READ: Mark 6:32-44 
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 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 his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

This is perhaps one of the most popular stories in the Bible — it’s right up there with the whale swallowing Jonah and David defeating Goliath. It’s particularly significant when we see that this story actually takes place during a tumultuous time for Jesus. 

He had become a nationwide celebrity in just a few months, which infuriated King Herod. The King carried out a vicious vendetta against Jesus and His disciples — and it was about to get gruesome. In a scene out of a horror movie, Herod had Jesus’ cousin murdered (6:25). Herod doesn’t just stop at homicide, he has the head of an innocent man delivered to him on a silver platter during a party. All while his court drank, indulged, and celebrated. This disgusting display was a maniac’s attempt to extinguish the excitement around Jesus in his country, but it didn’t work. Hatred cannot triumph over hope. Jesus was still the buzz of Judea. 

When we get to the scene of the miracle, over 5,000 hungry people are following Jesus around the country-side of Capernaum. This city has a population of 15,000. This may seem like a small town to you, but Capernaum was actually one of the most populated cities in the entire nation. Jesus had drawn a crowd of over five thousand people. Wrap your head around that! Over one third of the entire city had gathered to hear a message from the messiah. This proves the rising popularity of Jesus. No wonder Herod was worried. 

Even though Jesus was exhausted both physically and emotionally, He had compassion on the crowd (6:34). I imagine his voice shook at first, but He quickly got into the groove — preaching to a packed house. Okay, it wasn’t a house. It was a field, but you get the point. As the sun began to set, people started to get a little restless. They’re whispering, “this sermon is fantastic, but I am getting a little hungry.” The disciples realized the rumbles of grumbling stomaches and encouraged Jesus to dismiss everyone to go out into the city for a snack (6:36). The good restaurants were about to close and they were all about to be stuck with mediocre fast food on their way home. 

Jesus used this opportunity to teach His disciples when He said “Give them something to eat.” Confusion washed over their faces since that’d cost half a year’s salary. They did what anyone else would do in this situation, they asked if anyone had some food they were willing to share. Maybe there was a caterer in the crowd with a massive truck full of fruit or something. A little boy spoke up over the commotion and explained that his mom had packed him a Happy Meal — five pieces of bread and some fish. Joyfully, the boy announced, “Jesus you can have this.” Jesus held the boxed lunch, blessed it, broke it, and multiplied it. Over and over and over again. When all was said and done, everyone shared a feast, had a full belly, and there was enough for them all to have a to-go box.  

The feeding of the five thousand was a domino effect triggered by the donation of a young boy. The miracle of multiplication started with participation. Jesus could have easily made it rain chicken nuggets and honey mustard, but He didn’t do that. Instead, he invited a young kid and twelve followers to play a part in His miracle. God doesn’t just want you to witness His purpose, He invites you to take part in it. God doesn’t just want you to see miracles, He wants you to participate in them. 

What miracle does God want you to participate in today? Maybe you need to give generously to help others in need. Maybe you need to sacrifice your Saturday to serve at a local outreach. Maybe you need to take some time to write music, create a blog, or pursue a passion that you can use to point others to Jesus. Whatever it is, participation is required. The Kingdom of God is not a spectator sport, you need to get some skin in the game. God’s giving you an invitation to participation. Are you ready to help make a miracle happen? When we participate, God replicates. 

Don’t let comparison get in the way of your contributions. We often think that others are more gifted, more wealthy, or even more worthy. That’s all nonsense. When you give your gifts to Jesus, He will bless them and multiply them. Other people will benefit when you take a small step of faith. 

God will bless you and bless others in the process. 

TALK IT OUT 
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.
Q1: What’s your favorite meal to eat when you’re really hungry?
Q2: Summarize the miraculous story of Jesus feeding the five thousand.
Q3: What is the significance of Jesus having disciples and a young boy play a role in this miracle? What does that imply for us? 
Q4: Have you ever experienced God using someone to meet your needs? How did you respond?
Q5: Do you think you make yourself available to be used by God? How could you begin to participate in his purpose even more?
Q6: What’s one thing you can do this week that would allow God to bless someone else through you?