Blessed

Day 1

Read Luke 24:13-35
“Two guys were walking down a road and a third one joined them…”  It sounds like the start to a joke, but it is the way that Luke decided to tell this really important story that launched the ideas that we now value greatly.  Jesus was crucified and buried, and as far as most people got it at this point, that was it.  These two men were discussing those events and were joined by Jesus, but they didn’t know it was Him…yet.  It wasn’t until He did something really familiar to them that their eyes were opened.  He blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to them.   That was when all of the conversation and explanation of all that was in the writing about the Messiah, became real to them in a person. 

When you think about how we share Jesus with people (we can work through all the facts and preach all the sermons while pointing to all of the verses) how does this story change the way you should be thinking about sharing with others?

How has your experience in following Jesus been enriched by sharing the table with someone that is a follower of Jesus?

We don’t ever seem to get an exact picture, but we had glimpses in the sermon and in the word study, but what do you think it actually means when Jesus (and others) “blessed” the bread?

Why not share some of your thoughts from the above question on the app in the “five day study discussions” message thread?

Day 2

Read John 13:1-20

If you tell me to do something, I will work to figure it out.  But that is not always the best practice for me getting it.  It is in the doing that I learn the most.  I struggle with being told something without seeing it or playing it out in practice.  That is the heart of this story.  Jesus stooped and washed the disciple’s feet and told us that was an example of all of His teachings.  Then He told us to go and do this too.  In other words, following Jesus is not just a come and get idea, while we sit in chairs and bring in what we need or open a Bible and become better people on the inside, it’s a “go and do like I have done.” Get up and practice it all.  Go out there and live it out for other people.

How would you have reacted on this day if Jesus was washing your feet?

Do you think this lesson would have stuck with you more if you were the one getting your feet washed?

How do you live out this lesson today?

How does this make it into your prayer for the day today?

Day 3

Read John 6:1-15
You may start to notice a theme in this series, the theme of Jesus and bread.  That hopefully is super obvious to everyone.  You will notice also that bread seems to be connected to the Passover meal.  It was not the only feature at the meal.  In fact, in all of these meals, there is plenty of other food at the scene, and they never get talked about.  In this story, Jesus makes bread the star idea again, but with fish.  But notice that the Passover is connected too.  The idea here is that Jesus, in front of a crowd of people, blesses, breaks, and then gives out the bread and fish.  Jesus is the source, the disciples are the workers, the people are the recipients, but the point is the good news of Jesus.

How is this picture seeming to show the practices of the church?

If you are a follower of Jesus, as illustrated in this story, what should your role be in this process?

How does that look in your life today? How are you being a blessing to others today?

How does this become your prayer for the day?

Day 4

Read Psalm 1

This is a super simple Psalm that illustrates the idea of blessing so well.  It does it with the story of two trees, which seem to show up a lot in the Bible.  One tree is the production show of life and flourishing, and the other one is not that.  Read it a few times since it is so short.

What do you notice about the progression of positions in verse 1?

What is the contrary to that downward progression that is given in verse 2?

What do you think this is saying and how does it inform your life right now?

If you were to picture this Psalm as a spiritual progression chart, and you were to be really transparent with yourself, where would you be on the chart? (walking by, sitting, standing in the place of…or delighting in the word of God…etc.)

Day 5

Read John 6:23-71

This is a confusing passage and I don’t know that we fully get it without all the context in the Bible around bread and all the rest. In fact, it really seems that those present struggled with that too.  So sit and wrestle with it, because we will be coming right back to it in this series. 

What do you think Jesus is trying to say about being the bread from Heaven?

Why is that important and how do you help other people understand what this is all about?

Why do you think this upset the crowd so much?

Why not share some of your thoughts about the bread of life idea in the messaging app so others can grow as well (because we are blessed, broken and given, so we can bless, break, and give)?

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