St Paul’s

Evangelical Lutheran Church

313 4th Street, Manistee, MI 49660

website: StPaulsManistee.com

facebook: SPLCManistee

Pastor Dennis Himm (810) 252-5821

September 1, 2024 14th Sunday after Pentecost

THE ONLY FOOD WE REALLY NEED

HYMN 402“My Faith Looks Up to Thee” – please stand for last stanza

SERVICE OF WORD & SACRAMENT - page 26

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus as the heavenly bread of life. Grant us faith to feast on him in your Word and sacraments that we may be nourished unto life everlasting; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Sing) Amen.

FIRST LESSON: Exodus 16:15-31

In sending manna, a bread that stayed fresh for a short time, the LORD not only cared for Israel’s physical well-being but also fortified trust that God would continue to provide.

15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” 17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. 21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” 24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25 “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26 Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.” 27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28 Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you[c]refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 34 – page 80

SECOND LESSON: 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

The Israelites had spiritual food in the wilderness. The pre-incarnate Christ was with them! Yet some cared more about physical blessings than spiritual ones.

1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Never-theless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

P: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:

Alleluia. The one who comes to me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. Alleluia.

(Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

These words are written that we may believe

that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

GOSPEL: John 6:24-35

Jesus is the bread of life.

24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” 28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

P: The Gospel of the Lord.

C: (sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN 331 “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”

SERMON: John 6:24-35

Jesus is the True Wonder Bread

NICENE’ CREED - page 31

PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER

COMMUNION LITURGY - pages 33-35

Because God’s Word clearly teaches us about the Real Presence and the fellowship connected with the Lord’s Supper we kindly ask that only communicant members of WELS and ELS churches come forward to receive the Lord’s body and blood in this Sacrament. Pastor Himm offers a class so you can receive the Lord’s Supper.

COMMUNION DISTRIBUTION

THANK THE LORD & PRAYER - pages 36

BLESSING (sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.

HYMN 616 “Feed Your Children, God Most Holy”

ANNOUNCEMENTS & REFRESHMENTS

OFFERING BASKET BY DOOR – near refreshments

The members of St Paul's have joined together with the WELS to do the Lord’s work in this area and around the world. Our guests may but are not expected to give an offering which supports our ministries.

Visitors, please sign our Guest Book in the entryway.

All Scripture readings are from the NIV 2011. Used by permission.