Bread for Today - Exodus 16, HCLD 50

A service plan from the Lord's Prayer focused on trusting God for our daily needs and sharing generously with others in a series on prayer as explained in the Heidelberg Catechism.

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Worship Service

posted on June 1, 2005

A Series of Sermons on Prayer

We continue a series of nine worship services that focus on the Christian's life of prayer. These services will follow the sequence of the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Days 45-52, and will center on each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. At the conclusion of this series we will have provided worship services that are built on the entire Heidelberg Catechism. Each of these is archived on the website of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

Other Services in This Series

Sermon Notes
Music Notes
Liturgy Notes

Theme of This Service

Trusting the Lord for daily bread is the theme of this service. However, this theme has sub-themes imbedded within it: we give thanks to God the provider, we refuse to trust in our own efforts alone, we are content with less than surplus, and we are to share bread with others who do not have it.

Resources

We suggest a number of resources that will be valuable tools for you in this study of the Lord's Prayer.

• Each week we will provide references for you from the Heidelberg Catechism and both the Larger and the Shorter Westminster Catechism.
• The website of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary also provides sermon ideas for each Lord's Days.
• Comfort and Joy: A Study of the Heidelberg Catechism, Andrew Kuyvenhoven, Grand Rapids: CRC Publications, 1988.
• Our Only Comfort: A Comprehensive Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism (vol. 2), Fred Klooster, Grand Rapids: Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2001.

Catechism References:
Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 50
Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 193
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q. 104

* * * * *

WE GATHER IN WORSHIP

Prelude: "O Worship the King" [seemusic notes]

Call to Worship

*Song: "O Worship the King" CEL 104, PH 476, PsH 428, RL 2, TH 2, TWC 29, UMH 73, WR 2

*Our Declaration of Trust and God's Greeting:
Congregation of Jesus Christ, where is your trust placed?
Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Grace, mercy and peace to you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen!

*Worshipers Greet Each Other

*Response: "All People That on Earth Do Dwell" CEL 101, PH 220, PsH 100, RL 120, SFL 10, TH 1, TWC 317, UMH 75, WR 661

WE ARE RENEWED IN GOD'S GRACE

Call to Confession [seeliturgy notes]

Our Prayer of Confession
Merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you
with our whole heart and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be,
so that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (TWS, 2.2.11)

Assurance of God's Pardon

Song of Thanks: "Like a River Glorious" CEL 737, PsH 560, TH 699, TWC 594, WR 435

God's Guide for Grateful Living [seeliturgy notes]

GOD SPEAKS TO US FROM HIS WORD

Anthem: "All Things Bright and Beautiful" [see music notes]
or: "You Are All We Have," O'Brien

Children's Moment [seeliturgy notes]

*Song of Preparation: "We Plow the Fields and Scatter" PH 560, PsH 456, RL 17, TH 714
or: "The Lord, My Shepherd, Rules My Life" PH 170, PsH 23, RL 89/90, SFL 201, TH 85/86/87, TWC 330/615, UMH 136

Reading the Catechism
What does the fourth request mean?
"Give us today our daily bread" means,
Do take care of all our physical needs
so that we come to know
that you are the only source of everything good,
and that neither our work and worry
nor your gifts
can do us any good without your blessing.
And so help us to give up our trust in creatures
and to put trust in you alone. (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 50) [seeliturgy notes]

Prayer for Illumination

Reading of Old Testament Scripture: Exodus 16:1-16

Reading of New Testament Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Sermon: Bread for Today
Prayer Patterns 6

Prayer of Application [see liturgy notes]
Give us this day our daily bread: this is our prayer.
If by our grace you give us more, Lord, help us share.
We are your voice, your hands, your feet; use us to show
in word and deed compassion to a world in need.
We thank you, Lord, for joy and peace, for loving care.
As you have loved us, help us, Lord, your love to share.
Then we will tell of living bread; of Jesus Christ, whose
blood was shed that hungry people might be fed. Amen.
PsH 290 (Helen Otte, 1986 © 1987 CRC Publications. Used by permission.)

WE RESPOND WITH OUR DEDICATION

*Song of Response: "If You But Trust in God to Guide You" PH 282, PsH 446, RL 151, SFL 210, TH 670, TWC 636, UMH 142, WR 429

Prayers of the People [seeliturgy notes]

Offertory
We offer our gifts for .
The offering of music: "If You But Trust in God to Guide You" [seemusic notes]

WE LEAVE TO CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY OF FAITH

*Words of Sending:
Let us go forth into the world,
rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.
Thanks be to God. (TWS, 9.1.18)

Benediction with congregational Amen!

