Preparing for Worship - August 11, 2024

The Old Testament lesson is from 1 Kings 19:1-8. The Lord had helped the faithful prophet Elijah and shown His power over the prophets of the false god Baal. The Lord had Elijah kill these false prophets, and King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, who supported these false prophets, was so angry that she vowed that Elijah would be dead by the next day. In fear, Elijah fled as far south in the land as he could go and was ready to die. The angel of the Lord cared for him and fed him enough that he could travel to Mt. Horeb (Mt. Sinai), where the Lord would appear to him, as He had to Moses long before, and encourage and strengthen him.

David, too, had his troubles, even as a servant of the Lord, as expressed in Psalm 34:1-8. The introduction to the psalm refers to a time when David had to pretend that he was crazy or insane in order to escape from a king of whom he was afraid. (See 1 Samuel 21:10-15.) David was also being pursued by his own king, King Saul, at this time. David praises the Lord in Psalm 34 for delivering him from all his fears. He was like a poor, helpless man, but the Lord saved him from his troubles, and the angel of the Lord protected him. David exclaims, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” (See how this verse is quoted for us in 1 Peter 2:2-3.)

The Gospel lesson is John 6:35-51, continuing last week’s reading, where Jesus said He was “the Bread of life,” who could bring eternal life to those who believed in Him, as the promised one, sent from God the Father. Jesus had opposition, too. Many Jews grumbled at this claim of His, as they knew Jesus as the son of Joseph and his wife, Mary. How could Jesus claim to have come down from heaven and be offering living bread that would bring life forever - better bread than the manna provided in the wilderness at the time of Moses? Jesus was telling the truth, but it did not make sense to many of the people. (We will hear more of this next week, too.)

The Epistle lesson is another reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 4:17-5:2. Here, Paul emphasizes what new life in Christ as Savior looks like. We have heard that we are counted righteous already, simply by faith in Jesus. We have a new life in Jesus and in His truth and now want to be renewed in our minds and be a new self, a new person, according to what our Lord knows is right and best for us and for others around us.

This is very different from the very self-centered lifestyle of the Gentile Greco-Roman world. It involves being truthful in what we say, seeking to build up others, and doing honest work. It means trying to be kind and forgiving to others, as God in Christ has loved and forgiven us. Christ Jesus loved us and sacrificed everything for us. We seek, now, to walk in His way of love, as His beloved children, in what we do and in what we say. Like David and Elijah, we will sometimes fail, but the Lord will forgive and lift us again and send His angels to help and protect us, as He promises.