Meeting guide · command 5

Work for Food that Endures

Do not make temporary provision your highest pursuit; seek the enduring life the Son of Man gives.

Read

Read the complete passage aloud.

Primary passage

John 6:27

27 Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him.”

World English Bible

Luke

Luke 6:27–29

27 “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold your coat also.

World English Bible

After feeding the crowd, Jesus confronts people who seek Him mainly for bread and redirects them from perishable food to the enduring life He gives.

Discuss

Listen carefully to what Jesus says.

  1. What does Jesus command?
  2. What does this passage reveal about Him?
  3. Where do we resist this command?
  4. What is difficult or unclear?
  5. What temporary “food” most competes for your attention, and how does Jesus redirect desire in this passage?

Practice

Choose one specific act of obedience.

Fast from one nonessential pursuit or comfort for a set time. Use that space to read John 6:22–40, pray, and seek Jesus Himself.

Return

Come back and discuss what happened.

What did the fast reveal about your appetite, and what helped you seek Jesus rather than only His gifts?

Close together

Pray. Then prepare to teach.

Pray

Jesus, expose the desires that rule us. Teach us to seek the enduring life you give rather than using you only for temporary needs.

Teach

Keep this command in the feeding-of-the-crowd context: Jesus redirects the crowd from perishable bread to the life God gives through Him.