Lectionary -- Ordinary Sunday 20 (Pentecost +10) Year B

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1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 God gives Solomon a wise and discerning mind
Psalm 111 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
Ephesians 5:15-20 Be careful then how you live
John 6:51-58 Whoever eats this bread will live for ever

Suggested Hymns (From Denis Towner. TIS = Together in Song; AHB = Australian Hymn Book; SA = Sing Alleluia)
Hymns for Sunday 20, Yr.B
lesson hymn TIS AHB SA
G As we break the bread 449
O/Ps Be thou my vision 547 455
G Bread of heaven on you we feed 513 434
E Breathe on me breath of God 407 320
E By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered 617 15
E Christians lift your hearts and voices 540 21
Ps Come gracious Spirit, heavenly dove 402 311
O Come my way, my truth, my life 552 457
G Come Spirit blest, your influence shed 507 428
E Come Spirit of God, holy Lord 399
G Draw near and take the body of the Lord 498 c589
G Eat this bread, drink this cup 714 29
E Eternal Light shine in my heart 548
G Feed us now Bread of Life 538
E Filled with the Spirit's power 411 328
G For the bread that we have eaten 532
Ps God established an eternal covenant 68
E God is our song and every singer blest 646 38
O Great is your faithfulness 154
G Here Lord we take the broken bread 523 446
G I am the Bread of Life 535
G Let all mortal flesh keep silence 497 418
E Let all the world in every corner sing 105 13
G Lord Jesus joy of loving hearts 499 420
O Lord of creation, to you be all praise 626 557
O O for a closer walk with God 576 488
Ps O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder 155
O O Master let me walk with thee 601 522
O O Spirit of the living God 405 318
Ps/E O worship the King all glorious above 133 67
Ps Praise the Lord, I will give thanks to the Lord 68
O Your hand O God, has guided 456 389

Other Possible Hymns

(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia.)
Lo here is fellowschipe
58 (TIS 93) Praise the Lord, ye heavens adore him
66 God is love, his mercy brightens
103 (TIS 157) Lord of every shining constellation
356 Come ye that love the Lord
435 (TIS 514) Be known to us in breaking bread
573 (TIS 788) Praise God, from whom all blessing flow

Sermon summary (Click here for complete sermon)

What a promise! Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. Then comes the hard part: and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. (John 6:51). When Jesus said that, it caused many to depart.(John 6:60-61,66). We will take up the challenge which was too much for many of them next week, To whom can we go? (John 6:68).

We should not ignore the shock of the challenge. It is all too easy to say, "It is all symbolic... those were other times and a different culture." But how different? Many of them were as offended as a modern people might be and often are. As we shall see next week, it was especially offensive to the Jews who went to great lengths to avoid consuming blood. There was something basic and universal in it too, so that Gentile Christians should also observe the instruction that they should "abstain from blood"(Acts 15:28-29; Acts 21:25).

The key point was that the blood to be avoided was believed to be the means by which life was shared (Genesis 9:4) The disciples knew that by contrast they should share in the life of Christ through the communion of his body and blood. So in the Holy Communion we share in the life of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). (See also1 Corinthians 8:7-10; Romans 14:14) It is quite clear that we are dealing with the power of symbols in the human mind. [A point Jesus himself made in another way: Matthew 15:11,18; Mark 7:20. Cf. Romans 14:17]

Compare the words of institution of the Lord's Supper (Luke 22:19) with (John 6:47-56). It is very direct and definite. At the same time you can see how it depends upon belief. The symbols are effective. Jesus said it quite plainly and in strong terms: for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. {56} Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Through the symbols we share in the life of Christ.

It was flesh that the Word became when he gave the offer of eternal life. (John 1:14; John 3:16). We cannot hold this faith in a way that is entirely "spiritual" in the sense that it is separated from material existence. Although it is spiritual (John 6:63) God did not rely upon anything purely spiritual, or even exclusively on spoken words, as a the means of making himself known and establishing communion with us: he did it through human flesh. (1 John 5:20). So faith in Christ is the basis of our communion in which that life of God that was in him is shared.

Order of Service - Ordinary 20 (Pentecost +10) Year B

The Gathering of the People of God

CALL TO WORSHIP
Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them. --Psalms 111:1-2

HYMN Let all the world in every corner sing TIS 105, AHB 13
PRAYER OF ADORATION
CONFESSION
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have left undone what we ought to have done, and we have done what we ought not to have done. We have followed our own ways and the desires of our own hearts. We have broken your holy laws. Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us; restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Jesus Christ our Lord.
PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS
Almighty God have mercy on you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
DOXOLOGY: Praise God, from whom all blessing flow. TIS 788, AHB 573

WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER

Service of the Word

INTRODUCTION OF THEME: Wisdom; and/or The presence of Christ in the Eucharist, food for eternal life.
OLD TESTAMENT 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 God gives Solomon a wise and discerning mind

PSALM 111 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of honor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

Choir: God my Creator (or Lo here is Fellowschipe)
EPISTLE Ephesians 5:15-20 Be careful then how you live
GOSPEL John 6:51-58 Whoever eats this bread will live for ever
HYMN Bread of heaven on you we feed TIS 513, AHB 434

SERMON

OFFERING AND DEDICATION
SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
After pastoral petitions:-

The Heavenly Food of God's Word
O God, who has so made us that we live not by bread alone, but by every word of God; and who has taught us not to spend our labour on that which does not satisfy; cause us to hunger after the heavenly food of thy Word, and to find in it our daily provision on the way to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Uniting in Worship, from Prayers for Divine Service, 1923, Church of Scotland.)

An Ancient Prayer for Unity in the Sacrament
We give you thanks, O Father, for the life and knowledge which you have made known to us through your Son Jesus; yours is the glory for ever and ever. As the grain once scattered in the fields and the grapes once dispersed on the hillside are now united on this table in bread and wine, so, Lord, may your whole church soon be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory and power, through Jesus Christ, for ever and ever. Amen. (From the Didache, 2nd century.)

COLLECT FOR THE DAY
Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubt; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord's Supper
THE PEACE
HYMN Come Spirit blest, your influence shed. TIS 507, AHB 428
GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Thanks and praise ..... in the eternal hymn: [SA 100c and 100d]
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We thank you ....
[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of hymn book]
BREAKING THE BREAD
THE LAMB OF GOD [Sing Alleluia 100e]
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.

COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

The Sending Forth of the People of God

HYMN Lo here is fellowschipe
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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