Call to Worship: – 

(Psalm 130: 7 and 8) 

Trust in the Lord your God,

Because of His steadfast love.

God reveals His plenteous grace towards us,

It is God who will redeem His people from all their sins.

  Comment on Psalm:

The writer of this Psalm describes two facets of God’s nature.  Firstly, they refer to God’s constant and unfailing love for people.  Secondly, they refer to God’s willingness and capacity to forgive the sins of people, constantly and unfailingly.

  As a response to people’s deep and sincere attitude of repentance for their sins, drawn out of a realisation that it is to God to whom they must account for how they have lived their lives, God forgives their sin.  In doing this, God proves that He is more powerful than sin itself, “for God alone has the power of overcoming sin by His forgiveness”.  In doing this, God proves His willingness to go beyond just passing judgement upon those whose actions do not meet His standards or who reject God’s standards, for God, though condemning sin, does not condemn the sinner.  God’s steadfast love for all people draws Him to reveal his plenteous grace towards all those whom He loves.

  That is the incomprehensible greatness of God.  That is why we hold God in such awe and with such respect.  That is the ground for God’s claim upon our obedience to His Will for us and to His commands upon us.  That is why we have gathered to offer our praise and worship of God.

  (from Artur Weiser in The Psalms p774 and 775) 

Prayer of Praise

(from Leading Intercessions p33, The Book of Worship p213, Invocations p41 & 42, Opening Prayers p92, An Australian Prayer Book p246, Uniting in Worship red book p207, and Prayers for God’s People p159) 

  Almighty God, we come before you with gratitude for your love and goodness towards us. 

We give thanks for your grace towards us that exceeds what we could ever hope for or ask.  We are humbled by the gift of Jesus Christ, your only son, who through obedience to your will, gave his life for our sins, gave his life to redeem us so that we can be in close fellowship with you. 

  Almighty God, you seek those who are lost and deserted, those who are hungry for spiritual healing and wholeness, to bring them back to a right relationship with you, for no other reason than because your love is so real and inexhaustible.  There is no-one to whom we can compare you, there is no substitute for you, no alternative to your creative and saving power.

  Almighty God, you continue to bless us and to provide for our needs.  You lift up our spirits when we are sorrowful and concerned.  You strengthen us in times of heartache and trouble.  Your word to us is totally trustworthy.  Your promises are absolutely dependable.  You are the source of our hope and comfort in this life and in the promised life beyond time and space.

  It is to you, Almighty God, that we offer our praise and worship, now and always.  Amen.

Hymn

“All creatures of our God and King”  TiS100  AHB3  MHB28                                 Ephesians 4 

[there is a short introduction]

Francis of Assisi

translated by William Draper

Prayer of Confession 

(from Ephesians 4: 17 to 32) 

Merciful God, we confess to how easy it is to be drawn into ‘worldly lifestyles’.

We confess to thoughts and behaviours that are not consistent with a life dedicated to you.

We confess to being less than truthful in the words we speak to others.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to becoming angry with people with disregard to their equal dignity and worth.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to the use of harmful words that do nothing to build up our relationships with others.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to harbouring bitter feelings about the way we have been treated by others that hinder our willingness to forgive and forget.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to resorting to insults when we should be striving for reconciliation.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to hearts that are cold towards the needs of others, forgetting that you call us to be kind and tender-hearted.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to a stubbornness of will, when we should be guided by your will and purpose for us.

Merciful God, forgive us.

We confess to a desire for the transient pleasures of the World, neglecting to strive for that which is worthy, good and pure.

Merciful God, forgive us.

With shame we confess to careless thoughts and to actions that lack integrity.

Merciful God, forgive us.

Mould us with your Spirit so that all our dealings are carried out honestly and ethically.

Instruct us with your Spirit so that our words bring grace to those who hear them.

Renew us with your Spirit so that our words and actions bring you pleasure and not pain.

Guide us and direct us, so that our lives can be channels through which you are able to bring healing and wholeness to others.  For this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

  (Moira Laidlaw in Liturgies Online Year B Pentecost 11) 

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Psalm 130: 3 and 4) 

The Psalmist writes of God’s willingness to forgive us when we cry to Him for help in the depths of our despair over our sins.  Let us, then, hold on to that promise, trusting that God listens to our call, that through His grace God forgives us, and that through his love for us God redeems us and restores our relationship with Him. 

