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Today’s sermon has a handout, which is available as a downloadable PDF (to print) or readable right here:

1. Start by taking a few seconds or minutes to identify distractions in your mind and give them to God – let them be silenced.

2. Read the words slowly, letting your imagination capture the scene, looking at the story from a fresh perspective. Listen to the surroundings of the story; hear the noises; smell the air. Let yourself live the story.

Luke 9 New Living Translation

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”

13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” 14 For there were about 5,000 men there.

Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 So the people all sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

3. Meditate on this passage. Ask yourself some of these questions – and don’t settle for the easy answers – push yourself! And write down notes of the thoughts you have.

   1. What would it have been like to be someone in the crowd?

   2. How would a person in the crowd’s opinion of Jesus have changed after this story?

   3. What were the disciples thinking?

4. What does this story tell you about yourself?

5. What does this story tell you about Jesus?

6. What situation in your life does this story relate to?

7. What is God telling you about your own life in this story?