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UNTIL WE’RE ABLE TO MEET AT CHURCH AGAIN, THE GOSPEL READING FOR THE COMING SUNDAY AND SOME QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT WILL BE POSTED EVERY WEDNESDAY.  WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS. PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO:      

barbfletcher2@aol.com

 

ALL COMMENTS WILL BE COMPILED (ANONYMOUSLY) AND ADDED TO THE POSTING ON SATURDAY.   WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL JOIN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE GOSPEL READING EACH WEEK.

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BIBLE STUDY FOR SUNDAY, August 2, 2020

 

PRAYER:     Holy Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit, prepare our hearts and minds to receive all that You want us to learn.  As we read your word, shine on us the light of your truth.  May we leave here with a deeper understanding of who You are and what your will is in each of our lives.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

CONTEXT:  Chapter 13 ends with the rejection of Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth, and Chapter 14 begins with the beheading of John the Baptist.  These unhappy events are followed by this week’s text, the story of the feeding of the five thousand.  This story appears in all four Gospels, which indicates its importance to the early church.

 

READING:   Matthew 14:13-21        

 

Feeding the Five Thousand

13 Now when Jesus heard this (the news of the death of John the Baptist), he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted 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 for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 

 

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

1. What are some of the reasons why Jesus may have withdrawn to a deserted place? What do you imagine was going through his mind?

2. What do you think it says about Jesus that He would still have compassion for the crowds after they followed Him and once again interrupted his much-needed solitude?What is the lesson for us?

3. What mistake did the disciples make in verses 15-17?Do we sometimes make the same mistake, and what is it that we should remember?

4. God’s provision of food for his people occurs throughout Scripture.What are some examples you can think of?

5. What is an important message that can be taken from verse 20?

6. God also tells us “You give them something to eat.”What might that look like for you, and what are some things you have learned from this reading about how to respond?