John 6:24-35
Lead in: “When the crowd saw that Jesus and his disciples weren’t there, they got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.” (John 6:24) People of today are still getting into their boats searching for Jesus. But the question is, which Jesus are they looking for? Is it the Jesus who will make life the way they want it to be? Or, is it the Jesus who leads us to the fullness of a life which on earth, can’t even be fathomed?
Prompt: Which Jesus are you looking for? Is it the Jesus who will make my life the way I want it to be? Or, is it the Jesus who leads me to the fullness of life, but for now a life that won’t always be the way I want it to be?
Lead in: The Jesus who identified himself as the bread of life was the Jesus who eventually was crucified.
Prompt: What does the cross mean for those who seek to be followers of Jesus Christ? What does the cross of Jesus mean to you?
Lead in: The Israelites wandered through the desert for forty years looking for the promised land. On that seemingly aimless journey, things often did not go well for them. One day, they were fed up, “The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, ‘Would that we had died at the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into the desert to make the whole community die of famine!’” (Exodus 16:2-4) Moses was up against a wall and didn’t know what to do.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you were up against a wall and didn’t know what to do. How did it turn out? What did you learn?
Lead in: The Lord sent manna from heaven and the Israelites did not die of famine like they thought would happen. But the manna was only enough for one day. The Israelites had to trust that tomorrow would take care of itself, and that God would provide for them as He had done for them today.
Prompt: Where is it in your life that you need to trust that tomorrow will take care of itself, and that the grace you’re given today will be the grace you’ll be given tomorrow, but not until tomorrow
comes?
Lead in: Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35)
Prompt: What does it mean for you to let Jesus be your bread of life?
Lead in: In Ephesians 4, Paul urges us to put away our old self with its former way of life, and be renewed in your mind in the way you think, and put on your new self in Christ.
Prompt: What do Paul’s words mean to you?