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination  (from Holy Communion Two in Uniting Church Worship Services p21) 

O Lord, our God, you have given your Word to us that it may be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  Grant us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, so that we may be obedient to your Will and live always for your glory, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Zechariah 7:

8:  The Lord gave this message to Zechariah:  9  “Long ago I gave these commands to my people: ‘You must see that justice is done, and must show kindness and mercy to one another.  10  Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners who live among you, or anyone else in need.  And do not plan ways of harming one another.’”

Zechariah 8:

16  These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another.  In the Courts give real justice – the kind thar brings peace.  17  Do not plan ways of harming one another.  Do not give false testimony under oath.  I hate lying, injustice and violence.”

Ephesians 4 and 5:

25  No more lying, then!  Everyone must tell the truth to their fellow believer, because we are all members together in the body of Christ.  26  If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.  27  Don’t give the Devil a chance.  28  The person who used to rob must stop robbing and start working, in order to earn an honest living for themselves and to be able to help the poor.  29  Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.  30  And do not make God’s Holy Spirit sad, for the Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. 

31  Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger.  No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort.  32  Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.

1  Since you are God’s dear children, you must try to be like Him.  2  Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

John 6:

35  “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them.  “Those who come to me will never be hungry, those who believe in me will never be thirsty.  36  Now, I told you that you have seen me but will not believe.  37  Everyone whom my Father give me will come to me.  I will never turn away anyone who comes to me,  38  because I have come down from Heaven to do not my own will but the will of Him who sent me.  39  And it is the will of Him who sent me that I should not lose any of all those He has given me, but that I should raise them all to life on that last day.  40  For what my Father wants is that all who see the Son and believe in him should have eternal life.  And I will raise them to life on the last day.”

41  The people started grumbling about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from Heaven.”  42  So they said, “This man is Jesus, son of Joseph, isn’t he?  We know his Father and Mother.  How, then, does he now say he came down from Heaven?”

43  Jesus answered, “Stop grumbling among yourselves.  44  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me: and I will raise them to life on the last day.  45  The Prophets wrote, ‘Everyone will be taught by God,’  (Isaiah 54: 13)  Anyone who hears the Father and learns from Him comes to me.  46  This does not mean that anyone has seen the Father; he who is from God is the only one who has seen the Father.  47  I am telling you the truth; those who believe have eternal life.

48  I am the bread of life.  49  Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they died.  50  But the bread that comes down from Heaven is of such a kind that whoever eats it will not die.  51  I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.  If anyone eats this bread, they will live forever.  The bread that I will give them is my flesh, which I give so that the World may live.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather in person in our Church building or whether we gather in spirit in our homes, we remain one body, one people of God, one in fellowship and one in worship.  With that in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those who cannot be here: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

For the Young and the Young at Heart

Screen 1

“The Biblical religion was not evolved from some theory concerning God’s power, but arose through an actual historical manifestation of that power.” 

  (Alan Richardson in miracle in A Theological Word Book of the Bible p153) 

  Alan Richardson edited a compilation of words of significance as they are used in the Bible and discusses the theology associated with the usage of these words in the Bible.

  In his entry for the word “miracle”, he makes the comment, “The Biblical religion was not evolved from some theory concerning God’s power, but arose through an actual historical manifestation of that power.”  (Alan Richardson in Miracle in A Theological Word Book of the Bible p153) 

  What he is saying is that, for the Old Testament Jew, their understanding of God was not based on any philosophical considerations, but on the memory of first-hand accounts of how God acted in real time and space for His people.  In his article he continued by saying,

“The Hebrew mind dwells not so much upon the being of God as upon His activity; God cannot be known to us in His inner being, but only in so far as He reveals Himself to us through His acts.  It is only through the things He does or makes that we have knowledge of His ‘everlasting power and divinity.’ [refer to Romans 1: 19]”  (Alan Richardson in Miracle in A Theological Word Book of the Bible p153) 

Screen 2

“when the dew evaporated, there was something thin and flaky on the surface of the desert”  Exodus 16: 14

  Last week we talked of the manna that God provided for the Israelites early in their Exodus journey, the “good and unexpected” food that sustained them for 40 years until they crossed the River Jordan and entered the land of Canaan.  (Exodus 16: 35, Joshua 5: 10 – 12) 

  In last week’s passage from John 6, we read of the people who were talking to Jesus on that occasion referring to manna as a miracle performed by God, “He gave them bread from Heaven to eat.” they claimed.  (John 6: 31) 

Screen 3

What if manna wasn’t a miracle food?

