Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025: August 17, 2025

We invite you to join us for worship as we celebrate the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025! The theme for this week is: “Wisdom, Warning, and Courageous Faith”

Join us at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Burlington, WI (216 E Chandler Blvd) for our Morning Prayer service at 9:00 AM.

We will use the Track II readings to encourage deeper reflection on prophetic insight, divine justice, and faithful risk-taking.

If you cannot join us in person, you can participate via live stream, podcast, or by watching the replay video.

Alternative Ways to Join Us for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

We understand that you may not always be able to join us in person. Life can be unpredictable, and not all of our parishioners live nearby. To accommodate this, we offer various ways for you to worship with us.

Live Stream / Replay

Join us live from anywhere by watching our livestream this Sunday at 9 AM. The stream will begin at 8:50 AM, featuring an organ prelude, so feel free to tune in early or join us at your convenience.

Immediately after the service, the livestream will be available as a replay video that you can watch at any time.

Podcast

We have a podcast called the St. John the Divine Podcast. Subscribe or follow us to stay updated on new episodes. The podcast covers the content from the opening hymn to the Sharing of the Peace.

Listen to our previous podcast episodes!

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Grant us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The Episcopal Church)

Readings for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

If you would like a printout or downloadable version of these readings, you can obtain them. You can get the reading for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025 here.

Old Testament: Jeremiah 23:23–29

God communicates through both a “whisper” and a “storm,” warning false prophets and upholding truth. The word that pierces “even to the innermost being” reveals the power of authentic prophecy.

1Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. 2He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. 3And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? 5And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. 6I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!

Psalm: Psalm 82:1-8

God stands in the assembly of divine beings, administering justice to the weak and calling rulers to act righteously. Those who fail are urged to show mercy and humility.

1 God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
        he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly, *
        and show favor to the wicked?
3 Save the weak and the orphan; *
        defend the humble and needy;
4 Rescue the weak and the poor; *
        deliver them from the power of the wicked.
5 They do not know, neither do they understand;
   they go about in darkness; *
        all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, *
        and all of you children of the Most High;
7 Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
        and fall like any prince.’”
8 Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
        for you shall take all nations for your own.

Epistle: Hebrews 11:29–12:2

A cloud of witnesses, from Moses parting the sea to countless pioneers, embraced unseen promises. We are invited to run with endurance, focusing on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days.31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

32And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Gospel: Luke 12:49–56

Jesus challenges complacency: his mission creates division, calls people to discern the signs of the times, and requires courage. We are urged to live with urgency and insight.

49“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;53they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

54He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Reflection for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

This Sunday encourages us to engage in deep listening and brave discernment.

• Jeremiah warns that God’s Word has the power to pierce and reveal the truth, even when it is not spoken.
• Psalm 82 reminds us that genuine worship involves practicing justice and showing compassion towards the vulnerable.
• Hebrews emphasizes that faith is action—taking risks for God’s promises, inspired by Jesus’ example.
• In Luke, Jesus teaches that faithful discipleship can bring conflict and challenges, but requires clarity and determination in pursuing God’s mission.

As we come together today, may we listen intently, act justly, and follow Christ with steadfast faith.

📍 216 E Chandler Blvd, Burlington, WI
📺 Live Stream & Replay Available
🎙️ Podcast on All Major Platforms

You are welcome—whether in person or online—to worship with us, grow in faith, and journey together in love and service.