People hurried along city streets and country roads to the sea. They wanted to see Jesus!
They gathered close to hear His gentle words. They watched Him heal sick people who came to Him.
The crowd stayed with Jesus all day. Everyone felt happy and calm. They did not notice the cool breeze coming from the mountains as the sun went down. They forgot they had not eaten since breakfast. Imagine that!
Jesus’ special friends, the 12 disciples, were tired and hungry. “Please,” they said. “Send the people away so they can get food.”
But Jesus said to Philip, “Let’s give them food. Where can we buy it?”
Philip looked at the huge crowd. There were thousands of people! He knew they did not have enough money to buy food for everyone.
Andrew, another disciple, spoke up. “Here is a boy with five loaves of barley bread and two little fish. But that is not enough for so many people” (John 6:9).
What Jesus did next impressed the disciples so much that the story appears in all four gospels. He asked everyone to sit down on the grass. Next, He thanked God for the bread. He gave the bread to the disciples to share. Then, He thanked God for the fish and shared it too.
The food did not run out! Everyone ate until they were full. When they were done, the disciples picked up the leftovers. There were 12 baskets full of food.
Jesus taught His friends that God gives us what we need to help others.
We are Jesus’ friends too! He gives to us so we can share with others. We can share a smile and some kind words. We can tell a Bible story or talk about how Jesus helps us feel happy. We can share food, like a loaf of bread or a sandwich!
When we share, we always have more to share. God’s goodness never runs out. There has always been more than enough for everyone.
You can read Matthew 14:13–21 for family worship. Compare it with Mark 6:30–44, Luke 9:10–17 and John 6:1–14.
