The "Bread of Life" Sermon

The “Bread of Life” Sermon

1. What miraculous event had taken place the day before the Savior preached the sermon on the bread of life? (John 6:1-14)

* He feed 5,000 followers with 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fishes. There were even 12 baskets full of excess food.

2. According to John 6:22-26, why were many people seeking out the Savior at this time?

* Due to being fed from Him physically with the bread and fishes they continued to follow Him because they wanted more food. He told the followers, “not because ye saw the miracle, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.”

3. What motivates you to “seek” the Lord today?

* To become better then I currently doing. I want my life, my marriage and my family to be better and I cannot do that without the Lord. It’s only when I “seek” Him that I can have the best outcome. His guidance is needed to get beyond my own understanding.

4. What did the Savior teach in response to these people in John 6:27-51?

* The need to see after Him to receive strength and nourishment. When we turn to Him, it provides strength and nourishment that doesn’t end it’s eternal. They need to believe in Him. Christ is the bread of life and the source of everything that we need in this life. It’s through Him that we gain eternal life and we receive more then just our temporal needs.

5. In John 6:27, the Savior spoke of “the meat which perisheth” and “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” Read Matthew 6:19-21, and identify another way the Savior described the difference between that which perishes and that which endures. In what ways do people today labor for “the meat which perisheth” or “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life”?

* In Matthew the Savior describes to us with another way in which things we can place value in perish. What we believe to be our treasures and what we seek as our treasures on earth clarifies whether we are placing importance in worldly cares or with Heavenly Father. When we place more importance on our Heavenly Father, those things can never be taken away from us. They only deteriorate if we don’t nourish it.

* Today, people put a great amount of importance on entertainment and things of the world as if that is a sign of your “good life”. While these things within the world aren’t bad, it’s whether we place greater importance in them rather then our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It truly is labor to seek for “that meat which endureth unto everlasting life” because it requires you to seek Him out during your daily life and to make time for it. When we allow this time to happen, then we allow ourselves opportunities to grow.

6. After the Savior taught the bread of life sermon, what was the response of many of the people described in John 6:60, 66?

* They weren’t able to understand the sermon and they thought that what the Savior was asking of them was hard and they stopped following Him.

7. According to verse 69, what enabled Peter and the other Apostles to respond in this way?

* Peter and the other Apostles have a testimony of the Savior and they believed His words.

8. What examples can you think of (in the scriptures, Church history, or the lives of people you know) where someone responded to a “hard saying” with faith like Peter?

* There are many stories that I have heard about when President Gordon B. Hinckley gave, ”A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth” where he gave the 6 B’s and there were and still are some who struggle with the “one modest pair of earrings is sufficient.” But there were some who immediately heeded the prophet’s words without doubt. These types of stories are common. There are some who try to justify what they are doing and take those words to be hard to do, while there are other who never doubt and promptly follow the Lords words.

9. Explain what John 6 teaches you about following Jesus Christ even when it’s not convenient.

* In the world today it is becoming more “inconvenient” to live the gospel and we are bombarded daily with temptations that lead us away from Heavenly Father. If we have a firm testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ and rely of Him, then we aren’t left alone in this world to just figure things out He will be our guide. We must have our treasure be in Him, we much place ultimate importance on our eternal life. This is what Jesus wants us to do, to follow Him especially when it isn’t convenient.

The Lord Often Taught in Parables

What is a Parable?

According to the Bible Dictionary a parable is something that conveys religious truth; a divine truth that is presented by a comparison with material things. A person can understand parables according to their faith and intelligence or if he seeks to understand. Parables draw on life as it is, not as it ought to be.

Interpretation of Parables	Application of Parables
The meaning of the parable should be looked at from the perspective of where it was first given	Varies depending on age and circumstances
Consider the setting and to whom it was given to

The parables of study are parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30); parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33); the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46); and parable of the gospel net (Matthew 13: 47-50).

My opinion on the descriptions of these parables:

1. What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Parable of the Tares
2. Why does the Church send out so many missionaries? Parable of the Gospel Net
3. How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier? Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven
4. Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church? Parable of the Treasure
5. Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

Parable of the Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price

What sacrifices would you be willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel?

The sacrifice that I am willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel is anything. The gospel contains all the answers to any question that I have in this mortal life.

This past weekend we went to visit some friends, who aren’t members, and we went to a barbeque with some of their friends. As I was sitting there listening to their conversations I found myself having a hard time joining into the conversation because of what they were talking about. They were talking about their tattoos and how awesome they look on each other and how it was okay for their children to be confrontational even if it meant being violent.

When I see I look at what my life could be like without the gospel—I choose the gospel and I will make the sacrifices necessary to obtain eternal life for my family and me.

What sacrifices have you or those you know already made for the gospel?

When I think about sacrifices that I am making for the gospel, from a worldly perspective tattoos, coffee, alcohol, certain types of clothing are all some of the things that I am “giving up” to be a member of the gospel.

Some members of the Church sacrifice the relationships with other family members due to joining the Church.

Parable of the Gospel Net

What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea?

I think that it represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ

What does it mean to be gathered into the net?

The gathering represents those who are accepting the gospel when it is presented to them or those who are within the gospel and are truly living it.

What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away?

I felt like this represented the Judgments of God because at that point everyone would have had a chance to either accept the gospel or not. It’s at the judgment that it is decided whether you get celestial glory or eternal damnation.

