The Feeding of the Five Thousand Skit Option: I’m Hungry

CHARACTERS: Peter, James, and John (could be played by the same person), Andrew, Philip, kid with lunch box of food, someone to provide growling stomach sound effects
PROPS: lunch box

The action starts as the disciples enter the stage. They are tired and hungry.

JOHN: This is just ridiculous! We came here to get away from the people!

PETER: Well, that is going to be impossible to do if Jesus keeps on healing people all the time. They just want to hear everything he says.

(Sound effects of a growling stomach. Best if coming from a microphone offstage.)

ANDREW: (Looks at Philip.) Did you say something?

PHILIP: No, that was my stomach. I’m really hungry, you guys.

JAMES: Yeah, yeah, we all are. It’s been such a long time since we’ve had a chance to eat.

PETER: Well, what can we do?

JOHN: Nothing! There is nothing we can do.

(Growling stomach sound effects.)

PETER: Would you just settle down? We can solve this problem if we think about it. We don’t want to bother Jesus with petty things like eating, so let’s just think of a solution and then bring it to him so he won’t have to worry.

PHILIP: I suggest we all go into town, and we lead the way so that we can be the first to eat.

JOHN: Yes! Yes! That’s a great idea. Let’s go! No, wait. The town is too far away. We’d never make it before dark.

ANDREW: It would be better if we could feed the people; that’s what Jesus would do. Maybe we can pool our money and get the people a snack to tide them over.

JAMES: Yes! Yes! That’s a great idea. Let’s go! Who’s paying?

(All check their pockets and mumble sheepishly about how they don’t have any money.)

PETER: Jesus can’t expect us to have enough money to feed these people. We left everything we had to follow him. We can’t do miracles like he can. He just has to understand that.

(Growling stomach sound effects.)

KID: (Comes onstage.) I have some.

ANDREW: You have some what?

KID: Oh, I thought I heard someone say, “Does anyone have any food?”

(Everyone looks at Philip. Philip looks at his stomach. He grins sheepishly and shrugs his shoulders. James goes over to Kid and looks in the lunch box.)

JAMES: Two fish and five loaves of bread! This isn’t even enough to feed all of us!

PETER: Well, let’s go tell Jesus. We can’t do anything about this problem on our own. He’s just going to have to send them away.

(Growling stomach sound effects.)

JOHN: Yeah, right! Like Jesus brought food with him that we don’t know about. That’s funny. Come on, Philip.

Debrief the skit with these questions:
• What happens next?
• In the skit, the disciples didn’t want to bother Jesus with a problem as “petty” as food. What’s wrong with the assumption that Jesus would think their need for food was petty?
• Why do the disciples think they can’t feed everyone?