Jesus Feeds The People

TEXT: John 6:1-15

THE Bible tells of a boy who went to see Jesus. Let us think of a little boy hurrying down the path by the waters of the Sea of Galilee. He was with a big crowd of people. Jesus was going to be on the hill near there and the mothers, fathers, boys and girls loved to hear Jesus talk.

The little boy was not very big and he had to walk a long, long way to see Jesus. He could not ride because there were no cars, no busses, no trains. He probably got very tired but he did not care. He had heard how much Jesus loved all the children, even held them on His lap and blessed them.

The little boy’s mother knew it would be a long walk for her son so she fixed him a picnic lunch so he would not get too hungry.

Into the picnic basket the boy’s mother put some little rolls called barley cakes. One-two-three-four-five little barley rolls. Mother put in two little fish that had been dried in the sun. This is the kind of a lunch all little boys liked when Jesus was here on the earth.

The boy told his mother good-by and started on his way, He was so happy because he was going to see Jesus. We are going to see Jesus some day, too, if we keep loving Him in our heart and praying to Him.

He walked, and walked, and walked. When he got to the hill he saw lots, and lots, and lots of people, more people than he had ever seen before. Boys and girls were there, too. They had all come to see Jesus and learn how to be good.

Jesus was talking. My, how quiet and still it was. Everyone was very quiet. All the boys and girls sat so still. No one whispered or looked around. They just looked right at Jesus and listened hard to every word He said. Jesus does not like it when big people or children whisper and play in Sunday school. He wants us to listen hard to the stories out of His Bible.

The people liked the kind look Jesus had on His face. They liked to hear the kind words He said to them. He told them what was naughty — the things God did not want them to do; but He also told them about Heaven and the nice things they should do.

Jesus talked and talked. No one wanted to go away, and pretty soon the day was over and the sun had started to go down. It was getting time for supper. Jesus’ helpers came to Him and told Him that these people had better go home and get something to eat. They had been there all day and there were not any stores where they could get food — no restaurants either. They had walked so far to get there. It would take them a long, long time to walk home.

Jesus loved all these people. He did not want them to be hungry. He wanted to help them. Jesus asked one of His helpers, called a Disciple, what could be done to feed all these people. One helper said they just could not feed them. There was no way to get food. There were not any stores there.

Andrew, Jesus’ helper, said he saw a little boy who had a lunch with him, but it would not be enough to feed all these people. It was just enough for one little boy to eat.

Jesus knew what to do all the time. He knew how He was going to get food but He wanted to see what His helpers would say. Jesus always knows what to do for everything.

The helpers looked for the little boy who had the lunch. When they found him they told him that Jesus wanted to see him. How happy that boy was! He was going to get to talk to Jesus all by himself. When we pray, we talk to Jesus all by ourself, too.

The little boy was happy to give Jesus all he had. He handed Jesus his whole lunch. That little boy must have been hungry, too, but he did not keep one thing for himself. He gave it all to Jesus.

Jesus’ helpers told all the people to sit down in the grass. Jesus held the rolls and fishes in His hands and said “Thank You” to God for them. Yes, even Jesus thanked God for His food. Do you always remember to say “Thank You” to God for your food, too?

After Jesus had thanked God for the bread and fish, the most wonderful thing happened. The boy could hardly believe what he saw. The helpers and all the people were surprised, too.

Do you know what happened? Jesus took those two little fish and the rolls and began to give some of the food to His helpers so they could take it to the people. Jesus would break off some bread and fish and as He broke off and gave away, He always had some left.

The helpers put the pieces of food in the baskets and walked up and down where the people were sitting and gave them all they wanted to eat. It all came from that little boy’s lunch. Jesus just made more and more of it until there was even a lot left over. Twelve baskets of food were left, and all the people were so full they could not eat any more. Jesus had fed 5,000 men besides the women, and the boys and girls, with that little boy’s lunch.

Only Jesus could do that. There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. He can and does just as many wonderful things today as He did when He was here on earth a long time ago.

What if the little boy had said: “No, Jesus, this is not enough to feed everyone. I am hungry and want to eat this lunch myself”? That little boy gave his lunch to Jesus because he loved Him. How can you please Jesus and show Him how much you love Him? We cannot all give Jesus our lunch, but we can all give our heart to Jesus.