Description
John 6:56-69
In today’s reading, Jesus continues his discourse on the Bread of Life, and now his audience begins to dwindle because instead of food, Jesus is feeding them a hard truth. The crowds have gone from gratitude to grumbling, from satisfaction to skepticism. He had given them, “a hard teaching.” But it wasn’t hard because they could not understand him, it was because the truth Jesus speaks is downright offensive to our old, sinful nature, and that’s the point. When the picture of discipleship Jesus painted got too graphic for their tastes, they turned away. When his words upset the comfortable and familiar way they thought things ought to be, they gave up. And, as in the Exodus story, the issue is not simply the grumbling of the people but the lack of trust in God that it represents. The Greek word pisteuo is a common word in John that is usually translated “believe.” However, its more common meaning is to “trust or rely upon someone”. So the belief of which Jesus speaks is not a cognitive one, not merely a mental assent, but, rather, an issue of trust. Pisteuo never occurs in the form of a noun. It is always a verb in John. Faith is not something you have but something you do. For Peter, this profound tension was the beginning point of deep faith. Faced with the scandal of reliance on the very body and blood of Jesus, Peter found himself abiding in Christ. John 6 makes it clear that the Gospel is hard. It’s offensive. The love of Christ is far more than we could ever believe or imagine. And confronted with that reality, we are shaken to the core. But Jesus not only speaks out and challenges us in the tension, He, allows us to sit with it, too. The good news of Jesus Christ is that the scandal of our sin is no match for the scandal of God’s self-giving love. The most amazing news of all is that the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us. The good news of the Gospel is that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus – nothing. Will we be offended, or will we believe?
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! We welcome you today in the name of Jesus Christ!
Time of Praise and Worship
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin, ©2011 Thankyou Music, Said And Done Music , sixsteps, Music SHOUT! Publishing (admin EMI CMG Publishing)
Today Is The Day
Lincoln Brewster & Paul Baloche, ©2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music; Integrity’s Hosanna! Music; Leadworship Songs (Admin. by Integrity Music, Inc.)
Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King
Robert Robinson & Thomas Miller, ©2005 Gateway Create Publishing (Admin. by Integrity’s Praise! Music)
[Traditional Options]
Blessed Jesus, At Your Word
EH 440; ELW 520; LBW 248; LSB 904; NCH 74; PH 454; UMH 596
Come Thou Fount of Ev’ry Blessing
BH75 12,13; BH 91 15, 18; CH 11; CHH 16; EH 686; ELW 807; HS98 876; HWC 2; HPW 4; HFG 318; HLC 28; HGP 9; HSP 16; LBW 499; LWB 686; NCH 459; PH 356; RH 11; STTL 51; WC 45; UMH 400; WAR 68; WHM 30; WIS 62
Christ the Eternal Lord
LSB 829; WAR 339
Invocation
Pastor / Worship Leader
God comes into a world filled with uncertainties and darkness.
Worshipers
God seeks out the voids of belief and conviction.
Pastor / Worship Leader
God embraces the wounded and broken.
Worshipers
God knocks down the walls of division and strife.
Pastor / Worship Leader
God is the candle shining in the darkness of our days.
Worshipers
God is the light of our lives.
Pastor / Worship Leader
God is the one who makes all things new.
Worshipers
Praise be to God, now and forevermore! Amen.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor / Worship Leader
You are the God who makes extravagant promises. We relish Your great promises of fidelity and presence and solidarity, and we exude in them. Only to find out, always too late, that Your promise always comes in the midst of a hard, deep call to obedience. You are the God who calls people like us, and the long list of mothers and fathers before us, who trusted the promise enough to keep the call. So we give you thanks that you are a calling God, who always calls us to dangerous new places. We pray enough of Your grace and mercy among us that we may be among those who believe Your promises enough to respond to your call. We pray in the name of the one who embodied your promise and enacted your call, even Jesus.
Worshipers
Amen.
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor / Worship Leader
Generous God whose giving knows neither measure nor end, We confess that all too often we have kept our own hearts, hands and minds firmly closed. Forgive us for those times when our own wants and wishes have filled the horizon to the exclusion of all else, and made us blind and deaf to the needs and concerns of others. Forgive us for those moments when the fear that sharing what we have will lead to our own impoverishment, has kept us silent and still when those around us are in need. Forgive us for those situations when seeing only a problem rather than daring to dream a solution, has left us fettered and powerless where we might have been building your Kingdom. Forgive us Father. Help us to transcend self-centeredness, greed, and fear and to always to feel, think and act as those who know the hope that is rooted in the generous giving of God.
Worshipers
Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
Joshua’s life and ministry were coming to an end, but before the torch passed to a new leader he called on the people of Israel to recommit themselves to faithfully serve the Lord, and Him only.
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: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.
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.”
