神子使饥饥的人得饱足
约翰福音六章1至14节
1这事以后,耶稣渡过加利利海,就是提比哩亚海。
2有许多人因为看见他在病人身上所行的神迹,就跟随他。
3耶稣上了山,和门徒一同坐在那里。
4那时犹太人的逾越节近了。
5耶稣举目看见许多人来,就对腓力说:我们从那里买饼叫这些人吃呢?
6他说这话是要试验腓力;他自己原知道要怎样行。
7腓力回答说:就是二十两银子的饼,叫他们各人吃一点也是不够的。
8有一个门徒,就是西门彼得的兄弟安得烈,对耶稣说:
9在这里有一个孩童,带着五个大麦饼、两条鱼,只是分给这许多人还算甚么呢?
10耶稣说:你们叫众人坐下。原来那地方的草多,众人就坐下,数目约有五千。
11耶稣拿起饼来,祝谢了,就分给那坐着的人;分鱼也是这样,都随着他们所要的。
12他们吃饱了,耶稣对门徒说:把剩下的零碎收拾起来,免得有糟蹋的。
13他们便将那五个大麦饼的零碎,就是众人吃了剩下的,收拾起来,装满了十二个篮子。
14众人看见耶稣所行的神迹,就说:这真是那要到世间来的先知!
信息分享
当时的群众究竟身处在甚么地方?另外几卷福音书告诉我们,他们是身在旷野,亦无食物供应。时近傍晚,若到了天黑,就更难帮助群众找来食物充饥了。
今天的人又何尝不是急需食物?许多人面对肉身上的饥荒,可是,他们在属灵方面的需要其实更大。他们可以向谁求助?我们又愿意预留多少时间去帮助他们?
基督如何帮助祂面前的群众呢?祂看见他们的需要,便动了怜悯之心。祂首先吩咐门徒把他们所有的食物拿来。祂今天要我们去做的也不过如此。我们要把所有的尽献给祂,祂才可以使用我们。接着祂拿着着食物祝谢祷告。我们在进食之前,有没有先祷告的习惯呢?祂使用门徒把祂所赐的东西分给众人。祂需要门徒的帮忙。今天,祂同样需要使用我们。
当然,门徒同样需要祂。当篮里的食物派光之后,他们还可以做甚么?他们只可以走到基督面前,请祂再加添食物。只要门徒继续派发手头上的食物,基督就会不住地给他们加添。
你有没有把基督给你的东西拿出来与人分享?还是留作己用?请记着,你是福音的管家;凡得着福音的人,就当与人分享。
可是,你又是否只顾施出,却没有花时间回到基督面前,让祂为你加添更多?那么,你还有甚么可分给别人呢?也许,这就是你今天最迫切的需要:花时间回到基督面前,让祂载满你的篮子。快去吧!祂已经准备了各样的美物,正等着交给你哩!
祷告:
主啊,求你使用我的所有,求你用使它来帮助有需要的人。
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.

