"Faith Beyond Distractions”

In Jesus Holy Name September 8, 2024

Text: Mark 7:24-36 Pentecost XVI - Redeemer

“Faith Beyond Distractions”

Mark has another great story for us this morning about the vastness of the Kingdom of God and the ministry of Jesus which reaches beyond the walls the Jewish Pharisees who had built a religion that kept non Jewish people out. The religious belief of the Jewish theologians was that the God of Creation, was only for the Jews.

Here are a few of my questions this morning about this Gospel lesson?

1. Why is Jesus going to non Jewish territory? And why in secret?

2. Was the covenant God established with Abraham for Jews only? Or were all people to be blessed? Was this message of Jesus?

3. Is this gospel lesson about faith? Over coming distractions?

4. Is this visit of Jesus to a non Jewish area, a reference to Elijah whose miracles in (Zarephath Sidon) saved a widow and her son from starvation?

5. Why did Jesus tell this story of Elijah’s visit and miracles to a Gentile in his first sermon in his home town of Nazareth when he said he could do very few miracles for their lack of faith. Then they tried to throw Jesus off a cliff

6. The bible is filled with miracles of Jesus that healed people, but his one is odd…. Why did Jesus have to spit in order to heal a man who was deaf and unable to speak?

7. Why did Jesus “sigh”? He did not sigh when He worked other miracles.

These are just some of my questions this morning.

If this story is about faith, then this is why Mark and Matthew both tell about this Gentile mother who wants her daughter healed. It is a lesson for us about over coming distractions, which Peter failed to do when he tried to walk on water. Both Peter and the Canaanite mother faced distractions. Peter took his eyes off Jesus because he was distracted by the wind and waves. His faith then faltered. Mark wants to show us another individual who when confronted with distractions did not falter in the face of the difficulties of life.

Jesus has ventured outside the confines of Israel and entered the Gentile region of present day Lebanon, were even here, the stories of a prophet named Jesus was not a secret. (you can see the map in the bulletin) Word has spread far and wide that Jesus had supernatural power to heal the sick and raise the dead. Even in this Gentile territory, people knew about His ministry, and that’s why one particular woman came to see Him.

She is called a Canaanite, meaning she descended from the Canaanites in the Old Testament who were mortal enemies of the Jewish people. She had many things going against her that day. She was not Jewish. She was a woman. But her daughter was very sick.

Every parent can understand this. If you have a sick child, how far will you go to help your son or daughter? To ask the question is to answer it. It’s not a matter of time or distance or money. When your son is sick or your daughter is ill, nothing matters except getting them well again. When your child is sick, you don’t care about test results, x-rays, percentages, new medicines, research protocols, or anything like that. “People just want to know one thing: ‘Is my child going to be all right?’” Nothing else matters.

The conversation between Jesus and the mother seems harsh. Jesus’ response to this woman seems peculiar and perhaps even cruel This woman is about to be overwhelmed by distractions. Nothing terrifies the soul like the silence of heaven when we have our own requests for God’s intervention into our life’s story.

1) In the Gospel of Matthew, he adds that she is also confronted by 12 disciples who keep pushing her away.

The scene was like any secret service agent who has the responsibility to stand between the President and the crowd. Don’t get too close!

2) The disciples are frustrated… “Jesus, she keeps crying out after us.” Just send her away…. She is not Jewish…. She doesn’t deserve your kindness. Is this about their prejudice? Should non-Jews receive a miracle?

3) She does not let the disciples stop her request. Jesus speaks but they are words meant to distract. His words are meant to discourage her by telling her that God’s blessings belonged to God’s chosen Jewish people.

4) Jesus said:

a. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

b. She is not distracted by words of refusal… she gets in His path and kneels in front of Jesus, grabbing His attention.

Jesus heard everything she said.

Jesus wanted to bring out the woman’s faith, not only for her benefit and ours, but also for the disciples who were watching. …. “Peter are you listening?” God’s grace is not limited. Don’t let distractions stop your prayers, God grace is in His time.