Five Thousand Lunches

Stories of Jesus  ·  John 6:8–13

Jesus can use what I have.

Have you ever shared your snack with someone? Maybe a cracker or a piece of fruit? Today we hear about a boy who shared his lunch. And something incredible happened.

A huge crowd has been following Jesus all day. Five thousand people!

Now it is late afternoon. Everyone is hungry.

The disciples don't know what to do. 'We can't feed all these people,' they say. 'We'd need a fortune to buy enough food!'

Then Andrew comes forward. He has a boy with him.

'This boy has five small loaves of bread and two little fish,' Andrew says. 'But that won't feed so many people.'

Five small loaves. Two small fish. For five thousand people.

Jesus smiles. 'Bring them to me,' He says.

He takes the bread and fish. He looks up to heaven. He says thank you to God.

Then He starts to break the bread and give it to His disciples to pass out.

Break. Pass. Break. Pass.

The bread keeps coming. The fish keeps coming.

Everyone eats. Not just a nibble. A real meal! All five thousand people, eating until they are full.

Can you pretend to share food with me? Here, take some!

When they clean up afterward, there are twelve baskets of leftovers.

Jesus made more than enough. With a small boy's small lunch.

Prayer

Let's pray. Repeat after me:
Dear God,
Here is what I have.
Thank you that you can use
even a little.
We love you!
Amen.

Listen to this devotional with audio narration and illustrations in the Seedling: Bible Stories app — short devotionals for Christian families with children ages 2–5.