In the name of the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
Psalm 70:1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste to help me, O LORD!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Psalm 105:1, 23, 37-43 Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples…23 Israel also came into Egypt; Thus Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham… 37 Then He brought them out with silver and gold, And among His tribes there was not one who stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the dread of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to illumine by night. 40 They asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock and water flowed out; It ran in the dry places like a river. 42 For He remembered His holy word With Abraham His servant; 43 And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
John 6:22-40 22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?" 26 Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." 28 Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." 30 So they said to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'" 32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread." 35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 "But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
A noteworthy miracle had taken place. The Savior had taken five loaves of bread and two fish and fed a multitude of 5000. The crowds understood that a noteworthy miracle had taken place and they wanted to make Jesus king. When they noticed that He was no longer there, they followed Him to Capernaum and found Him in the synagogue.
And our Lord rebukes their desire to make Him their “bread king.” “Do not work for the food that perishes,” He said, “but for the food the endures to eternal life.” He rebukes not only these who come seeking Him for bread, but all who have their hearts and minds set merely on acquiring the necessities of this life. This is a rebuke of materialism. The span of this life is typically 70 or 80 years. Some last longer. But God has made us to share eternity. In this life, He prepares us for eternity. Unlike the bread of this life which is given to us for the most part through our work, the bread that endures to eternal life is a free gift. It is given to us by the Son of Man.
In fact, the bread that endures to eternal life, is the Son of Man. Just as the manna came to the Israelites in the wilderness as bread from heaven, so Christ is sent from heaven by a God who so loved the world that “He gave His only begotten Son.” He was planted in spotless perfection, grew to bore God pleasing fruit, harvested in the garden of Gethsemane, kneaded by those who cruelly mocked and beat Him, baked in the oven of God’s wrath, and is given to all who believe. Our Lord says, “He who comes to Me will not hunger and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
This bread, our Savior, is the source of life. All that desire life and forgiveness must come to Him, for, “there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.” This bread is for everyone. Jesus makes you this promise, “The one who comes to Me, I will certainly not cast out.” He will never turn you away but will become for you eternal life. In doing so, Christ carries out perfectly and willingly the command of His Father to save all who come to Him and, “raise them up on the last day.” He truly is the bread of eternal life.
The Apostle's Creed is said
Collect for Transfiguration Sunday:
O God, in the glorious transfiguration of Your beloved Son You confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud You wonderfully foreshadowed our adoption by grace. Mercifully make us co-heirs with the King in His glory and bring us to the fullness of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer is prayed
Additional prayers for others and ourselves
Luther's Morning Prayer: I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all thing. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Luther's Evening Prayer: I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive all my sins where I have done wrong, and gracoiusly keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Psalm 103: 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. Amen.