Sermon for 4/30/2006
Mark 7:24-30
He’s not safe. He’s a lion.
Introduction:
College English class: Table Talk. I could say that paper was out of character.
Thesis: Let’s examine the two main characters in this story: Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman
For instances:
I. Jesus Christ
A. In our minds this does not seem like the words, actions or attitudes of Jesus Christ. He seems so mean! A few commentators say that this account was incorrect, that Jesus never did this and that it should not be included. After John Mark through the help of Peter penned this gospel, someone came along and wrote this account in.
B. Mark is not the only gospel that has this account. Maybe there are some things left out. Let’s read that account: Matthew 15:21-28. That doesn’t help us out at all. It makes Jesus seem even worse!
C. Why does Jesus act that way? Jesus was trying to get away for it all. Many times we are told in the gospels that Jesus wanted to get away to meditate and get some rest.
D. Here is Mark 7 Jesus has just had a run in with the Pharisees and teachers of the law. This group had come from Jerusalem looking to trap Jesus in something and the only thing they can find is that Jesus’ disciples are breaking the traditions of the elders by not washing their hands before they eat. How ridiculous! Jesus gives them some food for thought by telling them of instances where they set aside God’s Word to uphold their traditions. Jesus is probably tired of being harassed like this and so he retreats for a time into Gentile territory.
E. Also, right after this he tells the crowd: (Mark 7:15 NIV) Nothing outside a man can make him ’unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ’unclean.’" The crowd evidently doesn’t understand him but even Jesus’ disciples don’t understand this saying because they ask him about it.
F. Maybe Jesus is teaching his disciples a lesson here, especially as we look at the account in Matthew. At first Jesus did not answer this woman at all so his disciples begged him to send this Gentile woman away. What he says to this woman is exactly what the Pharisees and the teachers in the law would say to her. Only to the lost sheep of Israel. Take the children’s bread (meaning the children of Israel) and toss it to their dogs (meaning the Gentiles). This is exactly what the Pharisees would say to such a woman. But still isn’t Jesus being somewhat mean with this woman! Yes, he might have a playful spirit, but still these statements are like he is trying to upset this woman!
G. When we look at these two statements of Jesus: I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel & It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to dogs, both of these statements are correct. They might not be nice but they are correct! Time and again Jesus makes it clear that His ministry, and the ministry of his disciples, is to be directed to the house of Israel.
H. (Mat 10:5 NIV) these twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. (Mat 10:6 NIV) Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
I. Jesus is obedient to the covenant of the Old Testament. Still under the Old Covenant here. Also, after the beginning of the New Covenant: (Rom 1:16 NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
J. In another account where a Samaritan woman is trying to pick a fight with him (John 4:21 NIV) Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. (John 4:22 NIV) You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
K. Jesus is not being prejudice or bigoted here, this is really the truth. The Messiah had to come from the Jews, and then the Messiah was preached to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles.
L. Most of Jesus ministry was with Jewish people and in Jewish lands.
M. Now, the statement about the children’s bread is also true. The children of God at this time were the Jews, those who were faithful to the Old Testament, and had a blood line from Abraham. Evidently she did not observe the Jewish religion and laws. She was a Gentile and of the worst kind, she was from old time enemies of the Israelites, the Canaanites.
N. Jesus here is saying that it is not good to take the blessings that belong to Israel and to give them to the Gentiles. He uses the term “Dogs.” This sounds like a racial slur. However, this Greek word here does not refer to the mean dogs that ran around in packs outside of the towns or in the wilderness. This word refers to the household pets, little dogs or puppies that would provide joy and comfort to their masters. Whatever? Jesus still called this woman a dog, a nice dog or a mean dog; he still called her a dog.
O. Often the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders would refer to the Gentiles as dogs. Is Jesus trying to stir the minds of his disciples? Is Jesus tired and annoyed at this interruption of his R & R? Does Jesus despise the Gentiles?
P. What is Jesus trying to do? God is the one who had her born to some Canaanites. It wasn’t her fault. IT is how God made her. Jesus what are you trying to do?
Q. Mark Garland- Jesus is deliberately scandalous — throwing stumbling blocks in people’s way. He affronts the Pharisees by calling them hypocrites to their face and scoffing at their traditions, and he insults this Gentile woman by hinting she is a dog.
R. We think of Jesus as some goody two shoes and that he is always kind and acts in accordance with socially acceptable behavior. That is not always the case. Think of Jesus clearing the temple. Think of Jesus blasting out the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Think of Jesus with his disciples on occasions. Sometimes he was deliberately confrontational and controversial.
