少儿圣经故事:认识主(1) 生命的粮/KNOWING CHRIST (1) Bread of Life

??When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, great crowds of people followed Him. John 6：2 tells us one reason everyone wanted to see Jesus：because they saw his miracles Do you know about some of the miracles Jesus did？God's Word tells us that Jesus went about healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, casting out demons 1, even giving life to the dead! Wouldn't you and I want to meet a person like that？??It seemed everyone wanted to meet Jesus! Can you imagine how weary Jesus and His disciples 2 became after hours of being pushed and shoved by the curious crowds？Why, they didn't even have time to eat! One evening Jesus took the disciples into a boat and they sailed to a deserted 3 place to rest. Let's pretend we're relaxing with the disciples in the boat! Ahhh, doesn't that breeze across the water feel so refreshing 4! Oh, and it's so quiet! Instead of all the noisy people, all we hear is the sound of gentle waves against the boat.

??All too soon, the boat reached the shore. The disciples were ready to enjoy a quiet evening with just the Lord Jesus when all of a sudden they saw.oh no! Can you guess what they saw？Yes, it was that same crowd of people they had left on the other side of the lake! The Bible tells us the people saw Jesus leaving and outran the boat around the side of the lake! Perhaps the disciples groaned 5 in dismay. The Lord Jesus was tired also, but Mark 6：34 says：And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion 6 toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd：and he began to teach them many things.

??As the evening grew later, the disciples saw a big problem developing. Several of them came to Jesus. This is a desert place, and night is soon coming. We need to send the people away to their villages so they can buy bread. They？ve had nothing to eat. Do you think Jesus realized that it was late and that these people were getting very hungry？Of course He knew!

??But Jesus also knew the people had another kind of hunger. it's was the hunger, the need, to know Jesus and have their sins forgiven. You and I were born with that kind of hunger too, that need to have our sins forgiven. Do you think boys and girls in that crowd of people disobeyed their parents as you do sometimes？Or got angry and said mean things？Disobeying, saying mean things are ways that we sin and displease 7 God. You can think of other sins too, I'm sure. The Bible says, For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good and does not sin. That means everyone has sinned, including you. Did you know Jesus sees your sin today, just as He saw the sin of the people back then？God says sin must be punished, and the dreadful everlasting 8 punishment for sin is separation from God in a terrible place called hell. Jesus not only saw your great need to be saved from this punishment of sin, He also became the way you can be saved. As God's perfect, sinless Son, Jesus came down from Heaven to die in your place, taking your punishment for sin. Can you think how much Jesus loves you, to have done such a wonderful thing for you？When Jesus was nailed to the cross many years ago, it was because He loved you and me so much that He was willing to suffer, bleed and die for us to be saved from sin. I Peter 1：18 & 19 says, you know that you were not redeemed 9 (or brought back) with things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ. And verse 21 says God raised him up from the dead and gave him glory Jesus came alive, went back to Heaven and today He's ready to help you with that that hunger, that need to have your sins forgiven! Link：And Jesus wanted to help the crowd of people by the lake that evening. He knew their greatest need was not for food. But the disciples were only thinking about eating, so they urged Jesus to send the people home to eat.

??You give them something to eat, Jesus answered. The disciples were shocked at such an answer! There were at least 5, 000 men there, not counting all the women and children! Perhaps they spread their arms out toward the crowd as they said to Jesus, What？If we had two hundred pennyworth of bread, it still would not be enough to feed all these people!" In those days two hundred pennyworth would be the amount of money a man could earn in 8 months! About that time, Andrew pointed 10 out a boy with his lunch of 5 small barley 11 loaves and 2 little fish. Andrew said, "But what is this little bit of food among so many？The disciples were worried, as they tried to figure out what to do with this impossible situation. Do you think Jesus was worried？No, because Jesus is God and He already knew what He was going to do! After all, the God Who created all things and all people surely knows how to care for them!

??Calmly Jesus instructed the disciples to have everyone sit in groups of 50 or 100. Then Jesus took the little boy's lunch of fish and bread and John 6：11 tells us, when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; Then the disciples and the crowds of people began to see a miracle happen! The more they gave out, the more the fish and bread multiplied! Why, the food multiplied so much, that everyone in the crowd ate, and ate, and ate til they could eat no more!

