Curriculum
Jesus is the Bread of Life
Memory Verse:
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life.’” John 6:35
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
Jesus met people’s basic needs and even performed miracles. The main reason Jesus came to Earth was not only to feed people with bread but also to be the True Bread of heaven that satisfies us forever.
Scripture Summary
Jesus continued His ministry preaching, healing, and performing miracles. His followers marveled when He fed 5,000 people with two small fish and five loaves of bread. After that miracle, Jesus walked on the water to His disciples in a boat in the middle of a storm.
Some of those following Jesus were only interested in His temporary impact—a meal or an inspirational teaching. Jesus rebuked His followers for not seeking deeper nourishment for their spiritual hunger.
Still others were confused by what Jesus wanted them to do. But Jesus simply wanted them to believe in Him, the One whom God had sent.
Jesus addresses a basic need that every person ever born has: hunger. The concept of bread was easily understood by the masses and a well-chosen building block to help His followers understand Jesus’ deeper meaning.
Jesus had satisfied the people’s physical hunger by feeding the great crowd. He then used that experience to make a significant connection for the crowd. Jesus is the Bread from heaven that goes beyond meeting physical needs. This is the Bread that “gives life to the world” (v. 33).
Why Is This Important
We can look for different solutions when we have needs and longing, and we may find many good things in our lives and in this world. But nothing, and no one, can satisfy our deep spiritual need and longing like Jesus. He is the Bread of Life who gives life to the world.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
“During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to His disciples: Take, eat. This is my body.” (Matthew 26:26, The Message)
Jesus uses bread throughout His ministry. He miraculously multiplied bread more than once to feed thousands of people. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which translates to the House of Bread. He spoke in Deuteronomy about man not living by bread alone. Jesus referred to Himself as the Bread of Life.
It’s no wonder that Jesus uses simple food and beverage at the Last Supper: bread and wine. He compared His body to bread, broken for each person in the world.
This sacrament brings a variety of meanings. The Lord’s Supper notes the Passover meal Jesus ate with His disciples. A Eucharist (thanksgiving) is a way to thank God for Jesus’ work. Communion is a way to connect with God and other followers of God.
Take the time to read (aloud if possible) the Scripture above multiple times and ponder the questions below. If you have additional time, look up the entire passage and read
Matthew 26:26-29.
- Read the passage once. What word or phrase stood out to you?
- Read the passage a second time. How does this word or phrase connect with your daily life?
- Read the passage a final time. What is God’s invitation to you through this word or phrase?
Why is it meaningful for you that Jesus is described as the Living Bread?
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, the Living Bread. In His life and in His death, Jesus made a way for me to be fully satisfied forever. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles - one per child, “Follow the Breadcrumbs” handout - one per child, Pencils or pens - one per child
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35
Lead kids in these steps:
- Invite kids to open their Bibles to John 6:35.
- Invite kids to read through the passage several times. Ask for volunteers to read it aloud.
- Challenge kids to try to find the first word in the verse, and then make a continuous line connecting each word in the verse to the next, in order of today’s memory verse.
ASK:
- Tell about your experience in this activity.
- How was looking for the next word in the memory verse like or unlike what the people were doing with Jesus?
SAY: Today we’re learning, just like those people following after Jesus, what it means that Jesus is the Bread of Life.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: A Bible
Get Ready: Before class, review the following notes about American Sign Language and familiarize yourself with the three words you’ll be teaching kids how to sign.
Explain to the kids that today you’ll be teaching them some American Sign Language. (Use the key below to teach them the signs for Jesus, God, and Bread.)
To sign Jesus: Touch the tip of the middle finger of your dominant hand into the center of the palm of your non-dominant hand. Then touch the tip of the middle finger of your non-dominant hand into the palm of your dominant hand.
To sign God: Swipe your dominant hand in front of your head like one half of two praying hands, making sure your thumb touches your forehead in the swipe before then pulling downward to your chest area.
To sign Bread: Place your left hand out in front of you with your palm facing inward and your fingers pointing to the side. Pretend your left hand is a loaf of bread. Use your right hand fingertips against the back of your left hand to “slice the loaf” a couple times.
