Description
John 6:51-69
Jesus continues to teach the crowds and indeed, this is a hard teaching. Jesus says he is the living bread and that whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will have eternal life. His flesh is real food, and his blood is real drink. Jesus says this at least 4 times and compares this bread to the manna the ancestors ate. Many are offended and cannot accept it, and Jesus loses many followers. But Peter says to Jesus, “You have the words of eternal life, you are the Holy One of God.”
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Time of Praise and Worship
You Are The Way
Ben Smith | Daniel Bashta | Pat Barrett, © Heritage Worship Publishing (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing) Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Housefires Sounds (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) Go Forth Sounds (Admin. by Heritage Worship Publishing) Bread & Wine Sounds (Admin. by Watershed Music Publishing)
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Chris Tomlin, John Newton, & Louie Giglio, ©2006 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) Vamos Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
All The Way My Savior Leads Me
Chris Tomlin | Fanny Jane Crosby | Matt Redman | Robert S. Lowry, © 2008 Vamos Publishing | worshiptogether.com songs | sixsteps Music | Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) | (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
[Traditional Options]
Just As I Am
BH 75 186,187; BH 91 303,307; CH 488; CHH 339; EH 693; ELW 592; HWC 342; HPW 40; HFG 417; HLC 260; HGP 221; HSP 300; LBW 296; LSB 570; LW 359; NCH 207; PH 370; RH 275; STTL 343; WC 445; UMH 357; WAR 354; WHM 497; WIS 232
Speak, O Lord, Your Servant Listens
LSB 589; LW 339
Come Unto Me Ye Weary
LSB 684; LW 345
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
Our Father in heaven, you are the only true God.
Worshipers
Thank you for all the grace and wonderful deeds you continue to give us. We ask for your blessing and guidance in celebrating this worship in your name. Make us one with your army of angles through this worship service. And we ask that you would be in our midst today and forevermore.
Pastor / Worship Leader
Dear God, with Your power nothing is impossible. With spirit raised and hearts trusting, we are grateful for your promise that when two or more are gathered, you are there among them. May you restore, strengthen, and bless this fellowship and help us to use all the blessings you give us to glorify your precious name.
Worshipers
We thank you for the opportunity to gather in your holy presence once more. Oh Lord, we ask that you bless our worship service today. We pray that you would help us have a yearning heart and an open ear so that we may thirst for your word and manifest your glory today.
Pastor / Worship Leader
May you fill us with wisdom to understand your will and after this worship service, may you help make us instruments for your greater purpose.
Worshipers
Your name makes all darkness disappear. We are grateful for your mighty presence today that envelopes us. Heavenly Lord, your joy overflowed within us today, and we ask once more for your holy presence.
Pastor / Worship Leader
This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Worshipers
Amen!
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is the Bread of Life and that by partaking in His flesh and drinking of His blood we are cleansed from our sin and have received life everlasting. Thank You that Jesus not only has life in Himself but is the Giver of life to all who trust in Him as Savior. Thank You that He is the living Bread Who came down from heaven as our Bread of Life and gave His life as a ransom for many. Thank You that in Him I have life, abundant life, eternal life. Loving Father, when I don’t understand Your words, or when Your truth conflicts with my built-up perceptions, I pray that I will be willing to listen to Your voice and to trust Your Word, for You alone have the words of eternal life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Worshipers
Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
God is light; in him there in no darkness at all.
Worshipers
Most holy and merciful Father, We confess to you and to one another, that we have sinned against you by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
Pastor / Worship Leader
If we claim to have fellowship with him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and so not live by the truth.
Worshipers
We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not fully loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not always had in us the mind of Christ.
Pastor / Worship Leader
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from sin.
Worshipers
You alone know how often we have grieved you by wasting your gifts, by wandering from your ways. Forgive us, we pray you, most merciful Father; And free us from our sin.
Pastor / Worship Leader
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Worshipers
Renew in us the grace and strength of your Holy Spirit, for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
Joshua, the successor to Moses has led the Israelites into the Promised Land. Time has passed, the Israelites are at rest and Joshua now having grown old and soon to die, says his goodbye. He summons all the leaders and speaks to the people. And he tells them what God says- to fear the Lord and serve Him. And some pointed words- if that is undesirable, then choose now whom you will serve. Joshua makes clear he and his household serve the Lord.
Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges, and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:
14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
