More Than Bread, More Than Fish – A Table of Fellowship (Part II – Mother’s Day)
Sermon Title: More Than Bread and Fish – A Table of Fellowship
Good News Statement: Jesus needs us to fellowship
Preached: Sunday, May 11th, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC
Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.
Scripture (NRSVUE): Luke 9:12-17 Today’s scripture reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 people on the shore of Galilee from two little fish and five loaves of bread is more than a miracle focused on bread and fish. It’s miracle of work, fellowship, restoration, and preparations. Our exploration of this text begins with reminding us that we have work to do for Christ. Our scripture reading is Luke Chapter Nine, verses Twelve thru Seventeen. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.
Feeding the 5,000 People
12 The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to lodge and get provisions, for we are here in a deserted place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did so and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And all ate and were filled, and what was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.
This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”
The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar Charles R. Swindoll, who offers commentary and thoughts on the Gospel of Luke in his book ”Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke” published in 2012 by Zondervan Publications in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012.
In a recent article published by Town & Country Magazine on February 28th of this year (2024), Leah Silverman, the author, begins her article by encouraging its readers to honor Mother’s Day as a day to show all those important “ladies our appreciation.” Silverman states, “Being a mom is a tough job—the care and attention they give, the worrying that keeps them up at night, all of the little details they keep track of to make their family’s lives run smoothly. And while we all try to give the moms in our lives—be their our own mother, the mothers of our children, or the friends who have achieved honorary mom status—their justly earned accolades, the truth is that all too often they don’t get enough credit. That’s part of what makes Mother’s Day such a special event: a day to show those all-important ladies our appreciation.”
Introduction: [1]
The Twelve Disciples had followed their Master, Jesus, to Bethsaida[2] and then beyond, into the hill country, eager to report their experiences and—and best of all—to enjoy a period of much-needed rest. They had returned with mixed emotions: exhausted after long days of ministry but energized by their experience. After watching Jesus exercise divine authority over the dominion of evil, healing the sick and commanding demons to release their victims, they never dreamed of having that kind of power themselves. They had contented themselves with the privilege of assisting the Messiah, perhaps one day ruling under his administration. But then they received power and authority from Jesus. For several weeks, the Twelve fanned out across Galilee proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom and validating their message with Messiah-like miracles. While physically demanding, those weeks on the road must have felt absolutely amazing!
They were starting to see a pattern, the beginning of an agenda, and it made perfect sense. Jesus came to eradicate evil by reestablishing the kingdom of God on earth. He trained twelve deputies and delegated his power and authority to them so they could wage war just like their Master. They would, in turn, train disciples of their own, and when they were ready, pass on their divine power. Generation by generation, an ever-increasing army of disciples would proclaim, heal, cast out demons, and recruit yet more disciples. It was brilliant! Their idyllic thinking left them dreaming that within a few generations, evil wouldn’t stand a chance.
But before they could process all what had happened, before they had a chance to regain their strength, a sea of people surged, bringing with them waves of human need. Suddenly, for all their divine power, the Twelve Disciples found themselves powerless to meet the most basic human need of all: the need to eat. Before long they realized they didn’t understand the agenda nearly as well as they thought. They were now challenged to find a way to feed 5,000 people on the shore of Galilee from two little fish and five loaves of bread.
This famous miracle, which appears in all Four Gospels[3], is a true testament to not only the work of Jesus, but also to the work that Jesus calls us to do. Believe it or not, there is more to this miracle than bread and fish. As a matter of fact, when examined closely, one can see that there is an element of Jesus needing us to do something for him, an ingredient of fellowship, a task to let Jesus restore our lives, and lastly a call to consider what we do with what Jesus gives us. The people are not just fed with bread and fish on the shore of Galilee; they are given the tools to keep Jesus’ ministry alive. Are you on the shore of Galilee?
