Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                     27 September 2025

Amos 6:1–7

₁"Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,

         and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,

the notable men of the first of the nations,

         to whom the house of Israel comes!

₂Pass over to Calneh, and see,

         and from there go to Hamath the great;

         then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are you better than these kingdoms?

         Or is their territory greater than your territory,

₃O you who put far away the day of disaster

         and bring near the seat of violence?

₄"Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory

         and stretch themselves out on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock

         and calves from the midst of the stall,

₅who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp

         and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,

₆who drink wine in bowls

         and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

         but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!₇Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile,

         and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away."

Psalm 146

₁Praise | the Lord!*

Praise the Lord, | O my soul!

₂I will praise the Lord as long | as I live;*

         I will sing praises to my God while I have my | being.

₃Put not your trust in | princes,*

         in a son of man, in whom there is no sal- | vation.

₄When his breath departs he returns | to the earth;*

         on that very day his plans | perish.

₅Blessèd is he whose help is the God of | Jacob,*

         whose hope is in the |Lord his God,

₆who made heaven and earth,

         the sea, and all that is | in them,*

who keeps faith for- | ever;

         ₇who executes justice for | the oppressed,*

         who gives food to the | hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

         ₈the Lord opens the eyes | of the blind.*

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

         the Lord loves the | righteous.

₉The Lord watches over the sojourners;

         he upholds the widow and the | fatherless,*

         but the way of the wicked he brings to | ruin.

₁₀The Lord will reign for- | ever,*

         your God, O Zion, to all generations. | Praise the Lord!

Timothy 3:1–13

         ₁The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. ₂Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ₃not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ₄He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, ₅for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? ₆He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ₇Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

         ₈Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. ₉They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ₁₀And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. ₁₁Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. ₁₂Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. ₁₃For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Luke 16:19–31

         ₁₉[Jesus said:] "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ₂₀And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ₂₁who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ₂₂The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, ₂₃and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ₂₄And 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.' ₂₅But 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. ₂₆And 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.' ₂₇And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— ₂₈for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' ₂₉But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' ₃₀And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' ₃₁He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"