The First Sunday after Trinity
When the beggar Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. For he was truly Abraham’s seed. He believed in the Lord, and the Lord “accounted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:1–6). The name Lazarus means “God is my help.” The unnamed rich man, on the other hand, did not love and trust in God. For he evidently cared little for the beggar at his gate. And “he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:16–21). He who loved and trusted in possessions and prestige died and was in torments in Hades (Luke 16:19–31). Repentance and faith are worked only through Moses and the prophets—that is, the Word of God, for it points us to Christ. Through His death and resurrection, we are brought to the comfort of life everlasting.
Introit: (Psalm 13:1-4; antiphon: Psalm 13:5-6)
Pastor: [ O Lord,] I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
Congregation: I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
P: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
C: How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
P: Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
C: lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
All: Gloria Patri – Page 186
Collect of the Day
O God, the strength of all who trust in You, mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing, grant us Your grace to keep Your commandments that we may please You in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
- Genesis 15:1-6 +
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (2) But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” (3) And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” (4) And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” (5) And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” (6) And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Gradual: (Psalm 41:4, 1)
I said, “O Lord, be gra- | cious to me;*
heal me, for I have sinned a- | gainst you!”
Blessed is the one who consid- | ers the poor!*
In the day of trouble the Lord de- | livers him.
- 1 John 4:16-21 +
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (17) By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (19) We love because he first loved us. (20) If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (21) And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
The Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: Luther’s Small Catechism (1529)
P: As the head of the family should teach them in a simple way to his household. What is the 2nd Commandment?
C: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
P: What does this mean?
C: We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
P: What is the Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer?
C: Our Father who art in heaven.
P: What does this mean?
C: With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father.
P: Which is the great commandment in the law?
C: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ “This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38
Verse: (Psalm 7:1)
P: Alleluia. O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;
C: save me from all my pursuers and deliver me. Alleluia.
- Luke 16:19-31 +
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. (20) And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, (21) who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, (23) and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. (24) And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ (25) But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. (26) And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ (27) And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— (28) for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ (29) But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ (30) And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ (31) He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
