Bible Reading
Matthew 26:17-29 (ESV) — > 17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
> 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’”
> 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
> 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve.
> 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
> 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?”
> 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.
> 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
> 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
> 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
> 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
> 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
> 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
John 6:47-58 (ESV) — > 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
> 48 I am the bread of life.
> 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
> 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
> 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
> 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
> 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
> 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
> 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
> 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
> 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
> 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
Observation Questions
- In Matthew 26, what meal were Jesus and the disciples celebrating when He instituted the Lord’s Supper? ([02:39])
- According to John 6, what does Jesus call Himself, and what does He say about those who “eat” this bread? ([16:17])
- What was the reaction of many of Jesus’ followers when He taught about eating His flesh and drinking His blood? ([22:22])
- In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the main purpose of communion? ([18:50])
Interpretation Questions
- Why does Jesus use the language of “eating His flesh and drinking His blood” in John 6? What is He really asking people to do? ([26:55])
- The sermon says that communion is an act of remembrance, not a way to earn salvation. Why is this distinction important for how we approach communion? ([23:13])
- When the crowd left Jesus after His hard teaching, the twelve disciples stayed. What does their response show about true belief and commitment? ([33:20])
- The pastor mentions that Jesus addresses our deepest need first—our sin problem—before our other needs. How does this challenge the way we usually approach God with our requests? ([13:10])
Application Questions
- The sermon says that ordinances like communion are reminders, not ways to earn God’s favor. Are there ways you have tried to “earn” God’s love or approval through religious actions? How can you shift your mindset to one of gratitude and remembrance instead? ([02:39])
- Jesus challenged the crowd in John 6 for seeking Him only for temporary needs. Are there areas in your life where you are more focused on what Jesus can do for you right now, rather than on the eternal life He offers? How can you reorder your priorities to “seek first His kingdom”? ([13:10])
- The crowd left when Jesus’ teaching became difficult, but the disciples stayed because they knew He had the words of eternal life. Have you ever been tempted to walk away from Jesus when things got hard? What helped you stay, or what might help you remain in the future? ([33:20])
- The pastor said that abiding in Christ is a lifelong commitment, not a quick fix. What does “abiding” look like in your daily life? Are there specific habits or practices that help you remain connected to Jesus, especially when it’s hard? ([31:36])
- Each time we take communion, we are recommitting ourselves to abide in Christ. How can you make communion more meaningful the next time you participate? Is there a specific prayer or reflection you want to bring to the Lord’s table? ([38:52])
- The sermon mentioned that Jesus did not run after those who walked away, but simply offered the choice to abide or not. How does this affect the way you think about your own commitment to Jesus? Are there areas where you need to make a clearer choice to abide? ([38:21])
- The pastor shared that abiding in Jesus is not always easy and sometimes means being in the minority. Have you experienced this in your faith journey? How can the group support each other in choosing to abide, even when it’s unpopular or difficult? ([33:53])
