Sunday Meditation, June 21
Christ, the Bread of Life
Scripture for Meditation: John 6:12-14
And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
Hymn of Provision: Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.William Williams, 1717-1791
Prayer of Blessing
Responsive Reading: Exodus 16:11-18
And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them,
“It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less.
But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.
Hymn of Supplication: Christ, Be My Glory
(Tune of “Be Thou My Vision”)
Christ, be my ransom; redeem me, I pray.
Purchase God's pardon, for I cannot pay.
God had been angry but now smiles on me;
His wrath, though righteous, is canceled by Thee.Christ, be my wisdom, the light of my mind;
Shine in my thinking, else I would be blind.
Grant me the faith and the insight to see
Truth in its rad'ance embodied in Thee.Christ, be my manna, O Life-bread Divine;
Work through my weakness that honor be Thine.
Fortify, feed me; I faint, and I fall.
Nourish Thy servant, Sustainer of All!Christ, be my glory, the praiseworthy One;
Through Thee God saves me and names me a son.
No more of Satan, his offspring, defiled,
I am adopted, in Christ made God's child!© 2004 Brian Pinner
Prayer of Corporate Confession
Silence for Personal Confession
Assurance of Pardon: John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Hymn of Feasting: We Will Feast in the House of Zion
Ministry of the Word
*All Scripture, English Standard Version. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission.