Friends Church Sermons

John writes about this miracle to set up what comes next – but for today let’s just start here. John the Baptist has been beheaded, Jesus popularity with the people is increasing, and the animosity of the Sanhedrin is increasing with it. Jesus has been teaching and healing the multitudes somewhere in Galilee when he gets the news about John. It has been a long and exhausting day when they have had no time even to eat as they ministered to the people. When Jesus gets the news about John he gets into a boat and leaves the people to find a quiet place to pray. The disciples ferry Jesus along the coast to the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee to the wilderness near the city of Bethasida. The people are so set to be with Jesus that they make their way on foot (gathering others as they come) and meet Jesus in the wilderness. This is where we pick up the story.