  But what if this manna wasn’t a miracle food?  What if it was something that occurred naturally, that was always there and has been there ever since?  If that is the case, how then should we look upon the written claims about it being provided as a miracle?  What does it say about the beliefs of the Jews?  What does it say about the God of the Jews?  Does God act as it is claimed He does?  For if God didn’t act as it has been claimed that He did, what else that has been written about Him is also false, or is it that He is a false God?

Screen 4

The word ‘manna’ refers to either the sweet sap of any plant (tree or bush) that appears in the region or the secretion from insects that feed on trees such as the tamarisk.

BY VERED GUTTMAN Jewish World, Talk of the Table, Winter Issue 2019  https://momentmag.com/manna-is-real-and-not-so-heavenly/

  Some scholars and travellers have determined that the word ‘manna’ refers to either the sweet sap of trees or bushes that grow in the region where the Israelites travelled during their Exodus journey or the secretion from insects that feed on trees such as the tamarisk that grow in this region. 

  “The description of manna given in Exodus 16: 31, and its quality of disappearing in the heat of the Sun, prove almost conclusively that it was the Arabic man, a globular exudation of two types of scale insects, living on twigs of tamarisk trees.

  (Alan Cole in his Commentary on Exodus, p133) 

  “the manna being a sweet excretion from certain insects, a phenomenon in the Sinai desert”

 (Reginald Fuller in his comments on Exodus 16 in Preaching the Lectionary: The Word of God for the Church Today – https://liturgy.slu.edu/18OrdB080121/theword_indepth.html  )

  “manna – a sweet exude of Fraxinus ornus, the flowering or manna ash, a native tree of southern Europe and western Asia”

  (Encyclopedia International article on ‘manna’ in Volume 11 p314)

  “resin from tamarisk trees, e.g. tamarix gallica”, or

  “a form of lichen of a low density but a wide spread, e.g. Lecanora esculenta, or 

  “the crystallized honeydew of certain scale insects that feed on tamarisk trees, particularly Trabutina mannipara”

  (Wikipedia entry for ‘manna’ – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna) 

  “‘honeydew’, i.e. white drops which are the digestive by-product of insects that feed on the sap of the green stems of a desert shrub, the plant, Haloxylon salicornicum, which is found all over the Middle East”

Vered Guttmann in his article titled “Manna is real and not so Heavenly” in Jewish World  Talk of the Table  Winter issue 2019  https://momentmag.com/manna-is-real-and-not-so-heavenly/ .

  Upon such a stance, the Old Testament and New Testament claim that manna was a food miraculously provided by God, is therefore open to question.  It would ridicule the claim that manna was provided for the Israelites at a time when they could not provide for themselves, when it would seem obvious that they could and they did.

  It would, also, lay the Old Testament texts open to question as well, questioning their authenticity and believability.  At the very least, the Exodus account, as it is written in the Old Testament, could be interpreted as nothing more than myth, a fantasied story written about a fantasied god and a fantasied interaction with a fantasied people in a fantasied place at a fantasied time in History.

Screen 5

“these natural explanations (for manna) seem to fall far short of the Biblical data”

  (John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas) 

  However, other authors are not so convinced about a natural explanation for ‘manna’.

  Hywel Jones in his Commentary on Exodus, writes, “There is no complete (natural) parallel, and the manna known to the Israelites remains wholly in the realm of the supernatural.”

  (Hywel Jones in Exodus in New Bible Commentary p129) 

  The editors of The Lion Handbook to the Bible write, “various natural phenomena (for manna) have been identified with the description given here (in Exodus 16: 31), but none fit exactly”.  (in Exodus in The Lion Handbook to the Bible p162)  

  John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas, in their Commentary on Exodus, write “these natural explanations (for manna) seem to fall far short of the Biblical data”.

  (John Walton, Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas in Exodus in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament p92) 

  Two aspects of the manna that God provided need to be clarified.

  Firstly, God stated that He would provide “bread” for the Israelites, refer to Exodus 16: 8 and 12, and Psalm 78: 24.  The Hebrew word that is used is Lechem, (Strong’s OT3899), which can be translated a food, but “especially bread or grain for making it”.  In the reference in John 6: 31, where the people to whom Jesus is talking, describe the provision of manna as a miracle and stated, “God gave them bread from Heaven to eat.”.  The Greek word used here is artos, which is translated as bread or loaf.  In the passages in Exodus 16 and Numbers 11 concerning the cooking of manna, the reading plainly is understood to mean the cooking of bread using the manna.

  The ‘natural alternatives’, as mentioned above, are used as sweeteners in cooking, and are not used for the baking of bread, as was manna, thereby showing a difference in nature.

