Description

John 6:51-58

God clearly wants us to understand that Jesus is the source of eternal life; the bread of life.  He is the author and sustainer of spiritual and physical life.  Whether this portion of scripture is literally indicating Holy Communion or not is a topic for the theologians; however, we can say that our God clearly desires for all mankind to be spiritually SO CLOSE to His Son, Jesus, that [literally or figuratively speaking], we eat of His body and blood a word picture used to illustrate believing in Him and what we do as we commune of His body and blood in Holy Communion.   May we feed on His Word that became flesh and live because He 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              Today we come here to worship our Triune God.  We will be refreshed and renewed in our weak and imperfect faith, but mainly, we have come deliberately to respect                                and glorify our Almighty God, the Author and Sustainer of life itself.  May we pay Him the honor from our hearts that is truly due His Name.    

ALL                  We begin in the holy name of our Provider-God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!

  

Time of Praise and Worship

Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)

Paul Baloche & Brenton Brown, ©2005 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music

Mighty to Save

Ben Fielding & Reuben Morgan, ©2006 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing

God You Reign

Lincoln Brewster, ©2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music Hillsong Publishing (Admin. in U.S. & Canada by Integrity’s Hosanna! Music)

[Traditional Options]

Earth and All Stars

EH 412; ELW 731; HFG 10; LBW 558; LSB 817; LW 438; PH 458; RS 681; WC 357; WAR 642

O God, My Faithful God          

ELW 806; LBW 504; LSB 696; LW 371; PH 277

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

  

Opening Prayer

Pastor              Almighty God,    

ALL                  We lift our voices to praise You for Who You are…

                          …and for what You desire from us and for us, Heavenly Father.  We know that Your will for each person here is that we will intimately know                                  Your Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior and Lord.  Help us, we pray, to hear clearly how we can walk more closely to You.  By the power of Your Holy                              Spirit may we inwardly digest the Living Word. For Your glory and our good,  AMEN.

  

Time of Greeting              Greet two people near you that you have yet to speak with by

                                                sharing with them what you ate prior to coming to worship     

                                                today.

 

Time of Confession and Forgiveness

[Alternate location:  following Message]

 

Pastor              Your word tells us in Psalm 34 verse 15 that, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry”.  Lord, we thank You for promising to                                   hear the confession of our sin-sick souls. . .

ALL                  Father, our souls are very hungry.  Our inmost beings long to be filled with life-sustaining bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Your Son.                                    We strive so hard, day-by-day, to satisfy our souls with empty, earthly things; yet the hunger continues in our deepest inner-beings.  

                          We confess that we are weak and helpless without Your forgiveness and mercy.  Full of bad decisions and consequences, we willfully spit out                                  those things that were ungodly choices we made in our lives this week;  we humbly pray for Your grace, which alone is sufficient to cover the                                  wrong-doings that we repent of silently now in our hearts….

 [allow 60 seconds, or so, of silence for repentance here]…  

                         You are the very Bread of Life, dear Jesus, Who allowed Your very self to be consumed unto death on a cross…just for us.  You, Oh Living Word,                           the very Food our souls truly long for; Our Sustainer and Provider.  Forgive us.

Pastor            “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in                                  spirit.” (Ps 34:17-18)  Our sins are forgiven because of the shed body and blood of our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

ALL                  Whose Name we praise, Alleluia and Amen!

  

… We Hear God’s Word …

[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]

 

First Reading          Proverbs 9:1-6 

This is the house of wisdom, built to draw all in to receive wisdom and understanding.

 

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. ² She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. ³ She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. ⁴ “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. ⁵ “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. ⁶ Leave your simple ways behind and learn how to be wise.