Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 1

Family  Worship  Guide  –  Week  42     READ  

o Read  John  6:25-­‐51  o Prior  to  this  passage,  Jesus  performed  a  miracle  (6:1-­‐15)  by  feeding  over  five  thousand  people  with  five  loaves  of  

bread  and  two  fish.  This  miracle  met  an  urgent  physical  need.  However,  the  purpose  of  the  miracle  was  to  reveal  Jesus  Christ  as  God’s  appointed  Messiah.  He  did  not  merely  seek  to  meet  an  urgent,  yet  temporary,  need  of  physical  hunger  but  the  urgent,  yet  eternal,  need  of  spiritual  famine.  He  used  the  provision  of  physical  food  as  an  illustration  of  God’s  provision  of  spiritual  life.  Ultimately,  through  performing  and  subsequently  explaining  the  miracle,  Jesus  Christ  reveals  that  He  is  more  necessary  for  life  than  food.    

o The  next  day,  a  large  crowd  of  people  pursued  Jesus.    They  did  so  not  because  they  wanted  Jesus  but  because  they  wanted  His  gifts.  They  wanted  the  miracles,  not  the  One  to  whom  the  miracles  pointed.  Throughout  John’s  Gospel,  miracles  are  often  referred  to  as  “signs.”  All  signs  point  to  something  beyond  themselves.  A  stop  sign  points  to  a  busy,  dangerous  intersection.  Anyone  who  has  ever  taken  a  trip  to  Disneyworld  sees  signs  for  Disneyworld  hundreds  of  miles  before  actually  reaching  Disneyworld.  Stopping  at  the  sign  would  result  in  an  utterly  dissatisfying  vacation.  

o The  people  in  this  passage  were  so  focused  on  the  sign  that  they  failed  to  see  the  One  to  whom  the  sign  pointed  (v.  26).  They  wanted  full  stomachs  and  not  eternal  life.  Ironically,  the  people  believed  the  Messiah’s  ministry  would  be  accompanied  by  signs  from  God  (v.  30).  But,  again,  they  were  more  interested  in  seeing  signs  than  seeing  the  Savior.  They  refer  to  Moses  and  the  miraculous  provision  of  food  for  the  Israelites  during  their  wilderness  wanderings  (c.r.  Ex.  16).  Jesus  dismissed  the  people’s  tendency  to  credit  Moses  for  that  miracle  by  identifying  His  Father  as  the  one  who  provided  for  their  needs  (v.  32).  Just  as  the  Father  sent  the  bread  to  care  for  the  temporary  needs  of  His  people,  He  sent  His  Son,  the  Bread  of  Life,  to  care  for  the  ultimate  needs  of  the  world.      Bottom  Line:  Jesus  Christ  is  more  necessary  for  life  than  food.      Questions:  What  is  the  purpose  of  a  sign?    What  was  the  primary  purpose  for  the  miracle  performed  in  John  6?  Why  is  Jesus  Christ  more  necessary  for  life  than  food?    Do  we  want  God’s  provision  more  than  His  person?      In  what  ways  do  we  seek  to  satisfy  our  spiritual  hunger  and  thirst  (v.  35)?  How  might  we  more  consistently  seek  life  in  Christ?      

PRAY  o Read  Window  on  the  World,  pg.  158-­‐159  Sri  Lanka  o Use  Prayer  Card  

SING  o Use  lyric  sheet  and  mp3  download  of  “O  For  A  Thousand  Tongues  To  Sing”  o Charles  Wesley  wrote  “O  For  A  Thousand  Tongues  To  Sing”  in  1739,  a  year  after  a  major  spiritual  revival  in  his  life.    It  

was  originally  an  eighteen-­‐stanza  poem  that  was  later  trimmed  down  and  set  to  music.    The  purpose  behind  Wesley’s  hymns  was  always  to  teach  theology.    With  this  song,  he  underscores  the  power  of  Jesus  alone  to  break  the  chains  of  our  sin,  and  at  one  time  he  even  suggested  it  be  sung  each  year  by  believers  on  the  anniversary  of  their  coming  to  faith  in  Christ.    We  chose  this  song  because  it  points  to  the  Giver  and  not  His  gifts.    Its  opening  lines  were  inspired  by  Wesley’s  friend,  Peter  Böhler,  who  once  remarked,  “Had  I  a  thousand  tongues  I  would  praise  Him  with  them  all.”    It  is  God,  our  “great  Redeemer”  and  “gracious  Master”,  who  has  released  us  from  eternal  bondage.  Therefore,  it  is  not  the  freedom  He  has  granted  us  to  whom  we  sing  praise,  but  to  God  Himself,  for  He  is  the  One  with  the  authority,  power  and  grace  to  pardon  us.    For  that  we  will  proclaim  His  glory  to  the  nations.  

MEMORIZE  o John  6:35    Jesus  said  to  them,  “I  am  the  bread  of  life;  whoever  comes  to  me  shall  not  hunger,  and  whoever  believes  

in  me  shall  never  thirst.”    

