Jesus Feeds 5,000 People
How can a five loaves of bread and two fish feed 5000 people?
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Serving Others - Jesus the Savior
- 2 Corinthians 9:8 says God blesses you abundantly. How has God blessed you in the past week?
- Jesus is pleased with even the smallest gifts when used to serve others. In John 6:1-14 Jesus wanted the disciples to feed a large crowd. They said it would be impossible. But, a boy with them had five small loaves of bread and two small fish. Jesus takes this gift, thanks God for it, and uses it to feed over 5,000 people with leftovers to spare! As you listen to this story, think about what gifts you have to offer to serve others.
After you listen
Quiz
A: True, because they knew they could never find enough food to feed them.
Reflect
Jesus had compassion for people. He felt sad when they were sick, and he healed them. When they were worried, he calmed the storm. When they were hungry, he fed them. What does it mean to have compassion? It means to want to help someone who is hurting or in distress.
When Jesus saw that the crowd was hungry, he didn’t just feel bad for them. He took action to help them. He received the humble gift the boy gave and miraculously turned those small loaves and fish into enough food for thousands!
God will bless your small acts of compassion when you use your gifts to serve others. How can you act compassionately this week?
You can also read about how Jesus fed the crowd with just two fish and five loaves in Matthew 14:13-21. Want to dig deeper and learn more about serving others? Check out Hebrews 6:10, Mark 10:45, and Colossians 3:23.
Challenge
Play “Serving Others” Bingo! First, make a grid with 25 squares (5 x 5). In each square, write an idea of how you can serve someone. Here are some examples to get you started: walk the dog, set the table, clear the table, empty the dishwasher, use my manners, read to my sibling, play cooperatively, fold my laundry, write to missionaries, watch my younger sibling, listen, pick up something someone has dropped, or make someone else’s bed. Ask an adult for more ideas if you get stuck. Cross off that square on your bingo card when you find a way to serve someone this week. Can you make a line on your BINGO card before the week ends? Perhaps you could even fill the whole card!