*Song: "Your Spirit, O Lord, Makes Life to Abound" PsH 104:1, 6, 11, 1 [seemusic notes]

*Moment of Meditation

Postlude: "Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer" [seemusic notes]

*Please stand if you are able.

* * * * *

Sermon Notes

How about a twinge of realism as you begin this sermon! How can we write a sermon about "daily bread" when nearly all listeners went to a large supermarket this week, bought at least $50 of food this week, ate at a restaurant at least once this week, have more than $100 of food stacked in their kitchen cupboards, and enough for several weeks in the freezer? Maybe that leads you to call this the "impossible sermon" for your congregation. It may make you think it's the most timely and urgent sermon you've ever preached to them!

Jesus may have had in mind the story of Exodus 16 when we taught this petition to his followers. Read Exodus 16 carefully and note the drama there. God did notice the needs of his people and provided for them every day for 40 years. At the same time he expected his people to trust him by observing a Sabbath and picking up a double portion the day before. He was displeased when his people did not trust him to provide but were "stockpiling" (see verse 20). While it is true that the benefit of God's actions was that Israel was able to eat, the greater benefit was that they learned to trust!

The words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6 point to portions of his creation which are able to teach us a similar lesson. How interesting that birds, lilies, and the grass of the field are able to speak to us about the need and the benefit of trusting!

Putting all these thoughts together, you may want to consider pointing out some lessons such as these:

• Christ the Redeemer is as aware of bodily needs as spiritual. As our Savior was on his way to the cross, he taught us to pray about bread for our bodies.

• Agriculture is God's work. What happens in the fields of the world cannot be fully explained by weather patterns and farming skills, but is ultimately God's provision - as manna from heaven though in a different method. Otherwise, why would we pray about this?

• We find it hard to trust. Israel found it hard. So did the New Testament hearers. Why else would we stockpile food? Someone once said, "It's always easier to trust God when there's a good balance in the bank!" We find it very hard to give up our trust in creatures (see Lord's Day 50).

• We find it easy to grumble. Take a look at how common grumbling is among Israel in the book of Exodus, even when they received manna. Does it still happen among us in the presence of our plenty?

• We find it hard to be content. Would we ever be content with only "daily bread"? Is this not an ironic prayer that we pray?

• Jesus calls us to develop a social conscience. He doesn't call for "my" daily bread, but "our" daily bread. The "I" gives way to the "us." Individualism gives way to community. We are not to be happy with our bread unless others have theirs.

Music Notes:

Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations:
CEL Celebration Hymnal (Word Music/Integrity Music)
PH The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press)
PsH The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
RL Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
RN Renew! (Hope Publishing Company)
SFL Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SNC Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church,
Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SWM Sing With Me (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
TH Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America; Great
Commission Publications)
TWC The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company)
UMH The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House)
WOV With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)
WR Worship & Rejoice (Hope Publishing Company)

You may wish to include the singing of the Lord's Prayer throughout this series of services. Here are some suggested settings that could be used congregationally:

GREGORIAN [The Lord's Prayer (UMH 270)
LANGDON [The Lord's Prayer] (PsH 207)
MALOTTE [The Lord's Prayer] (RN 177)
MELITA [The Lord's Prayer] (TH 725)
ST. MICHAEL [Our Heav'nly Father] (RL 262)
VATER UNSER [Our Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth] (PsH 208)
VATER UNSER [Our Father, Clothed with Majesty] (PsH 562)
Our Father in Heaven (PH 571)
Our Father in Heaven (SNC 196)
The Lord's Prayer/Our Father (SWM 174)

The text of the opening hymn is often paired with two different tunes, LYONS and HANOVER. Suggestions for prelude and alternative harmonizations for these two tunes can be found in the following resources:

LYONS ["O Worship the King"]
Organ:
Cherwien, David. Interpretations. bk. 1 AMSI OR1 [1980] (E-M)
Haan, Raymond H. O Worship the King. Broadman 4570-42 [1979] (E-M)

Piano:
Carter, John. Hymns for Piano II. Hope 8197 [2003] (E-M)
Schubert, Myra. Give Him Praise. Lillenas MB-511 [1983] (M-D)

Handbells:
Hopson, Hal. H. Variations on "O Worship the King". Van Ness 4184-05 [1985]
(3-4 octaves, E-M)
Larson, Lloyd. O Worship the King. Agape 1322 [1988] (2-5 octaves with organ, E-M)
McChesney, Kevin. O Worship the King. Beckenhorst BP207 [2001] (3-5 octaves, level 3)

