← Back to the lessonLetter paper. Print the last two pages back to back for the handout.

Printable teaching guide: Mark 6:35-44, A Table in the Wilderness

TEACHER GUIDE · Mark 6:35-44 · RUN SHEET
A Table in the Wilderness
THE BIG IDEA · SAY IT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES
The Shepherd makes his flock lie down, then feeds them full.
Open with it, bring it back after every section, close with it. By the end they should be able to finish the sentence for you.
BEFORE THIS PASSAGE · DAY 4
Psalm 23:2-3, Green Pastures, Quiet Waters. Its big idea: The Shepherd gives rest, restores my soul, and leads me rightly.
AFTER THIS PASSAGE · DAY 6
Psalm 23:4, Through the Valley. Its big idea: In the darkest valley, the Shepherd is with me.
Open: Recall last time (Psalm 23:2-3): every verb belongs to the Shepherd. Today: “He makes me lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2), seen on the grass beside the lake. Ask: Who in your life makes you stop and rest? Read Mark 6:39: “Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass.” Big idea: The Shepherd makes his flock lie down, then feeds them full. Ask one person what stuck from last time.
NumberSECTIONTHE ONE THINGASK
1He Makes Me Lie Down
Psalm 23:2 · about 8 min		Rest in Psalm 23 is given by the Shepherd, and it comes with being fed and kept safe.Why might Psalm 23 say the shepherd “makes” me lie down, rather than “lets” me?
2Not Enough
Mark 6:35-38 · about 10 min		The disciples' plan was to send the hungry away; there was no way to feed them.Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples to feed the crowd when he knew they could not?
3All Were Satisfied
Mark 6:39-44 · about 12 min		Jesus made the crowd recline on green grass and fed them until all were satisfied: Psalm 23:2 as a scene.Why do you think Jesus had the people sit down before there was any food to see?
Close (never cut it): Read Mark 6:39 and 42, then Psalm 23:2. The crowd lay down on green grass and was fed full by the Shepherd. Say the line together: “He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
PROTECT THE ENDING
If the last section starts late, read v41-42 and go to the close.
KIDS SIDE (BACK OF THE HANDOUT)
Story order: 2, 4, 3, 5, 1 (top to bottom) · Feelings: The hungry crowd worried, The disciples with only five loaves worried, The crowd after eating happy, The disciples picking up leftovers happy · Code: GREEN PASTURES · Act it out: The children sit in small groups on the floor. One child is Jesus, who looks up, thanks God, and breaks a few pieces of bread, giving them to “disciples” to hand round to each group. At the end the disciples collect the leftovers in baskets.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.RUN SHEET · TEACH FROM THIS PAGE
YOUR NOTES
1. He Makes Me Lie DownPsalm 23:2about 8 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
1. He Makes Me Lie Down Psalm 23:2
  • The shepherd brings the sheep to rest; they do not get there alone.
  • In the prophets, a flock lies down when it is fed and safe.
  • Green pasture had to be found in dry hill country.
“He makes me lie down in GREEN pastures.” (Psalm 23:2)
“They all ate and were SATISFIED.” (Mark 6:42) A flock lies down when it has been fed.
DISCUSS
Why might Psalm 23 say the shepherd “makes” me lie down, rather than “lets” me?
Rest in Psalm 23 is given by the Shepherd, and it comes with being fed and kept safe.
MUST COVER
  • Psalm 23:2: “makes me lie down” is something done to the sheep.
  • Ezekiel 34:14 and Zephaniah 3:13: feeding and lying down go together, under God's care.
IF THERE’S TIME
  • Sheep, like all ruminants, lie down to chew the cud after grazing: a flock lying down is a flock that has been fed.
Illustration idea: A parent who makes a feverish child lie down and brings soup to the bed.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
  • We wouldn't stop on our own.
  • He knows what we need.
If it drifts: If the talk turns to time management, bring it back to who does the making: the Shepherd.
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
The Shepherd brings his flock to rest and feeds it.
Short on time? Drop the ruminant note. Keep “makes me lie down.”
Bridge → Mark shows a crowd made to lie down on green grass.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 1 OF 3
YOUR NOTES
2. Not EnoughMark 6:35-38about 10 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
2. Not Enough Mark 6:35-38
  • It is late, the place is desolate, and the crowd is hungry.
  • The disciples want to send everyone away.
  • Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.”
“You give them something to EAT.”
“FIVE—and two fish.”
DISCUSS
Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples to feed the crowd when he knew they could not?
The disciples' plan was to send the hungry away; there was no way to feed them.
MUST COVER
  • v35-36: “a desolate place” and a late hour; the disciples' plan is to send the crowd away.
  • v37-38: two hundred denarii (about two hundred days' wages) and five loaves and two fish.
