Not Offended

Jesus speaks boldly. Some are offended. Some are not. Let’s discover what happened when a woman chose not to be offended at Jesus’ words, in Matthew 15:10-28.

Offended

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” (Matthew 15:10-12 NKJV)

How easily are we offended? Pharisees constantly sniped at Jesus, but were offended when Jesus suggested that our words can defile us. Are we too offended when the Word of God is preached? Do we prefer pastors who will, “Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits”? (Isaiah 30:10 NKJV)

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” (Matthew 15:13-14 NKJV)

A plant cultivated by human hands, is symbolic of human doctrines and vain traditions planted in our minds. Like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they may look desirable but they are not good for us, nor supported by the Word of God. They will be uprooted. 

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? (Matthew 15:15-17 NKJV)

Though clean foods and practices may have prevented some unhealthy effects, they did not make people’s hearts clean or unclean. The Pharisees’ hand washing ritual was a rule added to those laws. Jesus' disciples were criticized for ignoring the man-made ritual. But, it did not clean up an unclean heart.

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” (Matthew 15:18-20 NKJV)

Is occasional provocative bluntness wrong? Can outward man-made traditions distract us from what’s really important in our hearts? One of the weaknesses of the King James Bible is watering down some language due to English cultural prejudice towards polite speech. Tough love occasionally requires speaking in a blunt, offensive manner.

Jesus was without sin, so if He offends us, do we need to examine ourselves? Is tact the appropriate course in EVERY situation? In some situations commands must be given clearly, sharply and followed quickly. When someone is about to drive over a cliff, is saying "Pardon me" really appropriate?

Not Offended

Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. (Matthew 15:21-23 NKJV)

Why did Jesus fall silent? Was it to test her faith? Was it to compassionately consider a request outside His ministry’s purpose? Do we sometimes cry out in prayer and God does not answer? Does waiting purify and perfect our faith? Does waiting make God’s ultimate answer even more treasured?

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” (Matthew 15:23-26 NKJV)

The woman begged none of the saintly Apostles to intercede for her. She asked Jesus. Was His uncharacteristic bluntness a test of her faith and persistence? Jesus relented when He saw faith. Faith is what matters, not nationality or denomination. Abraham was the father of the faithful. Faith transcends lineage.

And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:20-28 NKJV)

Unlike many moderns, she was not offended, but boldly kept asking. Her faith was bigger than any offense. Jesus was elated to see her great faith and healed her daughter. Could such a glowing compliment coming on the heels of such a potential offense be the core of this lesson?

Are we ashamed of our past? The Gentile woman was from a culture known for ritual prostitution and sacrifice of newborn children. Israelites called them dogs. Shame often makes it difficult to pray to God for His mercy. However, God’s grace covers shame. God welcomes all who come in faith.

The disciples came from a people with a long history of knowledge of God but little faith. The Canaanite woman came to Jesus with nothing, but strong faith. Perhaps like Paul we should count our pasts as dung (Philippians 3:7-8) and come to Jesus with nothing to brag about.

Bigotry defines some people as unwashed, unclean, unwanted based upon physical characteristics like skin shade, nationality, income, religious tradition and so on. Yet, Jesus shows what is most important. Are our hearts clean and filled with faith?

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Readings

Genesis 45:1-15 After 13 years in Egypt, 10 of those in prison, Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers. How long have we waited upon God in difficult circumstances?

Psalm 133 Unity in diversity is a big topic today, but what are the limits to this? Should unity include heresy?

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Though all nations have failed God, His plan of salvation has not changed. Now through Gentile believers He brings salvation to the Jews.

Matthew 15:10-28 in Rhyme

Eating doesn’t defile a man
But what he says certainly can
This offended the Pharisees
Planted by men, torn out with ease

Let them be; the blind lead the blind
Both fall in a ditch, bear in mind
The words we say come from the heart
The place where evil thoughts depart

These are things which defile a man
Not eating with an unwashed hand
Later a Gentile woman came
My daughter’s sick she did explain

Jesus answered her not a word
Send her off the disciples slurred
Jesus said, Israel’s my mission
“Lord, help me!” was her submission

He said, “Children’s bread’s not for pups.”
She said, “A dog from the crumbs sups.”
Jesus said, “O your faith is great!”
Her daughter was healed on that date

Out of the Heart

Prelude

Are we so blinded by our church buildings and our rituals that we don’t see God? Are we blinded by the world’s sinfulness? Are we noble like the Bereans, studying our Bibles daily to see what God says? What defiles us? Let’s look at Matthew 15:10-20 and see what Jesus has to say about blindness and what’s in our hearts.

