Worship Guide
July 28, 2024
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “What a Day That Will Be” Charles
Centering Words:
God, let the Word you have for us today fall upon our hearts and open us to your presence.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: May every family in heaven and on earth gather in name and spirit.
People: May God pour out courage and compassion on our congregation through the Spirit.
Leader: May our minds be open, that Christ may dwell within. May our hearts receive the fullness of our faith.
People: From generation to generation, God’s grace is abundant!
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Holy Spirit, meet us here. Find our spirits open and our hearts receptive to your word for us this day. With our songs and prayers, our witness and reflection, may we faithfully go where you call us to be. In the name of our brother, Christ, we pray. Amen.
Hymn: “Gentle Shepherd” W&S 3096
Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us,
for we need you to help us find our way.
Gentle Shepherd, come and feed us,
for we need your strength from day to day.
There's no other we can turn to
who can help us face another day;
gentle Shepherd, come and lead us,
for we need you to help us find our way.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Confessions, whether spoken aloud or acknowledged silently within our hearts, are pleasing to our God.
In the name of the Christ, you are forgiven. Thanks be to God for Christ’s mercy.
In the name of Christ, you are forgiven. Amen.
*Gospel Reading: John 6:1-21
1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Authority”
Hymn: “O Spirit of the Living God”
O Spirit of the living God, thou light and fire divine,
descend upon thy church once more,
and make it truly thine.
Fill it with love and joy and power,
with righteousness and peace;
till Christ shall dwell in human hearts,
and sin and sorrow cease.
Blow, wind of God! With wisdom blow
until our minds are free
from mists of errors, clouds of doubt,
which blind our eyes to thee.
Burn, winged fire! Inspire our lips with flaming love and zeal,
To preach to all thy great good news,
God's glorious common weal.
Teach us to utter living words of truth which all may hear,
the language all may understand
when love speaks loud and clear;
till every age and race and clime
shall blend their creeds in one,
and earth shall form one family by whom thy will is done.
So shall we know the power of Christ
who came this world to save;
so shall we rise with Him to life
which soars beyond the grave;
and earth shall win true holiness,
which makes thy children whole;
till, perfected by thee, we reach creation's glorious goal!
Sermon: “Call to Confession” 2 Samuel 11:1-15
1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. 3 David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. 5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”
6 So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. 8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, 13 David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.”
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Stand By Me”
When the storms of life are raging,
stand by me (stand by me)
when the storms of life are raging,
stand by me (stand by me)
when the world is tossing me,
like a ship upon the sea,
thou who rulest wind and water,
stand by me (stand by me).
In the midst of tribulation,
stand by me (stand by me)
in the midst of tribulation,
stand by me (stand by me)
when the hosts of hell assail,
and my strength begins to fail,
thou who never lost a battle,
stand by me (stand by me).
In the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me (stand by me)
in the midst of faults and failures,
stand by me (stand by me)
when I've done the best I can,
and my friends misunderstand,
thou who knowest all about me,
stand by me (stand by me).
In the midst of persecution,
stand by me (stand by me)
in the midst of persecution,
stand by me (stand by me)
when my foes in war array
undertake to stop my way,
thou who saved Paul and Silas,
stand by me (stand by me).
When I’m growing old and feeble,
stand by me (stand by me)
when I’m growing old and feeble,
stand by me (stand by me)
when my life becomes a burden,
and I’m nearing chilly Jordan,
O thou “Lily of the Valley,"
stand by me (stand by me).
Psalter: Psalm 14
1 Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God."
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none that does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all people, to see if there are any that are wise, who seek after God.
3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is none that does good, no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous.
6 You would confound the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7 O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores their fortunes, Jacob shall rejoice and Israel shall be glad!
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concern
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Seek Ye First”
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Allelu, alleluia
Ask and it shall be given unto you
seek and ye shall find
knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.
Allelu, allleluia
Benediction
Hymn: “God Be with You till We Meet Again”
God be with you till we meet again;
by his counsels guide, uphold you,
with his sheep securely fold you;
God be with you till we meet again.
