Lesson 1

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

Objective:  This lesson symbolizes how we need bread on a daily basis just like we need our Savior on a daily basis.  The bread of life is also the “Word of Christ”

Visual aid: Bread

Lesson ideas:

* Bread is often referred to as the staff of life or the substance which is needed to sustain our daily life.  The Lord’s Prayer says, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Jesus becomes that bread in our lives which we depend upon on a daily basis.

* Story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish.  The people wanted him to be king for the free food; however, Christ wanted the people to hear his words.

* The boy who gave the five loaves of bread and the two fish in the feeding of the 5,000 story also shows how Christ was able to magnify his offerings (John 6:9).  Christ will magnify our offerings as well when we give what we can with love.

* Unleavened bread was used in the feast of the Passover. During the time of the Passover, those who listened to the prophet Moses (who was led by Christ) were spared the loss of their first born child.

* When we partake of the bread during the sacrament we do it in remembrance of Christ’s body.

* Manna was a form of bread that sustained life for the Israelites.  Moses said, “This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.” (Exodus 16: 14-15)

* Feasting on the word of Christ:  The difference between snacking and feasting with food is the same with snacking or feasting with scriptures.

* By listening to recorded scriptures or listening to general conference leaves us with spiritual satisfaction.

* Lessons on Christ’s miracles or parables helps us with an appetite for studying more of the words of Christ.

Scriptures:  

Bible                                                                                       

John 6: 35 I am the bread of life                                           

Matthew 26:26 Jesus took bread and blessed it                   

Matthew 6:11 give us this day our daily bread                      

Matthew 14:17 have but 5 loaves of bread 2 fish                 

LDS Scriptures
Jacob 3:2 feast upon his love
3 Nephi 18:3 he took the bread
Alma 5:34 eat of the bread of life
2 Nephi 32:3 feast of word of Christ

Activities:

* A feast of the Bread of Life:
1.  Invitations could be sent reminding us that Jesus invites each of us to join with him. 

2. Have a table set up with as many different kinds of breads as you can gather – wheat, white, rye, pumpernickel, raisin, fruit bread, sour dough, corn bread and others. 

3.  Just like there are many types of bread, there are also several ways we can show Christ we love him; like attending our meetings, saying our prayers, reading the scriptures, and serving a family member or friend.

* Wrap up 30 individual small cookies in a long chain of plastic wrap.  As the child reads a scripture that day they can have a cookie, one for each day of the month feasting on the word of Christ.

* Show unleavened bread and bread with yeast.  Putting Christ in our life can raise us up like the yeast raises the bread.  When we are lifted up we can help lift others.

* Go over a few sacrament songs to refresh your memory on what great things Jesus has done for us. One hymn, #181, “Jesus of Nazareth Savior and King,” is especially good for this hymn reminds us that Jesus was bruised, broken, torn for us on Calvary’s hill. (We witness the bread being broken and torn for us whenever we see the sacrament being prepared.)

* Have a scripture carnival to go with the Bread of Life which is: “The Word of Christ”:

1. Daniel in the lions’ den; have someone retell the story and the activity could be throwing bean bags at a picture of a lion.

2.  David and Goliath; sling shots at Goliath.
3. Suggestions for activities to go with your choice of other scripture characters are: Spin the bottle, pop balloons with numbers on it, and knock down cans.   

4. Prizes can be scripture book marks, picture pass along cards, red pencils for marking scriptures.

* Obtain a stack of pictures of people from the scriptures and pull them out one by one to see if the family can guess who they are.  If we know who they are we are learning the stories from the word of Christ who is the bread of life.

* Retell a favorite story from the scriptures.

* Memorize a scripture that is important to you.

* Jesus Name Game *

Songs:

Hymns                                                                        

# 190 In Memory of the Crucified                                                

# 109 Search, Ponder, and Pray                                 

# 277 As I search the Holy Scriptures    
                   

 Children’s Songbook

# 193 I Stand All Amazed 
# 62 Beautiful Savior
# 57 Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

Jesus Name Game (Can be used for lessons 1 through 9)

Have several different areas prepared ahead of time for your Jesus is game.  Have a treasure hunt type feeling. Depending on how many are in your group you can either divide them into families or just go as one big group. Ask what you think the different area’s represent.

Clue 1:  Go to the pile of rocks:  In this location you can have 12 good sized rocks and remind them of the story of Joshua leading the children of Israel across the river on dry ground similar to Moses.  Joshua asked twelve men to carry a stone from the river bed and together they built a symbol for generations to look upon knowing that the Lord was with them and would provide.

Answer to clue 1 is:  Jesus is my Rock and my salvation.

            

Clue 2:  Go to the lantern:  This area needs to have light, could be a lantern or if appropriate you could have several candles lit or use flashlights  to show Jesus is my light.  Remind the family of the story of Christ’s birth when all the world was light.  It is Jesus we turn to for the light in our life, he leads and guides us with his light..  Also after Christ’s death when the world was in darkness.  The light returned with his coming. 

Answer to clue 2 is:  The Lord is my light

            

Clue 3: Go to the cardboard box that looks like a tree. Have a basket of small white balloons to place on the tree.  The balloons represent the fruit of life.  What does the tree represent? 

Answer to clue 3 is:   Jesus is the tree of life.

            

Clue 4:  Go to where the hay stack is.  Inside the hay stack you can hide small plastic sheep for the family to find.  The story of the Good Shepherd can be told of how the Good shepherd having 100 sheep and one is lost does leave his sheep to search out the one.  The good shepherd is Jesus and he is looking to find us.  We too might help others that are lost as well.

Answer to clue 4 is:  Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

            

Clue 5:  Go to where the water is.  Tell the story of the woman at the well.  That he that drinketh of the water from the well will thirst again.  He that drinketh of the living water (of Jesus) will never thirst again.

Answer to clue 5 is:  Jesus is the living water

            

Clue 6: Go to where a pile of beautiful flowers, or stuffed animals, pretty rocks, pictures of the heavens etc. are.  Tell the story of the earth’s creation and tell that all things testify of Christ.  Bear you testimony of Christ and allow others to bear their testimony.

Answer to clue 6 is:  All things testify of Christ.

Below are some links to some good videos the church has made about the bread of life.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-08-013-daily-bread-experience?lang=eng