Week 4, July 15th

Week 4  -   Wednesday, July 15

Say a prayer before your meal. Then read aloud the background introduction and text, followed by one or more of the discussion questions.

Introduction: In these verses, when he calls his disciples to partake of his body and blood, Jesus makes a connection that would not be understood until after his death, in light of the church’s celebration of Holy Communion.

John 6:51, 56- 58

[Jesus said] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. … Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

1. Jesus uses an unusual word for “eat” in these verses. It means chew, gnaw, or munch. Why do you think he uses such strange language? What is he trying to accomplish?

2. Do these verses speak about the Lord’s Supper? If they do, what are they saying? If they are not about the Lord’s Supper, what could Jesus mean by them?

3. “You are what you eat.” What does this old adage mean for those who gather around the Lord’s Table on Sunday?

4. *There are five senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch. How many do we use at the Lord’s Supper? What are some other names for the Lord’s Supper?

*indicates questions that might be suitable for younger children