Alternative Harmonization for Organ:
Goode, Jack C. Thirty-four Changes on Hymn Tunes. H W Grey GB 644 [1978]

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:
Carlson, J. Bert. Let It Rip! At the Piano, vol. 2. Augsburg ISBN 0-8006-7580-0 [2003]

HANOVER ["O Worship the King"]
Organ:
Burkhardt, Michael. Oh, Worship the King. Morningstar MSM-10-583 [2005] (E-M)
Cherwien, David. Interpretations, bk. 1. AMSI OR1 [1980]
Culli, Benjamin M. Musica Sacra: Easy Hymn Preludes for Organ. vol. 5 Concordia 97-7193
[2006] (E)
Haan, Raymond H. Festival Hymn Preludes. SMP KK329 [1985] (E-M)
Peeters, Flor. Hymn Preludes for the Liturgical Year, vol. 6. Peters 6406 [1966] (M)
Schalk, Carl. Easy Hymn Preludes for Organ, vol. 1. Concordia 97-7001 [2002] (short; E)
Thiman, Eric H. Four Chorale Improvisations. Novello (Original Compositions No. 147)
[1933] (M)
Young, Gordon. Chorale Preludes on Seven Hymn Tunes. Flammer HF-5002 [1960] (M)

Alternative Harmonization for Organ:
Busarow, Donald. Thirty More Accompaniments for Hymns in Canon. Augsburg11-10163 [1992]
Goode, Jack C. Thirty-four Changes on Hymn Tunes. H W Grey GB 644 [1978]
Thiman, Eric. Varied Accompaniments to Thirty-Four Well-Known Hymn Tunes. Oxford ISBN 0
19 323210 3 [1937]

The anthem suggestions are as follows:
Ferguson, John. All Things Bright & Beautiful. GIA G-3104 [1987]
(SATB or Two part, alto and bass xylophones and Flute or Piccolo; E-M)
Rutter, John. All Things Bright & Beautiful. Hinshaw HMC-1016 [1983]
(SATB with keyboard; E-M)
O'Brien, Francis Patrick. You Are All We Have. GIA G-3663 [1991]
(SATB, congregation, guitar, keyboard and two C Instruments; E-M)

Resources for offertory music based on the hymn of response are found in:

NEUMARK/WER NUR DEN LIEBEN GOTT ["If You But Trust in God to Guide You"]
Organ:
Bach, J. S. Music for a Celebration, set 4. Morningstar MSM-10-579 [2005] (E-M)
Bach, J. S. Six Organ Chorals. (Schubler, ed. Riemenschneider) Ditson [1952] (M)
Bach, J. S. The Liturgical Year. (ed. Riemenschneider) Ditson [1933] (E-M)
Bach, J. S. Twelve Chorale Preludes. (ed. Glynn) Schirmer 1441 (M)
Carlson, J. Bert. A New Look at the Old. Augsburg 11-11009 [1999] (E-M)
Cherwien, David. Interpretations, bk. 8. AMSI SP-105 [1991] (E-M)
Curry, W. Lawrence. Chorale Prelude on Bremen. Abingdon APM-283 [1963] (M)
Hildebrand, Kevin. Musica Sacra: Easy Hymn Preludes for Organ, vol. 3. Concordia 97-7052
[2004] (E)
Hollinger, Daryl. From Every Corner. Augsburg Fortress ISBN 0-8006-2350-9 [2006] (M)
Leupold, A. W. An Organ Book. Chantry Music Press [1960] (E-M)
Marpurg, Friedrich Wilhelm. Twenty-one Chorale Preludes. Augsburg 11-9506 [1967] (E-M)
Peeters, Flor. 30 Chorale Preludes, set 2. Peters 6024 [1950] (E-M)
Powell, Robert J. If You But Trust in God to Guide You. Morningstar MSM-10-873 [1994] (E-M)
Sedio, Mark. Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ. Augsburg 11-10718 [1996] (E-M)
van der Panne, Wim. Variaties over Wie maar de Goede God laat Zorgen. Musicript MR122
[1986] (M-D)
Walcha, H. Chorale Preludes, bk. 1. Peters 4850 (E-M)
Young, Gordon. Seven Hymn Voluntaries Presser 413-41118-21 [1965] (E-M)

Piano:
Boertje, Barbara. Piano Improvisations for the Church Year. Unity 70/1194U [1998] (E-M)
Carter, John. Little Chorale Preludes for Piano. Augsburg Fortress ISBN 0-8006-7672-6 [2004]
(E-M))
Leavitt, John. A Mighty Fortress Sacred Reflections for Piano. Concordia 97-7254 [2007] (E-M)
Nordquist, John. Four Hymns for the Concert Pianist. Hope 301 [1983] (M-D)

Handbells:
Clisham, William F. If Thou But Suffer God to Guide You. Agape 1337 [1988] (3 octaves, E-M)
Kerr, J. Wayne. Danza. Choristers Guild CGB 340 [2003] (3-5 Octaves, level 3)
Lowenburg, Kenneth. If Thou But Trust In God to Guide Thee. AGEHR AG-23005 [1992] (2-3
octaves, M)

Please take note that the first stanza of the closing hymn also functions as a refrain.

