Description
John 6:24-35
In today’s passage we find a crowd of people searching for Jesus following the miracle of the loaves and the fish. But they’re not seeking him because they saw public, supernatural acts that showed his glory and called forth faith. They’re seeking him because they want some more bread. They saw the sign, but they didn’t really see the sign. They didn’t see what the sign signified. In one of his 7 “I am” statements in John’s gospel Jesus tells the people, “I am the bread of life.” This bread is not only an invitation to life, it is life. This bread gives us life because it is our hope, it is the very life of God in the flesh in our human world. Wherever love triumphs over human sinfulness, estrangement, hopelessness — there is the Bread of Life, there is God’s own life given to us and for us. Wherever there is humility, wherever there is gentleness, wherever there is patience, wherever there is unity in the Spirit, wherever there is peace, wherever there is truth spoken in love — there we are fed on the Bread of Life. The food that endures is Jesus himself. He is the bread that is broken and distributed for the life of the world. He is the bread that is broken and yet never divided. He is the bread that is eaten and yet never exhausted. He is the bread that consecrates those who believe in and partake in his life.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Pastor / Worship Leader
Good morning, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Worshipers
And also with you.
Time of Praise and Worship
There Is Nothing that Our God Can’t Do
Brandon Lake | Jonathan Smith | Kristian Stanfill © Kristian Stanfill Publishing Designee (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Cashagamble Jet Music (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) Maverick City Publishing Worldwide (Admin. by Heritage Worship Publishing) Bethel Music Publishing
For God so Loved
Andrew Bergthold | Ed Cash | Franni Cash | Martin Cash | Scott Cash © 2019 Andrew Bergthold Designee (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) We The Kingdom ASCAP Designee (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) We The Kingdom Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Great Things
Jonas Myrin | Phil Wickham © 2018 Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Son of the Lion (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Phil Wickham Music (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Simply Global Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC]) Sing My Songs (Fair Trade Music Publishing [c/o Essential Music Publishing LLC])
[Traditional Options]
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus
CH 377; CHH 377; EH 460,461; ELW 392; HS98 851; HWC 223; HLC 174; LBW 158; LSB 821; NCH 257; PH 144; STTL 273; WC 263; WAR 320
Christ, the Word of God Incarnate
LSB 540
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
BH 75 214; BH 91 62; CH 680; CHH 559; HWC 460; HFG 598; HLC 440; HGP 365; RH 606; STTL 559; WC 641; WAR 505; WHM 420; WIS 490
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
God of hope, when Your hungry people longed for the slave food of Egypt, You opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna. Feed us with the bread of life at Your table, that we may taste the freedom of eternal life and lead lives worthy of our calling, through Christ our Lord.
Worshipers
Amen.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
This is the day that the Lord has made.
Worshipers
This is the day when He can be found.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Jesus, Bread of life, Living water, Saviour, friend – Today we come to You as the hungry,
Worshipers
So that we may feed on Your Word.
Pastor / Worship Leader
We come to You as the thirsty,
Worshipers
So that we may drink of Your Love.
Pastor / Worship Leader
We come to You as your faithful servants,
Worshipers
To offer our praise and worship. Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgement. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed.
Worshipers
May we grow more and more in Your likeness as we hunger and thirst for Your righteousness, through Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
Even though God had miraculously saved the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt, they still were quick to fall into fear when faced with the unknown wilderness. They grumbled to God about their dire circumstances. God responds by inviting them to draw near to Him and promises to provide for them the food He knows they need to survive and thrive.
2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The 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.” 4 Then 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.
9 Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 While 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. 11 The 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.’” 13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When 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.