Copyright ©2010 The Church at Brook Hills www.brookhills.org 2

 SUGGESTIONS  

These   suggestions  were   created   by   the   age-­‐group  ministry   leaders   as   a  way   to   help   parents   better   communicate   the  biblical   truths   discussed   in   the   Family   Worship   Guide.     These   activities   and   questions   can   replace   or   serve   as   a  supplement  to  the  questions  under  the  “Read”  section  on  Page  1.    Remember  that  these  suggestions  are  intended  to  help  parents  facilitate  God-­‐centered  discussions  with  their  children.    Parents  should  prayerfully  use  these  suggestions,  and  any  other  means  necessary,  to  help  their  children  discover  the  truths  of  God’s  word  and  worship  Him  together.          

   Preschool  (Birth-­‐Kindergarten)  o Before  you  begin,  gather  several  pieces  of  bread  and  place  them  in  a  basket.  Talk  to  your  child  about  the  miracle  

Jesus  performed  in  John  6.    Ask  your  child  why  Jesus  did  that.    Explain  that  Jesus  wanted  the  people  to  understand  who  He  is.    The  people  who  ate  the  bread  went  to  look  for  Jesus  the  next  day.    Was  it  because  they  loved  Jesus  or  because  of  the  bread?  They  loved  the  bread  more  than  Jesus.    Were  they  right?  No.  What  is  more  important  and  precious,  Jesus,  or  the  good  things  He  gives  us?  

o Is  it  sometimes  hard  to  think  about  Jesus  instead  of  thinking  about  the  things  He  gives  us?    The  food  we  eat  now  doesn’t  last.    We  get  hungry  again.    Jesus  said  that  He  is  like  bread  but  better.    We  need  Him  just  like  we  need  food  to  eat,  but  unlike  food,  Jesus  stays  with  us  forever.    We  need  Him  more  than  food.    Our  bodies  need  food  to  be  healthy  (like  cereal,  apples,  and  milk).    Our  hearts  need  Jesus  to  be  healthy.    When  we  follow  Jesus  and  turn  away  from  our  bad  choices,  we  will  be  different.    Jesus  will  satisfy  us  and  give  us  life  forever  in  heaven  with  Him.  

    Children  (Grades  1-­‐5)  

o Ask  your  children  what  the  difference  is  between  a  want  and  a  need.    Make  sure  they  understand  that  a  need  is  something  that  you  must  have  in  order  to  live,  whereas  a  want  is  merely  something  that  is  desirable  or  would  make  life  more  comfortable.    

o Divide  the  room  in  half  with  an  imaginary  line.  Tell  your  child  that  one  side  will  represents  “wants”  and  the  other  “needs”.  Explain  that  you  will  say  a  word  or  words,  and  they  will  have  to  move  to  the  side  of  the  room  that  represents  the  correct  answer.  Call  out  items  from  the  following  list  one  at  a  time,  and  after  each  item,  have  your  child  move  as  quickly  as  possible  to  the  correct  side  of  the  room.  Then  have  them  move  back  to  the  center  of  the  room  after  each  question.  Feel  free  to  insert  your  own  examples:  Nintendo  Wii,  trip  to  iJump,  clean  water,  cell  phone,  DVDs,  basic  food,  Yogurt  Mountain,  having  your  own  room,  basic  clothing.    

o Ask  your  child  which  items  on  the  list  were  needs.  (clean  water,  basic  food,  basic  clothing)  Ask  what  would  happen  if  someone  went  for  a  very  long  time  without  food.    They  would  feel  hungry,  have  less  energy,  and  if  they  went  long  enough  they  wouldn’t  be  able  to  live  any  longer.  Explain  that  food  is  important  because  it  is  necessary  to  live.  But  as  important  as  food  is,  Jesus  taught  that  there  is  something  even  more  important  that  physical  food.  Jesus  said  that  there  is  living  bread  that  comes  down  from  heaven,  and  “If  anyone  eats  of  this  bread,  he  will  live  forever”  (John  6:51a).  Physical  food  will  sustain  our  bodies  during  this  life,  but  Jesus  has  made  a  way  for  us  to  live  forever  by  giving  Himself  on  the  cross  and  rising  from  the  dead  for  the  sins  of  His  people.    

    Students  (Grades  6-­‐12)  

o The  people  in  Jesus’  day  wanted  signs  and  proof  that  He  was  indeed  the  Messiah.  What  are  some  signs,  or  proof,  that  God  exists  which  people  today  look  for?  

o Some  of  those  who  were  following  Jesus  seemed  to  be  following  Him  for  what  they  could  gain  from  Him.  If  a  person  is  following  Christ  because  of  what  they  can  gain  from  Him  now  (such  as  blessings,  answered  prayer,  etc.),  what  is  the  likely  outcome  when  their  circumstances  change?  

o Why  is  bread  considered  a  basic  staple  to  most  diets  and  meals?  What  does  it  mean  when  Christ  calls  Himself  “The  Bread  of  Life?”  How  is  Jesus  different  from  the  temporary  bread  (manna)  that  God  sent  His  people  from  heaven  in  the  wilderness  when  He  brought  them  out  of  Egypt?  

o How  should  life  be  different  when  we  learn  to  seek  after  and  depend  on  Christ  for  who  He  is,  rather  than  the  gifts  and  signs  He  gives?  

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