Images of God from Ordinary Life LESSON 11: IMAGE OF GOD AS BREAD Objective Students will explore the image of God as bread found in the scriptures and examine passages that speak of Christ as the bread of life, or spiritual nourishment for our lives. Key Concepts God knows our needs. God is our provider. Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Text: Luke 11:1-4; John 6:35 Estimated Lesson Time: 50 minutes Materials Image of loaf of bread (p. 136) Ingredients for making bread OR loaves of French or Italian bread Plastic sandwich bags Napkins Yarn Lunch bags (optional) Butter Your Bread handout (p. 137) For Extend the Lesson, option three: variety of breads from different cultures Teacher Preparation 1. Cut out and color the image of bread. 2. Prepare for making or slicing bread. 3. Make copies of Butter Your Bread, one per student. You may wish to make an overhead of this handout as well. INTRODUCING THE LESSON Show the picture of the loaf of bread. Discuss why this might be an image of God from ordinary life. Place this image on the poster with this title. Reinforce the verse for this lesson from John 6:35, Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. LESSON STEPS 1. I am the bread of life. Discuss why Jesus might have said this. Think of the nourishment we receive when we believe in Jesus, both from our relationship with him and from our fellowship with others. Bread is a food that brings people together. The word companion comes from the root words con pane or with 133
bread. Bread is used in meals, at communion, and at special holidays. When people eat bread, they are usually spending time together at a meal. Jesus desire is to be our companion. In the Bible, he often ate bread with his disciples. His friends recognized him after his death and resurrection, when he broke bread with them after walking with them to Emmaus. Bread brought the crowd together when Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Our churches celebrate communion with bread. Jesus Christ brings people together. 3. Make or slice bread together. If you decide to make bread, there are many options. You can make it from scratch and bake it ahead of time. You could make the dough ahead, and then bake it during class. Or you could make it in a bread machine with the students. Whether your bread is homemade, machine made, or bought at a store, have loaves ready to cut and give a slice to each student. 4. Give bread as a gift. The students will give their slices of bread away as a gift. Have them think of a person on their school campus, such as a staff person, teacher, or volunteer, who they would like to give a slice of fresh bread. Have each student write and sign a note about what he or she appreciates about this person and what he/she does. The notes could also be given anonymously or simply signed, Someone from our school admires what you do! Note: This idea works best if the gift is given to someone on campus and not taken to someone at home. The student will receive the benefits of doing the giving on campus as part of the lesson. Have the students place the bread in a plastic lunch bag, OR wrap it in a napkin and tie a piece of yarn around it. Optional: Place wrapped bread in lunch bags. Students may decorate the lunch bags. Use a hole punch and ribbon to tie a bow for extra decoration. Remind the students that they are spreading encouragement, hope, and life to people, just as Christ does for his people. Give the students time to deliver their packages. If the recipient is not available, have the student give it to someone in the office. 5. Distribute the Butter Your Bread handouts. You may work through the handout as a class with an overhead, in groups of two or three, or as an individual assignment, to find more passages in scripture that refer to bread. 6. Look at the Lord s Prayer in Luke 11:1-4. Draw connections from the prayer about bread and God providing for our needs. God knows our needs and will provide for us. EXTEND THE LESSON (This activity will extend the lesson to longer than 50 minutes.) Experience communion together, inviting a pastor to come to your class. Note: This activity will take 25 minutes or more. After the blessing of the bread, have students come to the broken loaf and tear off a piece of bread, then share it with others in the class that have been a blessing to them. They may also give a piece of bread to someone they have struggled with, or someone who is not popular. Ask them to say a word of thanks or something they appreciate about each person. Make sure every student has received a piece of bread. If someone has not, give that person a piece of yours. 134
