Sermon

Jesus Feeds the 5,000 (Matthew 14:13-21)

Theme

The miracle of the five loaves and two fish

Object

A little snack

Scripture

Matthew 14:13-21: Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Children's Lesson

In today's children's lesson on Matthew 14:13-21, we learn about the miracle of the five loaves and two fish and how Jesus feeds the 5,000.

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus and his disciples were very tired and needed some time to relax. They got into a boat and went away to a quiet place to rest. When they reached their destination, there were people there waiting for Jesus. The Bible tells us that there were 5,000 men and who knows how many women and children! They wanted Jesus to teach them and heal the sick. Jesus needed to rest, but He still healed the sick and taught the people about the kingdom of heaven.

Soon it was time to eat. The disciples went to Jesus and said, "It is getting late and we are hungry. Send the people away so that we can go and get something to eat." 

Jesus answered, "They don't need to go away," Jesus said, "you feed them."

"Feed them? How can we feed them? We have five loaves of bread and two small fish. That is all the food we have."

Jesus told the disciples to bring him the loaves and fish and to tell everyone to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the loaves and fish and looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He then gave the food to the disciples to give to the people.

What a miracle! If I were to share my small snack with you today, there might be enough for each of you to have one tiny bite. But when Jesus blessed the loaves and fish, the Bible says that everyone ate until they were full! Wait! That's not all! After they had eaten until they were full, they gathered up the leftovers and there were twelve baskets full. Can you imagine taking these little snacks and feeding everyone here today and still having food left over? We couldn't do it, but God could. 

What can we learn from this Bible lesson today? We learn that when we give what we have to God, he can take it, bless it, and do more than we could ever imagine. 

Prayer on Jesus Feeds the 5,000

Dear Father, just as Jesus used the lunch of a small boy to feed more than five thousand people, we pray that you will use the boys and girls here today to bless everyone they meet each day. Amen.

Sunday School Activities for Jesus Feeds the 5,000

Keep kids engaged in your children's church by printing this Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Coloring Page for kids to color.  Have kids complete Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Crossword, Jesus Feeds the Multitude Maze, Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Word Search, and Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Multiple Choice.  Or simply print this Jesus Feeds the 5,000 Worship bulletin.