This Defiles the Man

Reading Matthew 15:10-11 Jesus taught, “Hear and understand. It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” The Pharisees stressed the letter of the law, but Jesus was more concerned with the spirit of our words than kosher meats and handwashing. Why? How do our words defile us? Our words reveal what’s in our hearts.

The Pharisees were Offended

Reading Matthew 15:12 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’” Jesus offended religious leaders without apology. Did He set Himself above kosher law from the Old Testament? The Pharisees kept it in the letter not understanding the spiritual intent of the law. Are we afraid of sharing the Gospel because it may offend some people?

4 Times Blind

Reading Matthew 15:13-14 “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Don’t be anxious about heresies. Every man-made doctrine, every man-made tradition, and every church ministry which God did not plant will eventually disappear, so dismiss them from your thoughts.

From the Heart

Reading Matthew 15:15-18 “... the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.” Our words tell what’s in our hearts. Our hearts defile us, and outward washing rituals and kosher dietary regulations cannot make us clean inside. The heart is the corrupt source of this defilement. Sinful words come from there, and by polluting others only serve to defile others as well.

Out of the Heart

Reading Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” All these evil things begin with thoughts. This follows the order of the Ten Commandments, but instead of covetousness ends with blasphemies or slander, the Greek word can mean either. Jesus said that breaking the Ten Commandments is done in the heart, not just in the flesh (Matthew 5:22, 28).

Application 1

Blind leaders place human traditions ahead of matters of the heart. Blind leaders find excuses to sidestep the instructions of God. Blind leaders preach “inclusion,” meaning accomodation to the sins of the world, so that they can keep the money coming in. Blind leaders preach “unconditional love,” often preached as “come as you are,” meaning no need to change, when real love is preaching repentance, and rescuing sinners from hell.

Application 2

How can we avoid being misled by blind leaders. Listen carefully to their words. The Bereans listened carefully to Paul (Acts 17:10-11). Being a good listener means we don’t naively swallow everything we hear, but analyze it. For Christians that also means we compare it to the Scriptures. Don’t just believe any preacher. Follow along in our Bibles. If we don’t study our Bibles daily, we become quickly blind.

Postlude

Blind leaders and their followers will be “uprooted… [and] fall into a pit.” Jesus concludes by saying, “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

We often focus on the physical side of religion, our buildings, our rituals, but not our changed hearts, yet that’s the very definition of repentance. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:16-17)

Matthew 15:10-20; Matthew 5:22, 28; Acts 17:10-11; Matthew 13:16-17

New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/matt/mt15_12.htm

Clean Hearts

Intro

Much of human bigotry is based upon physical characteristics such as race, nationality, income, religion and so on. Yet, Jesus shows that what is important is whether or not our hearts are clean.

Purpose

Let’s examine the bigotry of putting some people down because of their outward appearance.

Plan

We will look at Matthew 15:10-28 and two confrontations that Jesus had.

1. Read Matthew 15:10-19 (Confrontation with the Pharisees)

Defiled by the Words

What makes us clean or unclean? Old Testament laws defined clean and unclean foods and practices. The Pharisees’ hand washing ritual was a man-made rule of serious devotion to those laws. Jesus' disciples were criticized for ignoring the ritual. Jesus was blunt and provocative. He stated that these highly respected religious leaders were not of God and that the disciples should ignore them. Was Jesus concerned with spiritual cleanness? Was the real purpose of Old Testament cleanliness laws to teach us about being spiritually clean in our hearts? Fastidiously following the Old Testament food laws does not guarantee a clean heart. Can religious rituals distract us from important matters of the heart? Faith is not outward religious mumbo jumbo, a show. Cleaning up unclean hearts is God’s focus. Are we letting God wash our hearts clean?

Necessary Offense

Some people have the philosophy that we should by all means avoid offense. If we naively swallow the line of politically correct speech we may find difficulty with passages such as this. Yet, Jesus was often faced with a dilemma, avoid offense and stand for nothing or cause offense and teach a valuable lesson. He often criticized the Pharisees publicly. Jesus was no kisser of rear ends. At times tough words are required in order to bring out the best in people. The shock value of offensive language is used sometimes throughout the Holy Scriptures to wake people up and bring them to repentance. One of the weaknesses of the King James Bible is that it watered down some of that language due to English cultural prejudice towards polite speech. Tough love occasionally requires speaking in a blunt, offensive manner.

