Sermon Response Guide
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 14:13-21 ESV
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 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. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Key Points
- Jesus shows us who God is, but Jesus also shows us who we were created to be in him.
- Jesus shows us it’s ok to grieve, and it’s ok to need room to breathe when we grieve.
- Jesus invites us to bring all we have to him – even if it feels like nothing.
- When we place all we have in the hands of God, it is always more than enough.
- Jesus feeds us to feed others and there is leftover still.
- Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus is always more than enough for us and for others.
- In our grief, we can still feed others, because in our grief, Jesus still feeds us.
- In the Kingdom of God, we shine in our suffering.
Memory Verse
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
-John 6:35 ESV
Questions for Reflection
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:
1: Grief is often associated with loss. What loss are you grieving today?
2: How are you encouraged to know the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 begins with Jesus in a position of grief?
3: Though this miracle story is in all 4 Gospels, Matthew is the only one that includes Jesus saying in 14:16, “They need not go away.” Why do you think this statement is important to this particular miracle story?
4: What do you think the bread in this story represents? Is the miracle about the bread, or is it about something more?
5: Jesus is the best Teacher. What do you think Jesus wanted to teach his disciples on the day he fed the 5,000?
6: What do you think Jesus wants to teach you through this miracle story in conjunction with the message you heard preached today?
7: Who has fed you in the midst of their own grief lately? Reach out to them this week to let them know how they have encouraged you in their suffering. (Spoiler alert: by letting them know how they have fed you, you will be feeding them, too!)
8: How will you respond in gratitude and obedience to what God has shown you to be true today?
Pray
Lord, we confess our hearts are heavy. You know that full well. It feels like we have nothing to offer you but sadness. But your word says you are a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. We are not alone in our suffering. You promise to carry us all the days of our lives. So, carry us, Lord! Rescue us from the weight of this world. We need you. We believe you are more than enough – and in your hands, Lord Jesus, so are we. Feed us, that we might feed others.
