The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, At-Home Service for July 25th
There are things that get noticed, and then there are the things we don’t want anyone to notice. For example, I generally don’t want to be noticed when I go to the Giant Eagle in the Waterworks. There are very few items that can only be obtained there and nowhere else. When I must obtain those few items at Giant Eagle I am generally on a mission. I want to finish the shopping and get on with the other things that must be accomplished in a day. If I am noticed it means that it will take more time to get in and out of the store. In my rush to finish buying what I need from Giant Eagle, there are also probably people and things that I fail to notice. I suspect others may feel similarly. But, this is not the only situation in which a person may wish to avoid being noticed.
Click here to view the at-home version of the service.
Pastor Rike’s Sermon
Jesus tried to go unnoticed. He tried to get away to a place all by himself when he heard that John the Baptist had been killed. But, there was no place he could go without being noticed. The crowds heard that Jesus was on the move. They followed and came to him. The way that Jesus responded when he wanted to go unnoticed was probably different from what many of us would have been inclined to do. He had compassion for the crowds he saw in front of him. There were also things that the disciples noticed. The disciples anticipated a potential problem. They noticed how many people had followed Jesus. They noticed it was getting late in the day. And, they noticed that the closest places to buy food were hours away. They noticed that they had nothing in that place except five loaves two fish. And, afterward, the disciples most certainly would have noticed the 12 baskets full of left-over pieces from the loaves of bread Jesus had taken and broken.
Click here to read Pastor Rike’s sermon.
Video Options
Follow along with the service on video led by Pastor Rike, with music performed by Randy Broker.
The Ninth Sunday After Pentecost Service for July 25th includes: Hymn: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing performed by Randy Broker First Reading Isaiah 55:1-5 Holy Gospel Matthew 14:13-21 Sermon by Pastor David Rike Hymn: Break Now the Bread of Life performed by Randy Broker Prayers Blessing