Harvest Festival St Andrews

CALL TO WORSHIP

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving                  and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

StF 161 Speak, O Lord, as we come to you.

A GATHERING PRAYER

Lord, you have called us and equipped us to serve you; you have called us and equipped us to bear good fruit; you have called us and equipped us to share your blessings. We come to worship and bless your name. Amen.

A PRAYER OF ADORATION

Holy God, Father, Son and Spirit, creator, sustainer, empowered, we worship you. We give you thanks for all that is beautiful: for all that is fruitful, for all that is lifegiving, for all that is precious. And we thank you too for entrusting us with the privilege and the responsibility of passing on the baton of your creativity and your ministry of care for all you have made. Amen.

A PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Response after each phrase: Forgive us and help us, we pray. Faithful God, you give us chance after chance, opportunity after opportunity, yet we do not take them. You entrust to us things that are precious, and life-giving, yet we do not share them. You offer us a share in your kingdom, a path to fulfilment, yet we want our own way and go our own way. You invite us to work for the future, to bless the next generation, yet we live for ourselves and look only at now. You speak both words of wisdom and warnings, of security and salvation, yet we are in danger of missing out. We pray – in Jesus’ name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Patient God, you give us another chance to hear your message of hope, challenge and grace, through the words of Scripture and of others, through the silence of prayer, through the beauty of creation; a chance to act and react with hearts in tune with yours, and with that freedom to give our all in your service, rejoicing that it is never too late to begin again. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

StF 130 We plough the fields and scatter.

Introduction

Today, we turn to an ancient yet ever-relevant text: Deuteronomy 26:1-11. In these verses, we find Moses speaking to the Israelites as they stand on the edge of the Promised Land. He instructs them on how to respond to God’s generosity with ritual remembrance. What does this ancient command mean for us today, in our own lives and communities?

READING 1

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

26 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.” 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labour. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, LORD, have given me.” Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.

The Context: A People on the Brink

Imagine the Israelites unpacking in the Promised Land. It’s like moving into a brand-new house! They might have been excited to see their kitchen, but can you picture them staring at a giant wall of fresh produce, wondering where to begin? It’s a joyful chaos! Sometimes our blessings can be overwhelming, just like all those choices. But God promises we’ll find a home with good things if we trust Him to lead the way!

In our reading Israelites were about to experience the promise that has taken 40 years in the making. They had wandered in the wilderness and now stood on the threshold of a land “flowing with milk and honey.” But before they could enjoy it, God, through Moses, asked them to do something specific: to remember where they came from, and to express gratitude in a real way.

Gratitude in Action

What God commanded was not only an offering of the “first fruits” – the very best of the harvest – but a ritual of remembrance. The people were to bring the basket of produce, present it to the priest, and recite words: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor…” This was a story of hardship, deliverance, and God’s generosity. In giving thanks, they didn’t just say, “Thank you, Lord”; they told the story again, keeping faith alive in their hearts and in the hearts of their children.

The Power of Remembrance

Why does God ask them to remember? It’s because gratitude grows when it is rooted in memory. It’s so easy to forget the struggles of the past when we live in comfort isn’t it. God didn’t want Israel to grow proud or complacent. Instead, every offering was to recall their dependence on God, to keep humility and thankfulness at the centre of their life.

Isn’t it the same for us? Each blessing we enjoy – be it material, relational, or spiritual – is an invitation to look back, and acknowledge those who have gone before, and recognise God’s hand in our journey.

Offering: More Than a Ritual

The offering of the first fruits was both practical and symbolic. Practically, it was a portion of their livelihood. Symbolically, it signalled trust: “We give this first part to God, trusting there will be enough left for us.” It’s a lesson in living with open hands, it’s a challenge to resist hoarding. What might it look like to offer the “first fruits” of our time, our resources, our talents, back to God and to those in need?

Celebration, Inclusion, and Justice

The passage ends with a festival: “Then you, together with the Levites and the foreigners residing among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty the Lord your God has given to you and your house.” Notice how All are invited – including the vulnerable and the stranger. You see true thanksgiving overflows into generosity and welcome. Our gratitude is incomplete unless it leads us to share with others.

Application: Living the Story Today

Things to consider

Remember your story: Take time to reflect on how God has guided and blessed you. Share your story with others.

Practise gratitude: Make it a habit to thank God not just for what you have now, but for all the ways you’ve been brought through challenges and hardships.

Offer your “first fruits”: Consider what it means to dedicate the best of your time, energy, and resources to God’s purposes.