  Secondly, in the Exodus 16 account, the people were to collect “I omer” or 2 litres of manna per person per day, each week for each of the 40 years of their Exodus journeying.  Given that there were several thousand Israelites at the commencement of their Exodus journey, increasing to hundreds of thousands by the end of their 40 years of wandering, the sheer quantity of manna that was to be collected each day precludes the manna from being any of these ‘natural alternatives’, which can only be gathered in much smaller volumes and only on a seasonal basis, again, thereby showing a difference in nature. 

Screen 6

“I am the bread of life.”  John 6: 35

  Brevard Childs writes, “the Old Testament witness to God’s concern to satisfy the physical hunger of His people offers an essential foundation on which the New Testament’s testimony to Jesus Christ as the “bread of life” must be built.”  (Brevard Childs in Exodus p304) 

  To question the validity of God’s provision of the manna is a questioning of validity of the Gospel message, for God’s providing, through manna, the sustenance that the Israelites required and which they could not provide for themselves at their time of need, and thus providing for their salvation, was a prelude to and picture of God’s providing, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins that Humanity requires and which we cannot provide for ourselves at our time of need, and thus providing for our salvation. 

  The writer of Psalm 48 sums up what our response should be to this ‘good news’:

“The Lord is great and worthy of our praise.”  (Psalm 48: 1) 

Hymn

“O love divine, what have you done,”  MHB186  Wesley’s Hymns number 28

[sung to the tune St Petersburg – there is no introduction]

Verse 1 of 4

O love divine! What have you done?

The immortal God has died for me!

The Father’s co-eternal Son

Bore all my sins upon the tree,

The immortal God for me has died!

My Lord, my love, is crucified.

Verse 2 of 4

Behold Him, all you that pass by,

The bleeding Prince of life and peace!

Come sinners, see your Maker die,

And say was ever grief like His?

Come, feel with me His blood applied,

My Lord, my love, is crucified:

Verse 3 of 4

Is crucified for me and you,

To bring us rebels back to God,

Believe, believe the record true,

You all are bought with Jesu’s blood,

Pardon for all flows from His side,

My Lord, my love, is crucified.

Verse 4 of 4

Then let us sit beneath His cross,

And gladly catch the healing stream,

All things for Him account but loss,

And give up all our hearts to Him,

Of nothing think or speak beside,

My Lord, my love, is crucified.

Charles Wesley

Sermon

  A week-end golfer was enjoying their Saturday-morning round of golf.  They walked up to the tee of the next hole and waited while another golfer teed off.  Impressed with the way this golfer hit the ball, the first golfer asked, “What’s your handicap?”  The second golfer replied, “Honesty.”  (from Reader’s Digest Volume 144 No. 862 February 1994 p116) 

  Now, the closest I’ve played to golf is mini-golf, or put-put as it is sometimes called.  We took our grand-daughters, Melody and Aurora, to Aussie World last January and played a round of mini-golf with them there.  There is a certain amount of honesty associated with the game because, unless one person is allocated to keep all the scores, you keep your own score.  The girls would hole the ball and race to the next one just as you were starting, so you would need to trust them to be honest with you to tell you the correct number of strokes that they took to hole their ball.

  The clearest example of trust that I can recall is our 11 month old grand-daughter, Amelia.  She has complete trust in her parents, to feed her, to keep her amused, to ensure that she is kept in clean dry clothes, to keep her in the shade as they walk along, to keep her safe.  About the only thing with which she doesn’t trust you is a hanky trying to clean her nose.

Screen 1

“Trust in the Lord your God.”  Psalm 130: 7

  The passage from Psalm 130 that we read as our Call to Worship commenced with the words, “Trust in the Lord your God”.  And why, we ask, should we trust in the Lord?  The answer that is given is because of God’s “steadfast love” for all people and because of God’s “plenteous grace” for all people.

Screen 2

It is God who will redeem His people from all their sins.  Psalm 130: 8

  So, upon the foundation of God’s steadfast love and plenteous grace, for what are we to trust God?  The last line of the Psalm gives us the answer.

  Unfortunately, the Good News Bible reads, “God will save His people from all their sins.”  The word “save” doesn’t bring out all of the meaning of the original Hebrew word, because there are various applications for the word “save”.  The New English Bible uses the phrase, “God alone will set His people free from all their sins.”  Again, this doesn’t bring out all of the meaning of the original Hebrew.  Certainly, there is the understanding that God is at work, that God alone can accomplish what needs to be done, and that God’s people need to be freed from the hold that sin has over them.

