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Sunday, August 2, 2009
Partake of the Bread of Life

Scriptures: II Samuel 11:26—12:13a; Psalm 51:1–12; Ephesians 4:1–16;
John 6:24–35; III Nephi 9:44; Doctrine and Covenants 17:22

Prelude

Hymns of Praise

Welcome

Leader: To all those who are hungry, come.

People: We come seeking.

Leader: What do you seek?

People: We seek the bread that satisfies our hunger.

Leader: Then come and partake of the bread that gives life to the world and you shall not hunger. Drink the living water and you shall not thirst.

Call to Worship: III Nephi 9:44

*Hymn: “Holy Spirit, Come with Power” HS 287
OR “Lord, Help Me to Know Your Presence” NS 31

*Invocation

*Response

Focus Reading

Reader 1: Jesus isn’t here. Let’s take the boats and go to Capernaum to find him.

Reader 2: Here he is. Rabbi, when did you come here?

Jesus: You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.

Reader 1: What must we do to perform the works of God?

Jesus: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.

Reader 2: What sign are you going to give us, then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?

Jesus: The bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

Readers 1 and 2: Sir, give us this bread always.

Jesus: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

—John 6:24–35 adapted

Psalm of Confession: Based on Psalm 51:1–10

Leader: Because temptation is woven into the fabric of our lives, we come like the Psamist, seeking mercy according to your steadfast love.

People: We need you, O God.

Leader: Like the Psalmist, we sometimes ask for more than our fill. We come according to your abundant mercy; wash us and cleanse us of our sins.

People: We need you, O God.

Leader: God, you know our transgressions. We trust in what we can see with our earthly eyes. We have done evil when we have been blinded by our greed.

People: We need you, O God.

All: Create in us a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us.

Disciples’ Generous Response

Offertory Hymn: “Rain Down” R-8
OR “God of Creation” HS 395

Spoken Word

Prayer for Peace see page 27

Hymn of Preparation: “Song of Shalom” SP 40
OR “Let Us Break Bread Together” HS 342

Blessing and Serving of the Bread and Wine

Ministry of Music: “All Who Hunger”

OR “You Satisfy the Hungry Heart” HS 345

Pastoral Prayer for Congregation and Community

*Hymn: “Here I Am, Lord” NS 12
OR “We Are One in the Spirit” HS 466

*Benediction

*Sending Forth

*Response

*Postlude

Scriptures: II Samuel 11:26—12:13a; Psalm 51:1–12; Ephesians 4:1–16; John 6:24–35

If the preacher so chooses, this passage of scripture provides its own outline, framed by the three questions the crowd asks Jesus.

The story begins with a crowd coming to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they find him, the crowd asks Jesus a simple question: “Rabbi, when did you come here?” This question makes it clear that the crowd has no idea about the miraculous events that occurred during the night where Jesus’ disciples had crossed the sea and experienced him walking on the water (John 6:16–21). This is a reminder to us that when we meet together, our experiences with Christ and knowledge of him are often different. In this passage of scripture, the disciples who had been with Jesus on the water did not compare their experience with the experiences of the crowd. The crowd, however, wanted to compare their experience with that of their ancestors. Jesus tried to help them understand that God’s gift was with them in that moment and was most important. When we gather for the Lord’s Supper, we need not compare our experiences with that of anyone else. Christ meets us here in the sacrament in this moment, and that should be more than enough for all of us.

In verses 28–29, the crowd asks Jesus a second question: “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus’ response is interesting. He says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” The crowd, it seems, was understanding the work of God as performing tasks. Jesus, however, states that the work of God is to receive God’s son. This is a wonderful reminder of whose work we are called to engage in. It is often tempting for us to put ourselves in control and assume that God’s work is a set of tasks for us to manage. This scripture, however, reminds us that it is not our work that we invite God to help with, but it is God who invites us to help in God’s work. Our first task is to open ourselves to receive God’s gifts of grace. Only after doing this are our hearts and minds properly shaped to engage in the work of God’s kingdom. The act of kneeling in preparation to receive the Lord’s Supper can be representative of giving up our need to be in control. Receiving the Communion can be a meaningful symbol of our openness to receiving and being shaped by God’s gift.

The crowd’s third question is: “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you?” (The crowd then reminded Jesus that God gave their ancestors bread from heaven in the wilderness.) “What work are you performing?” they asked Jesus. Here we have an example of people seeking one kind of blessing when a more satisfying blessing is available. The crowd was so preoccupied with loaves, fishes, and manna from heaven they lost sight of the greater blessing that was in their presence. Perhaps we can relate to this also. How easy it is for us to focus so much on the blessing that we want, that we forget the foundational blessing of simply being with the One who blesses. Jesus states simply: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.” This is an obvious invitation to the Lord’s table.

1. We are surrounded by messages that invite us to compare ourselves to others, but Christ simply invites us to live in him in each moment.
2. Although it is easy to be consumed with our own ideas, plans, and desires, it is important for disciples to ground ourselves in the simple reality of Christ’s presence.
3. Christ offers us himself at the table of Communion.

1. When have you been distracted from Christ’s love by comparing your life to another?
2. What do you need to give up control of in order to be more open to God’s grace?
3. When have you become so preoccupied with seeking a blessing that you forgot to first seek the Blesser?
4. When have you been blessed at the Lord’s table?

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