Liturgy for the 11th Sunday after Pentencost, Year B (Mark)
You have my permission to use this material. Please do two things.
Leave a comment below letting me know who you are and where you are from!
Link to this on your site or share on your social! It helps others benefit and gets the word out!
Scriptures for the Day
2 Samuel 11:26-12:13 This passage recounts the aftermath of David's sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. The prophet Nathan confronts David, telling him a parable that reveals David's guilt. David repents, and Nathan tells him that while his sin is forgiven, he will still face severe consequences. This passage highlights the themes of sin, repentance, and divine justice.
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 In this passage, the Israelites grumble about their hunger in the wilderness, longing for the food they had in Egypt. God responds by providing quail in the evening and manna in the morning, teaching the Israelites to depend on Him for their daily sustenance. This passage emphasizes God's provision and the need for trust in His care.
Psalm 51:1-12 A penitential psalm attributed to David after his sin with Bathsheba, Psalm 51 is a heartfelt plea for mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing. David acknowledges his transgressions, asks God to create a pure heart within him, and seeks restoration of the joy of salvation. This psalm underscores themes of repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal.
Psalm 78:23-29 This passage recounts God's provision for the Israelites in the wilderness, specifically the miraculous feeding with manna and quail. It reflects on God's faithfulness and the people's recurring disbelief and ingratitude. The focus is on God's steadfast provision and the call for the community to remember and trust in His deeds.
Ephesians 4:1-16 Paul urges the Ephesians to live a life worthy of their calling, emphasizing humility, gentleness, patience, and unity. He explains that Christ has given various gifts to the church to equip the saints and build up the body of Christ, aiming for unity in faith and knowledge. This passage centers on the themes of unity, spiritual maturity, and the diversity of gifts within the church.
John 6:24-35 After the feeding of the 5,000, the crowd follows Jesus, seeking more miraculous signs. Jesus redirects them, teaching that He is the bread of life and emphasizing the need for spiritual nourishment over physical sustenance. This passage stresses the importance of seeking eternal life through belief in Jesus, the true bread from heaven.
Themes
The passages intertwine themes of repentance, provision, unity, and spiritual nourishment:
Repentance and Forgiveness: In 2 Samuel, David's sin and subsequent repentance are a central focus. Psalm 51 echoes this theme, presenting a model of heartfelt contrition and the desire for God's mercy. These passages remind us of the importance of acknowledging our sins and seeking God's forgiveness.
Divine Provision: Both Exodus 16 and Psalm 78 reflect on God's miraculous provision of food for the Israelites in the wilderness. This theme is further developed in John 6, where Jesus identifies Himself as the bread of life, emphasizing that God's provision goes beyond physical needs to include spiritual sustenance.
Unity and Community: Ephesians 4 calls the church to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. It highlights the diversity of gifts within the body of Christ and the necessity of these gifts for building up the church. This theme of unity is crucial for fostering a healthy, growing Christian community.
Spiritual Nourishment and Growth: The idea of spiritual nourishment is vividly depicted in John 6, where Jesus invites the crowd to seek the food that endures for eternal life. Ephesians 4 also touches on this, as the church is built up and grows toward maturity in Christ. This calls believers to seek continuous spiritual growth and nourishment from God's Word and through their relationship with Jesus.
These intertwined themes encourage us to reflect on our need for repentance and God's forgiveness, to trust in His provision, to strive for unity within the body of Christ, and to seek ongoing spiritual nourishment and growth.
Call to Worship
One: Come, let us worship the Lord, our God, who feeds us with the bread of life.
All: We come with grateful hearts, ready to receive God's provision.
One: In the wilderness of our lives, God provides all we need.
All: We gather to give thanks for God's faithful care.
One: Together, let us lift our voices in praise and worship.
All: With grateful hearts, we worship the Lord, who is our strength and our sustenance.
Prayer of Confession
All: Merciful God, we need your grace and help. You are a God of plenty, yet we doubt your abundance. When we sin, we doubt your unbounded love. When we are called to trust, we doubt your ability to help. When we need, we doubt your ability to provide. Help us, Lord! You sent manna from heaven to your children and your child, Jesus, as Bread from Heaven to show us you can meet our needs. Nothing is impossible for you, especially meeting our request to build our trust. (personal prayer)
One: Lord may your name be glorified in us and through us. We ask this through Christ Jesus, your only begotten son. It is he who is our Lord and our Savior, our brother and our friend.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon- Ephesians 4:4-6
Today’s assurance of pardon is declared to us from Saint Paul who wrote, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Friends, this is the good news!
Thanks be to God!
Prayer of Illumination
Holy God, Illuminate our hearts as we reflect on your Word. Teach us the consequences of sin and the depth of your mercy. Help us trust in your daily provision and remember your faithfulness. Equip us with your gifts for unity and maturity in Christ. Lead us to Jesus, the Bread of Life. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, in an act of trust that you can provide and do more when we give than we can we hold back, we offer to you our tithes and offerings. Use us and our gifts to heal the world and to build our faith. Amen.