  The Hebrew word is pawdaw,  (Strong’s OT6299)  , from a primary root word meaning to sever, and generally translated as to ransom or release or preserve, to deliver by any means, to rescue with surety, and in the case of Psalm 130 verse 8, to redeem.

  It is this word, “to redeem”, that is used in the Revised Standard Version, the New International Version and the English Standard Version.

  Merrill Unger and William White in their dictionary of Old Testament words, writes that the Hebrew word, pawdaw, “indicates that some intervening or substitutionary action effects a release from an undesirable condition, and, when used in a secular context, implies a payment of some sort.”  When God is accomplishing the redeeming, they write that the word “emphasises His complete, sovereign freedom to liberate Human beings (in this context, from their sins).”  (Merrill Unger and William White in redeem in Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament p319) 

  Francis Taylor, in his definition of the word “redeem”, writes that the usage of the word “is derived from the practice of buying back something which formerly belonged to the purchaser, but has for some reason passed out of their possession, or of paying the price required to secure a benefit, such as a freedom.  While the idea of a price paid is an essential feature of the term, the emphasis is laid upon the result, the deliverance or release which is secured by the payment.”  (Francis Taylor in redeem in A Theological Word Book of the Bible edited by Alan Richardson p185 & 186) 

  These authors stress that of all the times that the word “redeem” in used in the Old Testament, only the once, in Psalm 130: 8, “is it used to describe liberation from sin”.

  But why was there such a need for such redemption?  Had not God instituted the sacrificial system for that purpose.  Merrill Unger and William White in their discussion of the word sacrifice (Zebach in the original Hebrew), note that “the purpose (of a sacrifice) was not just to create communication between God and Humans; rather, the sacrifice represented the principle that, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.  As it is written in their Law, “Blood, which is life, takes away sin.”  (Leviticus 17: 11b)  (Merrill Unger and William White in sacrifice in Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament p343) 

  Artur Weiser, in his writing about Psalm 130, remarks that the author of the Psalm “envisages the redemption from sin which they have personally experienced in the context of the general assurance of redemption for the people of God, to whom they are conscious of belonging as they worship with others in the Sanctuary.”  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p775)  They are seeking that the same assurance of sins forgiven and peace of mind from sins confessed which they have experienced may be shared and experienced by those with whom they live and worship on a daily basis.

  They may well be true, but I think that there is more in what the writer of Psalm 130 is saying.  Partly this is because of the uniqueness of verse 8 of the Psalm, in its correlation between the hoped-for redemption by God of His people and the liberation of their sins.  But it is also because of two people, described by Luke who were worshipping in the Temple at the time when Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem when he was a week old “to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the Law”.  (Luke 2: 22 to 24) 

  The first person, Simeon, is described as waiting for the consolation or comfort of Israel, as the original Greek word paraklesis reads (Strong’s NT3874) .  (Luke 2: 25)  John Carroll, in his Commentary on Luke, writes that Luke’s description of Simeon “recalls Isaiah’s proclamation of the approaching salvation for Jerusalem (with reference to Isaiah 40: 1 7 2, 49; 13 and 52: 9).  (John Carroll in Luke p76) 

  The second person, Anna, is described as rejoicing with “all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem”, as the original Greek word lutrosis reads (Strong’s NT3085).  (Luke 2: 38)  John Carroll writes that Luke describes Anna as waiting for “the deliverance of God’s people”, for “the saving intervention of God in the life of Israel”.  (John Carroll in Luke p81) 

  The hopes of both Simeon and Anna were expressed in words that paralleled the expression of the hopes of the writer of Psalm 130 in verse 8.

Screen 3

Redemption foretold

  Simeon and Anna were people who recognised the limitations of the Jewish sacrificial system.  They saw that it was possible to follow all the correct rites of the sacrifices without having the right attitude towards God.  The Prophet Micah wrote about this over seven centuries before their time, when he wrote that what God requires was not so much the making of vast sacrifices but, rather, the intent “to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with God”.  (Micah 6: 8)  They saw that it was possible to live by the letter of the Law without living by the intent of the Law or without putting your heart into your act.  The Prophet Jeremiah, writing 100 years later, states how essential it was for the heart of a person to be in tune with the will of God.  Only then, God tells Jeremiah, will people truly know Him, only then will God “forgive their sins and no longer remember their wrongs”.  (Jeremiah 31: 33 and 34) 