Body:
Today is Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to each of the moms and mom-like figures out there and in your life. The first Mother’s Day was organized on May 10, 1908 in West Virginia and Pennsylvania by a woman named Anna Jarvis whose mother took “care of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, and worked to bridge divides between mothers from the North and South.[4] Several years later on May 8, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day to be a national holiday to honor mothers whose sons had died in war. Today, carnations are the official flower of Mother’s Day, which is why Mother’s Day is the third-highest selling holiday for florists—beat only be Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
Just over a week ago, Time Magazine released an article that stated, “Consumers are expected to spend $33.5 billion on Mother’s Day this year.”[5] And the age group expected to spend the most are those 35-44 years of age, budgeting $345.75 per mother.[6] The article also shared, based upon statistics from Verizon, that in 2024, “Consumers used their phone networks 5.6% more on Mother’s Day than they did on Father’s Day…. Consumers spent 137.5 million more minutes or approximately 2.3 million hours on the phone on Mother’s Day compared to Father’s Day.”[7] What are you doing to celebrate Mother’s Day?
Since it is Mother’s Day, I want to begin this message by sharing a story about my mom. The year was 2024, and Emily and I loaded her vehicle with several suitcases, plenty of snacks and drinks (running out of cup holders), and headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to enjoy a week-long vacation with my family. Keep in mind that was the first family vacation we have taken together since 2012. And we all stayed under the same roof for six days.
As we were planning the vacation, trying to plan as many things as possible in a six day time frame, my mom had one request—besides having a day with the grandkids—she asked, rather told us, that we would end the day together, as a family, around a table. That table sometimes was at a restaurant and other times at the cabin where we were staying. No matter which direction we went during the day, we would end the day together: eating, laughing, sharing stories, playing a few rounds of UNO, and making plans for the next day. All my mom wanted was for all her kids to be at the same table with her. In her own words, as she typically says when we all gather for holidays, “All my kids are home.”
On this Mother’s Day, I find myself asking, “Why? Why did my mom want us to end each day around the same table as her? She has seen us eat: we are not the most gracious eaters and sometimes our idea of passing food is to throw it to the other end of the table. Why was it so important that we gathered around the table together?” I think it had something to do with what our text teaches. Much like Jesus, she knew how important it was to be together in an act of fellowship since we all live busy lives and some of us have to travel several hours to go back to mom and dad’s. Those moments were about fellowship and so much more.
Imbedded in the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000 from two fish and five loaves of bread, is a lesson on fellowship, an important act of what it means to follow Christ. But are we willing to gather around “a table” to fellowship?
Movement One: What is Fellowship?
Fellowship. How many of you have ever heard that word before? Good. Now how many of you know what fellowship means? If someone asked you to define it, you could without hesitation. Good. How many of you practice fellowship on a regular basis? Interesting. If you don’t know if you practice fellowship, let me provide you with a simple definition. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, fellowship refers to “companionship, company; looking to gather with others; belonging to a community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience.” Fellowship is a fancy word that simply means “to gather together with others.”
If we look at the etymology of the word fellowship, we will clearly see that it is nothing more and nothing less than companions forming a quality relationship. Fellow means “companion or comrade.” And the suffix –ship (which is found in words like relationship, championship, friendship, kinship, worship, to name a few) is often defined as “quality, condition; act, power, skill; office, position; relation between.” So, fellowship is an action that brings people together by which develops or re-establishes or strengthens quality relationships.
For example, gathering around a table with friends or family or neighbors, is an act of fellowship. Going out to eat with others is an act of fellowship. Deciding to go bowling with a few people or attending a movie is an act of fellowship. Sitting together in a living room is an act of fellowship. Gathering in the morning for breakfast at a local restaurant is an act of fellowship. Having a conversation with others at the hardware store is an act of fellowship. Simply inviting others to your home is an act of fellowship. Attending a Cardinals Baseball game, win or lose, is an act of fellowship. And the list could on and on and on. Much like work, as we discussed last week, fellowship is part of our life. Believe it or not, we were created to practice fellowship.
