Children’s Sermon

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus Feeds the People

By Dell Smith Klein

OBJECT: Package of fish-shaped crackers. Pepperidge Farms makes one called Goldfish, but any fish-shaped cracker will do.

SERMON

(Begin to nibble on your snack. You might say, “Umm, this is really good.” When the children ask about the snack, you might say, “Oh, you want one, too?” Hold up a package of the small fish-shaped crackers. Then explain that after today’s sermon there will be some for each. )

Wherever Jesus went, people followed him. They wanted him to help sick people feel better. They wanted to hear what he had to say. One time Jesus went to a quiet place where there were no stores, or restaurants. There were no houses in that place either. The Holy Bible calls it a “deserted place.” (v. 13)

When the people heard where he was, they followed him. They had walked a long time to reach him. Jesus taught them, and he healed those that were sick.

When evening came, Jesus’ disciples wanted to send everyone away, so they could walk back to town and buy food for themselves.

Jesus said, “Don’t send them away. You give them something to eat.”

Now remember, there are no grocery stores nearby, and no restaurants near this place. The disciples weren’t sure what to do since they only had a little bit of bread and two fish. They wondered how they could feed all those people with such a small amount of food.

Jesus disciples didn’t know how all those people could be fed, but they did as Jesus asked. They brought the fish and bread to him. Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the bread and the fish and prayed over it. Then he broke the fish and bread into pieces, and the disciples carried the meal to the people.

Everyone ate and when they were finished, the disciples collected the left over pieces of fish and bread. They didn’t waste any of the food. Imagine that!

In the Holy Bible, Jesus is called the Bread of Life. Also, in the early days of Christianity, a fish was a common symbol for Jesus. So, now when you see a loaf of bread, or a fish, you can remember this story of Jesus feeding a lot of people with just a little bit of bread and fish.

PRAYER

We are thankful to you, Loving God that Jesus cared so much for those people that he provided plenty of food for them from just a little bit of bread and two small fish. We are thankful, too that you care for us.
Amen.

Scripture quotations from the World English Bible

Copyright 2013, Richard Niell Donovan