Saturday's Scripture
Story for the Week

Jesus Displays Compassion

Mark 6:30-44

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Pondering Point

This story reveals the compassion of Jesus in action both for His disciples and for the crowds who clamor to Him. Compassion looks different depending on who you’re dealing with. In one case, it means accommodating people and altering potential plans, in another, it means planning time away from those same people. It's not likely that God wants us all to act the same in every situation, but it is likely that He wants us all to act compassionately in every situation, even ones where we’ve been misunderstood, hurt, or mistreated.

Prayer for the Day

Father God, as I seek to love mercy, please let my compassion be Spirit-driven and pervasive enough to touch all people and situations. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Hook Questions

(for use with your group when you are using Bible stories as central to your time together)
Share a recent experience of someone showing you compassion. Also share how you reacted.

Bible Storying's Core Questions

What did you like (or learn new) about the story?
What did you not like (or not understand) about it?
What are the various people doing in the story? With whom do you identify within the story?
What is God doing in the story?
What might God be asking of you triggered by this story? How is He challenging you?