This passage is about food. Jesus fed 5000 men and unaccounted number of women and children. But, this passage is more than about physical food. It is also about spiritual food. There are three movements in the story.

First, what did Jesus do? He fed the crowd because there was a need. Jesus is concerned about our material needs. So, pray for our daily bread. But, we also need to see that God calls those who have even a little to share. Don’t think, “What can I do. I only have five loaves of bread and two small fish.” Everyone other than Jesus thought exactly that. What if we all did what this little boy did and watched Jesus multiply the impact? He is the God of multiplication.

Second, how did the people respond? They wanted to make him king by force. They wanted to use him for their agenda, exploit his power for their program. We often do the same. We try to exploit God’s power for our benefit thinking of this as a formula for a heavenly get-rich scheme. We also try to use him for our political agenda. We are called to submit ourselves to him, not use him for our agenda.

Third, how did Jesus respond? Jesus would not have any of it. He withdrew. When the crowd caught up to him, he told them to not to seek bread that satisfies their physical hunger, but the bread that satisfies the hunger for eternal life, a relationship with God, and said he is that bread. We are called to feed on him through resting in the work that he has done for us the cross to bring us to an intimate relationship with him.