‘When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do’ (John 6:5-6).

You know what it is like to just get all the preparations ready for a large family gathering. You spend weeks thinking about it, planning the menu. You worry about what each person will like or not like. Maybe some have allergies or food sensitivities. It’s a big production. Your heart flutters as you see your guests drive up; now is the time for action.

We are told in John 6:4 that the Jewish Passover was near. There would have been a great time of preparation for the upcoming feast. People would have travelled to Jerusalem, families joining one another to celebrate. It was a solemn and joyful time of the year. People gathered around Jesus as well, they were desperate for his touch for physical healing, for the miracles that were performed on others. They wanted the touch of Jesus as well. 

So, when the great crowd that followed Jesus came into view, the passion of Jesus was there as well. He had expected them; he had planned what to do. He knew he would feed them for he was the Bread of Life, the Manna that fed the Israelites in the desert, the Tree of Life in the Garden. All those people and only one small boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. Why were these people that followed Jesus so ill prepared? As Jesus took the bread and prayed over it, broke it, and fed the crowd with it, it was a demonstration of his power and authority, of his being truly God’s Son, and God himself. In this way he would be broken for the desperate and hopeless of the world. Jesus would feed us his very life, taking our sins and sickness upon himself. As Jesus viewed the crowd, he knew that now was the time for action, Jesus knew the time was near to bring salvation to a hungry and desperate world.

When the 12 disciples gathered the bread that was left over which was 12 baskets full, Jesus said that none of this bread was to be wasted. Truly his sacrifice would be enough to save all mankind, to wash us clean of our sin, to bring us back to a right relationship with God. What do we do with this bread that was left over, the word of God, the gospel message? We continue to feed the crowds this Bread of Life. Our action will not be wasted as his was not, the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life will continue to touch each one of us and bring us his healing.

Local congregation:
You are welcome to attend one of our local church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation check on our website, Grace Communion International | Grace Communion International under the ‘Churches’ tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church