Pentecost • 11

reading for: Tuesday Night, 30 Jul

John 6:24-35

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    Scripture Reading: John 6:24-35

    24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

    25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, 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 from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

    35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

    Commentary

    After the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus’s walking on the water, the crowds came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. When they found Him, they asked when He came there. Jesus answered that they sought Him only because they ate their fill of the loaves. They were exhorted not to work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life that Jesus will give. In other words, Jesus was telling them, don’t work for the food that today you eat and it’s gone and tomorrow you must eat again. However, they were to work for the food that endures and will never perish.

    The crowd was so intent on themselves and their need to see signs and wonders that they did not recognize who was speaking to them and did not listen to Him. Despite witnessing miracles, their focus remained on physical satisfaction rather than spiritual nourishment. Their question, “What sign do you do, that we may see and believe you?” revealed their inability to see beyond the material. They could not see God the Father as their provider and focused instead on His human agents like Moses.

    What is the food that never perishes and endures to eternal life? Jesus does not leave us guessing but tells us that the eternal food we must work for is to believe in the one sent by the Father, Jesus Christ, our Lord. For Jesus is the bread of life; whoever comes to Him will not hunger and thirst. This passage challenges us to recognize that true fulfillment comes from a relationship with Jesus, the bread of life.

  • REFLECT

    Are we working for the food that endures to eternal life? 

  • PRAYER

Father, we do not want to work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to us. Help us to believe in the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, our Lord so that we will never hunger and thirst again.

reading for: Wednesday Night, 31 JULY

2 samuel 11:26-12:13

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    Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13

    26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27 And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

    12 And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

    7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Commentary
In 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13, we see King David, a man after God’s own heart, fall into serious sin. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be killed in battle to cover up his wrongdoing. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin. Nathan told David a story about a rich man who took a poor man’s only lamb, which made David realize his own guilt. David confessed his sin, and although there were consequences, God forgave him.

This passage shows us how easy it is to fall into sin, even for someone as great as King David. It also shows us the importance of recognizing our sins and turning away from them. David’s story reminds us that no matter how far we’ve fallen, God’s grace is always there to lift us back up. When we confess our sins and seek forgiveness, God is faithful to forgive us and help us start anew.

Living a holy life means being honest with ourselves and with God about our mistakes. It means seeking God’s help to turn away from sin and striving to live in a way that honors Him. This involves promoting unity and maturity in our faith community. We must support each other, encourage each other, and help each other grow in our faith. Just as Nathan helped David see his sin, we can help one another stay on the right path by speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

Let’s remember that we are called to live lives worthy of our calling in Christ. This means making choices that reflect our love for God and our commitment to His ways. By doing so, we build a strong, united community of believers who shine God’s light to the world.

  • REFLECT

    ·       Is there a sin in my life that I need to confess and turn away from today?

    ·       How can we as a community help each other live lives that are worthy of our calling in Christ?

reading for: THURSDAY Night, 1 AUG

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    Scripture Reading:

    Commentary

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reading for: FRIDAY Night, 2 AUG

psalm 51:1-12

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    Scripture Reading: Psalm 51:1-12

    Have mercy on me, O God,
        according to your unfailing love;
    according to your great compassion
        blot out my transgressions.
    2 Wash away all my iniquity
        and cleanse me from my sin.

    3 For I know my transgressions,
        and my sin is always before me.
    4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
        and done what is evil in your sight;
    so you are right in your verdict
        and justified when you judge.
    5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
        sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
    6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
        you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

    7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
        wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
    8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
        let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
    9 Hide your face from my sins
        and blot out all my iniquity.

    10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
        and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
    11 Do not cast me from your presence
        or take your Holy Spirit from me.
    12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
        and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

    Commentary

    When we come on Sundays to gather to worship as a kampong, how do we prepare ourselves? And what is God’s desire and work in us?

    Psalm 51 is a famous Psalm. Or rather infamously written by David when he was confronted by God through the prophet Nathan. David didn't just lust with his eyes and heart over Bathsheba but took several actions to eliminate Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba. That is the blinding power that sin can have in our lives if we give in to temptation.

    And it's important to remember that David wasn't just an ordinary Jew. He was chosen, appointed and anointed to be King. To represent God’s heart and teach fellow Jews how to live in God’s ways. So if David could fall and sin, we should take heed of this tendency in all of us.

    God’s desire and will for all of us is actually to save us. And this salvation happens when we allow God into our hearts and lives. To tackle and remove and sinful tendencies and darkness in our hearts. That light and truth might reside instead.

    Instead of lies that following our lustful temptations will satisfy us, we will know that following God’s ways and commandments will satisfy us.

    There is an eternal joy and gladness waiting for us as we follow in the ways and commandments of God our Father.

    For He desires to create in you a clean heart and a right spirit. He desires to blot out all our transgressions. That we might have joy forevermore in His presence.

  • REFLECT

    As you prepare to gather on Sunday this week, are there areas or circumstances that have brought you pain, anguish or discouragement?

  • PRAYER

     Father in Heaven You desire the innermost parts of me to be full of truth and light, I confess that there are times when I prefer to dwell in sin and darkness. But this isn’t a life that is full of joy and gladness. I choose this day to open my heart to You and allow Your light into my heart again as Your child. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

     

     

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