IF THERE’S TIME
  • “You” is emphatic in Greek: Jesus hands the problem back to them.
  • Israel once asked, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?” (Psalm 78:19).
Illustration idea: A parent opening the cupboard to feed unexpected guests and finding one tin of soup.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
  • To show them they needed him.
  • To get them involved instead of sending people away.
If it drifts: If it turns into a debate about whether the miracle happened, return to what the passage shows about the Shepherd.
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
There was not nearly enough, and the Shepherd was about to make them lie down.
Short on time? Drop the denarii detail. Keep v37.
Bridge → Then Jesus has the crowd sit down as guests.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 2 OF 3
YOUR NOTES
3. All Were SatisfiedMark 6:39-44about 12 min
THEIR PAGE, WORD FOR WORD (ANSWERS FILLED IN)
3. All Were Satisfied Mark 6:39-44
  • The crowd sits in groups on the green grass.
  • Jesus looks up, gives thanks, breaks the bread and gives it out.
  • Everyone eats and is satisfied, with twelve baskets left over.
“Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the GREEN grass.”
“They all ate and were SATISFIED.”
DISCUSS
Why do you think Jesus had the people sit down before there was any food to see?
Jesus made the crowd recline on green grass and fed them until all were satisfied: Psalm 23:2 as a scene.
MUST COVER
  • v39-41: groups on the green grass (many hear Psalm 23:2); Jesus took, blessed, broke and gave.
  • v42-43: all were satisfied, and twelve basketfuls were left over.
IF THERE’S TIME
  • The same four verbs (took, blessed, broke, gave) come back at the Last Supper (Mark 14:22).
  • Elisha fed a hundred men with twenty loaves, and they had some left over (2 Kings 4:42-44).
Illustration idea: A grandmother's kitchen where there is always more food than the family can eat.
RUNNING THE DISCUSSION
Listen for:
  • He gives more than we need.
  • Nothing was wasted.
If it drifts: If people start listing their own lack, acknowledge it and bring them back to v42: “They all ate and were satisfied.”
TRY SAYING SOMETHING LIKE
He made them lie down in green pastures, and all were satisfied.
Short on time? Drop the Elisha note. Keep v41-42.
Bridge → So hear the psalm line again next to v42.
YOUR NOTES
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · SECTION 3 OF 3
With One Friend, Over Coffee
About 30 minutes · for a friend who is curious, or not sure
RUN ORDER
  1. Start with the line. Say Psalm 23:2 together, then ask: Who makes you stop and rest?
  2. Read it. Read Mark 6:35-44 together.
  3. The disciples' plan. They wanted to send the crowd away. Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”
  4. The meal. Five loaves, two fish, a blessing, and everyone satisfied with twelve baskets over.
  5. Leave the question. Ask: What do you make of a man who can feed thousands from a lunch? Leave it with them.
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HEAR
“Did this really happen?”
It is the only miracle before the resurrection that all four Gospels record. Mark tells it plainly, with numbers.
“Why the green grass?”
Only Mark mentions it. Many readers hear Psalm 23:2 in it, though Mark does not say so.
“What were the twelve baskets for?”
They show there was more than enough. Jesus later reminded the disciples of the number (Mark 8:19).
“What does this mean for me?”
The Shepherd who satisfied that crowd still provides for those who come to him.
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · WITH ONE FRIEND
Evergreen Principles
Four standards every week. The rest rotate: each lesson brings the few that fit its passage best.
EVERY LESSON
THE PRINCIPLEIF YOU’RE NEWIF YOU’VE TAUGHT FOR YEARS
Pray before you prepare
Teaching the Bible is spiritual work first (John 15:5).		Pray for your class by name during the week.Pray for the one person you find hardest to reach.
Study the text first
Understand the passage yourself before any help.		Read it in two translations; write your own questions first.Don’t lean on old notes. What did you miss last time?
Teach one big idea
People remember one sentence, not four points.		Write it in 12 words or fewer before anything else.Test every story against it. If it doesn’t serve it, cut it.
Point to Christ
All of Scripture points to him (Luke 24:27).		Ask: what does this show about Jesus?Show grace as the reason for obedience, not just the rule.
FOR THIS LESSON
THE PRINCIPLEIF YOU’RE NEWIF YOU’VE TAUGHT FOR YEARS
Make it concrete
Mark gives numbers: two hundred denarii, five loaves, twelve baskets.		Put the numbers on a board.Set the numbers beside Numbers 11:21-22 and 2 Kings 4:42-44.
Let the Bible do the talking
The scene speaks for itself.		Read v39-42 slowly without comment first.Let the class notice the green grass themselves.
Let the passage land the way it lands
It shows the Shepherd providing.		End on v42, not on a task.Pair it with Psalm 23:2 and stop.
