Midweek Lenten Service - "I AM the Bread of Life"

Midweek Lenten Service

7 PM Central Daylight Time

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

https://video.ibm.com/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7PM Central Daylight Time

The Hymn #479          Zion Rise                                 
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody               
The Lection                            The Passion History

The Sermon Hymn #312        Lord Jesus Christ Thou Living Bread                      

I AM - The Bread of Life

 
The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn #558            All Praise To Thee

Prayers and Announcements

• Treatment and recovery - Rush Limbaugh, Kermit Way, Christina Jackson. Recovery - John Hicks.
• In the last stage of cancer and heart disease - Tom Fulcher, Diane Popp's brother-in-law.
• Surgery - Randy Anderson, Andrea's father.
• Two brothers, both with health issues.
• Pray for our country as the major trials begin.
• Pastor Palangyos - the chapel is slowed down by closing traffic due to the Corona virus.

I AM - The Bread of Life

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.


35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

The Gospel of John has two special characteristics. One is that the Gospel is a commentary on the Five Books of Moses. The other is the disciple Jesus loved, John, recorded this through the Holy Spirit.Those should be two reasons why everyone should know and understand the Fourth Gospel.

Bread is a universal food, made possible by grains and yeast. It played a large role in the temptation of Christ - "Turn these stones into bread, if you are the Son of God."

This dialogue is important, because the Bible is summed up in the answer to their question. What work should we do, to do the work of God?

The answer is ironic, because Pharisaic righteousness depended on outward works. In fact, that is the heart of all religions except Christianity - giving to God or placating God by works. Instead, what Jesus offered was quite different - the work of God is to believe in Him - also taught in John 16:8ff.

The lack of faith is shown by their response - What miracle will you show us to prove why we should believe in You. Moses made bread come down from heaven. What can you do that is equal or superior to that?

Jesus pointed out that the miracle came from God, not from Moses. God gives the true bread from heaven. This goes far beyond their concept of food from heaven.

In this Gospel, Jesus is especially clear in emphasizing His descent from Heaven and His return to Heaven. This Mosaic bread was a great miracle, but tiny compared to God becoming man and dwelling among His people to teach them the truth Gospel.

That sounded good, and they wanted this bread. So Jesus said, 

35 And Jesus said unto them, I AM the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

The debate continued, with the non-believers arguing with Jesus. They called this beautiful sermon in John 6 "a hard saying" and no longer walked with Him.

Greek Lesson

ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 1 1550 Stephanus New Testament (TR1550)

1 εν αρχη ην ο λογος και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον και θεος ην ο λογος

2 ουτος ην εν αρχη προς τον θεον

3 παντα δι αυτου εγενετο και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδε εν ο γεγονεν

4 εν αυτω ζωη ην και η ζωη ην το φως των ανθρωπων

5 και το φως εν τη σκοτια φαινει και η σκοτια αυτο ου κατελαβεν

ην - six times, was, 3 person s. imperf.

red indicates base for English words

Basic rules for translating:

1. Do not have an English Bible open.

2. Look for words you know - this list will grow.

3. Never write in any English words - that decreases the words we know.

4. Read passages out loud to grow familiar with the words.

5. Study some Greek each day.

6. Use Paine. Paine and Greek go together.

6 εγενετο ανθρωπος απεσταλμενος παρα θεου ονομα αυτω ιωαννης

7 ουτος ηλθεν εις μαρτυριαν ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος ινα παντες πιστευσωσιν δι αυτου

8 ουκ ην εκεινος το φως αλλ ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος

9 ην το φως το αληθινον ο φωτιζει παντα ανθρωπον ερχομενον εις τον κοσμον

10 εν τω κοσμω ην και ο κοσμος δι αυτου εγενετο και ο κοσμος αυτον ουκ εγνω

  

11 εις τα ιδια ηλθεν, και οι ιδιοι αυτον ου παρελαβον

12 οσοι δε ελαβον αυτον, εδωκεν αυτοις εξουσιαν τεκνα θεου γενεσθαι, τοις πιστευουσιν εις το ονομα αυτου

13 οι ουκ εξ αιματων ουδε εκ θεληματος σαρκος ουδε εκ θεληματος ανδρος αλλ εκ θεου εγεννηθησαν

14 και ο λογος σαρξ εγενετο και εσκηνωσεν εν ημιν και εθεασαμεθα την δοξαν αυτου, δοξαν ως μονογενους παρα πατρος, πληρης χαριτος και αληθειας

15 ιωαννης μαρτυρει περι αυτου, και κεκραγεν, λεγων, "ουτος ην ον ειπον ο οπισω μου ερχομενος εμπροσθεν μου γεγονεν οτι πρωτος μου ην."

Silence Does Not Mean We Are Locked in the Bunker

 Or - A.B.D.s - the degree boasted by those who never finish.

NW Arkansas seems calmer than the metro areas. However, I notice a lot more big companies announcing delays due to new restrictions.

I have worked from home, almost exclusively, for years. It makes me sad that so many have fed the panic and predicted endless doom, instead of pointing out the blessings and power of America.

My father was always ahead on supplies, because he tried to run a bakery during rationing. He never ran out of flour and sugar, and he sold his extra supplies to other bakers - at cost - when they needed some.

Extreme times are full of paradox. When there was an issue with eggs some time ago, the egg section at the super-center was filled to the brim, untouched. Yesterday, the enormous egg section was empty while workers were bringing palettes of Dr. Pepper and Pepsi in. I thought, "What a country!"

How do they refill an egg shortage? "OK, hens, this is 'Merica. You need to double production, and now squawking about it."

Mrs. Ichabod said, years ago, "Stay ahead on water. If we are out of water, nothing else matters."

I built up the butler's pantry so we have a supply of everything but not too much of anything. Ranger Bob passed on some canned goods from his step-father. "Best before Jan 2012" was not encouraging. We skipped using them.

Christina laughed when I said I swapped one roll of paper towels for the title to his truck. She knows how much he loves his vehicles. The tax refund allowed him to get new tires.

The hardware stores have paper products. Men do not fill shopping carts full of paper during a panic. They want beer and tools.

 "A dog will not willingly give up a large bone for a small bone." Adam Smith, economist