Connect
◾What has God been saying to you over the past couple weeks?
◾How can you arrange your life to deepen and secure intimacy with God in an hour like this?

Pray
Spend a few minutes releasing your cares and worries to God. Draw your attention to the One who knows you and cares about you far beyond what you can think or imagine.

You might pray, God I trust You with… (then name things that come to mind).

A simple centering prayer: God, You are the source of all that is good and beautiful and right. We pray You’d fill us with more of Your life. Help us grow deeper in Your love. Restore our union with You. We pray You’d give us strength to endure, wisdom to choose what’s right, and a hope that anchors our souls. Protect us from the evil one who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. Move us beyond only looking at our own needs, and fill us with a deep love for each other. May Brookwood become a community that’s continually growing stronger together. Amen.

1. After miraculously feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-15). What does Jesus mean by claiming He is the bread of life?

2. How would you describe the hunger and thirst Jesus is talking about?

3. Read Exodus 16:4. What are similarities and differences between manna and the bread of life?

4. Unlike physical bread, which only satisfies for a moment, Jesus nourishes our souls eternally. He is the only one who can satisfy the deep spiritual hunger every human carries. What are examples of what it looks like to feed on this bread?

Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are.
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

5. What promises does Jesus make in this passage?

6. Who are these promises for?

7. What does it mean to eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood?

8. The word grumble (or murmur) is the confused sound that runs through a crowd when they are angry and in opposition. Why was Jesus’ teaching so difficult for the Jews to believe?

9. When the Jews heard this teaching, they didn’t have the rest of the story. How does knowing the rest of the story help you understand what Jesus was trying to teach them?

10. In Jesus’ day, bread was not a luxury item. It was a staple, a basic food that sustained life. In what ways does Jesus nourish and sustain you?

11. How does this passage help you relate to those who don’t believe in Jesus?

12. If you were to help someone see Jesus more clearly, how can this passage help you?

13. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is the bread of life?

14. What stands in the way of finding your complete satisfaction in God?

15. If someone asked you what this passage means, how would you summarize it?

Application
How can you apply the principle of Jesus' satisfaction of spiritual hunger and thirst in your daily life? Pause and ask God what He wants you to know and allow a time of silence to listen for His voice and direction. Jot down some notes, share with the group and pray for each other.

Scripture Memory
Memorizing Scripture enables you to carry the life-shaping words of God in you at all times and in all places.

“This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
John 6:58 (NIV)

App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.

Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200.

Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.