Bethany Lutheran Church
Springdale, Arkansas
Holy Communion, 10 AM Central
Pastor Gregory Jackson
YouTube
The melodies are linked in the hymn title.
The lyrics are linked from the Bethany Hymnal Blog.
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
Introit
Oh, clap your hands, all ye people!
Shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
Psalm. He shall subdue the people under us:
and the nations under our feet.
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, we humbly beseech Thee to put away from us all hurtful things and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth, etc.
Gradual
Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
V. Look unto Him and be lightened:
and let your faces not be ashamed. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
V. Oh, clap your hands, all ye people:
shout unto God with the voice of triumph. Hallelujah!
The Epistle
KJV Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
The Nicene Creed p. 22
We Work Faith - God Worries
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #577 God Bless Our Native Land
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #577 God Bless Our Native Land
Announcements and Prayers
- We pray for President Trump and the innocent bystanders who were injured or killed yesterday.
- Pastor and Mrs. Jim Shrader - 41st wedding anniversary July 10th.
- Christina Jackson's birthday remembered, July 20th.
- Glen and Esther Kotten's second anniversary is upcoming July 22nd.
- Alicia Meyer's birthday, July 27th.
- Medical care - Kermit Way; Pastor and Mrs. Shrader; Sarah Buck; Lorie Howell; Norma Boeckler; those dealing with metabolic and stress disorders.
SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, who in the wilderness didst by Thy Son abundantly feed four thousand men besides women and children with seven loaves and a few small fishes: We beseech Thee, graciously abide among us with Thy blessing, and keep us from covetousness and the cares of this life, that we may seek first Thy kingdom and Thy righteousness, and in all things needful for body and soul, experience Thine ever-present help; through Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
We Work Faith- God Worries
KJV Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
The sermon title is taken from Luther's ironic summary of this feeding of the multitude. They traveled away from their homes, because they were drawn by the power of Jesus' preaching. They had faith in Him because they heard Jesus speaking God's Word rather than clinging to the laws of the scribes and Pharisees.
When the disciples sought to understand, Jesus said in John 6.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 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.
What did this enormous group of people do? They followed Him to the point of starvation. They could be near a water source, but that was nothing when they had no more food and water was not enough. We were driving north in Arizona when I realized we were very short on fuel. Finding a town was difficult enough, bright gasoline signs were present but abandoned. The feeling of dread built up...and finally a little town showed up with a working gas station. People may not be lost on a desert highway, but they can be terrified of the unknown.
Jesus had compassion for the thousands of people.
1 Peter 5: 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Our human weakness is to be overflowing with care, but it is God's nature to care for us.
Jesus explained to the disciples,
- The crowd has nothing to eat, after three days following Him.
- They have nothing left to eat.
- If they go home now, they will collapse from hunger.
- Many came from a long distance.
His disciples pointed out that the resources were not there.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy thesemen with bread here in the wilderness?
So they were saying that feeding the multitude was impossible, just as skeptics, rationalists, Objective Faithless Justification gurus, and seminary professors do now. Bethany Lutheran Church started in a rental hall in New Ulm, where we were not welcome. We found land, but we had no money. Mortgage money was offered, much to the shock of others, and we soon had hymnals, an organ, chairs, and a do-it-yourself chapel. The building materials were provided from out of town gifts.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
This is a case of the disciples worrying rather than having faith in God Himself, Creator of the Universe. The work of God is faith in Jesus Christ, Who - throned in glory - deals with us through His angels.
My friend in the doctoral program at Notre Dame was an expert on angels in the Bible, writing a 300 page dissertation on the topic. Our supervisor would not even look at it, since the professor was a Tillich-Barth fan. He was distressed over his daughter's extreme disabilities and his lack of income. Christina and I said, "You are not getting help dealing with your daughter's disabilities?" We explained the process and some days later, Charlie came into the lounge area and knelt before Christina. He was overwhelmed with joy. His daughter would be supported and he could finish the PhD. He was worried sick and despairing.
The Good Shepherd provided. KJV Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Jesus gave thanks to God, broke the bread, and gave the loaves to the disciples to distribute. Seven loaves would not go far, yet they multiplied. That abundance is not only real but also a stumbling block to those drunk on human reason. They throw out the excuses and dismiss the power of God. They reject God in favor of other gods.
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
Jesus blessed the fish as well, which meant that the famished followers were not only given bread to satisfy their hunger but a bonus of protein and oil to give them energy on their journey back. So people ask today, "Why did the disciples question how a little food could help the 4,000?" There were many miracles, which were aimed at the present, to encourage the disciples and early believers, and the future, for us. And we fall into the same doubts about what God can do and where we are going ultimately.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
Many empires rose and fell between the time of Christ and us. The Romans did not realize that they were at the peak of power - as an empire - falling apart slowly, only to shut down when the Eastern Greek Empire fell apart - Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453.
Our Founders were very rise about the future, seeing so many problems in the kingdoms of that world. Britain went to war to keep America as a vassal state, paying taxes, taking away the guns and rifles of the citizens. That is why the Second Amendment is so high on the list of inalienable rights. Inalienable means that no one has the right to take them way - ever. No Congress or state or local government can take way something inherently ours.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people tokeep and bear Arms , shall not be infringed.
What people do not value will be taken away by force, over time. so we must continue in the virtues established by our Founding Fathers.
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