Going a little deeper, fellowship is a practice of discipleship that draws us closer to Christ. Paul wrote to the people of Corinth, “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). From shared meals to mutual support in times of need, to wandering through the wilderness to having nets full of fish, to preaching in the temple to listening to the story of a Samaritan woman at a well, to forgiving the sins of an adulterous woman to healing a paralytic man in the presence of his friends, to casting out demons and being told to leave this place, Jesus was constantly practicing fellowship throughout his ministry drawing the people closer to him.
In the Bible, fellowship holds a deeper significance beyond mere community gatherings. It represents a spiritual bond among believers, emphasizing unity, support, and mutual encouragement. The concept of fellowship is rooted in the idea of sharing a common faith and purpose, creating a sense of belonging and interconnectedness. Fellowship in the Bible also signifies a sharing of both joys and burdens within the community of believers. It involves coming together to worship, pray, study God’s word, and partake in communion as a symbol of their shared faith. This communal aspect highlights the importance of relationships in nurturing one’s spiritual growth and fostering accountability among believers.
Furthermore, fellowship in the Bible serves as a reminder that no believer, no individual rather, should walk alone on their spiritual journey but rather be surrounded by others. Fellowship plays a central role in shaping the relationships between individuals and communities in the Biblical narrative, as well as in our everyday life, because fellowship has the power to draw us closer to Christ and closer to one another.
Fellowship is not just something we talk about it or something I simply preach about. Fellowship should be something we do, something we act upon, something we practice during our walk with Christ. But what does fellowship have to do with Jesus feeding the 5,000 on the shore of Galilee from two little fish and five loaves of bread? Let’s take a closer look at our text for today.
Movement Two: A Practice of Fellowship…
Last week, we learned that for whatever reason the Twelve Disciples were trying to get out of a challenge of taking care of the people by telling Jesus, what he never does, to send the crowd of people away. Jesus responds to the Disciples request, “You give them something to eat” (Luke 9:13). As I mentioned last week, this single sentence or command spoken by Jesus directly to the Disciples, in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, is the same in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus wants the Disciples to do some work, specifically for the people.
Even before Jesus multiplies the bread and fish, he is teaching his Disciples and us a lesson. In times of challenges, as a disciple and as a church, we are called not to shy away from them or develop some sort of excuse, but to approach them knowing that Jesus is with us every step of the way: that the challenge before us is not to weaken us or defeat us, but to make us stronger in our faith. Furthermore, Jesus reminds us that we have work to do: we are called to “give the people something to eat.” As a disciple, it is our job to find ways and methods to strengthen our faith, to be the hands and feet of Christ on this earth, and to do what we can today so that we can face tomorrow. As a church, it is our job to meet the people where they are, to feed those in and outside our church, to keep our church alive, and to develop ministries by which spiritually nurturer the people. Jesus has work for us to do, but are we willing to do the work, even if it means being challenged to do something new?
As I mentioned towards the end of the message last week, I am personally proud of the work that each of you have done individually and as a collective church! You have done so much and I know that Jesus isn’t done with us yet because there is still work to be done!
Now that the Disciples have been told what to do, they now have to figure out how to feed the people! Luke 9:13-15, reads, “[The Disciples] said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ (For there were about five thousand men.) And [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ They did so and had them all sit down.”
The Twelve searched for what they could find and found nothing, except a mere five loaves of bread and two small fish. John’s narrative tells us the fish and bread were part of a little boy’s lunch, so neither the loaves nor the fish could have been very large (John 6:9). That would explain why John records the Disciples asking Jesus after seeing what the boy had to offer, “But what are they among so many people?” (John 6:9). (“Ye of little faith!”)
According to Mark and John, the Disciples also considered what it would cost to feed all those present. They said in Mark, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” (Mark 6:37); and one of the Disciples, Philip, said in John, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little” (John 6:7). Keep in mind that a single denarii during the time of Jesus—worth about 4 to 15 cents in today’s money—was a single days worth of wages during the time of Jesus. In order to feed 5,000 people, it would cost 200 days worth of wages. And according to Matthew’s account, there were more than 5,000 people: “And those who ate were five thousand men, besides (or in addition to) women and children” (Matthew 14:21). That would equate, notes Swindoll, “to as many as 12,000 to 15,000 people.”[8] Talk about being in a dilemma! And Jesus needs the Disciples to give the people something to eat. If they were still contemplating sending the crowd away, I bet now they are praying to Jesus to send the crowd away. They are faced with yet another challenge.