When Blunt is Right

Some cultures have a reputation for being tactless and blunt while others seem to be more diplomatic and polite. To the well-mannered among us Jesus’ behavior here may seem inappropriate. Yet Jesus was without sin, so is it ourselves that we need to examine? What can we learn from Jesus' bluntness in his encounter with the Canaanite woman? Grace towards others includes tact and is therefore in many cases a good response. However, is tact the appropriate course in every situation? In professions like the theater, choreography, firefighting and the military there is little time for polite diplomacy. Commands must be given sharply and followed quickly. When someone is about to drive over a cliff, is saying "Pardon me" really appropriate? Positive confrontation can be used for good and what Jesus did was always good.

2. Read Matthew 15:20-28 (Confrontation with a Gentile Woman)

Faith not Race

Jesus rejected a Gentile woman asked for healing, saying that it was not right to give the children’s food to dogs? Wow! Rather than take offense, the woman boldly challenged Jesus. Her faith was bigger than her racial sensitivities. Jesus was elated to see her great faith and healed her daughter. Could such a glowing compliment coming on the heels of such an awful insult be the core of this lesson? Was Jesus really a racial bigot or testing her faith? Dare we judge Christ by human political correctness? A good teacher will sometimes challenge students with an offensive view to bring out the best in them. How could Jesus, who created all of humanity, be racially bigoted? Doesn’t the story really show that regardless of race, bold faith is what counts with Jesus?

Was Jesus Rude & Bigoted?

The story of Jesus and the Gentile woman is one of the most shocking. Jesus appeared to be rude and bigoted. It was an animated encounter. The woman cried for mercy and the disciples, like a bunch of school bullies encouraged Jesus to just get rid of her. It is reminiscent of some churches today, who turn away from communion those of a different church or shun family members who have left their order. Why was Jesus so uncharacteristically blunt? Unlike harshly exclusive churches Jesus relented when he saw faith. Faith is what matters, not the race or church or order that a person belongs to. Abraham was the father of the faithful. Faith transcends breed, and Jesus’ drama emphasized that point. When will we get over our religious bigotry and recognize the faith of others?

Confrontation Jesus-Style

We don’t like confrontation. Yet occasionally it is necessary. Some avoid it by gossiping or pretending that everything is okay. Others confront in negative and divisive ways by the extremes of bullying or cowardice. Jesus confronted a Gentile woman in a positive way. What can we learn from this in regard to confrontation Jesus-style? First, we notice that Jesus gave the woman no reply. The time for confrontation was not until she became insistent. Second, he became increasingly specific with the woman. First, he replied mildly about his ministry excluding Gentiles. Then he became very blunt, reminding the woman of her ancestry. The Canaanites once engaged in child-sacrifice and ritual prostitution. This disgusting history is perhaps why Israelites called them dogs. The confrontation revealed the woman’s faith for the disciples to see and Jesus intervened as she requested.

An Unclean Person made Clean by Faith

In the Old Testament period unclean eating and unclean people were equally forbidden. Some have tried to link the lists of unclean foods with in-edibility, but that is reading into the Bible more than it says. The whole of the laws of clean and unclean are summarized by Peter’s remarkable revelation that we should no longer call any person unclean (Acts 10:28). And so Jesus began leading his disciples into this new understanding by confronting a Gentile woman from a region with a particularly heinous history, Canaan. Every nation has a history of crimes against humanity. Americans bow their heads in shame over slavery and stealing native American lands. Australians bow their heads in shame over genocide of the Tasmanian aborigine. Germans bow their heads in shame about the holocaust. Jesus’ confrontation was a lab lesson in understanding that faith makes anyone clean, no matter what their historical background.

Shame and Grace

Shame is a terrible burden. Are we so ashamed of our past that we find it difficult to pray? A Gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. We are not told of her personal sins, only that she was from a culture known for ritual prostitution and sacrifice of newborn children. Our culture is similar, with our shameless immorality and killing of inconvenient unborn children. When we are ashamed of personal sins or the sins of our people we may find it difficult to pray and ask God for any blessings. We may feel undeserving and we would be right. None of us is deserving. However, God’s grace covers shame. He blesses us though we don’t deserve it and this story is one of many examples where God graciously intervened when someone boldly requested his help. God welcomes all who come in faith.

Welcome Mat or Trespass Sign

What kind of sign is outside our church building? What kind of reputation do we have in the community? Do we seem to have a welcome mat or a no trespassing sign? The discussion between exclusivity and inclusiveness in the Church is two thousand years old and the conversation is not over yet. Part of that discussion is these events. The Old Testament was very exclusive. Males had to be circumcised. Everyone had to meet strict requirement of ritual cleansing. Even marriages with foreigners were forbidden. Israel’s relationship with its neighbors was best described as a one-way street with no compromises. In the New Testament, we find a change. The requirements are simple: repentance towards God, faith in Jesus Christ and willingness to follow where the Holy Spirit leads. All people everywhere are included.

