Preparing for Worship - August 8, 2021

I am including for a few weeks, at least, a summary of another weekly Bible study I help lead, where we look briefly at the Scripture readings for worship for the coming Sunday in our LC-MS churches, when they use the three year series of readings. It can help to look at the readings before you come to worship, for better listening and understanding of what they say and how they fit together. Here are some thoughts for the coming Sunday, August 8, 2021.

The Old Testament Lesson is 1 Kings 19:1-8. Elijah had faithfully followed God and stood up against the 450 false prophets of Baal and by God’s power had eliminated them. Queen Jezebel, however, who favored the false gods, vowed to kill Elijah by the next day. Elijah had to run away and was very discouraged and wanted to die. Instead, God sent an angel to him to provide him with physical food and drink, in the wilderness, and strengthened him to be able to travel to Mount Sinai, where the Word of the Lord would come to him again.

The Psalm for Sunday is Psalm 34:1-8. See the introduction to the psalm. David was the writer and was in danger and had to run away from King Saul. At one point, he had to pretend to be insane to escape from another king. God provided for him, though, with food and kept him safe. (See 1 Samuel 21:6,10-15,22:1) In the Psalm, David praises the Lord for His saving help and calls upon fellow believers to praise the Lord, together with Him. David, too, knows that the angel of the Lord is with him, and he uses the picture image of food, “tasting” the goodness of the Lord and taking refuge in Him.

These readings fit with the Gospel lesson, from John 6:35-51, where we hear again of Jesus calling Himself “the living Bread that came down from heaven.” He is the very Son of God, Who had come from heaven to rescue people. He promises, “Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” This is the bread, the food He brings, as He sacrifices His flesh, His body, on the cross. (See also Hebrews 10:5-7,10-13.)

The Epistle lesson continues readings from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. In Ephesians 4:17-5:2, Paul speaks of the new life we now have in Christ. By our baptism (see Romans 6:3-4) and the gift of faith in Jesus (see Ephesians 2:4-10), our old life is done away with and we have a new self, considered holy and righteous, through the love and sacrifice of Jesus for us. The old sinful nature still troubles us, though, and we need constant forgiveness and  “renewal” through the working of the Holy Spirit in us through the Truth that is in Jesus and His Word and Sacraments. Paul gives many examples of the contrast between the old life and the new life in Jesus, and what Jesus wishes to renew in us.