Bless the grape juice in remembrance of Christ. Explain that in the Jewish tradition, a young man would offer a cup of wine to a young woman, with her father present, as he asked her to marry him. If she took the cup of wine and drank from it, she was accepting the young man s proposal. Jesus would have been familiar with this tradition. He was offering wine to the disciples at the last supper, inviting them into a personal relationship with him. Christ also offers the cup to each of us. Will we say yes to a closer relationship with Jesus? (From That The World May Know video series with Ray Vander Laan.) Close with a word of prayer. Personal reflection. Have students journal about these questions: Who did you give your piece of bread to? Why did you chose this person? Who do you like to eat out with? What is your favorite meal made with a bread item, such as pizza? With what meal do you like to have bread as a side dish? Bring in a variety of breads from different cultures tortillas, French bread, pumpernickel, chapatis, etc. Think about how bread is basic in cultures worldwide. It is a metaphor that crosses cultures. Enjoy sharing the bread together. 135
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Name: Butter Your Bread Use your Bible to locate the verses to find answers to the questions. 1. Leviticus 23:6 What feast name had the word bread in it? How long did this feast last? 2. 1 Kings 17:2-6 Who was fed bread by the angels? 3. John 13:6-7 How was bread used in this event? 4. 1 Corinthians 5:8 What is bread without yeast called? 5. Deuteronomy 9:9 To fast means to not have what two things? 6. Matthew 14:17 How many loaves of bread were used in this story? 7. Matthew 16:7-12 Is yeast positive or negative in this passage? 8. Deuteronomy 8:3 What does Jesus tell Satan in the desert? 9. Luke 11:3 How does Jesus tells us to pray? 10. Luke 24: 30-32 Jesus friends recognized him when he did what? 11. John 6:31 What bread fed God s people in the desert? 12. John 6:33-35 What does Jesus emphasize that he gives? 13. 1 Corinthians 11:28 Christians should do this before they have communion. 14. Acts 2:46 What four things did the new Christians do together? 137
ANSWER KEY Butter Your Bread Use your Bible to locate the verses to find answers to the questions. 1. Leviticus 23:6 What feast name had the word bread in it? The Feast of Unleavened Bread How long did this feast last? 7 days 2. 1 Kings 17:2-6 Who was fed bread by the angels? Elijah 3. John 13:6-7 How was bread used in this event? To point out Christ s betrayer 4. 1 Corinthians 5:8 What is bread without yeast called? Sincerity, being sincere 5. Deuteronomy 9:9 To fast means to not have what two things? Bread and water 6. Matthew 14:17 How many loaves of bread were used in this story? Five loaves 7. Matthew 16:7-12 Is yeast positive or negative in this passage? Negative. It symbolizes the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 8. Deuteronomy 8:3 What does Jesus tell Satan in the desert? One does not live on bread alone. 9. Luke 11:3 How does Jesus tells us to pray? Give us our daily bread. 10. Luke 24: 30-32 Jesus friends recognized him when he did what? When he broke bread with them at dinner. 11. John 6:31 What bread fed God s people in the desert? Manna 12. John 6:33-35 What does Jesus emphasize that he gives? Bread from heaven spiritual nourishment for his people 13. 1 Corinthians 11:28 Christians should do this before they have communion. Examine themselves. 14. Acts 2:46 What four things did the new Christians do together? Broke bread, ate together, praised God, and enjoyed the favor of all the people 138
Name: Images of God from Ordinary Life Quiz #4: Lessons 9-11 Using the scripture passages provided, answer the following questions. 1. Read the parable in Luke 15:8-10. Give three ways we can compare this story to God. Explain your answers. 2. Read the story in Mark 14:32-36. Abba is the Aramaic word for Daddy or Papa. Jesus spoke of God as his close and caring daddy. Give two examples from the prayer that show this. 3. Read the story in Genesis 18:1-16. Who are the visitors? 4. What message did the visitors come to bring? 5. How did Sarah respond to this message? 6. In Hebrews 13:2, why are visitors important from the Christian perspective? 7. Read the passage in Luke 14:16-24. List two ways God is compared to a host. 8. From reading this passage, how do you think God feels when he welcomes everybody and no one can come? 9. Who is invited to come when there is still room? 10. In John 6:35, why does Jesus refer to himself as the bread of life? Images of God from Ordinary Life: Quiz 4, Lessons 9-11 139