When Jesus says No

When Jesus says no are we reluctant to appeal? Remember the persistent Gentile woman here and the persistent widow elsewhere. Could it be that God will sometimes test our faith in ways that make us think he is unfair, racist, bigoted, rude, arrogant or uncaring? Yet, in the end his mercy is just. Faith means not giving up. Jacob wrestled all night with God’s messenger. It seems that God wants us to learn to be unrelenting. Indeed, he that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13). Just as a wise parent will encourage a placid child to fight for themselves, is God trying to bring out the best in us by helping us to learn persistence even in the face of insults?

Unable to be Insulted

Don’t you just love to be around people who are unfazed when they are insulted! Some people just shrug their shoulders, others even agree with the insults with a so-what attitude especially if a fault that is common to all is part of the affront. There are many similar fascinating approaches that defuse potentially angry encounters. Jesus insulted a Gentile woman by saying that it's just not right to take bread out of the children's mouths and toss it to the dogs. Many people would hurl back another insult and some might even want to start a useless fist fight over such taunting words. What did the woman do? Rather than be insulted she turned the insult to her favor, by insisting that even the dogs get to eat the crumbs from the table. Let’s imagine a time when our culture has few Christians left.

The Year 3020

It is the year 3020. Asia and Africa are wealthy Christian continents. After a thousand years of poverty and trouble, Europe and America are returning to Christianity. Historians tell us what happened to the once great Christian powers of Europe and America. They became decadent and worshipped the gods of Money, Power and Sex instead of the true God. They were Democratic Oligarchies making parents work long hours with low pay and with little time off. Families were sacrificed for the wealthy elite. Reminiscent of other ancient societies like the Canaanites they were sexually promiscuous and killed their unwanted children. Christianity waned, marriages failed and children suffered most. They became possessed by the demons of violence. In the year 3020 many from Europe and America are returning to Christianity and praying to Jesus to heal their children. Is this our future? Are we filled with national pride and arrogance or do we come to Jesus with nothing?

She Came to Jesus with Nothing

The woman of Canaan came to Jesus with nothing. European and American Christians come to Jesus with pride and arrogance. We believe that our heritage makes us superior. Canaanite history by contrast was reprehensible and despised. We quickly forget our own shame. The Napituca, Mystic and Jamestown Massacres are only a few of the many shameful acts of American history. The Spanish Inquisition, Polish pogroms and Nazi atrocities are only a few of the many shameful acts of European history. The disciples were from a people with a long history of knowledge of God but they had little faith. The Canaanite woman came to Jesus with nothing, but her faith was strong. Perhaps like Paul we ought to count our own pasts as dung (Philippians 3:7-8) and come to Jesus with nothing to brag about.

Tradition Does not Guarantee Faith

The woman of Canaan came to Jesus with nothing but was praised for her great faith. The Pharisees came to Jesus with a great tradition in the Holy Scriptures but were criticized for their almost total lack of faith. Modern Christianity is based upon Scripture, tradition, reason and in some cases experience. Of those, Scripture is the most reliable. Our traditions often mirror those of the Pharisees and our literature reflects the Jewish Talmud. We are proud of our traditions, whether they are ancient or modern. We speak highly of our Church fathers and bind rules upon our denominations that neither Jesus nor the Apostles demanded of the Church. We ask if we have fulfilled all the requirements that were established by mere men, but do not ask if we have great faith. Yet it is faith that saves.

Outro

Bigotry defines some people as unwashed, unclean, unwanted based entirely upon physical characteristics such as race, nationality, income, religious tradition and so on. Yet, Jesus shows that what is important is whether or not our hearts are clean and filled with faith. Will we allow him to make our hearts clean by faith?

Good News for Unwanted People

Intro

Bigotry defines some people as unwashed, unclean, unwanted based entirely upon physical characteristics such as race, nationality, income, religion and so on. Yet, Jesus shows that what is important is whether or not our hearts are clean.

Purpose

I would like to bust the bigotry of classism, racism, nationalism, religious superiority and such like.

Plan

We will look at Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees over cleanliness rituals and with a gentile woman over racial issues.

