Description

John 6:24-35

Jesus performed many “miracles,” “signs” and “wonders.” Some were out of compassion; some were meant to bring people to repentance and faith; all of them were to bring glory to the Father and show who He was: God’s one and only Son, the long-awaited Messiah, proving His divinity. But Jesus’ signs also pointed to a deeper truth, not just to show power and identity.

Today’s Gospel has people rowing 4 miles to get in line for more food. But Jesus says they missed the whole point of His miracle. What about you? Are you missing the point of the “God-signs” in your life? Using Jesus’ words to them let’s look for the deeper truths about God-signs today, and no longer be confused about His miracles in our own lives!

We Lift Our Hearts in Worship

[Preservice options include videos (countdowns, worship music, welcomes), worship music CD, or live music by worship band.]

Invocation and Introduction of Today’s Theme

Pastor We make our beginning in the name of the one true God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

ALL Lord God, we have come to worship You in spirit and in truth! You are the only God and You are our God! Amen!

Prayer Opening

Pastor Heavenly Father, we come to You this day as Your hungry children; hungry for You and for Your Word. Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit please feed us this day. For you are the Bread of Life. You alone are our very sustenance. You alone are the very food that our souls long for as Your children. Bread of life, bread of heaven, feed us now.

ALL In Jesus name, Amen.

Time of Greeting One Another

Time of Praise and Worship

Awakening

Friend Of God

Majestic

[Traditional Options]

Lift High The Cross

BH 91 594; CH 450; CHH 108; EH 473; ELW 660; HWC 304; HLC 141; LBW 377; LSB 837; LW 311; NCH 198; PH 371; STTL 237; WC 229; UMH 159; WAR 28; WHM 221

Christ, the Word of God Incarnate

LSB 540

O Day of Rest and Gladness

ELW 521; HFG 12; HLC 549; LBW 251; LSB 906; LW 203

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location: following Message – SPECIAL NOTE: Today’s Confession and Forgiveness would fit very well just before communion this week]

Pastor Let us confess our sins and our sinfulness:

(A quiet moment to seek God’s presence and truth in our hearts“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24)

Pastor Father, like the Israelites did after their rescue from the Egyptians, grumbling that they had more meat to eat under slavery than under freedom,

ALL So we confess that we, who have been freed from slavery to sin, often look back over our shoulders grumbling, as though we’re missing out on something special.

Pastor You have done so many miracles in our lives, granted health, safety and security,

ALL That we have treated lightly the greatest miracle of all: making us who were “dead in transgressions and sins” alive again and bringing us to faith in Christ.

Pastor: We have hungered more for earthly things like food and money which take care of us for a day that we don’t hunger for the bread and water of life that lasts for an eternity.

ALL Forgive us, guide us, and lead us, O God of Grace, and God of glory…

(personal silent confession)

Pastor: It’s true. We’ve cared more about what God can DO for us than WHO He is. We’ve focused our eyes on what is seen instead of the deeper truths behind the sign. Fortunately, through Christ, God forgives us all our sins and gives us this great promise: “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” He does not say, “He who comes without sin…” or “He who believes, having first cleaned himself up…” He just says COME. That’s because through His body, broken and crushed under God’s wrath in your place, and His blood, shed instead of yours on the cross your sins have been wholly forgiven. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We Hear God’s Word

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

First Reading: Exodus 16:2-15 (NIV)

In the dessert the children of Israel were only interested in food for their bellies.

2In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” 4Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. 5On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, 7and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” 8Moses also said, “You will know that it was the LORD when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the LORD.” 9Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.” 10While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud. 11The LORD said to Moses, 12“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.” 13That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.

Additional information

Church Year	Year B
Lectionary	Revised Common Lectionary
Scripture	John
Sunday	10th Sunday after Pentecost

Confused Signs about Ordinary Miracles-Tenth Sunday after Pentecost-RCL Readings