Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost Worship Order of Service
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
PENTECOST 11 – Coronavirus
08-08-2021 10:00AM Zoom Worship
OPENING SONG: “PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR” Tan #435
THE OPENING RITE AND PRAYER OF THE DAY:
L The steadfast love of God, the life of (+) Jesus Christ, and the growth of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C And also with you.
L Jesus says, “I am the Bread of Life.”
C “Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, whoever believes in Me will never thirst.” [John 6:35]
L Jesus says, “I am the Light of the World.”
C “Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [John 8:12]
L Jesus says, “I am the Door.”
C “Whoever enters by Me will be saved, and shall go out, and find pasture.” [John 10:9]
L Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.”
C “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” [John 10:11]
L Jesus says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
C “Whoever believes in Me shall live, even though that person dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” [John 11:25]
L Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
C “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [John 14:6]
L Jesus says, “I am the True Vine.”
C “Whoever remains in Me, and I in them, will bear much fruit.” [John 15:1,5]
L If we really truly want to live our lives in the best way possible,
and if we want to have hope that stretches beyond this earth into eternity…
C there is no better life than LIFE IN CHRIST! Always Amen!
L And let us now pray. Awesome God, whether we know it or not, our greatest need and our deepest hunger is for your Son, Jesus Christ. Give us strength for our life’s journey and open our eyes, mind, heart, hands, and feet to the new possibilities and stunning promises that Jesus offers. Amen to that!
FIRST READING: 1 KINGS 19:4-8 [Elijah under the broom tree – asking to die, longing to live.]
19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”
19:5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.”
19:6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
19:7 The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.”
19:8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
SECOND READING: EPHESIANS 4:25 – 5:2 [Don’t just “play” Christian – be a Christian by imitating God’s love.]
4:25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another.
4:26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
4:27 and do not make room for the devil.
4:28 Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy.
4:29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.
4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.
4:31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice,
4:32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,
5:2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
GOSPEL VERSE: “Your grace and mercy brought me through,
I’m living this moment because of You;
I want to thank You, and praise You too:
Your grace and mercy brought me through.” [repeat]
THE HOLY GOSPEL: JOHN 6:35, 41-51 [A deadly diet – eliminating the BREAD OF LIFE.]
6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
6:41 Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
6:42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
6:43 Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves.
6:44 No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day.
6:45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.
6:46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.
6:47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.
6:48 I am the bread of life.
6:49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
6:50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil or Pastor Gwen
SONG SELECTION
OFFERING… As recipients of the bread of life, we offer bread to the hungry. For the gift of living water, we reach out to those who are thirsty. Saint Paul challenges us to be imitators of God, sharing his love, showing his mercy, and being generous as we offer new life in Christ.
OFFERING SONG:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
THIS IS MY STORY, THIS IS MY SONG,
PRAISING MY SAVIOR ALL THE DAY LONG! [sing the chorus 2 times]
We are God’s people, we are Christ’s Church, called by God’s Spirit into the world.
We have God’s power from heaven above, we’ll share God’s justice, mercy and love!”
OFFERING PRAYER:
Lord God, thank you for making a way out of no way in my life! During this summer may I dedicate my leisure and my work, my rest and travel, my service and spending, my health and my wealth, my worship and my witness to glorify You and to extend your Kingdom to others. Someone somewhere is in need of your Good News. Amen.
MUSIC SELECTION: Dennis Fortune
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
THE LORD’S PRAYER
SONG SELECTION: “GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUJAH” Tan #500
THE BENEDICTION… We are sent forth to be and become the BODY OF CHRIST for the world!