Jesus feeds the 5000

Future Ticia 2023, I’m updating this post to just be Jesus Feeds the 5000 Unit, because I’ve recently finished it, and I’m super happy to add this to my Bible lesson. But I’m leaving in the rather random story I included of how everything went wrong.

So funny story, last week I’ve been without a printer because we were out of ink, and I glance at my lesson plans from Illuminations and it said Jesus feeds the 5000 in Sunday School, and I looked at my blogging calendar and it said today I was supposed to post Jesus feeding the 5000 and walking on water.  I knew in the Bible they happened right after each other, so I went to my computer to look at the files.

Jesus feeding the 5000 teaching collage

There were no pictures in the entire Jesus feeds the 5000 document.  So, I went to look at my picture file, and there it was the folder was titled “Jesus feeds 5000, walks on water, and calms the storm.”

“Well that’s a busy week,” I thought to myself.  No really, that’s what I thought, so I set to preparing to tell the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 and Jesus walking on water, I completely blanked on the whole calming the storm bit.

And I didn’t like the crafts I had, so I decided to throw out the Jesus feeding the 5000 crafts, and instead focus on the walking on water, but there was still the matter of no ink.  So, I winged it and told the story out loud and had the kids video tape it, because it went so well last time they videotaped a lesson.

Then when I sat down quite proud of myself for jamming all of that together, I actually READ the lesson properly and realized I’d made some serious clerical errors, and it was only supposed to be Jesus feeding the 5000, and not Jesus walking on water, but all the cool stuff was Jesus walking on water, and that’s the story I was inspired by……

Almost 300 words later I really told you all of that because I wanted you to feel sorry for me messing up the lesson, and all that.

Get the Jesus feeds the 5000 Unit!

I’ve finally finished the Jesus Feeds the 5000 Unit! You can pick that up (I’ll be featuring a bunch of stuff from it, and sharing more ideas here).

After I tell you what I learn from the Jesus feeds the 5000 lesson, I’ll talk more about what you’ll find in the unit (you could just click on the sales page, but slowly I’ll be adding in individual posts for each of these ideas)

Jesus feeds the 5000 lesson

Jesus feeds the 5000 lesson Bible Gospels

Jesus feeding the 5000 lesson is an interesting one, back when I was in college I read a scholarly article for my Gospels class theorizing this miracle was actually an attempt by the disciples to organize a rebellion.  After all they organized the people into groups of 50 and 100, what else could that mean?

That might have also been the same paper I got tired of half of the thing being in Greek and decided to retaliate by writing half of my critique of it in Spanish.  Which my Bible professor turned back in having corrected my Spanish grammar and a comment “Don’t mess with the homework.”

So the lesson we learn from that is don’t get cheeky with your assignments.

But you know what I see when I read the story?

The TRUE MEANING of the Feeding of the 5000

I see Jesus tired, and needing a break, but he still cares for the people.

Jesus feeds the 5000 healing

He went there to get away from everyone after hearing about the death of his cousin, but he took the time to teach the crowd and heal people.

He found out they were hungry and took steps to get them food.  And he used that to teach his disciples.

feeding the 5000 Andrew and boy
In my original illustration I had the wrong disciple here (oops)

Think about it, Jesus could have magicked food out of nowhere for everyone.  Instead, he let the disciples try to solve the problem.  Peter Andrew found a young boy willing to give up his lunch.  I always picture Jesus getting down on the boy’s level and looking him in the eye as Jesus talks to the boy.

Then because I think God is a mathematician, or He likes to play with numbers.  Because at the end of it all there are 12, yes TWELVE baskets of left-over food.  Like there are 12 tribes of Israel, 12 disciples, and I’m sure any number of other groups of 12.

What you’ll find in the Feeding of the 5000 unit

Jesus feeds the 5000 unit for homeschool and Sunday School

So, what are you going to find in here that I will eventually write posts on?

  • sensory bin
  • bracelet craft
  • silly snacks
  • prayer stations
  • paper crafts (multiple, will probably end up all in one post)
  • a comparison chart for older kids
  • sensory bin
  • homework
  • parent and teacher letters

Lazy Ticia is going to leave this in, until I find where this is supposed to be, what lesson is it a part of? Or is it supposed to be its own lesson

Jesus walks on water

Jesus walks on water is one of my favorite stories, mainly because of Peter.  After they’ve finally sent everyone away Jesus sends his disciples away so he can pray and tells them he’ll catch up.

I have to wonder, how did the disciples think Jesus was going to catch up, they were taking the boat.

Either way, they set off across Galilee and out in the distance they see Jesus walking on water.  Their first response is to think he’s a ghost, and then Peter, because it’s always Peter, says “It’s Jesus,” and he jumps out of the boat.

We all know how it ends, Peter takes his eyes off of Jesus and looks at the waves and starts to sink.

At this point most pastors point out Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and that’s his mistake.

But here’s what I’d like to point out.

Jesus walks on water lesson application

Peter got out of the boat.

There were 11 other disciples and not one of them got out of the boat.  Peter has many shortcomings, but he is always willing to try and get out there.  He may not think things through, but he got out of the boat.  And that was my challenge to the kids, will you get out of the boat?

Jesus walks on water craft

Jesus walks on water craft

As I said, I found the Jesus walks on water much more fun for a craft, so that’s the craft we made.  I was going to put together a template for this craft, but Crafting the Word of God has already put together a great Jesus walks on water printable, so why reinvent the wheel.

Jesus walks on water craft kiddo version

But, my kids being my kids their versions turned out slightly different than my sample.

Princess made one very similar to mine.  Superman’s Jesus was a fighting knight, that was eventually fighting a sailing boat with a Gatling gun, no really that’s what he told me, a Gatling gun.

Batman’s I never got a completed picture of.  He kept adding to it.  Eventually there was about 6 popsicle sticks attached, and the boat had become a rocket ship with boosters on it and Jesus wasn’t walking on water anymore, he was astronaut Jesus walking on the moon.

Jesus feeds the 5000 Bible craft
The original artwork and storybook is still free

Jesus feeds 5000 resources

Jesus walks on water and Jesus calms the storm resources

And with that, I am finally publishing this post, over a week after I’d wanted to, but it’s published.  At some point, probably next year in January (I’ve got new lessons to share through most of this year) I’ll come back and re-do these lessons in a more appropriate fashion.

Coming tomorrow because I am that far behind Jesus heals a paralytic.

For the rest of our Gospel Bible lessons head over to the Gospel page.

Also I’m continually adding more ideas to my Gospel pinterest board, so make sure to check it out. Follow Ticia Adventures in Mommydom’s board Gospels on Pinterest.

Originally scheduled January 17, 2015

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