Sunday Worship 25th July

 Sunday Worship

Welcome to our Worship on the eighth Sunday after Trinity Sunday. Our Parish Eucharist is at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, and today we're really pleased to have Revd Lyn Woodall to lead our worship. If you can't be with us in person, you'll find everything you need to worship from home here on this page.

Our first hymn this morning is "Here is Bread, Here is Wine"

Today's Gospel

John 6:1-21 N.I.V.  

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Prayer:

Lord God, Heavenly Father, please make this Scripture alive to the very fibre of our beings. Enable us to find out more about You.

We seek Your loveliness and Your great power.

Be alive to us, today, we pray.

In Jesus’ mighty Name.

Amen

Reflection 

Upon immediate glance; this is such a familiar story that most of us have grown up with.  So it is easy to think, ah, yes, I know this story....

Then stop taking it in.

However, Stories and Parables about Jesus always warrant a second, third and even fiftieth glance!

This Story, unusually in my opinion, is very clear and straightforward.

A doing/action kind of story!

Here’s a lad.

He’s got some bread and some fish.

Jesus – afraid for His life with the crush of folk coming towards Him, has to find a solution....

Stop the crowd.

Feed the crowd.

Give them what they came for...some Teaching.

Throw in a sign and wonder and then withdraw.

Simple then!

The crowd have been following Jesus from place to place, from miracle to miracle.

As His Crucifixion looms; so His divinity heightens and grows. His humanity being overshadowed by His Messianic and Kingly status. His signs and wonders grow clearer and more intense. From water to wine and culminating in the raising of His friend, Lazarus, from the dead, days before His death.

He has to teach them – for this is what He came to do.

But He needs time to withdraw, recharge and simply to talk to His Father, as He approaches the most horrendous day in the history of the world.

And so, He instructs His Disciples...

Get the loaves and fishes off the lad.

Sit the crowd down.

Give thanks.

Distribute the bread.

Distribute the fish.

Feed them.

Collect up the remains.

There is to be NO waste.

There is more left over than what they started with and the crowd see this and they roar and crush forward; to declare Him their King and Messiah (Saviour).

Once again, Jesus has to make a swift exit before the crowd bear down upon Him. He is crying out with all that is within Him, to be near His Father, to call out in prayer and supplication.

He withdraws to the mountain top, by Himself.

Every simile and metaphor and double entendre, here is indicative of His status of His position, of His divinity, of His sacrificial status.

There is nothing wasted.

He is on TOP of that mountain.

He is alone. And the darkness surrounds Him.

His Disciples go down to Lake Capernaum and take a boat.

They begin to row and row and they row three or four miles and a fierce wind begins to blow.

Of course, this is not something to fear because that wind is the Holy Spirit of the living God!

But they are scared!

And at the peak of the Disciples’ fear, of course, Yeshua, approaches, walking on the water!

And they are afeard even more!

And He spoke to them and said, “don’t be scared! It is I!”

And He gets in their boat and immediately the boat reaches the shore!

People of God, we should not be afraid because all that our Saviour came to do has been accomplished and we are already at the shoreline.

We are already where we should be.

In His presence!

Lydia S.

Prayer:

Thank You, Father, for giving us Your only Son. To be our Saviour, our Rescuer and our Lord and King.

We need You every hour, Father God. And we ask that You reveal more of the Teachings of Jesus to each one of us. That we might grow in grace and stature, in Your sight.

Amen

Today's final hymn is "Angel Voices Ever Singing"