Limeside 15 Aug 2021

Limeside

WELCOME

CALL TO WORSHIP

Heavenly Father, your will reigns in our lives.

May we be glorified in Jesus’ name.

Let your kingdom come and your presence be in our lives.

As we gather, together today, visit us with your presence and help us to increase our knowledge of you.

May we always grow in maturity and strength and as we do so. Bless us beyond measure and fill us with your peace.

HYMN

493 Seek Ye First

PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

Holy God, we ask for your help,

your power, your Spirit,

so that we can amend our lives and grow more each day into the image of Christ. We confess that we fear what is different.

We confess that it’s easier to lock the doors of our community than to receive those who don’t look like we look,

love like we love, or act the way we act.

We confess that we have not lived out your call to share in abundant life and unconditional love. We believe that you have the power to turn us around to a more inclusive way of living,

so we ask you to do that. We ask you to give us the courage to change.

We ask that you give us the energy, intelligence, imagination, and love to be your people in all we say and do. God is gracious and merciful and knows our needs even before they reach our lips.

Still, we engage in confession, admitting to God all that rests uneasily in our hearts. Confident of God’s love, so we bring our confessions before you,

Trusting in your unfailing love AMEN

HYMN

13 All People That on Earth do Dwell

READING

Ephesians 5:15–20 ESV

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

John 6:51–58 ESV

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

HYMN

321 Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us

SERMON

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be expectable to you our Lord our God and our Father.

Did you ever go to the Kids Saturday morning cinema show? Often there was a series that always ended on a cliff hanger.

The hero may be going over a cliff edge in a car. If you like an actual cliff hanger.

We would wait with bated breath for the next episode, in which the hero would jump out of the way before the car plunges to its doom.

well, the services over the last few weeks are a little like that.

I don’t know if the services you have had have been based on John’s Gospel followed the lectionary readings, but mine has been bread, bread, bread, and more bread. Each week we ended on a cliff hanger.

We Started with the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 this amazing feast created from five loaves and two small fish, where Jesus shows compassion for the people’s physical needs. This miracle was performed before such the largest crowd of witnesses, far more than any other miracle that Jesus performed. The first cliff hanger it’s when the people see the disciples leave without Jesus.

Where is he!

We can’t find him!

The next week we read about how some of the 5,000 who had been at the feast, after finding Jesus is not there. sailed to Capernaum in search of Jesus. The people were baffled how Jesus had reached the other side of the lake and their question shows the purely human level on which they were thinking more free food. But Jesus’ answer to their question by going deeper. He pointed out their failure to realize the significance of the signs; they saw only bread and fish, not the real meaning of Jesus’ act. They were also convinced of their ability to meet what was required, its plan to see they believed this eternal bread could be earned by merit, but Jesus had to remind them that eternal life is a gift.

How often do we feel we need to earn the love of God?

We can’t be blamed for that, where we not brought up with the idea that we need to rely on ourselves, so not wonder we like the people in the time of Jesus feel there is an action we need to take to earn of become worthy of receiving this gift.

There is of course an action we need to take it is to accept this gift offered to us.

Jesus goes on to tell them that there are more important things than just bread that lasts for the day. The reading ends with the first of the seven I AM statements. This was the second cliff hanger.

What will happen next.

Last week we picked up on the theme of Jesu’s I AM statement.

At this point the Jewish objections came to the fore. The sticking point was the bread that came down from heaven. They could not reconcile this with their knowledge of Jesus’ humble origins (42). Jesus rebuked their grumbling rather than answered their objection (43), although when he pointed out the necessity for the Father to take the initiative, he was virtually telling them that they were out of step with the Father (44).

They needed a spiritual revelation to understand the words of Jesus.

The theme of the bread is introduced again, and Jesus’ own claim is repeated (48). The superiority of the heavenly bread which he offers leads to eternal life compared to the manna given to their ancestors that could not prevent death (49–50).

How would the people react we have the third cliff hanger!

We now come to today’s reading:

In the important statement of Jesus in v 51, he claimed to be the living bread. But there is a further cause of confusion in identifying of the bread with the flesh. The word flesh refers to the human life of Jesus. It was totally misunderstood by the Jews (52). And perhaps even his closest follower.

Jesus tells us he is the Bread of Life, but what does “eating” this Bread mean?

Lots of commentators assume that Jesus was talking about the Lord’s Supper. This passage may well give some meaning of the Lord’s Supper, in relation to Christ’s death. But since the Last Supper occurred one year later than the incidents recorded in this chapter, eating His flesh, and drinking His blood should not be thought of as the communion we partake in.

At this time “Eating” the living Bread is a figure of speech meaning to believe on Him, coming to Him, listening to Him, and seeing Him. To eat of this Bread is to live forever. Jesus then tells them this is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Salvation is by the sacrificial death of the Lamb of God. By His death, eternal life came into the world.

But as often happens like today the teaching of Jesus was not understood, and like today it created a violent argument, about what Jesus meant.

Their understanding remained on a materialistic level.

How could this man give us his flesh to eat?

The people faced more confusion when Jesus speaks of drinking his blood.

The Jews were well aware of the message in Leviticus 3:17 “You must not eat any blood”

They again miss the point. They are thinking too literally. Yet they knew full well that blood was used as a sacrifice for atonement of sin. Yet they miss the point of what Jesus was saying.

Jesus is speaking about his crucifixion that his blood would be the atonement for the sins of the world, his death and resurrection leads to eternal life.

6:55. Just as good food and drink sustain physical life, so Jesus, the real (reliable) spiritual food and drink, sustains His followers spiritually. His flesh and blood give eternal life to those who receive Him. Anyone who partakes of Christ enjoys a mutual abiding relationship with him. He remains in Christ, and Christ remains in him.

This is one of the most important theological ideas in John’s Gospel the Father “remains” in the Son (14:10), the Spirit “remains” on Jesus (1:32), and believers “remain” in Christ and He in them, we who believe this promise enjoy this intimacy with Jesus.

This is the fourth Cliff hanger!

And this one is for us, as we gather together today, do we believe that Jesus in the bread of heaven?

Do we claim this amazing gift for ourselves as individuals? And as a Church?

If this this promise of Christ is as true today? is it not something to shout about?

This overwhelming gift of God poured out for all people, for all time.

When we get down to the nitty gritty in the end it’s all about Faith.

Faith is any easy word to say, but difficult to put into practice.

We often put our faith in doctors, trusting that they will give us the right medication to make us well.

I drove here today having faith that my car that wouldn’t breakdown, or that my satnav would bring me to the right destination.

Like our trust in many things in the world around us we need to have trust in our Lord, we all need a deep and enduring faith in Jesus.

That the claims of Jesus, that he is the bread of life are indeed as true today as they were yesterday

So, we are called to live a life led by Faith, faith in the word of God Faith, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

As Paul writes to the Ephesians:

We are warned how we should live, to be wise. Making the most of our times.

He encourages us to share our faith by being an example to our neighbours and must be unified in or faith in Christ.

We are no longer to act as the world does with self-interest,

As we who have faith in Christ who have been called by the Father have been blessed by the Holy Spirit.

Keeping in mind that we need to always give thanks to God the Father. we should echo what Paul also wrote.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

HYMN

533 The King of Love

PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION

Lord, we come to you the creator of all,

Hear the prayers we bring before you now, join us together that the world may come to believe.

Grant each one of us here today that we may humbly serve you: that the love of Christ will be seen within us.

We ask that you will, strengthen all who share God’s word and those who minister Christ’s word for your people. Give your people the courage to proclaim your Gospel.

We pray for those who hold authority in the nations of the world, that they will make decisions that will be of benefit to all people. Guide them in the way of justice and peace.

We pray that you make us alive in our community, that we can share our faith with those around us. Help us to share each other’s joys and burdens.

Lord look with kindness on our homes and families, bless us and keep us under your wing secure in the knowledge that you love us. Grant that your love will grow in our hearts.

Help us to show compassion for those who suffer from sickness, grief or trouble. And in a moment of silence, we bring them to you now……………………………………………….

We also remember those who are no longer with us and bring them to you in our hearts…………………….

Heavenly Father,

You have promised to hear what we ask in the name of your Son,

We pray you accept and answer our prayers,

Not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness,

But as you know and love us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

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 them that 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

HYMN

124 Give Thanks

BLESSING

The Lord bless us and keep us,

the Lord make his face shine on us,

and be gracious to us,

the Lord turn his face towards us and give us peace,

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among us and remain with us always. Amen.

END