Episode Transcript
CONSECRATE
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
HEAR
Matthew 15:29–31 ESV
Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them, so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
CONSIDER
I got a picture last week of what we are up to on this Gospelling journey. We are riding together in a hot air balloon—slowly and peacefully drifting over the countryside of the Gospels. We've got a bird's-eye view of all the goings on below, and from time to time we land back on the ground, get out, and walk around a particular scene or situation for an up-close look.
We are flying over new country today. It's called "the region of Tyre and Sidon," also known as Gentile country. So what does that mean, "Gentile country"? Well, in those days (as in these) there were only two kinds of people: Jews and Gentiles. While there is enormous complexity and nuance around this, I think I can cut to the chase and bring great clarity and simplicity for our purposes. My translation of "Jews and Gentiles" is "insiders and outsiders." Let's get it down on the ground now. There are only two groups of people: us and them. And Jesus isn't having it.
And did you feel that big bump? That was our hot air balloon touching down on the ground. We are going in for a closer look at Matthew 15:22–28 (NIV).
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
He ignored her. The absurdity of this scene tells me Jesus is up to something. I mean, he paid attention to the Roman Centurion's need a few days back. It's just not Jesus to totally ignore anyone.
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
He rejected her. It's clear to me Jesus is putting on a show for his disciples. He's towing the party line; playing to the base. He's holding up a mirror for them. Because it's just not Jesus to totally reject anyone.
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
He insulted her. She is on her knees—begging. This is your little girl we are talking about. By now, his disciples are waking up to the absurdity of their deeply held convictions. It's just not Jesus to insult anyone.
“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
And now this beautiful, suffering, compassionate mom puts on the dress. Yes, she puts on this hideous dress woven by absurdity and indignity and insult; and Jesus turns it inside out, causing shame to bow down to glory, as she wears this tattered garment like a Versace gown.
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
There's a bigger healing here. The us and them begin to become we. So much for going only to the lost sheep of Israel, right? Now read today's text again, which comes on the heels of this encounter. Here's the headline: Mass Healings in Gentile Country!
Okay, there is one more thing. There's a little word with a big punch tucked into the text: θαυμάζω, pronounced "thou-mad'-zo." It means wonderment or marveling or astonishment or amazement. And you are going to love our hymn today and my special guest to help me sing it. [[LINK TO YOUTUBE video HERE WITH CHRIS TOMLIN]]
PRAY
Lord Jesus, we stand amazed in your presence. You are the definition of astonishing and amazing and marvelous. We are undone by your unbounded compassion and limitless mercy. Crush the dividing walls in us between us and them. Lead us into your eternal we. We pray in your name, amen.
