1. They praised the God of Israel (29-31)

Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would make the blind see, the lame walk, and the mute speak (Isa 35:4-6a). When the motley crowds--which included many Gentiles--saw these things happening, they praised the God of Israel. They came because they heard of Jesus' compassion for one Gentile woman (15:21-28). They came because they longed for the Good Shepherd's mercy.

2. Jesus' compassion (32-39)

Jesus had a mother's love and a father's sense of responsibility for the crowds. He called his disciples and shared his concern: 'I don't want to send them away hungry. They might collapse on the way.' The disciples had fed one crowd, but they were still aware of their human limits. They asked, 'Where can we find bread?' Jesus told them to bring what they had. He gave thanks for the loaves; then he broke them and, through the disciples, fed the crowd.

Application: Lord, thank you for your compassionate heart. I believe your almighty power.
One Word: Compassionate Jesus knows our needs