avoid traveling through each other's territories. It is therefore highly unexpected that the Samaritan would be the one to stop and care for the wounded man lying on the side of the road. So let's consider the priest and the Levite. What is happening here? Traditional interpretations suggest they may have feared becoming ceremonially unclean by approaching or touching what they assumed could be a dead body. Yet Jewish Law also commanded God's people to love both neighbor and stranger, and the dead were to be treated with the utmost respect. Perhaps the priest and the Levite were simply afraid that the same thing might happen to them if they stopped. Traveling by foot along isolated roads could be dangerous. We don't know their motives with certainty, but we do know that they passed by. Now we come to the Samaritan. This parable is about extending love and dignity to our neighbor, no matter who that person is. It reminds us that our care for others is an extension of our acceptance of the extravagant grace God has first extended to us. What if we see the Samaritan as a picture of Jesus—the One who turned expectations upside down by associating with those on the fringes of society, extending healing to the marginalized, and dining with sinners? The Outsider who humbled Himself to stop and minister to the wounded traveler lying in the ditch after everyone else had passed him by. Not only did He stop, but He bandaged the traveler's wounds, took him to an inn, and authorized the innkeeper to charge His account for anything the wounded man needed. Extravagant generosity. Undeserved grace. Can we allow ourselves to be loved by a God who offers us an abundance of all that we need, if only we are willing to receive what He is giving? The divine is manifested through action. Jesus tells the expert in the law, "Go and do likewise." We cannot truly love others until God reveals to us, through Jesus Christ, how He first loved us. Only then can we reach out and care for our neighbors as God calls us to love.