Matthew 14:13-21; August 2, 2026; Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. (verse 13)
There are two things I really appreciate about this single verse. The first is that we see a glimpse into the fully human side of that fully human/fully divine equation of Jesus’ substance and nature. And here Jesus responds like most of us would. Like I sometimes do! Where we just need to retreat for a moment, breaking from the mission, the agenda, our business, to take a pause by ourselves away from it all.
Remember those cheesy commercials from that airline with the tagline: “want to get away?” where some dude would be all despondent over his circumstances at home or at work and dream of getting away? Well, that’s Jesus here! Withdrawing from the crowds to a deserted place by himself. And even better, to a boat by himself. To recharge before heading back to it all again.
And what an important word that is for all of us today who are scared to take a break. Who think in this culture that hitting pause is a sign of not being a team player at the office, or some sort of weakness to your man or womanhood. No, we all need to follow Jesus, in more ways than one, but especially in this way of knowing when enough is enough.
The second thing I appreciate about this single verse is that the crowds just don’t care. Like, not at all!
Ever go on vacation and like on the very first day of settling in, when you’re drinking that pina colada and saying “ahh” that call comes in; the email pings? Yup, you know it! You’ve experienced it! And so did Jesus here with these crowds who couldn’t let him be.
I saw a Reel the other day where this poor guy was fired on a Teams Meeting whilst on vacation! The corporation knew he and his family were away, and yet they didn’t even have the decency to wait until he was back before sacking him.
Life is rough out there. Just as it was for Jesus, who like us, just wanted a moment’s peace. And, again, what an important word that is for us today, to not only take a break, but to give others one as well.
Like, just because we think we have a bright idea or a pressing thought, let’s maybe pause and wait a second before hitting send. Not everything is so important, my friends, that we need to pester and disrupt the peace in everyone else’s life.
Amen?
When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. (verse 14)
Jesus is so good, man. Better than the rest of us. Better than me. For even though he just wanted some peace, space to gather himself, he sees the crowd coming after them, and instead of reproving them, or complaining about them in a performance review… he has compassion on them. He heals their sick.
This, my friends, is why we put our faith in HIM! And not in ourselves or our idols. Jesus puts us first, even when we always put ourselves first.
When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” (verse 15)
Okay, the disciples… let’s talk about these guys for a second. Besides so frequently being so obtuse, here they are just being obstinate. Ugly even.
While their intention might have been fine, to protect Jesus… they forget that He, unlike us, can handle it. That his mission always puts others first, especially crowds who are hungry and tired, and looking for someone in whom they can lay their burdens.
So, this comment, “send the crowds away so that they might buy food for themselves” just misses and undercuts Jesus’ purpose, as well as ours as his followers to do like him (WWJD), which is why he responds to them and us likewise, saying:
Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” (verses 16-18)
As always, Jesus is compassionate, especially here in saying “they need not go away…” but he is also direct and barks out two orders to his disciples. Two commands to us.
First, He says, “you give them to something to eat.” As in, like “don’t you understand why we are doing this at all?” “What my gospel is all about!?” Also, “don’t always rely on me! For I’m not always going to be here to save the day. Sometimes I’m going to be out in a boat!”
Jesus is equipping them then just as he equips us to do his work while he is away; while he is not a deserted place but back at the right hand of God in Heaven. “You give them something to eat” is our charge to remember, just as it was the disciples’ back then.
But seeing that the disciples were already penning their excuse to Not Do As They/We Ought, saying “we have nothing but five loaves and two fish…” Jesus says “ah, just bring them here to me” stepping into action to get things done.
Because of course he does. He always does.
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” (verse 19)
Just as he ordered his disciples to feed the crowds, here Jesus commands the crowds to sit on grass, to touch grass as it were.
To be grounded by his mercy, his goodness, his hospitality and grace. He pauses them in motion, just like he wanted to be paused himself out there on his boat.
And, by having them sit, he readies them to receive. Just as every day, he readies us.
And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (verses 20-21)
And all ate and were filled.
This, my friends, is the good news! Here at the end on this day when we too will break bread and eat as one.
That even though we too are overly needy; that even though we also don’t give Jesus a break; that even though we act like the disciples and put obstacles in the way of doing what is right; Jesus feeds and fills us all the same.
Back then, 5,000 gathering in a single place to hear some dude preaching and teaching was likely almost unfathomable… but the point being made here is that Jesus can make something out of nothing. That grace can extend even beyond the limits of what seems possible, what seems reasonable. A true miracle, as it was and is.
For none of us really are worthy of being in the same boat with him, and yet, miraculously he leaves his boat to greet us, just as he left Heaven, so that with him all might gather on the same shore; as men, women, and children of the same God.
Amen!