At this point, Jesus still hasn’t multiplied the bread and fish. However, he does give the disciples another command. Jesus tells them, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each” (Luke 9:14). Much to Jesus’ surprise, the Disciples, without any pushback or clever excuse, had them all sit down (Luke 9:15). I wonder if the Disciples’ faith was starting to trust Jesus a little bit more at this point? I wonder if the Disciples could sense that Jesus was about to do something? So instead of asking to send the crowd away, they invited the crowd to stay and get comfortable. As a side note, Luke is the only Gospel writer that does not mention that the people sat down in or on the grass.
Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus wanted the people to sit down? Be honest, how many of you enjoy eating a meal while standing up? Jesus wanted the people to be comfortable. They had been following him all day, and just like the Disciples, the people needed an opportunity to rest. Perhaps, having the people sit prevented the people from having to stand in long lines for an extended period of time? I mean, 5,000 people needed to be fed. Most of us enjoy going through the drive-thru at fast food restaurants because we don’t want to stand in line. Or maybe, having the people sit down was Jesus’ way to bring order to a chaotic situation—sort of like bringing calm to a raging storm or removing a deadly disease from a person or casting out demons to bring the individual peace. Jesus, before multiplying the food, wanted peace among the people. He didn’t come to create chaos. In John 14:27, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
When was the last time you allowed Jesus to assure you peace during a chaotic and uncertain time? When was the last time you simply sat down—took a break—because Jesus told you to? When was the last time you did anything for yourself that allowed you the chance to recharge, re-center, and refocus your life? Just the other day, after travelling back from Springfield, instead of spending the evening working in the office, until Emily came home, trying to catch up on a few things, I sat on my couch and opened a book. No matter what you are going through in your life, no matter how busy your life may seem, if you truly open your ears to Christ, you will hear him inviting you to sit down and take a break. Maybe that break comes in the form of reading, praying, scrolling through social media, texting or calling someone, or asking for help. If God rested on the Sabbath, if Jesus rested on a boat, then certainly we can find some time to sit down and rest.
Even as a church, we need to sit down and rest. There are certain seasons—times of the year—when the church is busy, busy, busy. The saying around the church could be what the White Rabbit says from Alice in Wonderland, “I’m late, I’m late! For a very important date!” Don’t get me wrong, it’s wonderful that the church is busy indicating to the outside world that there is life here; but the church also needs a moment to sit down and reflect on what it has done, what it is currently doing, and what needs to be done. Jesus knows the importance of sitting down, but do you?
Not only did Jesus order the people to sit down, but he commanded that the people sit down in groups of “about fifty people each.” If I did my math correctly, there would have been about 100 individual groups of people sitting near the shore of Galilee waiting to be fed. (Hopefully, no one back in the time of Jesus got hangry!) Again, Jesus is attempting to bring peace and order to a chaotic situation. And he is trying to help the Disciples. Later on in the text, we read that the Disciples are going to be the ones to set the food before the people (Luke 9:16); therefore, doing more work for Christ.
The more I read this miracle, the more I begin to see what Jesus was doing at this point. The crowd is sitting in groups much like what would have happened during any gathering in those days. The Disciples are given the food to set before the people. The head of the table would take the food and pass it to the next person, who would pass it to the next person, who would pass it to the next person, and so-on and so-forth until everyone had food to eat. Jesus , whether his Disciples realize it or not, is preparing them to feed the people when he is gone; and the Disciples are preparing the people sitting down to feed the people when they are gone. In groups of fifty people each, the good news—the message of Jesus Christ—is being shared from person to person to person, allowing each person to do the work of Christ.
