Gospel Doctrine Lesson Twelve

I Am The Bread
of Life

Purpose:
To help class
members look to
Jesus Christ as
the bread of
life, the source
of everlasting life

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
John 5:8
Notice the steps involved in this man's healing:
(1) Rise: We have to do what Jesus says
(2) Take up thy bed: Make no provision for a relapse, dont give yourself
an excuse to fail. Pick up your bed and get rid of it.
(3) Walk: Do not expect to be carried.

Think of a situation in your own life where you are stuck, waiting for help, or hurting.
1) How can you rise from this situation? How can you start to move away from what is
hurting you? Name one action step that you can this week.

2) Now, identify your mat. What does it look like? It could be anything in your life that has
been making your present bad situation comfortable, Your mat is whatever has kept you
chained down in mediocrity, Your mat is whatever keeps you from trying for more and
reaching out for help. What is your mat?

3) Once you have enlisted the help of the Savior, followed His commands, and taken steps to
rid yourself of your mat, you are ready to be healed. Answer the question Jesus asked the
man in verse 6, Wilt thou be made whole?

Feeding of the Five Thousand

Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15

1. What terrible news did Jesus receive at the beginning of this passage? (See
Matthew 14:1-12)

2. What did Jesus do when he heard the news?

3. What did the people do when Jesus left by boat?

4. What was the attitude and recommendation of Christs disciples when, at the
end of the day, the crowds were still there?

5. How did Jesus respond to the crowds?

President Faust taught, Many nameless people with gifts equal only to five loaves and
two small fishes magnify their callings and serve without attention or recognition,
feeding literally thousands. These are the hundreds of thousands of leaders and
teachers in all of the auxiliaries and priesthood quorums, the home teachers, the Relief
Society visiting teachers. These are the many humble bishops in the Church, some
without formal training but greatly magnified, always learning, with a humble desire to
serve the Lord and the people of their wards.
A major reason this church has grown from its humble beginnings to its current
strength is the faithfulness and devotion of millions of humble and devoted people who
have only five loaves and two small fishes to offer in the service of the Master. They
have largely surrendered their own interests and in so doing have found the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7) (in Conference Report, Apr. 1994,
45; or Ensign, May 1994, 56).

The Bread of Life

By: Max Lucado

Bread is a staple. Throughout recorded history it has been popular in

almost every country. If the poor have nothing, they have bread. If the
rich have everything, they still have bread. Bread is not a regional food nor
a national dish. No country claims to be the exclusive source of bread. It
may be in the form of a tortilla in Mexico or a bagel in New York, but bread
is available everywhere.
So is Christ. He is not bound by boundaries. No country claims him. No region
owns him. No nation monopolizes him. He came and died for all of his
children. His teachings, his example and his death are universally available.
Bread is eaten daily. Some fruits are available only in season. Some drinks
are made only at holidays. Not so with bread. And not so with Jesus. He
should be brought to our table every day. We let him nourish our hearts, not
just in certain months or on special events, but daily.
Bread is served in many forms. Its toasted, jellied, buttered, flattened, and
grilled. It can be a sandwich, sweet roll, hot-dog bun, croissant, or dinner
roll. Bread can meet many needs. So can Jesus. He adapts himself to meet
our needs. He has a word for the lonely as well as for the popular. He has
help for the physically ill and the emotionally ill. If your vision is clear, he
can help you. If your vision is cloudy, he can help you. Jesus can meet each
need.
The grain-to-bread process is a demanding one. The seed must be planted
before it can grow. When the grain is ripe, it must be cut down and ground
into flour. Before it can become bread, it must pass through the oven. Bread
is the end result of planting, harvesting and heating.
Jesus endured an identical process. He was born into this world. He was cut
down, bruised and beaten on the threshing floor of Calvary. He passed
through the fire of God's wrath, for our sake. He "suffered because of
others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it
allwas put to death and then made aliveto bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
Jesus is the bread of life. He has lived up to the title. The question is, have
you partaken? An unopened loaf does no good. How can you make your
experiences with the Savior feel as necessary to you as eating? How can our
Savior fill your needs, both physical and spiritual?

Symbols of the Sacrament

John 6:54-56

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I
will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood
is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth
in me and I in him.

James E Talmage said, To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ was and is
to believe in and accept Him as the literal Son of God and Savior of the world, and
to obey His commandments. By these means only may the Spirit of God become
an abiding part of mans individual being, even as the substance of the food he
eats is assimilated with the tissues of his body.

Throughout the scriptures, references are made to the ways that living the gospel
can change us physically. What can we do to assimilate spiritual habits into our life
in such that they become a part of our physical presence? So that we dwell in Christ
and he in us?