March 27–April 2

Matthew 14; Mark 6; John 5–6

“Be Not Afraid”

As you prepare to teach from Matthew 14; Mark 6; and John 5–6, look for messages that are relevant to your class. As you do, consider how to engage class members in a meaningful experience with the scriptures.

Invite Sharing

One way to begin a discussion is to invite a few class members to each select a chapter from the reading and share a message from that chapter that was meaningful to them. As they share, other class members could ask questions or add insights.

Teach the Doctrine

John 5:16–47

Jesus Christ is the Beloved Son of Heavenly Father.

• In John 5, Jesus provided several insights about Himself, His Father, and His relationship to the Father. To help class members discover these insights, try dividing them into groups and giving them a few minutes to list as many truths as they can find in verses 16–47 about the character of God and Jesus Christ and about Their relationship. Invite the groups to take turns reading truths from their lists. How do these truths help us better understand our Heavenly Father and His Son? How can we follow Jesus Christ’s example of obedience to the Father?

• An activity in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families suggests noting every time Jesus used the word Father in John 5:16–47. Invite a few class members to share what they learned as they completed the activity. Ask them to share insights they gained about Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son.

Matthew 14:15–21; Mark 6:33–44; John 6:5–14

The Savior can magnify our humble offerings to accomplish His purposes.

• What could help class members find personal meaning in the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand? You might ask how reading about the miracle increases their faith in the Savior’s ability to bless them personally. They could talk about a time when they felt that the Savior magnified or multiplied their efforts to help them accomplish something that seemed impossible. Also, before class, you could ask class members to bring to class a picture or object that represents their experience.

  

  Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes.

• The video “The Feeding of the 5,000” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) may help class members ponder the miracle described in these passages. What details in this account increase our faith in the Savior? In what ways can the Savior feed us spiritually? When have we been fed and sustained by Jesus Christ?

Matthew 14:22–33

Jesus Christ invites us to set aside our fears and doubts so that we can more fully come unto Him.

• The account in Matthew 14:22–33 can help class members increase their faith in the Savior and their desire to follow Him. Invite class members to read this account, paying special attention to the words spoken by Christ, Peter, and the other Apostles. How might Jesus’s words have helped Peter have faith to leave the boat and walk on the water? How do Jesus’s admonitions to “be of good cheer” and “be not afraid” (verse 27) apply to us today? What can we learn from Peter about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to trust Him? You might encourage class members to think about and share experiences in which they, like Peter, took action to follow the Savior, even when the outcome was uncertain. Ask them to share what they learned from their experiences. How has Jesus Christ come to our rescue in our moments of fear or doubt?

John 6:22–71

As disciples of Christ, we must be willing to believe and accept the truth, even when it is hard to do.

• The events in John 6 can provide a helpful perspective when people have questions about the doctrine, history, or policies of Christ’s Church. To help your class members understand these events, you could write questions like the following on the board for them to answer: What were the people expecting? (see verse 26). What did Christ offer them instead? (see verse 51). What did the people misunderstand? (see verses 41–42, 52). You could also ask questions like these to help class members apply this account to their lives: What are some ways we can choose to walk with Christ even when we have questions or doubts? (see verse 66). What are some doctrines, ordinances, or other “words of eternal life” that can be found only in Christ’s restored Church? (see verses 67–69). For insights from a modern Apostle, see President M. Russell Ballard’s message “To Whom Shall We Go?,” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 90–92).

Improving Our Teaching

Listen. “Listening is an act of love. … Ask Heavenly Father to help you understand what your class members say. As you pay careful attention to their spoken and unspoken messages, you will come to better understand their needs, their concerns, and their desires” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 34).