I've had an Epiphany!

An icon of Jesus as the Living Bread Worship Theme: Living as a Christian is hard. The devil places many obstacles in our way, all of which lead to sin and unbelief. But by his death in our place (by losing!), Jesus defeated Satan. The risen Christ gives us a way out of every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Most of all, our Savior gives us the Bread of Life, his promises of forgiveness and eternal rescue. As we nourish our faith on this Bread of Life, Jesus will give us boldness to fight our spiritual enemies. Old Testament: Proverbs 9:1-6 Wisdom has built her house. She has carved out her seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat. She has mixed h er wine. She has already set her table. 3 She has sent out her servant girls. She calls from the highest point in the city, 4 “Whoever is naïve, let him turn in here.” To someone who lacks sense she says, 5 “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine that I have mixed. 6 Abandon your naïve ways and live. Travel the road to under...

1 Corinthians 13:4-13   4  Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not brag. It is not arrogant.  5  It does not behave indecently. It is not selfish. It is not irritable. It does not keep a record of wrongs.  6  It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth.  7  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8  Love never comes to an end. But if there are prophetic gifts, they will be done away with; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be done away with.  9  For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part,  10  but when that which is complete has come, that which is partial will be done away with.  11  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things.  12  Now we see indirectly using a mirror, but then we wi...

John 6:24–35 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: You are not looking for me because you saw the miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not continue to work for the food that spoils, but for the 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 So they said to him, “What should we do to carry out the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God: that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 Then they asked him, “So what miraculous sign are you going to do, that we may see it and believe you? What miraculous sign are you going to perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is wri...

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day.  20  A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and  21  longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores.  22  Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  23  In hell, where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side.  24  He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’ 25  “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery.  26  Besides all this, a great chasm...

The Gathering of the Manna Artist: Dirk Bouts Date: c. 1465 Worship Theme: Many Christian churches stress social action. Feeding the hungry is important for Christians. God commands acts of mercy. Sadly, however, many churches offer little more than physical bread, bread that does not last. Bread is necessary for this life, but Jesus wants his Church to focus on offering the Bread of Life (Jesus himself, the Word of God). This Bread nourishes our souls, not just now, but for all eternity. Old Testament: Exodus 16:2–20 2 The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord ’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat around pots of meat and ate as much food as we wanted, but now you have brought us out into this wilderness to have this whole community die of hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Watch what I will do. I will rain down bread from heaven for you, and the p...