  Luke records that an angel appeared to Mary, giving her the message, “You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.”  (Luke 1: 31) 

  Matthew records that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, assuring him that it was correct for him and in line with God’s will that he fulfilled his plans to marry Mary, that she will give birth to a son, and that Joseph was to “name him Jesus”.  (Matthew 1: 21a) 

  Identical messages were given to both parents of Jesus, concerning the birth of a son who was to be given the name Jesus.  But what is missing from Luke’s account is Matthew’s account of the explanation given to Joseph for the name Jesus, that is, “because he (Jesus) will save his people from their sins”.  (Matthew 1: 21b)  Craig Keener, in his Commentary on Matthew, notes that the name, Jesus, (Yeshua in Hebrew), is “generally translated as ‘God is salvation’”.  (Craig Keener in The Gospel of Matthew p96)  Thus we see the link between Jesus and the hope for the redemption of God’s people as foretold in Psalm 130 verse 8.

Screen 4

Redemption fulfilled

  “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them.  “Those who come to me will never be hungry, those who believe in me will never be thirsty.”  (John 6: 35)  Jesus uses the imagery that the crowd introduced into the conversation as the focus for his message.  He was making claims about the why and the how of his ministry.

  Jesus was fulfilling “the will of Him who sent me”.  (John 6: 38)  God had not forgotten His people, though the present circumstances of the Jews being under the harsh rule of the pagan Romans may have created some doubts regarding how much God loved them.  But that was because the Jews erroneously gauged God’s will in terms of how much He did for them, rather than gauging how much they responded to the will of God.  They erroneously measured to Kingdom of God in hectares of land not in the number of souls loved by God.

  Jesus, in being sent by God, was the fulfillment of all that had been said by Moses, in the Law, by the writers of the Psalms, and by all of the Old Testament Prophets in their writings, concerning how God intended to deal once and for all with the hold that sin had on the souls of every individual.  It was the will of God that none should be ‘lost’ to eternity because of any unforgiven sin in their life ( John 16: 39a) , that all should be ‘raised to life’ on the Day of Judgement free from the taint of sin in their lives (John 16: 39b) , and that all should share in the joy of spending eternity in the presence and fellowship of God (John 16: 40b) .

  Jesus was the means by which the will of God was to be fulfilled.  Manna, the bread from Heaven, was given by God to the Israelites as they journeyed “in the desert”, so that they could have life.  The Israelites, at that time, needed to place their trust in God to provide the means for their ‘salvation’.  The Israelites, needed to obey God’s instructions to go out on the six days of the week when manna was provided for them, to gather sufficient for their daily needs.  In the same way, those who were present, needed to believe that Jesus was the ‘manna’ that God was providing for them, the gift that God was providing as the once and for all means for the forgiveness of sins; because it was obvious to all who were listening, that all this talk of being given life and of not being lost on the last day and of eternal life had to be related to sin in their lives.

  The life of Jesus was the price that needed to be paid as the ‘redemption price’ to secure the release of Humanity from their sin, to liberate Humanity from their sin, to sever the hold that sin held on the lives of individuals.  That is the truth underlying the claim by Jesus, “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven.  If anyone eats this bread, they will live forever.  The bread that I will give them is my flesh, which I give so that the World may live.”  (John 16: 51) 

  Upon seeing the baby Jesus, Simeon “gave thanks to God, (saying) With my own eyes I have seen you salvation .. a light to the Gentiles .. and glory to the people of Israel.”  (Luke 2: 28 to 32)  Francis Taylor writes of “the saving activity of God, supremely manifested in Christ, something of decisive importance done for the salvation of Mankind.”  (Francis Taylor in redeem in A Theological Word Book of the Bible edited by Alan Richardson p186) 

Screen 5

Redemption flourishing

  What is a true moral response to God’s love and grace directed towards his people?  What is the true obedience for which God seeks from his people?

  These are the questions that Zechariah addresses.  His answer is that God does not seek a response from people through external acts nor an adherence to ‘correct behaviour’ nor to strict observance to rites and rituals and ceremonies.  What God seeks is a ‘rightness’ within a person that is expressed in behaviours that reflects how God himself interacts and relates to people and reflects how He uplifts and builds up people. 

  Thus, says Zechariah, we must:

Seek justice and act against injustice, (7: 9, 8: 16 & 17)

Show kindness and mercy, (7: 9)

Not oppress the powerless and needy, (7: 10a)

Plan to do good not to harm, (7: 10b, 8: 17)

Stop lying and speak the truth, (8: 16 & 17)

Act against violence and aim to bring peace (8: 16 & 17)

  Paul addresses the same issue with the Church in Ephesus.  The new Christians in the church were seeking guidance as to what is expected of them?  What was now expected of them since believing in Jesus Christ and his offer of redemption?

