3.28.21 HUDDLE
INTRO QUESTION
- What is your go-to food? If you are ignoring all considerations for your health and just eating what you want, what are you eating?
LESSON INTRO
We are still in our “Restore: Rebuilding the Broken Soul” series. This week we are going to look at a familiar story from scripture called the “Feeding of the 5,000.” This is one of the few stories found in all 4 gospels. Today we will look at the account in Mark.
There are a few points of interest for the context of this story.
- This account begins by saying, “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.” This is in relation to something that happened earlier in chapter 6. Jesus sent the 12 apostles on a mission without him. They were to go preach the Kingdom of God and heal throughout the area. When we get to our story for the day, they are returning to Jesus and getting ready to rest and debrief.
- Both the Matthew and Mark account make the point to mention that this story takes place right after John the Baptist is murdered by Herod. Given Jesus’s close relationship to John, he would be grieving over the loss of his friend/cousin when all of this unfolds.
BIBLE ENGAGEMENT- MARK 6:30-44
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
BIBLE ENGAGMENT QUESTIONS
- What stands out to you from the text?
- What do we learn about Jesus from this story (His personality, practices, priorities)?
- Why do you think Jesus answered the disciples saying, “You give them something to eat?”
TWO IDEAS TOWARD RESTORATION
On Sunday, Pastor Bret gave us two ideas from this story to remember when it comes to restoration.
- Jesus calls you to the impossible BUT not to DO the impossible.
- Jesus is not the FIXER of your problems but the NOURISHER of your soul
- God wants to do the impossible THROUGH us. We can serve. We can obey. But only God can do the impossible. Look back at the text. Where is this point evident from the story?
- Read John 2:1-11. How does this story illustrate a similar point?
- Respond to the following quote: “Jesus is not meant to be the fixer of your problems but the nourisher of your soul.” How would you describe the difference between the two?
- How do you change your view of Jesus from a fixer of problems to a nourisher of soul? Is this something you have struggled (or continue to struggle) with?
CLOSING—RESOURCES
- Have your group access the One Life App.
- Once accessed, click the “Restore Resources” banner
- Scroll down to “APPS” and download the “EXAMEN” app.
- Either lead your group through “Today’s Examen,” or, click the menu on the top left and choose the “Traditional” examen.
- To lead your group through, simply read each prompt, give your group members 15-30 seconds to reflect, and then read the next prompt. Continue until complete.
- Find the “Traditional” examen below.
TRADITIONAL
Set Up: “I get into a comfortable position. I let my muscles relax and mind quiet down. I take a deep breath and ask God to make his presence known around and in me. I feel this presence and soak in it.”
- I ask God to reveal all the gifts and graces he has given me today, from the big ones (life, safety, love) to the small ones (a good night’s sleep, a phone call from a friend, a compliment). I thank God for each of these gifts.
- I ask God to fill me with his merciful love. I ask God to be the leader of this prayer time, rather than brooding or obsessing over myself or the day.
- Going hour by hour, I review my day. In my imagination, I relive each significant moment of my day. I linger in the important moments and pass quickly over the less relevant ones.
- I continue thanking God for the gifts I find in my day. I pause at any of the difficult moments of my day. I pay attention to any missed opportunities, when I could have acted in a certain way but didn’t.
When I find moments in which I was not the person I was called to be, I ask God’s forgiveness. I try to sense his healing mercy wash over me.
- I ask God to show me, concretely how he wants me to respond or what he wants me to do tomorrow. I ask God to show me what kind of person he is calling me to be tomorrow. I resolve to be that person and ask God for his help.
- I ask myself if there are any last words I wish to say to the Lord.
- I close with one of the following gestures: I make the sign of the cross, bow, or say “Amen.”