What is happening is what we are called to do as disciples and as a church: feed the people of today so that they can feed the people of tomorrow—share the good news of Christ today so that his story lives on tomorrow—train today so that the next generation is given the right tools for tomorrow. Are you willing to pass the food or have you chosen to not pass the food of Christ? What do we need to do as a church to keep passing the food? Are there ministries we need to improve or grow or expand or even start? Are there projects that we should be doing or considering? Are there people out there that need to know that they can worship here? What do we need to do to make sure that we can feed the people not just today but every day?
At this point, after the food had been distributed, the talking began. The people were not only placed in groups to symbolize the means of spreading the good news and to create order, but it offered the people a chance to be in fellowship with one another. Fellowship is essential to the ministry of Christ. Fellowship in the Bible is God’s people working and experiencing life together, building each other up to greater works of love. The people, whether they knew each other or not, whether they came from the same village or not, whether they believed in Jesus or not, sat and shared a meal together. Fellowship is what reminds people that they aren’t alone. Fellowship grants the people the opportunity to catch up, to say “hello”, and to ask how the family is doing. Fellowship is what brings order to our chaotic life because it reminds us to sit down.
I understand that sometimes creating moments of fellowship within a church is difficult because the church is composed of many people with many different schedules. But just think of all the times and all things you have done as a church that focused on fellowship; getting together over a meal, to work on a project, to accomplish some sort of task; and consider the memories that were made, the connections established, and the people helped. Consider how those times of fellowship helped shape who you are as a church. Personally, I am all for moments of fellowship for multiply reasons. But the main reason is that fellowship suggests to me that the church is alive beyond a Sunday morning. I don’t know at what time exactly or on what day the people were fed, but it probably wasn’t a Sunday morning!
Church, friends, what would your life look like, what would the life of this church look like, if fellowship was something we did and not just talked about? I know we already have chances for fellowship, but what if we did more? After all, the suffix –ship is defined by using the word “act” and –ship is part of the word fellowship.
Movement Three: A Mother’s Fellowship…
This draws me back to my opening story about while on vacation my mom wanted to have supper every night as a family around some sort of table. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t quite understand the importance of my mom’s command at the time; but as I think about it more, I believe her command to eat together was to demonstrate an act of fellowship that was more than just gathering together after a busy but exciting day. That moment of fellowship was her way of demonstrating her love for each of us around that table. She would make eye contact with each of us and smile letting us know that we aren’t alone.
For those six days, as a family we experienced the love and care of a mom that cant’ be described but felt. For those six days, we embraced the love of a mom that brought us together. For those six days, we embodied the love of a mom who saw how important it was for her family to sit down. For those six days, we were given the reminder that we are never alone because our mom is with us wherever we go. And for those six days, we realized how special and meaningful it is to hear those words only said during certain times of the year from my mom, “All my kids are home.” The fellowship that we experienced on vacation is exactly what we all needed: we all needed to feel loved, we all needed to feel supported, we all needed to be cared for, and we all needed the reminder of how important and meaningful it is to come together.
I understand that my family isn’t the only family which gathers together. I know that each of you, in some way, in some shape or form, gather together for holidays, special occasions, and randomly throughout the week, month, and year. You all practice fellowship, but did you know that when you gather you are doing more than fellowship? You are actually impacting the lives, hopefully in a positive way, of those you are with. You are creating memories and moments that remind you that you are not alone, that you are loved, and that you are seen and heard. To fellowship means to actively get together and it also means actively getting together to enjoy the life that God has given you with those in your life who you wouldn’t mind sitting around a table with.
Mother’s Day is more than the expected $33.5 billion spent on Mothers, it is more than any carnation purchased and given, and it is more than minutes or hours spent on the phone. Mother’s Day is a day by which can’t be described because there are no words that can describe the person who brings her family together, who shares her love, and who feeds her family so that they have what is needed to conquer the day. Mother’s Day is the day to be in fellowship with those whom you love. Mother’s Day is the day to remember all those times when your mom made you feel as if you weren’t alone. Mother’s Day is the day to embrace the love that has been given to you by the mother who will always love you no matter what, who always invite you to the table. Mother’s Day is the day to simply acknowledge that the mothers and mother-like figures in your life, as Proverbs notes, does “surpass them all” (Proverbs 31:29).
