The Model in Action 2: Jesus Receives an Offering

Few stories told in all 4 gospels. This is one of them.
Matt 14 / Mark 6 / Luke 9 / John 6

• 5,000 men, plus women and children.
• Jesus tells disciples: “Give them something to eat”
• The disciples didn’t get it. The masses were confused and hungry.
• But a boy with a bagged lunch understood, and his tuna fish sandwich fed them all.

A Boy Feeds 5,000 (John 6)

• Empty, formless, dark
“Eight months wages” wouldn’t buy enough food. (v.6)
• Yet the Spirit hovered
Jesus “already had in mind what he was going to do.” (v.5)
• Lights turned on
“Where shall we buy bread …?” (v.5)
• Horizon established
“…for these people to eat” (v.5)
• Rearranged resources
“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish.” (v.9)
• Prepared environment
“Have the people sit down” (v.10)
• Experienced God’s provision
“Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed…” (v.11)
• Reproduced and ruled
“…as much as they wanted.” (v.11)
• Rested
“When they had all had enough to eat” (v.12)

 

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This is part 3 of 7 in a series based on the curriculum Jeremy Del Rio wrote for last year’s Urban Youth Workers Institute Reload training events: “Bagged Lunch and a Drop of Oil: Multiplying Re$ource$ for Urban Ministry”.

Click here to purchase the workshop CD from the UYWI Store. You can download the powerpoint slides for free (PDF), along with the teaching notes (PDF).