Lesson 34 - The Feeding Of The 5000
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (Matthew 14:19)
The Gathering of a Large Crowd
Parent Explanation:
Lots of people wanted to see and hear Jesus because He did amazing things. They came to listen to Him talk about God’s love.
Questions to Ask:
Why did so many people come to see Jesus? (Answer: Because of His teachings and miracles)
Have you ever gone to a place with a lot of people? What was it like? (Encourage sharing personal experiences of being in a crowd)
Hand Motions:
Crowd Gathering: Wave hands toward oneself, as if beckoning people to come closer.
Listening Ears: Cup hands behind ears to show listening attentively.
Activities:
Group Drawing: Create a large mural with drawings of many people gathered.
Interactive Question: What do you think the people hoped to see when they went to see Jesus?
The Little Boy’s Lunch
Parent Explanation:
There was a little boy in the crowd who had only five small loaves of bread and two fish. He offered his food to help Jesus feed everyone.
Questions to Ask:
What did the little boy share? (Answer: His lunch of bread and fish)
Why is sharing important, even if you only have a little? (Discuss generosity and its impact)
Hand Motions:
Sharing Hands: Stretch out hands as if offering something.
Counting Loaves and Fish: Use fingers to count to five for the loaves and two for the fish.
Activities:
Sharing Circle: Practice sharing toys or snacks in a circle to learn about generosity.
Question: Can you think of a time you shared something with someone?
Jesus Gives Thanks and Distributes the Food
Parent Explanation:
Jesus thanked God for the little bit of food they had. Then He started to give it out to everyone, trusting God would make it enough.
Questions to Ask:
What did Jesus do before sharing the food? (Answer: He gave thanks)
Why should we say thank you before we eat? (Discuss the importance of gratitude)
Hand Motions:
Thankful Clapping: Clap hands softly before pretending to break bread.
Distributing Gesture: Extend hands outward as if handing out food to many people.
Activities:
Thankful Banners: Make banners or placemats that say "Thank You" to use during meal times.
Question: What are you thankful for today?
The Miracle of Multiplication
Parent Explanation:
Even though there was only a little, Jesus made it enough to feed everyone there, and they all had plenty to eat!
Questions to Ask:
How did Jesus feed so many people with just a little food? (Answer: God made the food multiply)
What does this miracle teach us about God? (Discuss God's power and generosity)
Hand Motions:
Multiplying Hands: Start with hands close together and then move them apart repeatedly to show growing amounts.
Full Belly: Pat belly to show being full and satisfied.
Activities:
Fish and Loaves Game: Use cutouts of fish and loaves in a simple matching or counting game to visually demonstrate multiplication.
Question: How do you think the disciples felt seeing this miracle?
Gathering the Leftovers
Parent Explanation:
After the miracle, there was still food left over! Jesus made sure they collected all the extra pieces so nothing was wasted.
Questions to Ask:
What did the disciples do with the leftover food? (Answer: Collected it in baskets)
Why is it important not to waste food? (Discuss stewardship and gratitude for what we have)
Hand Motions:
Gathering Motion: Pretend to pick things up from the ground and put them into a basket.
Counting Baskets: Count to twelve using fingers.
Activities:
Basket Filling: Have a fun activity where children fill baskets with balls or soft toys to learn about collecting and saving.
Favorite Part: What was your favorite part about the story of Jesus feeding the 5000?