??John 6：12-13 says, When they were filled, Jesus said to his disciples, "Gather up the leftovers 13 so nothing is wasted." The disciples filled 12 baskets with leftover 12 bread and fish! Everyone knew they had witnessed a miracle that only God could do! Some said, Truly this is that prophet that God promised to send to the world!" They wanted to make Jesus a king. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a king who could heal all your sicknesses and feed you when you were hungry, they must have thought. But Jesus is God and He knew what the people were thinking. Yes, one day Jesus will be king over all the earth, but He knew this was not the time. Jesus quickly and quietly departed to a mountain alone.

??The next day some of the people saw the Lord Jesus in Capernaum, and began to talk to Him. Jesus said to them, "You are looking for me because you ate of the loaves and fishes and were filled. don't work for the bread that perishes, but work for the bread that lasts forever. My Father gives that true bread from heaven. The true bread comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world." The people said, "Lord, give us this bread!"

??Jesus answered them, "I am the bread of life：he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst." Do you understand what Jesus is saying, boys and girls？Believing on the Lord Jesus and asking Him to come into your life is the only thing that will fill that deep hunger inside you. That hunger is the need to have your sins forgiven.

??Many of the people that day did not believe in Jesus. Do you think they were saved from their sins？Do you think the hunger in their hearts was satisfied？No, how sad to know they turned and went away without the Bread of Life.

??Will you also go away？Jesus asked the disciples, His close helpers. Peter answered, Lord, where would we go？You are the One Who has the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

??What about you, boys and girls？Jesus knows your greatest hunger is for your sins to be forgiven, and to believe in Him. Without the Lord Jesus, you cannot have your sins forgiven and have everlasting life in Heaven. Jesus paid the full price for your sin by giving His life on the cross. In John 6：47, Jesus says, He that believes on me has everlasting life. Are you ready right now to believe on the Lord Jesus that you may have that deepest hunger in your heart fulfilled and have His everlasting life？Go now to How to be a Child of God.

??当我们的主耶稣在世上的时候，有很多人跟著他。约翰福音6：2告诉我们为什么这些人要跟著耶稣："是因为他们想看耶稣行神迹。"你知道耶稣都行了哪些神迹吗？神的话告诉我们，耶稣治好了有病的，使瞎眼的能看见，他还赶鬼，甚至使死人复活。如果我们要是能遇到这样的人就好了，是不是？

??好像每个人都渴望见见耶稣。好奇的人们拥挤著耶稣和他的门徒。耶稣他们一定很累了，因为他们连吃饭的时间都没有！有一天晚上，耶稣带他的门徒上船，到旷野去休息，因为那里人很少。让我们假装也和门徒在船上。啊！水上吹来阵阵的凉风，真舒服啊！波浪发出"哗哗"的声音，没有吵杂的人群跟著，真是安静极了。

??很快，船到了岸。门徒们正准备与主耶稣一起享受一个安静的夜晚。突然，他们看到...噢！不！你知道他们看见什么了吗？就是那群先前跟著他们的人。他们本来在河的那边，怎么先到了呢？原来他们看见耶稣要离开，就赶紧绕道，比他们先赶到河的对面。也许门徒们诧异地小声嘟囔著。主耶稣也累了，可是马可福音6章34节说："耶稣出来，见有许多的人，就怜悯他们，因为他们如同羊没有牧人一般，于是开口教训他们许多道理。" 天已经晚了，门徒突然发现一个严重的问题。几个门徒来到耶稣面前，说："这是野地，天都晚了，请叫这些人散开吧，他们好往四面乡村里去，自己买点什么吃的。"你想一想，难道耶稣不知道天晚了，这些人都饿了吗？他当然知道！

??耶稣更知道这些人有另外一种饥饿。他们饥渴地要认识耶稣，使他们的罪得到赦免。我们生来也有这种饥饿在里面，就是渴望我们的罪得到赦免。在那群人中有没有小朋友不听父母的话，就象你一样？或者生气，或者出口伤人？不听父母的话，出口伤人都是罪，都是不讨神喜悦的。你肯定还能想出其它的罪。