Images of God from Ordinary Life: Quiz #4, continued 11. The theme of this section has been God in ordinary life. Explain how the five images of mother, father, visitor, host, and bread each reflect ordinary life. (Include examples.) 12. Which of these five images helps you see God better? Why? Use the following words to fill in the blanks of the questions below. Angels A waitress To point to Christ s friend Feast of French Bread Lonely To point out Christ s betrayer Feast of Unleavened Bread His mother Prisoners Good for sandwiches Widows One Two Three Four Baptism Communion Host With Bread Angels Easter Even to your old age and gray hairs With hope Jesus Passover Feast Fatherless Manna None 13. To invite others to a party or gathering means you will be a. 14. The Hebrew people ate what bread-like substance in the desert? 15. What feast has the word bread in its name? 16. Who fed Elijah bread? 17. In John 13:6-7, how was bread used? 18. In John 6:35, bread refers to 19. In Genesis 18:1-16, how many visitors came to see Abraham? 20. In Luke 14:16-24, how many guests first came to the banquet? 21. What celebration at church uses bread? 22. During what event did Jesus break bread and ask the disciples to do this in remembrance of me? 23. Isaiah 66:5-6 says God will be a father to whom? 24. According to Isaiah 46:3-4, how long will God care for you? Images of God from Ordinary Life: Quiz #4, Lessons 9-11 140
Images of God from Ordinary Life, Quiz #4 Answer Key 1. Read the parable in Luke 15:8-10. Give three ways we can relate this story to God. Explain your answers. The coin is like God s people. God is like the woman who lost her coin. God is willing to turn everything over to find what is lost. God pursues what is lost until it is found. What is lost (people) is precious to God, like the coin is precious to the woman. God wants to make things right, to bring back what is lost and fix what is broken. 2. Read the story in Mark 14:32-36. Abba is the Aramaic word for Daddy or Papa. Jesus spoke of God as his close and caring daddy. Give two examples from the passage to show this. Jesus had a close relationship with God through prayer. Jesus brought his deepest needs and fears before God Jesus was asking God to pass the cup of his death. Jesus was open to doing God s will, saying, Yet not what I will, but what you will. He was obedient to God. When we are in trouble, we go to people that can help us. Christ went to his father, his dad, for help. 3. Read the story in Genesis 18:1-16. Who are the visitors? Three men who appear to be strangers seeking hospitality. It is believed the three men were angels, delivering a message to Abraham. 4. What message did the visitors come to bring? That within the year Abraham and Sarah would have a baby, despite their old age. 5. How did Sarah respond to this message? She laughed in disbelief. 6. In Hebrews 13:2, why are visitors important from the Christian perspective? When we entertain strangers, we may be entertaining or hosting God s angels or messengers. We never know. It s good to show hospitality to all people, including strangers. 7. Read the passage in Luke 14:16-24. List two ways God is compared to a host. God is like the man who was preparing a banquet and invited many guests. God invites all people to heaven. Not all want to come. God will pursue those who seem unimportant. God wants all people to join in the banquet. 8. From reading this passage, how do you think God feels when he welcomes everybody and no one can come? Disappointed, sad, and angry 9. Who is invited to come when there is still room? People from the roads and country lanes, strangers. 10. In John 6:35, why does Jesus refer to himself as the bread of life? Jesus is saying he is the spiritual nourishment for the people. What Jesus has to offer is life-giving, nourishing, and sustaining. 11. The theme of this section has been God in ordinary life. Explain how the five images of mother, father, visitor, host, and bread each reflect ordinary life. (Include examples.) Each answer should include an explanation of the following: Mother Host Father Bread Visitor Images of God from Ordinary Life: Quiz #4, Answer Key 141
Images of God from Ordinary Life, Quiz #4 Answer Key, continued 12. Which of these five images helps you see God better? Why? Answers will vary. Use the following words to fill in the blanks of the questions below. Angels A waitress To point to Christ s friend Feast of French Bread Lonely To point out Christ s betrayer Feast of Unleavened Bread His mother Prisoners Good for sandwiches Widows One Two Three Four Baptism Communion Host With Bread Angels Easter Even to your old age and gray hairs With hope Jesus Passover Feast Fatherless Manna None 13. To invite others to a party or gathering means you will be a host. 14. The Hebrew people ate what bread-like substance in the desert? manna 15. What feast has the word bread in its name? Feast of Unleavened Bread 16. Who fed Elijah bread? angels 17. In John 13:6-7, how was bread used? to point out Christ s betrayer 18. In John 6:35, bread refers to Jesus 19. In Genesis 18:1-16, how many visitors came to see Abraham? three 20. In Luke 14:16-24, how many guests first came to the banquet? none 21. What celebration at church uses bread? communion 22. During what event did Jesus break bread and ask the disciples to do this in remembrance of me? Passover Feast 23. Isaiah 66:5-6 says God will be a father to whom? the fatherless, widows, lonely, prisoners 24. According to Isaiah 46:3-4, how long will God care for you? even to your old age and gray hairs Images of God from Ordinary Life: Quiz #4, Answer Key 142