The Calling of the Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles

1. Simon, also called Peter
2. Andrew- was the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew was a one of John the Baptist disciples, which is how he met Jesus Christ. Andrew brought his brother, Simon Peter to meet Jesus Christ. Andrew was one of the earliest to be called a disciple of Jesus Christ.
3. James, son of Zebedee
4. John
5. Philip
6. Bartholomew- also known as Nathanael, which means God has given. He belonged to Cana of Galilee and we is friends with Philip.
7. Thomas
8. Matthew
9. James, son of Alphaeus
10. Lebbaeus
11. Simon the Canaanite
12. Judas Iscariot- was the only one of the apostles that wasn't Galilean. He was the leader of a revolt against Roman rule. He was regarded by many as the Messiah.

Definition of Apostle

• Traveling counselors.
• Special witnesses of Jesus Christ to the WORLD.
• They were disciples (pupils or learners) of Christ and they were chosen to follow Him during His earthy mission and represent Him after He left earth.
• Be witnesses of Christs' divinity and of His resurrection from the dead.
• To be an administrative council to the work of His ministry.
• They are divinely appointed.

How did the Saviors teachings to His apostles prepare them to be sent out to proclaim the gospel? Refer to Matthew 10:5-42

• Taught them to search for the lost sheep. (verse 6)
• Showed by example what they were suppose to do: heal the sick, cleanse the leapers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. (verse 8)
• Taught them that even though they may stand "alone" during their preaching they must always remain faithful unto God. (verses 22-23)
• They would encounter persecution during their preaching but they would always have the Spirit to guide them. (verses 20, 27)
• They have the ability to have the Spirit speak through them. (verse 20, 27)
• They needed to beware of Satan's temptations. (verse 28)
• Always do the Lord's work. (verse 39)

From Luke 5: 1-11, what did I learn about the responses from Peter, James and John to the Saviors call. How can I apply their actions and examples in my life?

Peter, James and John were submissive to Jesus Christ and did as the Savior asked. When they Savior ask them to follow Him, they abandoned everything within their lives and immediately followed Him.
I need to apply their example in my life. I need to depend on the Lord more fully and not doubt. There are times when I feel like I can do it on my own but like Peter, James, and John when they were fishing and had "toiled all the night and [had] taken nothing" (Luke 5:5). Despite the fact that they had no success on their own they followed the Lord's command to cast out their nets again. They promptly obeyed and they caught so many fish that it broke their nets! (Luke 5:6) So even though I think that I am able to do things by myself, it would be better to seek the Lord counsel and promptly obey.

The Baptism of Jesus Christ

1. Why was John hesitant to baptize Jesus?

• John knew that Jesus was the perfect man and that He was teaching what the correct principles should be. John forgot that it was his mission was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ and this was one of the way that he did so. John told Jesus that it was him that needed to be baptize by Christ. Christ needed to be our example in all things, so being baptized was something He needed to do. (Matthew 3:13-14)
  

2. What is taught here about the Holy Ghost?

• In Matthew 3: 16 is says that "lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." If we read within the LDS New Testament Student Manual, it clarifies what "like a dove" means. It refers to it as "the sign of the dove...the sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, as a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove...the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence."
  
• "Like a dove" is a symbol of truth and doesn't mean literally a dove flew out of heaven.
  

3. Jesus Christ said He must be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." List three reasons why Jesus Christ was baptized.

• To set the example. "he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." (2 Nephi 31:7)
• The ordinance of baptism is essential to return to Heavenly Father and to show that you are willing to keep His commandments.
  
• To show that the path to Heavenly Father requires us to take certain actions within our lives. (2 Nephi 31: 9)

4. What evidence is found in Matthew 3: 16-17 that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate personages in the Godhead?

• "Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (Matthew 3: 16) He had a physical body which was baptize by John.
• "lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him." (Matthew 3:16) The Holy Ghost appeared as a sign of truth and to signify that it wasn't Satan.
• "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3: 17) God speaking to all about Jesus Christ.
  

References: Matthew 3: 13-17 and LDS New Testament Student Manual.

The Premortal and Mortal Savior

Five truths about Jesus Christs' Premortal Life

1. Jesus Christ lived with God and worked with Him in the Premortal World to create all things that are on earth. (John 1:2-3)
2. All things were made by Jesus Christ. (John 1:3)
3. Jesus Christ was chosen to be the one we all look to for light and truth. (John 1:4-5)
4. John the Baptist was sent to earth before Christ to prepare the world for His coming.
(John 1:6-8)
5. Jesus Christ would give all the glory to God. (John 17:1)

Five truths about Jesus Christs' Mortal Life

1. Jesus Christ was not received by all on earth. (John 1:11)
2. Jesus Christ had a body of flesh and blood and He lived on earth. (John 1:14)
3. Jesus Christ had power over all men. (John 17:2)
4. Jesus Christ went to earth to complete the Lord's work. (John 17:4)
5. Even on earth, Jesus Christ still gave all glory to Heavenly Father. (John 17:4)

Names of the Savior

It is interesting to research all of the names that Jesus Christ is referred to but regardless of the name, they all can be applied to Him.

Christ: Comes from a Greek derivation meaning the "Anointed One". This name also expresses His divine origin.

Messiah: Is similar to Christ, the "Anointed One" but with Hebrew origin.

Jehovah: Means the "Self-Existent One" or "The Eternal". Within the Old Testament it can be written at "LORD".

Immanuel: Means that "God with us." Referring to His birth. (Matthew 1:23)

The Word: Jesus Christ performed God's work on earth and this was mostly done through Christs words. It was also said by the Lord that Jesus was "the word of my power." (Moses 1:32)


*Information was taken from the LDS New Testament student manual and the King James Version of the New Testament.*