BEFORE CLASS
☐ Read the passage three times
☐ Big idea in one sentence
☐ Opening and close chosen
☐ Know what you’ll cut
☐ Handouts, pens, extra Bibles
☐ Prayed for the class by name
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · EVERGREEN PRINCIPLES
Openings, Closings & Hard Moments
Pick one opening and one close; rotate so class doesn’t get predictable.
OPENINGS
ask a real-life question
This lesson: When have you had to stretch something far too small to cover a need?
use an object
This lesson: Hold up five small bread rolls and two sardine tins and ask how many people they could feed.
raise a problem
This lesson: Thousands of hungry people, a desert place, and late in the day: what would you do?
CLOSINGS
restate the big idea
This lesson: The Shepherd sets a table in the wilderness, and all are satisfied.
call back to the opening
This lesson: Return to the 'too little' stories from the start and read v42 over them.
pray the text
This lesson: Thank God for the bread he gives each day, as Jesus did before breaking the loaves.
WHEN CLASS GETS HARD
Someone is genuinely short of food or money.: Do not spiritualize it away. Acknowledge it, and if your church can help in practical ways, quietly make that possible.
Someone asks why God feeds some and not others.: Admit it is a hard question. Keep to what this passage shows: the Shepherd's compassion and provision.
Silence after a question: Wait. Then rephrase simpler, or ask them to talk to a neighbor first.
One person dominates: “Thanks. Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet.” Talk privately if it continues.
A question you can’t answer: Say so, write it down, bring an answer next week.
A tangent takes over: “Great question. Let’s catch it after class so we can finish the passage.”
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.TEACHER GUIDE · OPENINGS, CLOSINGS & HARD MOMENTS
Mark 6:35-44
A Table in the Wilderness
The Lord Is My Shepherd · Dig Deeper
KEY VERSE
“He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” Psalm 23:2
THE BIG IDEA
The Shepherd makes his flock lie down, then feeds them full.
1. He Makes Me Lie Down Psalm 23:2
  • The shepherd brings the sheep to rest; they do not get there alone.
  • In the prophets, a flock lies down when it is fed and safe.
  • Green pasture had to be found in dry hill country.
“He makes me lie down in pastures.” (Psalm 23:2)
“They all ate and were .” (Mark 6:42) A flock lies down when it has been fed.
DISCUSS
Why might Psalm 23 say the shepherd “makes” me lie down, rather than “lets” me?
2. Not Enough Mark 6:35-38
  • It is late, the place is desolate, and the crowd is hungry.
  • The disciples want to send everyone away.
  • Jesus says, “You give them something to eat.”
“You give them something to .”
“—and two fish.”
DISCUSS
Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples to feed the crowd when he knew they could not?
3. All Were Satisfied Mark 6:39-44
  • The crowd sits in groups on the green grass.
  • Jesus looks up, gives thanks, breaks the bread and gives it out.
  • Everyone eats and is satisfied, with twelve baskets left over.
“Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the grass.”
“They all ate and were .”
DISCUSS
Why do you think Jesus had the people sit down before there was any food to see?
Read this week: Ezekiel 34:11-16 · Zephaniah 3:13-17 · John 6:1-14
BIG IDEA: THE SHEPHERD MAKES HIS FLOCK LIE DOWN, THEN FEEDS THEM FULL.HANDOUT · ADULT SIDE (KIDS ON THE BACK)
Mark 6:35-44 · FOR KIDS
A Table in the Wilderness
Name: ____________________
Big idea: Jesus gives me rest and food, like a good shepherd.
1. Put the story in order!
Number the boxes.
They find five loaves and two fish.
Jesus thanks God and breaks the bread.
Everyone sits on the green grass.
Everyone eats, with twelve baskets left.
A big crowd is hungry.
2. How did they feel?
Circle a face.
The hungry crowd
The disciples with only five loaves
The crowd after eating
The disciples picking up leftovers
3. Word search
CFVLOAVES
PBREADPHO
HBASKETSC
DBCSYNTSR
HRDFYHWJO
RGSIFHEEW
YVRSKDLSD
NVGHPGVUK
GRASSSESR
JESUS · BREAD · FISH · LOAVES · GRASS · BASKETS · TWELVE · CROWD
4. Secret code
1=A · 2=E · 3=G · 4=N · 5=P · 6=R · 7=S · 8=T · 9=U
3
6
2
2
4
5
1
7
8
9
6
2
7
5. Draw it!
Draw the crowd sitting in groups on the green grass, with twelve baskets of leftovers.
6. Memory verse
“He makes me lie down in green pastures” Psalm 23:2  Say it to a grown-up: ☐ ☐ ☐
Jesus gives me ______.
DIG DEEPERKIDS SIDE · PRINT ON THE BACK OF THE HANDOUT