Are not humans a strange breed.
I say this because….
Why on earth do we feel as if we have to discriminate between others based
on where the others were born,
or where they live, or what color their skin is,
or if they are rich or poor, a Southerner or a Yankee, blue collar or white collar,
English speaking or Spanish speaking...
or if they just have a different accent based on where they have been raised...?
(Pause)
We know that God does not show favoritism
and neither should we!
Everyone we see, everyone we look at,
everyone we meet...
is to be Jesus to us...
whether they are dressed in rags,
or in the most expensive designer clothes.
(Pause)
In today’s Gospel of Mark…
We can see Jesus again in a discussion about what is ’clean’ and what is ’unclean.’
He was trying to show the Jews we are all the same in God’s eyes….
But we now in ancient times Jews certainly thought
that any foreigners were to be deemed ’unclean.’
(Pause)
And here, again, Jesus shows us that there is quite a contrast
between the "commands of God"
and the "traditions of men" as to what is clean and unclean...
It is "from within"—
what comes "out of men’s hearts"—
that make a person ’clean’ or ’unclean’.
God does not judge people as people judge people.
God looks at the inside...
we, often tend to look at the outside.
(Pause)
What does God see when He looks at the inside of us?
Are we clean or unclean?
Anyhow I was just thinking out loud for a moment…
Let us get back to the scripture
Jesus is approached by a woman
"whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit."
And this woman came and fell at Jesus’ feet.
"She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter."
The Gospel tells us that this woman was a Greek, born in Syria Phoenicia.
She was a Gentile.
She was not of the Jewish race.
She was not thought of as one of God’s ’chosen’ people.
She was not a natural descendant of Abraham.
(Pause)
Now, Jesus says a very strange thing to this Syrophoenician woman.
He says:
"First let the children eat all they want,
for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."
You see Jesus said this because…
Israel felt as if they were God’s children...
and that everyone else were dogs.
So, Jesus, in teaching us another lesson about God and His kingdom,
says what He knows the people around Him are thinking.
They are thinking that this woman is a dog,
and she has no right to ask for the healing of her daughter...
or for anything for that matter!
And by making this reference...
Jesus is making a distinction between the claims of the children of Israel
and what Christ’s ministry is really about.
(Pause)
Jesus was often confronted by the self-righteous,
by those who thought that they were better than everyone else
simply because of their race.
(Pause)
In the first chapter of John we are told that all who receive Jesus Christ,
to those who believe in His name He gives the right to become children of God
-children born not of natural descent (as the natural descendents of Abraham felt),
nor of human decision or a husband’s will,
but born of God."
Everyone who is born of God,
or born again through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord
and Savior are Abraham’s descendants.
(Pause)
...You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
for all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
If you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."
(Pause)
Wow! How radical is that.
Our God is truly an awesome God!
He is big, really big! Much too big to put in a box!
Much too big to keep for ourselves and ourselves only!!!
"For God so loved the world..."
...not just the white man,
not just the black man,
not just the red man,
not just the rich man,
not just the poor man...
the whole world!!!
(Pause)
The Syrophoenician woman wanted Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter...
and she wasn’t about to let the prejudices of those around her get in her way!
She had a persistence and ingenuity
brought about by her love for her daughter.
(Pause)
She was not about to let anything stop her.
She had a love that would not let her child go!
(Pause)
I want you to imagine again…Imagine this….
Suppose that all Christian parents and all churches
had the same persistence and ingenuity
in bringing their children and all people the saving influence of Christ!
If parents had something of this woman’s relentless
determination to bring into their homes Jesus’ power,
His power to heal, His power to save...
how much smaller would the number be of children or people who drift away?
(Pause)
If a church felt the same way about bringing Jesus’ influence
into the lives of all its children and people, all the children and people in the community
...what a changed church and community there would be!!!
I’m talking about the love that never gives up!
(Pause)
Now imagine that churches name where love that never gives up….
It would be an awkward name for a church-
"The Syrophoenician Woman United Methodist Church"!
But it would be a church marked by her spirit
would be a joy to God and a saving power in the world!
The woman clearly understood where Jesus was coming from...
(Pause)
Jesus did not just come to save the children of Israel...
the natural descendants of Abraham...
He ca
There are no foreigners in God’s sight.
God has compassion for all who are in need of Him...and all are!
(Pause)
We are to see Jesus in the face of every man, woman and child...
for God created every human being in His image...
to love and be loved.
We must continually pray to God that we too,
like Jesus, will be able to look past the prejudices of our culture
and love everyone equally---
just because God loves them and died for them!
(Pause)
Everyone of every race, sex, nationality,
and class is in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ...
and let’s face it...
we live in a very diverse community!
We must find a way to overcome any and all racial barriers...
...we must find ways, as a congregation,
to reach out with the gospel of Jesus Christ to others around us
whether they look like us or not!!!
We all must call on the name of Jesus Christ in order to be saved!!!
(Pause)
As humans, we are a strange breed...
because we live in an evil and fallen world.
(Pause)
As Christians, we are a strange breed...
because we live in an evil and fallen world...
...but we are not to live as part of this evil and fallen world!
We are in this world...
but through faith in Jesus Christ...
we are no longer of this world...
...we are of the kingdom of God...
and in God’s Kingdom...
there are no foreigners!
Let us now pray to be God’s instruments in our fallen world…..
Help us to be instruments of Your compassion, O god,
and when people are hurting in our midst, help us to hear their cries for help.
Remove from us all racial prejudice and forgive us for the many ways we have been racist in the past.
Open our mouths to speak the good news to others.
Above all, show us the way to minister to all in need. In Christ’s name we pray.
Amen.