S. We want to think of Jesus as safe. I’m reminded of a scene from the C. S. Lewis books The Chronicles of Narnia. The Christ figure in these stories is a lion named Aslan, and when the children in the story first hear about Aslan, they’re afraid. They ask, "Is he safe?” The person telling them about the lion laughs, and says, "Safe? Of course he’s not safe. He’s a lion. But he’s good. "
T. If we think following Jesus is the best way to play it safe in life, we’re mistaken.
U. Jesus was the Son of God and God really isn’t safe. When we think about God telling Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac that definitely isn’t safe or kind. When the Ark of the Covenant was being taken into Jerusalem, the put it on a cart and it began to tip over and one man named Uzzah, an innocent bystander, reaches out and touches the ark so it will not fall. For this act, God struck down Uzzah. This is not safe or kind. The list could go on and on. WE all have questions about Jesus’ responses to this Canaanite woman along with other things, but this helps us to realize that God is God and we are not. We dare not make God in our own image. No, we take God as he is and worship him, even with our questions and misunderstandings, and that is that.
V. Steven Curtis Chapman- God is God and I am not I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting. God is God and I am man so I’ll never understand it all for only God is God
W. I do know one thing and that God is a jealous God. He wants to be #1 in our lives. (John 21:15 NIV) When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
X. I know that God will test our faith from time to time. I think this is the case here. Jesus is testing this woman’s faith. Mark Garland- we need to be mindful of how this text offends modern readers, but we should not try to remove its sting. We should let it stand, imagine Jesus speaking these words to us, and visualize our response. The honest answers to these questions ought to shed light on what prevents us from receiving God’s help and from reaching out to others.
Y. Let’s take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on the woman. After all, we are more like the woman because we are not divine like Jesus.
II. The Canaanite, Syrophoenician Woman
A. This woman is commended for her great faith. Three characteristics to her faith:
1. Desperation
a. This woman was in the middle of a crisis- her daughter was demon possessed. How much a mother will do for a daughter?
b. This woman would not leave Jesus alone. She bothered his disciples.
c. Even when Jesus made the comment about being only sent to Israel, she still would not leave. This woman humbled herself at the feet of Jesus, placing herself at His mercy. She does not move from this spot. She does not care if she is making a spectacle of herself. She doesn’t say her request once, she continues to beg, exhort and please with Jesus until her request is answered.
d. Her brokenness is evident here.
e. How I wish that we were so desperate for God!
f. The more desperate we are, the more we will rely upon the Lord and Him only to solve our problems.
g. If we are desperate, we will keep before Him until He answers, until he blesses by throwing a few crumbs our way.
h. One word of caution. Remember that what we want is not necessarily what the Lord wants. Sometimes the Lord will gently tell us “no” for some good reason. But until he does, we need to keep before him.
2. Humility
a. When Jesus hints that she is a dog, she does not take offense. She agreed with the Lord!
b. The woman humbles herself to admit that she doesn’t deserve anything. However, she wonders if the Lord could spare a few crumbs and answer her request.
c. This mother knew what the problem was; she just didn’t have an answer OUTSIDE of Christ. This is the real issue in the world today; the only answer to the problem of sin is a savior, Jesus Christ! All this mother knew was that she wanted her daughter healed, whatever it took!
d. She would beg if necessary, she would plead, whatever was needed.
e. There was no room for pride, she needed help!
f. Many would have been insulted, but not this woman. She knew her place.
g. Do we know ours? Do we realize that we deserve nothing? We have nothing and we deserve nothing from God.
h. She acknowledges her low place, but she asks that Jesus deal with her on the basis of her lowliness. One can only come to God and receive by recognizing our low place before Him.
i. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6)
3. Confidence
a. Faith like this is confident that even the crumbs from the table of the Lord when we are facing such crises are more than sufficient to meet our most difficult needs.
b. Notice that this woman’s daughter was not there. She was at home.
c. This woman has so much faith that she was confident her daughter could be healed just at the words of Jesus.
d. This woman’s faith had been tested and now it was triumphant! Mark 7:30.
e. Christ is still waiting for us to come to Him with faith, for our marriages, for our children, for our communities, what would happen if we came with such great faith?
Conclusion:
A. We are all dogs. We are all Gentiles.
B. Through the New Covenant in Jesus Christ we can be adopted children.
C. (Rev 22:14 NIV) "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.(Rev 22:15 NIV) Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