  Forget what you were like, Paul admonishes, forget about the old way that you had lived.  You are a “new self”, Paul argues, “created in God’s likeness” and intended to live a life “that is upright and holy”.  (Ephesians 4: 17 & 24) 

  And in the manner of the Prophet Zechariah, and in some instances quoting from the Prophet Zechariah, Paul states that they must:

Stop lying and tell the truth (4: 25),

Do not let your anger direct your actions (4: 26),

Earn an honest living (4: 28a)

Set aside some of your earning to help the poor (4: 28b)

Use only helpful words, that are kind and do good and build people up (4: 29)

Get rid of any bitterness or hatred in your words and actions (4: 31a)

Stop insulting others (4: 31b)

Be kind and tender-hearted (4: 32a)

Be ready and willing to forgive others (4: 32b)

  And, so that his advice is not taken to be some legalistic set of rules to be strictly adhered to, and which by themselves grants to doer some sort of merit in the eyes of God, Paul explain why it is that he is extoling them to live as he is advising.  “Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us.”  (Ephesians 5: 2)  Paul cites the example for us to imitate, the example of a God who lovingly sacrificed himself for his people.”  (Craig Keener in Ephesians in The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the New Testament p549) 

  The kindness and love of God colour His will to redeem Humanity.  The kindness and love of Jesus Christ were demonstrated in his willingness to pay the redeeming price that was required for God’s will to be accomplished.  Our task, as believers in Jesus Christ, as those who place our trust and obedience in God and His word, is to imitate the kindness and love of God and Jesus Christ, such that these form the “central virtues” of the manner in which we live out our faith, as God’s beloved children, to the glory of God.  Amen.

  (footnote to Ephesians 4: 32 to 5: 2 in New Revised Standard bible p.2058) 

Hymn

“Lord Jesus, joy of loving hearts”  TiS499                                                                   John 6 

[sung to the tune Wareham – there is a short introduction]

[this YouTube is for a different hymn so disregard the title at the beginning]

Verse 1 of 5

Lord Jesus, joy of loving hearts,

True fount of life, our lives sustain,

From any bliss that Earth imparts

We turn unfilled to you again.

Verse 2 of 5

Your truth unchanged has ever stood,

You save all those who on you call,

To those yet seeking you are good,

To those who find you, all in all.

Verse 3 of 5

We taste you, Lord, the living bread,

And long to feast upon you still

We drink of you, the fountainhead,

And thirst our souls from you to fill.

Verse 4 of 5

For you our restless spirits yearn,

Whatever comes, until the last,

Glad when your presence we discern,

Blessed when our faith can hold you fast.

Ver se 5 of 5

For ever, Jesus, with us stay,

Make all our moments calm and bright,

Chase the dark night of sin away,

Shed on the World your holy light.

Bernard of Clairvaux

translated by Pay Palmer

Prayers for Others

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we will find nourishment and sustenance in Christ, the Bread of Life, for our daily journey and for the fulfillment for all the hungers and yearnings of our hearts.  Grant to your Church a unity of purpose, free from malice and dissension.

We pray for the ability to imitate Christ, that we may put on the mind and heart of Christ and be empowered to show compassion and forgiveness to others.

We pray for the grace to encounter Christ, that we may recognize Christ in each person that we meet and show them dignity and respect.

We pray for the grace to forgive, that, having experienced your generous forgiveness to us, we may be free to forgive all who have wronged us.

We pray for a new vision of our life journey, that we may be open to the vision you hold for us and that we may be free to rely upon you as we encounter trials, struggles, and doubts.

We pray for a transformation of our minds and hearts, that the Holy Spirit will free us from all bitterness and anger and guide us in living as your children each day.

We pray for all who have been wounded by the anger and malice of others, that God will heal their hearts, renew their spirits, and free them to live life fully.

We pray for healing of racism, that the Holy Spirit will open us to the prejudice and discrimination that exists within us and in the society around us so that we may promote greater justice and understanding.

We pray for strength to fulfill our responsibilities, that we may lay down our lives in sacrificial love to those to whom we are committed and for those who have been entrusted to our care.

We pray for those who have been evicted from their homes or who are facing eviction, that you will move leaders to act to protect them and free up the needed resources for their safe shelter and food.