What Jesus ordered the people to do back on the shore of Galilee is what my mom did for all of us while in Tennessee. She brought us together in fellowship because she loves us. Jesus brings us together because he loves us. What about your Mother reminds you that you are loved and that she will always love you? What did you Mother do to bring her family together?
Conclusion:
As I said last week, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 is more than bread and more than fish. So far it has been a story of overcoming challenges and finding ways to do the work of Jesus Christ. And today, it teaches us the importance of fellowship—the act of gathering with others to remind ourselves and them that we are loved and that we are not alone.
Fellowship in the Bible is God’s people working and experiencing life together, building each other up to greater works of love. Fellowship on the shore of Galilee is God’s people taking a moment to sit down and rest. Fellowship during the ministry of Jesus is God’s people, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be able to share the good news with those around the table and beyond. Fellowship in your life is an opportunity to gather with others to have a good time and catch up. Fellow in the church is the church’s chance to do something outside of its normal time of worship—the church’s chance to revitalize the life of the church. And after thinking about those suppers in Tennessee, fellowship for me is moments of love and importance. What does fellowship mean to you?
Jesus provides us with wonderful examples of fellowship throughout his ministry. But, I think today, on Mother’s Day, it is my mom that truly demonstrated to me what fellowship is and how fellowship can change my life. Before the day ends, take time to thank your Mother—either in person or through prayer—for all those moments when she sacrificed so much to simply be there for you, those moments when she offered you a chance to sit down. And most importantly, cherish those moments, when she said something similar to the words of my mom, “All my kids are home.”
Fellowship, it’s part of our life, it’s part of what it means to follow Jesus, and it’s part of the life of the church. Don’t pass up the moment to fellowship because you don’t know how that simple act of getting together could change your life. If Jesus can teach about fellowship, then certainly we can practice what he preaches! Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers and Mother-like figures!
Let it be so…
Closing Prayer:
Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, thank you for gifting us times to fellowship as individuals and as a church. Through the act of fellowship, we are able to sit down, be in the presence of others, and do what you did throughout your ministry. May we find time to create more times of fellowship as each time of fellowship reminds us that we are loved and that we are not alone. In your name we pray, Amen.
Benediction:
Before the day ends, I invite you to do two things: 1) Make sure, in person, in prayer, or in remembrance, to say thank you to your mom and/or those who you see or saw as a mom in your eyes and make sure to say “I love you”; and 2) Take a few minutes to fellowship: gather around a table, in a restaurant, in the living room, on the porch, outside, and cherish the moment. Fellowship is more than a word: it is an act of love that can change your life and the lives of others. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth creating moments of fellowship. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.
[1] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 225-226.
[2] According to John 1:44, Bethsaida was the hometown of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip. In the Gospel of Mark (Mark 8:22–26), Jesus reportedly restored a blind man’s sight at a place just outside the ancient village of Bethsaida. In Luke 9:10–11, Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand near Bethsaida.
[3] Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; Luke 9:12-17; and John 6:5-14
[4] Rebecca Schnied, “6 Surprising Facts About Mother’s Day, Time Magazine, published online on May 2, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025. “Though Jarvis worked to make Mother’s Day an official holiday, historians have argued that she later railed against the commercialization and popularization of the holiday, which she said strayed from her initial intent. “They’re commercializing my Mother’s Day,” she complained in a letter to newspapers, according to the Washington Post. In a separate news release, she said: “WHAT WILL YOU DO to route charlatans, bandits, pirates, racketeers, kidnappers and other termites that would undermine with their greed one of the finest, noblest and truest movements and celebrations?”
[5] Rebecca Schnied, “6 Surprising Facts About Mother’s Day, Time Magazine, published online on May 2, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025.
[6] Rebecca Schnied, “6 Surprising Facts About Mother’s Day, Time Magazine, published online on May 2, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025.
[7] Rebecca Schnied, “6 Surprising Facts About Mother’s Day, Time Magazine, published online on May 2, 2025. Accessed May 6, 2025.
[8] Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights: Insights on Luke, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2012, pg. 227.