Scripture – Mark 7:24-30
Jesus’ response seems very un-Jesus like
doesn’t it? Instead of compassion and
mercy he lashes out and calls this woman a dog.
Some speculate that Jesus is tired and looking for a rest. He seems to be traveling alone and the
purpose for this journey is not to preach or heal, all of us need a break some
time. Jesus’ words disturb us because
they are not consistent with our image of who he is, but being both fully human
and fully God, Jesus can and does get frustrated and tired.
The mother is not deterred when he tells her
“it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs” (v
27). The children Jesus refers to here
are the Jews - the children of the covenant between God and Abraham. Gentiles were not descendants of Abraham
therefor not included in the covenant. Jesus has gone to an area which is
decidedly Gentile which is unusual because Jews and Gentiles did not really mix
except when necessary.
The woman defends her request answering back,
arguing her case saying that she is not searching for a meal but for
crumbs. She is seeking only a taste of
what he can do; such is her faith and her desperation that she knows that just a
taste of his healing is all that her daughter needs.
The mother’s faith reminds me of the woman with
the hemorrhage who has the faith that if she just touches the hem of Jesus’
robe that she will be healed (5:25-34).
Both women have great faith related to small actions. The one woman in touching Jesus’ clothes and
the other that crumbs from the kingdom of God can heal her daughter.
In Mark’s gospel it seems that these women get
what Jesus is about when those who are closest to Jesus and those who should
recognize him do not. Here this gentile
woman notices him when he does not want to be noticed and approaches him bowing
at his feet in a posture of submission, paying respect or honor when begging
him to heal her daughter.
And when she is insulted she has the courage to
be persistent pointing out that he has not just come for the children of the
covenant but all of God’s children. In
this sense she is a kind of prophetess strong in her conviction bringing to
mind the words of Isaiah, “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my
salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (49:6).
She says, “even the dogs under the table eat
the children’s crumbs” (6:28). And I am
learning how true these words are as Alex learns to feed himself.
But seriously, this woman knows how abundant
God’s Kingdom is. She realizes that
Jesus came to redeem all people, period.
And that the meal that is served at the Lord’s table spills over so that
even those who do not have a seat still get to enjoy the feast.
And when Jesus is reminded of this he changes
his mind and heals her daughter giving her a serving of his healing grace. Because of her faith she is given seat at the
table where she was not welcome before.
We learn from this woman the importance of
persistence in the face of adversity, we learn the importance of asking Jesus
for what we want or need. Some times we
are content to pray, “Lord, thy will be done.”
Don’t get me wrong this is a good prayer, but sometimes we need to be a
little more specific.
One time I was out with my dad watching a
meteor shower and I was busy wishing on the stars as they fell. Dad asked me what I was asking God for and I
was little and said a baseball glove. He
asked me why I didn’t ask for world peace and I told him that I thought God
already knows that.
We should be encouraged to pray specifics even
though God knows our prayers before they are formed on our lips. One of the reasons we pray to God is so that
we realize that we depend on him and recognize that the results of prayer
indeed come from God.
This woman’s specific prayer is that Jesus will
heal her daughter; she has heard about what he is capable of, perhaps she has
heard how Jesus brought back Jairus’ daughter and seeks restoration for her daughter
and she receives it.
After the sermon and before our next hymn I
would like you to take a minute or two for you to reflect and perhaps write
down:
What is your specific prayer?
I’m not talking about a prayer for an open
parking spot or a baseball glove.
What is it that you long for?
What is it that you desire for yourself or someone
that you know?
Some of us might feel some resistance in doing
this because it seems silly or there is the fear of disappointment in
unanswered prayer. We might have been
taught that it is not right for us to pry for ourselves, but I assure you that
it is.
I encourage you to set whatever resistance
creeps in aside and take the chance and pray in faith and pray in persistence
and the more specific the better. If you
still feel resistance ask God to help you pray, to give you the words to speak
in prayer.
Perhaps you too, will find a crumb of grace if
not an entire meal.
Rev. Michael Fry preaching
at East Bethany PC
September 9, 2012
Sources used for this sermon include.
- Sermon Brainwave and the Working Preacher Website. www.workingpreacher.org
- Feasting on the Word Bible Commentary, Year B, Vol. 3. WJK: 2009.
This passage in seven words: Crumbs of Grace taste wonderful to me.
Haiku: Grace falls to the ground
God’s
crumbs heal, restoring all
and
taste as good as the feast.
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