The postlude suggestion can be found in the following resources:

CWM RHONDDA ["Guide Me, O My Great Redeemer"]
Organ:
Barr, John G. Three Preludes on Hymn Tunes. H. W. Grey GSTC 01079 [1992] (E-M)
Carlson, J. Bert. A New Look at the Old. Augsburg 11-11009 [1999] (E-M)
Carlson, J. Bert. Augsburg Organ Library - Autumn. Augsburg ISBN 0-8006-7579-7
[2003] (E-M)
Culli, Benjamin M. Musica Sacra: Easy Hymn Preludes for Organ, vol. 5. Concordia 97-7193
[2006] (E)
Haan, Raymond H. Welsh Hymn Tune Preludes. SMP KK426 [1989] (E-M)
Held, Wilbur. Those Wonderful Welsh, set 2. Morningstar MSM-10-842 [1992] (E-M)
Hobby, Robert A. Three Hymns of Praise, set 6. Morningstar MSM-10-542 [2000] (E-M)
Kerrick, Mary Ellen. All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name (ed. Lyon, Sharron) Broadman 4570-31
[1976] (E-M)
Krapf, Gerhard. Sing and Rejoice, vol. 6. SMP KK339 [1986] (adaptable for piano; E)
Manz, Paul. God of Grace. Morningstar MSM-10-599 [2004] (M)
Manz, Paul. Ten Chorale Improvisations, set 5. Concordia 97-5257 [1974] (M)
Rotermund, Melvin. Five Preludes. Augsburg 11-6040 [1990] (E-M)

Piano:
Organ, Anne Krentz. Piano Reflections for the Church Year. Augsburg Fortress 11-11209
[2001] (E-M)
Shackley, Larry. Celtic Hymn Settings for Piano. Hope 8117 [2001] (E-M)
Wilhelmi, Teresa. Hymns.Light Jazz Style. Word. 301 0136 315 [1997] (M)

Liturgy Notes

1. One pastor recently introduced the service of confession and renewal with a garden analogy. While he was on vacation, the weeds in his garden had grown so much faster than flowers and vegetables. If his garden was not quickly attended, weeds would take over by default. Then he simply said, "The same is true in our lives. Let us confess the growth of weeds in our lives this week."

2. God's Law in the Ten Commandments can be expressed in a variety of ways. A number of variations may be found in The Worship Sourcebook, 2.7.1-21 (pp.127-137). You may want to consider paraphrasing them this week and using the summary of the law (Matthew 22:37-39) for the structure of it. Read or recite verse 37 and then explain that commandments one through four address how we are to do this; then read verse 39 and explain that commandments five through ten explain how to do this.

3. The Children's Moment is located in the liturgy during the Service of the Word. We encourage you to use this time to explain this petition of the Lord's Prayer to the children. Perhaps you'll want to follow the path of a seed from a sack, to the ground, to a season of growth, to harvest, to processing, to the supermarket, to their table. Help them to draw the connection between food on their table and crops in a field and see all of it as God's work.

4. The service uses the text of Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 50. To reprint for personal use, a ministry setting, or classroom use, include this credit line: © 1987, CRC Publications, Grand Rapids MI. www.crcna.org. Reprinted with permission.

5. Notice how the prayer of application is to be spoken in unison by the congregation. The words of a song are utilized. Perhaps reading together something that would ordinarily be sung will help the worshipers focus on the words more. (For permission to reprint, use your CCLI License, OneLicense.net, or contact Faith Alive Resources: ph. 1-800-333-8300 or 616-224-0728; email permissions@FaithAliveResources.org)

6. The Prayers of the People may take any one of the forms it has taken in previous weeks. We've encouraged that each week during this series this prayer be an expression of or built around the Lord's Prayer. We have offered several alternatives in the preceding weeks: an extended paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer with phrases from one of the catechisms, a prayer structured according to the Lord's Prayer with each line expanded according to the prayers written by the leader, or a combination of sung and spoken words. See the material of other services in this series.

Also in this series: