神子使飢饑的人得飽足
約翰福音六章1至14節
1這事以後,耶穌渡過加利利海,就是提比哩亞海。
2有許多人因為看見他在病人身上所行的神蹟,就跟隨他。
3耶穌上了山,和門徒一同坐在那裡。
4那時猶太人的逾越節近了。
5耶穌舉目看見許多人來,就對腓力說:我們從那裡買餅叫這些人吃呢?
6他說這話是要試驗腓力;他自己原知道要怎樣行。
7腓力回答說:就是二十兩銀子的餅,叫他們各人吃一點也是不夠的。
8有一個門徒,就是西門彼得的兄弟安得烈,對耶穌說:
9在這裡有一個孩童,帶著五個大麥餅、兩條魚,只是分給這許多人還算甚麼呢?
10耶穌說:你們叫眾人坐下。原來那地方的草多,眾人就坐下,數目約有五千。
11耶穌拿起餅來,祝謝了,就分給那坐著的人;分魚也是這樣,都隨著他們所要的。
12他們吃飽了,耶穌對門徒說:把剩下的零碎收拾起來,免得有糟蹋的。
13他們便將那五個大麥餅的零碎,就是眾人吃了剩下的,收拾起來,裝滿了十二個籃子。
14眾人看見耶穌所行的神蹟,就說:這真是那要到世間來的先知!
信息分享
當時的群眾究竟身處在甚麼地方?另外幾卷福音書告訴我們,他們是身在曠野,亦無食物供應。時近傍晚,若到了天黑,就更難幫助群眾找來食物充飢了。
今天的人又何嘗不是急需食物?許多人面對肉身上的飢荒,可是,他們在屬靈方面的需要其實更大。他們可以向誰求助?我們又願意預留多少時間去幫助他們?
基督如何幫助祂面前的群眾呢?祂看見他們的需要,便動了憐憫之心。祂首先吩咐門徒把他們所有的食物拿來。祂今天要我們去做的也不過如此。我們要把所有的盡獻給祂,祂才可以使用我們。接著祂拿著著食物祝謝禱告。我們在進食之前,有沒有先禱告的習慣呢?祂使用門徒把祂所賜的東西分給眾人。祂需要門徒的幫忙。今天,祂同樣需要使用我們。
當然,門徒同樣需要祂。當籃裡的食物派光之後,他們還可以做甚麼?他們只可以走到基督面前,請祂再加添食物。只要門徒繼續派發手頭上的食物,基督就會不住地給他們加添。
你有沒有把基督給你的東西拿出來與人分享?還是留作己用?請記著,你是福音的管家;凡得著福音的人,就當與人分享。
可是,你又是否只顧施出,卻沒有花時間回到基督面前,讓祂為你加添更多?那麼,你還有甚麼可分給別人呢?也許,這就是你今天最迫切的需要:花時間回到基督面前,讓祂載滿你的籃子。快去吧!祂已經準備了各樣的美物,正等著交給你哩!
禱告:
主啊,求你使用我的所有,求你用使它來幫助有需要的人。
God's Son Feeds the Hungry
John 6:1-14
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.
2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.
5 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?”
6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 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.
11 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.
12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
13 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.
14 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.”
Message
Where were the people? The other gospels say they were in a desert place where there was no food for them. It was late in the afternoon, almost night time. It would have been impossible to have helped the people after darkness came.
Men and women in the world today need food. Many are starving physically, but their spiritual need is even greater. Where can they get help and how much time do we have left in which to reach them?
How did Christ help the people? He was deeply moved by their need. He asked the disciples to bring what they had first of all. And that is all he asks of us today. That is what he can use. Then he prayed. Do we always pray before we eat? He used the disciples to give to the people what he provided. He needed the disciples' help. He still needs ours today.
The disciples needed him too, of course. As long as the disciples gave out what they had, he kept giving to them.
Have you been giving out what Christ has given you? Have you kept it to yourself? Remember you are a steward of the gospel, one who is given the gospel to give it to others also.
Have you given out and not taken time to go back to Christ for more food? What do you have left to give? Perhaps this is your biggest need today, to spend time with Jesus having your own basket refilled. You'll find him ready and waiting.
Prayer:
Lord have what I have and use it to help others today.

