Taste and See Week 3 — Chewing on the Bread of Life

By the sweat of your face you will eat bread (you will eat your food). — God to Adam in Genesis 3:19

The Bread of Life came to change the way we live life. ~ Margaret Feinberg

Welcome to week three of the Taste and See Online Bible Study with Margaret Feinberg.

Bread. Bread. And more bread! I love bread. Especially nutty, grainy, oatey loaves still hot from the oven and spread with good butter. Yum! I’d choose bread over dessert any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Once a year my mama makes potato rolls. They are absolutely to die for. Eggs, flour, yeast, water, salt, and a little bit of mashed potatoes. She lets the dough rise for a couple of hours, then twists them into figure-eights or “snails” and lets them rise again before they’re swiped with melted butter and baked to golden-perfection. I dab mine with a little butter and lingonberry jam and… well, my mouth is watering as I write!

How about you? What’s your favorite kind of bread?

If you are not a bread eater, I am truly sorry. As you probably do, too, I know many people like my sister and nephew who live quite happily gluten-free or low-carb. Even so, there is so much to learn in the beauty and commonality of bread.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.” — John 6:35a NIV

Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life! I’ve always found it funny that Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means “House of Bread” and He called Himself the Bread of Life, so the Bread of Life was born in the House of Bread! God is undeniably funny, isn’t He?

The serious point behind that comical word play by God is that bread is one of the very foundational foods worldwide and throughout all time and one of the most foundational elements of our faith is that Jesus is the all and all. So, it makes sense, right? He is to be that which we consume and enjoy and live off more than anything else. He gets first place in our hearts. He is to be what we are consumed with the most, talk about most, plan towards the most.

He is the One who can and will change our lives from the inside out.

Christ in me. Christ in you.

When the Bread of Life goes to multiply bread for the 5,000, do you know what flour He uses? Barley!… The flour of the poor… Proclaiming indeed that He did not just come for the wealthy and the elite but for all of humanity including you and me. ~ Margaret

That Jesus is the Bread of Life means that no one is excluded. Bread was the mainstay for everyone. Rich or poor, high or low, fashionable or common, “important” or lowly, famous or obscure, educated or unschooled, or powerful or disenfranchised.

He is for me. And He is for you.

He’s what we are to crave and get spiritually mouth-watery over! But unlike potato rolls, I don’t have to wait all year. He’s here now!

He is the Bread for today.

This Week in Your Study

1. Watch the Session Three Video, “Chewing on the Bread of Life” – available now!
   … and take notes in the study guide, pages 55-61. Remember to watch it this week (Feb. 4 – Feb. 10) to stay on schedule.
2. Personal Study + Tasty Experiences
3. Enjoy your personal study this week on pages 62-74. Plus, this week’s tasty activity is a bread tasting! Try a new type of bread you’ve never tasted before (on your own or with a group) and share with us on social media with #tasteandseeobs.

Let’s Connect

Join us in the private Facebook group, where we’re hosting daily conversations about the study. This week’s Watch Party is Thursday 2/7 at 12 pm and 8 pm EST (same video, two time options). We want to meet you! Come join the community.

Verse of the Week

Matthew 16:6 NASB

Other Scriptures to Read
Genesis 3:19
Genesis 18:5-6
Genesis 25:33-34
Genesis 40:16
1 Kings 17:5-6
1 Samuel 21:6
Ruth 2:14
Exodus 16:4
John 6:35a
Matthew 16:6
Luke 24:15-16

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, thank You that You are for everyone, to be loved and enjoyed and followed every day. We want to be consumed by You. Help us to take You as the Bread of our lives, the mainstay, our daily Bread, the One who sustains us not just now and then, but every day! We love You, Jesus. Amen