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When I Need Bread

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. JOHN 6:35 NIV

Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival was near. JOHN 6:3-4 NIV

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. JOHN 6:12-13 NIV

We can see the miracle of Jesus but still miss the person of Jesus

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” MATTHEW 14:31 NIV

I believe God provides until I become the one in need of provision

The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. MATTHEW 15.25-28 NIV

To receive the bread of life you must first begin with acknowledging your needs

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. MATTHEW 15:35-37 NIV

So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” JOHN 6:30 NIV

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. JOHN 6:53-54 NIV

Often times a word from Jesus has to be processed before it nourishes us

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” JOHN 6:66-69 NIV

How do we experience this process?

Wrestle with and hold your questions before God

Wrestle with and be honest about your doubts with your community

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take some time to allow your thoughts and feelings to settle from the day. Invite God into this time, asking Him to help you experience His peace and to hear His Spirit. When you reflect on the idea that Jesus is the Bread of Life, what thoughts and feelings surface? How can these truths help you address any current challenges you face? Through your imagination, put yourself in the scene of Jesus feeding the 5,000. What impresses you about Him? Since God is Sovereign and with you always, ask God to help you recall an encounter you have had with Jesus lately and what you experienced. Praise Him for what He revealed about Himself and follow whatever guidance He gave you. Close your time by reading Psalm 37 and asking God to help you discern any difficulty in understanding or trusting Him to meet your needs. Commit this difficulty to Him and thank Him for the help He promises to give you as you trust Him. Use the space below to write down any reflections from this experience.

Discussion Questions

  1. As you were sitting in the sermon, what did God stir within you, whether directly or indirectly tied to the message?
  2. Jesus is the bread of life. He cares for his people and provides for them uniquely for their needs in a variety of different ways. How have you experienced Jesus providing for you in times of need?
  3. Jesus met the Canaanite woman’s needs because she was willing to ask and believed He could. What needs are you holding back from asking God to meet?
  4. “Jesus hasn’t revealed a God we can fully understand, but he has revealed a God we can fully trust.” We can all experience a lack of understanding about Jesus, but Jesus is a person who is greater than our finite understanding. What questions about Jesus are you wrestling with?
  5. NEXT STEPS: Just as wheat goes through a grueling process, what area of your life needs you to stay in the process?