We pray for greater respect for human life, that you will move hearts from seeking revenge to a seeking for compassion.

We pray for an end to the exploitation of the poor and powerless by those who are greedy for wealth and a life of privilege and pleasure.

We pray for an end to nuclear proliferation, that you will show us the true destructive power of nuclear weapons and inspire us to protect the earth for future generations.

We pray that you will direct the Leaders of Nations in the search for justice and peace, reminding them that nothing is ultimately gained through violence and provocation.

We pray for the sick and ill, that they may be restored to wholeness and wellbeing.  Guide those searching for remedies for cancer and debilitating illnesses, that they will be successful in finding the means to lessen those who are suffering.

We pray for your mercy on those whose lives are twisted by bitterness.  Give them the peace of mind and spirit which will free them to forgive others and relieve them to move positively into the future.

We pray for relief from wildfires and drought, that you will help all who are fighting the wildfires, give strength to those who have evacuated, and send rain to relieve the areas suffering from drought.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p73 & 74, and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p164)

We pray that you will strengthen those who are responsible for the efforts to deal with the effects of the Covid-19 epidemic.  Guide our political leaders so that they will know the best advice to give to people so as to lessen the spread of the virus amongst the community.

We pray that individuals in our communities will heed the advice given to them to restrict movement and contact with others to lessen the current spread of infections.

We pray for an end to vaccine hesitancy, that all people, regardless of race or religion or culture or social outlook, will cooperate and choose to work together to end transmission.

We pray for guidance for scientists and medical staff investigating vaccinations that they will develop effective treatments to the virus and its developing strains.

We pray for your protection for the young, the elderly and the medically vulnerable, that they will not be placed in a situation from where they may become infected by the virus.

We pray that you will heal those who are suffering from being infected by the virus, that they will be not suffer for long nor have any lasting effects.

We pray for those tending the sick and seriously ill from the virus, that you will give them the strength to proficiently provide effective medical care, and that you will keep them safe from harm and illness and infection themselves.

We pray for businesses that are struggling to earn enough income to meet their expenses because of the recurrence of social lockdowns.  Please provide for them the means to retain their business, now and into the future.

We pray for those who are struggling to meet their rental payments.  Please give their landlords compassion in their dealings, a clear decision not to evict those who currently cannot make sufficient repayments, and the knowledge that you will repay their kindness to others many times over.

We pray for school students unable to attend school, that their will not be any detriment to their ongoing education and learning.

We pray for teachers, that they will know how best to remain in contact with children who are learning from home.

We pray for cooperation between Nations, that, worldwide, there is a working together to deal with the effects of the virus and the development of plans to stop its spread.

We pray that sufficient quantities of effective vaccines are produced to deal with the virus and its developing strains.  We pray that those nations that can afford to purchase large quantities of vaccines will continue to generously donate sufficient amounts to other nations so that their peoples may also be provided with sufficient doses.

We pray that we may all learn from this experience of living through a pandemic, that it is better to work with others to handle the crisis rather than to think and act only for yourself.  But, more importantly, may we strive to depend upon your care and guidance and understanding, so that future epidemics such as the current one do not occur.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.

Hymn

“God!  When Human bonds are broken”  TiS683                                                    Psalm 130

[sung to the tune All for Jesus – there is no introduction

Verse 1 of 5

God, when Human bonds are broken

And we lack the love or skill

To restore the hope of healing

Give us grace and make us still.

Verse 2 of 5

Through that stillness, with your Spirit

Come into our world of stress,

For the sake of Christ forgiving;

All the failures we confess.

Verse 3 of 5

You in us are bruised and broken,

Hear us as we seek release

From the pain of earlier living,

Set us free and grant us peace.

Verse 4 of 5

Send us, God of new beginnings,

Humbly hopeful into life.

Use us as a means of blessing,

Make us stronger, give us faith.

Verse 5 of 5

Give us faith to be more faithful,

Give us hope to be more true,

Give us love to go on learning:

God, encourage and renew.

Frederik Kaan

Benediction    

  May our thoughts and deeds be guided by the Holy Spirit.  May our motives and intentions be influenced by the love that God shows to others and which God seeks for us to emulate.  May our desire be to live so as to honour and glorify God.

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

“Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us”  Scripture in Song Volume 2 number 111 / 316

[there is an introduction]

[you can choose for yourself whether you repeat the verse 2, 3, or 4 times]

Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.

That we should be called the children of God,

That we should be called a child of God.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us.

That we should be called the children of God,

That we should be called a child of God.

Patricia van Tine