The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 8 February 2024 – The Compassionate Jesus
TOPIC: The Compassionate Jesus
READ: John 6: 1-14 (NKJV)
- After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is [the Sea] of Tiberias.
- Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
- And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
- Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
- Then Jesus lifted up [His] eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”
- But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
- Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
- One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
- “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
- Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
- And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed [them] to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
- So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
- Therefore they gathered [them] up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
- Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
THE MESSAGE:
A great multitude followed Jesus while He and His disciples went up and sat down on the mountain. Though already knowing what to do, He asked Philip where they could buy food for the large multitude. However, another disciple, Andrew, informed Him that a young boy had five barley loaves and two small fish. Jesus instructed that the about 5000 men be made to sit down. He took the loaves, gave thanks to God and gave His disciples to distribute to the men. He did same for the fish. After all the men had eaten and were filled, twelve baskets of bread fragments were recovered, and the men testified that the expected Prophet had come.
Out of great compassion, Jesus gave hospitality to about 5000 men. An observant Andrew informed Jesus of some available loaves of bread and fish. A young boy sacrificed his lunch to Jesus for a miraculous feeding of the multitude. Are you a hospitable person that readily receives visitors into your home? Are you observant of what happens in your home, work place or Church? Learn from Andrew and the boy. Please give useful information to your parents or leaders at school, office, the Church or community. Show compassion to others. Give something to someone today!
PRAYER: Grant me a compassionate heart, O God.
