Matthew 14:13-21
God's Satisfying Bread
Now when Jesus heard (about the beheading of John the Baptist,) he withdrew from there ... to a deserted place.
The disciples came to (Jesus) 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."
This is a deserted place. Matthew repeats his description twice, once in acknowledging where Jesus has gone and then again in the concern lifted by the disciples. What do they mean, "a deserted place"? And if it is so deserted why is it that everyone ends up there? Jesus, the disciples, and this crowd of over 5,000; they are all there, in this deserted place.
I can't help but think about my drive this morning to Greenville. There were a lot of "deserted" highways between here and Clemson. Even as I pass through Easley, there were very few folks moving around. It was a deserted drive; almost eerie in its stillness.
Friends from the congregation in Michigan decided to come see us. Thinking they would enjoy the scenery, we directed them to follow highway 25 out of Asheville, then turn along highway 11 and again down 133. Leaving Asheville, coming through Six Mile and Pumpkintown - they arrived in Clemson, commenting on what a deserted place they perceived the Upstate to be.
This is a deserted place.
In using this description, perhaps the disciples meant it was a wilderness; a place in which food and shelter were difficult to come by. Perhaps the countryside was rugged and traveling in the dark was dangerous. Perhaps the disciples realized how far everyone had traveled and how long it would take them to return to their own homes. "This is a deserted place", they tell Jesus, "Send the crowds away."
But places can be deserted for reasons other than isolation or barrenness. In fact, the worst of the deserted places are those which we encounter amid activity and bounty. The most frightful of deserted places are those which expose our vulnerability and weakness. Maybe the place at which our gospel lesson occurred was isolated and barren. But it occurs to me that its true desertedness may be a result of the reason why everyone found themselves there, in that place, together.
The opening verse of our reading tells us that Jesus withdrew to this deserted place when he heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded. Our reading began with the 13th verse. Verses 1 through 12 of chapter 14 retell the story of Herodias' daughter dancing in celebration of Herod's birthday. Herod is so pleased he offers her whatever she may ask. At her mother's prompting, the girl asks for the head of John, presented to her on a platter.
Jesus hears what had happened and he feels the need to withdraw, to a deserted place, to a place where he can reflect on the life of his teacher and consider what this means for all those who seek to serve God. The place is deserted because Jesus has come here to acknowledge that being a messenger of God doesn't mean that one is protected from all harm. Evil prowls like a lion, looking for those whom it would devour. It has claimed the life of John; perhaps Jesus is beginning to realize the tenuous nature of his own life. The place to which Jesus goes is a deserted place precisely because it is the place where he goes to be alone in his hurts and in his fears.
But when the crowd heard where Jesus was going, they followed him, on foot, from the towns. And when he came ashore, they were there waiting for him. The text tells us that he looked out and saw them, that he had compassion for them, and cured their sick. And we realize that the crowd didn't come to this place because it was a great tourist spot. They had come because of their need. No words need to be spoken. Jesus simply has to look at them and something about them tells him that this is a crowd in need of compassion. Their need was written all over their lives.
The place where they encountered Jesus was a deserted place: deserted because there, in his presence, they could not conceal the desperate nature of their existence.
This is a deserted place, not merely because of its barrenness but because of those who have come.
I have wondered if it was this neediness which made the disciples so eager to be done with the crowd. Nothing gives you the jitters any worse than being bombarded on all sides by those whose very existence is a cry for help. The disciples plead with Jesus, "Send them away, please send them away. This, this is a deserted place."
Places can be deserted for reasons other than isolation or barrenness. The loneliness of this place seems to have resulted from the reasons why everyone found themselves there, together.
Which brings us back to this place. It was deserted driving out here this morning. Not because of the fog, or the clouds, or the barrenness of highway 123 at 8:00 am. The desertedness comes from some other source. I always find it deserted to approach the place and time at which others will join me in intentionally setting ourselves up to encounter God. It is a deserted place because we come here out of our need - our desperate need to be fed.
It is a deserted place, wherever the people of God gather. Because anytime we intentionally set ourselves up to encounter God our need is plainly written upon our lives. This is a deserted place. We didn't come here out of strength, out of confidence, or out of wholeness. We came here because our lives are lacking these things and we come hoping - hoping that we can call an end to our search and leave this place satisfied.
This is a deserted place. Not because of its isolation or barrenness but because of the reason why we are all here, together.
The disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away." The loneliness is too much to bear. There is no cure for all their illnesses. No one can expect such a large crowd to be cared for by just one man. Just send them away and have it over with.
But Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." Jesus is talking about food here, but not really taking about food. They have come, to this deserted place, and the hour is late, but Jesus will not send them away. "They need not go...you give them something." And the text tells us that they all ate and were satisfied. There was so much left over that twelve baskets full were collected.
It is deserted for us to come to this place and to acknowledge our need. What if we acknowledge it only to find ourselves being sent away? This is a deserted place, and no one likes deserted places. No one that is, except Jesus, who sought a deserted place. Maybe Jesus knew that the deserted places are the best places to go if one is trying to find God.
Here, in this deserted place, God
does God's greatest work. All who come
to this place are satisfied.
AMEN.
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