After you’ve taught some signs to the kids, review them and see if they remember what they mean.
SAY: Great job using sign language! Let’s put it into practice.
Open your Bible to John 6:24-35. Explain that you’re going to tell what happened in the Bible, and encourage kids to make the correct sign when they hear Jesus, God, or bread. (Sign each word along with them.)
ASK:
- The people had trouble believing. What is easy or hard for you about believing the signs that Jesus performed in the Bible?
- After hearing this passage, how would you say Jesus and bread are alike?
SAY: The people saw Jesus perform many miracles, but they were still looking for a sign that He was sent from God. Sometimes people have all that they need, but still go looking for more. That’s why Jesus wanted them to understand that believing in Him would finally fill them up. Because He is the Bread of Life.
Snack
Rolled-Up Bread
You’ll Need: Paper plates - one per child, Napkins - one per child, White bread slices - one per child, Plastic knives one per child, Butter, Cinnamon, Sugar
Follow these steps for the “Rolled-Up Bread”:
- Give children each a slice of bread. Instruct them to cut off the crust. They may eat the crust or throw it away.
- Using their hands and fingers, instruct kids to smash their pieces of bread as flat as they can.
- Once flat, invite kids to butter the bread and then sprinkle cinna- mon and sugar on the bread.
- Next, kids will need to roll up their bread tightly and then cut it into slices to reveal smaller circles.
- Enjoy.
SAY: When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God provided manna (food) from heaven for them to eat. Jesus points out in today’s passage that Moses did not provide that; it was from God. God also provided Jesus, the Bread of Life from Heaven that gives life to the world. Through Him we can find eternal life.
Game
Sign Race
You’ll Need: Post-it notes, Dry erase board - one per team, Dry erase markers
Get Ready: Before starting “Sign Race,” write five to 10 elements from today’s lesson on sticky notes (fish, bread, people, Jesus, signs, etc.).
To play the “Sign Race,” have kids follow these steps:
- Divide children into two teams, giving each team a dry erase board and some markers.
- Have each team choose one person to be the first illustrator.
- Give each illustrator a post-it note. Instruct them to read what is written, then keep it private to themselves.
- Explain to kids that when you say “go,” the illustrator will need to draw the element from their post-it note. The rest of their team will need to guess which element the illustrator is drawing.
- The first team to guess their illustrator’s “sign” gets a point.
- Rotate illustrators and continue as time allows.
SAY: Even though Jesus was standing right in front of the people, they were still asking for a sign. Jesus made it clear that He was the Bread of Life and in Him we have all we need.
Craft
Bread Art
You’ll Need: Air-dry modeling clay, Paintbrushes one per child, Yarn, Scissors
Get Ready: Punch a hole in the top of each paper plate. Cut six-inch strips of yarn.
Follow these steps to make the “Bread Art”:
- Give each child a lump of air-dry modeling clay.
- Invite kids to sculpt a small slice of bread.
- Once sculpted, encourage kids to use the backside of the paint brush to write John 6:35 on their bread sculpture.
- Then, using the back end of the paintbrush, instruct kids to poke a hole in the top and thread some yarn through their bread.
- Allow to air dry.
SAY: Take your bread art home. Hang it somewhere to remind you that Jesus is the Bread of Life, and in Him we have all we need.
Prayer
Bread Prayers
You’ll Need: Dissolving paper, Bucket of water, Pen
Get Ready: Before class, cut the dissolving paper into shapes that look like bread slices.
- Give each child a piece of dissolving paper.
- Explain to kids that in today’s lesson the people were having a hard time believing in Jesus. Ask kids if they ever have a hard time believing in Jesus.
- Invite kids to write an honest prayer to Jesus on a piece of the disappearing paper.
- After they write their prayer, invite them to lay their prayer in the water, and watch them disappear.
PRAY: Dear God, help us with our unbelief. Help us see that Jesus is the Living Bread and He is all we need. Help us to understand that Jesus alone saves us and help us to live with faith following Him. In Jesus’ name, amen.
