March 3rd, Sunday School

This coming Sunday, March 3, 2013 the Sunday School classes will learn about Jesus’ miracle of feeding 5,000 hungry people (John 6:1–14).

They will learn that in His love, God promises to care for all our physical and spiritual needs and gives us the greatest treasure—His Son and the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. As a family, we can talk about the many ways that God has provided for both your physical and spiritual needs. In the catechism, look at the explanation to the First Article of the Apostles Creed.  Love,  Melody Anton.

http://trinitylutheran.info/creed.html

Just another resource for Sunday’s Bible Lesson — for Teachers & Parents:

Seeds of Faith Podcast

March 3, 2013: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

Download the podcast mp3!

The text for this lesson is John 6:1–14.

Key Point

• In His love, God promises to care for all our physical and spiritual needs and gives us the greatest treasure: His Son and the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation.
• Law: Like the disciples, my faith is weak, and I lack trust in God to give me all good things.
• Gospel: For the sake of His Son, Jesus, God promises to provide for all my needs according to His will and riches and gives me the gift of faith to believe in Jesus as my Savior and receive eternal life through Him.

Discussion Points

1. What does John 6 teach us about the difference between seeing miraculous signs and believing Jesus’ words? What can the Church learn from this?

2. John 6:3 says Jesus “went up on the mountain.” In Matthew 5–7, Jesus also went up on a mountain to teach. What Old Testament figure was frequently found on a mountain? (See Exodus 19:3–4.) What might this bit of information tell us about how John and Matthew portray Jesus?

3. Read John 6:48–58. How does the preceding discussion concerning the Passover and the manna in the wilderness provide insight into the meaning of this passage?

4. Philip, Andrew, and Moses had much in common when it came to dealing with large-scale hunger problems. What had all three of them failed to see? What do we have in common with Philip, Andrew, and Moses when it comes to dealing with our problems?

5. We read in John 6:4 that the Passover was near, which means that the feeding of the five thousand occurred in the springtime. This is supported by John 6:10, “There was much grass in the place.” Mark 6:39 says that the grass was green. Jesus had the crowd sit down in green fields before He fed them “as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). To what might this scene be an allusion?

6. Compare John 6:11 and Luke 22:19. What might the similarity of these verses teach the Church about the feeding of the five thousand?

7. After seeing Jesus perform the miraculous sign, the people said that Christ was the prophet who had come into the world. Read Deuteronomy 18:15–19. Who would this prophet be like? According to John 1:17, what would be the greatest difference between Jesus the Prophet and the one who came before Him?

8. Like those who had “eaten their fill,” how are we also tempted to seek the Lord only for the earthly things He can give us, rather than focusing on the eternal food, the bread of life, which is Christ Himself?