August 6, 2006 – Ninth Sunday after Pentecost The first lesson Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 There, too, the whole community of Israel spoke bitterly against Moses and Aaron. 3 "Oh, that we were back in Egypt," they moaned. "It would have been better if the Lord had killed us there! At least there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought us into this desert to starve us to death." 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Look, I'm going to rain down food from heaven for you. The people can go out each day and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether they will follow my instructions. 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say this to the entire community of Israel: 'Come into the Lord's presence, and hear his reply to your complaints.' " 10 And as Aaron spoke to the people, they looked out toward the desert. Within the guiding cloud, they could see the awesome glory of the Lord. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 "I have heard the people's complaints. Now tell them, 'In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.' "13 That evening vast numbers of quail arrived and covered the camp. The next morning the desert all around the camp was wet with dew. 14 When the dew disappeared later in the morning, thin flakes, white like frost, covered the ground. 15 The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. "What is it?" they asked. And Moses told them, "It is the food the Lord has given you. (NLT) Psalm 78:23-29 L. But he commanded the skies to open, he opened the doors of heaven— C. and rained down manna for them to eat. L. He gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels! C. God gave them all they could hold. L. He released the east wind in the heavens and guided the south wind by his mighty power. C. He rained down meat as thick as dust—birds as plentiful as the sands along the seashore! L. He caused the birds to fall within their camp and all around their tents. C. The people ate their fill. He gave them what they wanted. (NLT) The second lesson Ephesians 4:1-16 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 3 Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. 4 We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. 5 There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all. 7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people." 9 Notice that it says "he ascended." This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live. 10 The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe. 11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13 until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson John 6:24-35 When the crowd saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 When they arrived and found him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?" 26 Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign. 27 But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose." 28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the one he has sent." 30 They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives." 35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in me will never thirst. (NLT)