Conclusion: A Living Testimony

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 calls us to be a people who remember, who give thanks, and who share. As we offer our own “first fruits” – our gratitude and our resources – let us do so remembering that we are part of a much bigger story: a story of eternal faithfulness,

StF 123 Come you, thankful people come

Introduction

Our scripture reading is from the Gospel according to John, chapter 6, verses 25 to 35. This passage follows the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, where Jesus blessed five loaves and two fish, feeding a vast crowd. The crowd, amazed by this sign, they seek Jesus, hoping to see more miracles. But Jesus knows their hearts and challenges them—and us—to look beyond the material and consider what we truly hunger for in life.

Scripture Reading: John 6:25–35

Jesus the Bread of Life

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[a]”

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

 The Human Search for Satisfaction

Think of a dog chasing its tail, round and round it goes, convinced it can catch it one day. Too often, we mimic that dog in our search for satisfaction. We try to find fulfilment in material things, relationships, or achievements, but we’re just running in circles. Only when we stop chasing what’s fleeting and focus on the everlasting God can we discover true contentment. He is the end of our chase for satisfaction!

Throughout this passage, we see the crowd searching for something more. They have witnessed a miracle, their bellies are full, but their souls remain hungry. Jesus sees that they are looking for him not for who he is, but for what they can get—a pattern not unfamiliar to us even today.

How often do we chase after things—success, comfort, material possessions—hoping they will fill the emptiness inside? The world offers many breads that satisfy but only for a moment. Yet deep down, our hearts long for something more, something eternal.

2. The Bread of Life: Jesus Offers More

Jesus redirects the conversation. He urges the crowd not to labour for food that spoils, but for food that leads to eternal life. He reminds them of the manna in the wilderness, the bread God had given to their ancestors, but he points out that even that was temporary. Manna satisfied hunger for a day, but the people still wanted more.

Jesus proclaims, “I am the bread of life.” He is not offering a temporary fix, but enduring, soul-sustaining life. To come to Jesus is to find that our deepest hungers and thirsts—our need for meaning, love, forgiveness, and hope—are met in him. He alone satisfies the longing heart, not just for a day, but forever.

3. Belief: The Work God Desires

When the crowd asks, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus gives a strikingly simple answer: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” Faith in Christ is the foundation; it is not about ticking off a list of religious achievements or trying to earn God’s favour, but about trusting in Jesus, the one sent by God.

This belief is not a one-time event, but it’s an ongoing relationship—a daily turning to Christ for the bread of life, trusting him to sustain us through all joys and our trials.

4. Application: Coming to the Table

As we reflect on Jesus’ words, we are invited to bring our hungers and thirsts—whatever they may be—to him.

Are you searching for meaning or weary from life’s burdens? Do you feel spiritually dry or restless inside? The invitation is for all: “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Let us not settle for what the world offers, nor seek miracles for their own sake, but seek Christ himself—our true bread, our deepest joy.

Conclusion

So, as we go forth this week, may we carry this promise with us: in Jesus, the bread of life, we are fully known, loved, and eternally satisfied. Let us share this good news with others, inviting them to the table where their souls, too, may find rest.

 Amen.

OFFERING DURING HYMN

StF 277 My Song is Love unknown.

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

God of all creation, thank you for calling us to be stewards of your earth and your treasures, for calling us to tend your Gospel, to share the fruits of your Spirit, to encourage your disciples in their daily lives, and to work together for the good of all – joyfully, humbly, and urgently, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God of one and God of all, we pray for: those who don’t know who they are, who can’t understand themselves or their place in society – God of all, we pray for them. Those who don’t ‘fit in’, who are or seem to be different – God of all, we pray for them. Those who don’t know where they come from, their heritage or home, their family or bloodline – God of all, we pray for them. Those who feel lost and isolated, confused and afraid, rudderless or homeless, strangers in a strange land – God of all, we pray for them. Those who wish they were someone else, or somewhere else, in some other time and place – God of all, we pray for them. In your great mercy, Lord, hear our prayers and grant surer journeys for them all. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy Kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,

For ever and ever Amen.

StF 545 Be, thou, my Vision.

BLESSING

Go in Jesus’ name, restored and renewed. May you know God’s face shining on you, and the God’s Spirit flowing through you, So that your life may be fertile ground for good news. Amen.

Picture a dog chasing its tail, round and round, convinced it will catch it one day. Too often, we mimic that silly dog in our pursuit of satisfaction. We try to find fulfillment in material things, relationships, or achievements, but we’re just running in circles. Only when we stop chasing what’s fleeting and focus on the everlasting God can we discover true contentment. He is the end of our chase for satisfaction!