??圣经说："世界上没有一个人不犯罪。"这就是说人人都犯罪，包括听故事的小朋友们。神说罪必须要被惩罚。这个可怕的惩罚就是地狱，一个永远与神分离的地方。耶稣，他看到了我们实在是需要被从罪中拯救出来，他就成为了我们得救的路。作为神完美的儿子，耶稣从来没有犯过罪。他从天上到世上来，代替你死。你能想象得出耶稣得有多爱你，才能为你做出这样的救恩？许多年以前，当耶稣被钉在十字架上的时候，正是因为他对我们的爱，使他甘心为我们忍受一切的痛苦，流血，甚至以死来把我们从罪中拯救出来。

??彼得一书1章1819节说："知道你们得赎，...不是凭著能坏的金银等物，乃是凭著基督的宝血。"21节又说："神...叫他从死里复活，又给他荣耀。"耶稣复活了，他又回到天上。今天他就要来帮助你解决心中的饥渴，使你的罪得到赦免。在那天晚上，耶稣也要帮助跟著他的那群人，他知道他们最大的需要并不是食物。但是耶稣的门徒满脑子想的就是吃的。所以他们催促耶稣赶快把这些人打发回家吃饭。

??耶稣回答他们说："你们给他们吃的吧！"门徒一下子呆住了。那群人中，如果不算妇女和孩子们，至少有5000个男的。他们无可奈何地对耶稣说："什么？就算我们去买二十两银子的饼，也不够这么多人吃的呀！" 在那个时候，二十两银子等于一个人八个月的工资。那时，安得烈带来一个小孩，他身上带了五个饼，两条鱼。安得烈说："这点食物分给这么多人，那够吃呢？"门徒们伤透了脑筋，不知道该怎么办。耶稣有没有担心呢？没有！因为他是神，他知道他要做什么！神创造了我们，他也创造了这个世界，他当然知道该怎样照看我们。

??耶稣吩咐他的门徒，叫众人坐在青草地上。众人就一排一排地坐下，有一百一排的，有五十一排的。耶稣拿著这五个饼，两条鱼，望著天祝福，擘开饼，递给门徒，摆在众人面前，也把那两条鱼分给众人。然后，门徒和众人看见了神迹的发生。门徒给出去的越多，鱼和饼就变得越多，食物越来越多，每个人都在吃阿，吃阿，吃，直到吃饱了。

??约翰福音6：12-13节说："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。'"

??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。"每个人都知道，这个神迹只有神能行。有的人说："这真是那要到世间来的先知。"他们甚至想要拥护耶稣做王。也许他们在想："这样的王简直太好了，我们生病了，他给我们治好，我们饿了，他给我们吃的。"耶稣是神，他当然知道这些人在想什么。是的，有一天，耶稣是要成为这个世界的王。但他知道，他的时候还没有到。耶稣就悄悄地独自到山上去了。

??第二天，有人在迦百农遇见耶稣，就跟他说话。耶稣对他们说："你们找我，并不是因见了神迹，乃是因吃饼得饱。不要为那必坏的食物劳力，要为那存到永生的食物劳力，我父将天上来的真粮赐给你们。因为神的粮，就是那从天上降下来赐生命给世界的。"他们说："主啊，常将这粮赐给我们。"耶稣说："我就是生命的粮，到我这里来的，必定不饿;信我的，永远不渴。"

??小朋友们，你明白耶稣说的话吗？唯一能够填满你内心饥渴的就是接受主耶稣，让他来进入你的生命。这个饥渴就是渴望你的罪得到赦免。那天，有很多人还是不信耶稣。他们的罪得到赦免了吗？他们饥渴的心灵得到满足了吗？没有！他们离开耶稣，而没有接受那生命的粮。

??耶稣问他的门徒："你们也要离开吗？"彼得回答说："主啊，你有永生之道，我们还归从谁呢？我们已经信了，又知道你是基督，永生神的儿子。"

??那么你呢，小朋友们？耶稣知道你愿意相信他，你渴望你的罪得到赦免。没有耶稣，你的罪就不能得到赦免，你就没有永远的生命。耶稣死在十字架上，他已经为你的罪负上代价。在 约翰福音6：47节，耶稣说："信我的人有永生。"你准备好了吗？现在就来让耶稣满足你内心深处的饥渴。并接受他赐给你的永远的生命。请你去听"怎样成为神的孩子，"并照那里所说的去做。