1. Confrontation with the Pharisees

Defiled by the Words

What makes us clean or unclean? Old Testament laws defined clean and unclean foods or practices. The Pharisees’ hand washing ritual was a man-made rule but showed serious devotion to those laws. Jesus' disciples were criticized for ignoring the ritual (Matthew 15:10-28). Jesus was blunt and provocative. He stated that these highly respected religious leaders were not of God and that the disciples should ignore them. Was Jesus concerned with spiritual cleanness? Was the real purpose of Old Testament cleanliness laws to teach us about being spiritually clean in our hearts? Fastidiously following the Old Testament food laws does not guarantee a clean heart. Can religious rituals distract us from important matters of the heart? Faith is not outward religious mumbo jumbo, a show. Cleaning up unclean hearts is God’s focus. Are we letting God wash our hearts clean? What about political correctness?

Necessary Offense

Some people have the philosophy that we should by all means avoid offense. If we naively swallow the line of politically correct speech we may find difficulty with passages such as Matthew 15:10-28. Yet, Jesus was often faced with a dilemma, avoid offense and stand for nothing or cause offense and teach a valuable lesson. He often criticized the Pharisees publicly. Jesus was no obsequious sycophant. At times tough words are required in order to bring out the best in people. The shock value of offensive language is used sometimes throughout the Holy Scriptures to wake people up and bring them to repentance. One of the weaknesses of the King James Bible is that it watered down some of that language due to English cultural prejudice towards polite speech. Tough love occasionally requires speaking in a blunt, offensive manner. When is being blunt right?

When Blunt is Right

Some cultures have a reputation for being tactless and blunt while others seem to be more diplomatic and polite. To the well-mannered among us Jesus’ behavior in Matthew 15:10-28 could seem inappropriate. Yet Jesus was without sin, so is it is behavior that we need to examine? What can we learn from Jesus' bluntness in his encounter with the Canaanite woman? Grace towards others includes tact and is therefore in many cases a good response. However, is tact the appropriate course in every situation? In professions like the theater, choreography, firefighting and the military there is little time for polite diplomacy. Commands must be given sharply and followed quickly. When someone is about to drive over a cliff, is saying "Pardon me" really appropriate? Positive confrontation can be used for good and what Jesus did was always good. Let’s look at his confrontation with a gentile woman.

2. Confrontation with a Gentile Woman

Faith not Race

Was Jesus a bigot? He rejected a Gentile woman asked for healing, saying that it was not right to give the children’s food to dogs (Matthew 15:10-28)? Rather than take offense, the woman boldly challenged Jesus. Her faith was bigger than racial sensitivities. Jesus was elated to see her great faith and healed her daughter. Could such a glowing compliment coming on the heels of such an awful insult be the core of this lesson? Was Jesus really a racial bigot or testing her faith? Dare we judge Christ by human political correctness? A good teacher will sometimes challenge students with an offensive view to bring out the best in them. How could Jesus, who created all of humanity, be racially bigoted? Does not the story really show that regardless of race, bold faith is what counts with Jesus? Do we find faith in other churches?

Rude & Bigoted Jesus?

The story of Jesus and the Gentile woman in Matthew 15:10-28 is one of the most shocking. Jesus appeared to be rude and bigoted. It was an animated encounter. The woman cried for mercy and the disciples, like a bunch of school bullies encouraged Jesus to just get rid of her. It is reminiscent of some churches today, who turn away from communion those of a different church or shun family members who have left their order. Why was Jesus so uncharacteristically blunt? Unlike harshly exclusive churches Jesus relented when he saw faith. Faith is what matters, not the race or church or order that a person belongs to. Abraham was the father of the faithful. Faith transcends breed, and Jesus’ drama emphasized that point. When will we get over our religious bigotry and recognize the faith of others? Does Jesus confront us to test our faith?

Confrontation Jesus-Style

We don’t like confrontation. Yet occasionally it is necessary. Some avoid it by gossiping or pretending that everything is okay. Others confront in negative and divisive ways by the extremes of bullying or cowardice. In Matthew 15:10-28 Jesus confronted a Gentile woman in a positive way. What can we learn from this in regard to confrontation Jesus-style? First, we notice that Jesus gave the woman no reply. The time for confrontation was not until she became insistent. Second, he became increasingly specific with the woman. First, he replied mildly about his ministry excluding Gentiles. Then he became very blunt, reminding the woman of her ancestry. The Canaanites once engaged in child-sacrifice and ritual prostitution. This disgusting history is perhaps why Israelites called them dogs. The confrontation revealed the woman’s faith for the disciples to see and Jesus intervened as she requested. Did her faith make her acceptable?

Unclean made Clean by Faith

In the Old Testament period unclean eating and unclean people were equally forbidden. Some have tried to link the lists of unclean foods with in-edibility, but that is reading into the Bible more than it says. The whole of the laws of clean and unclean are summarized by Peter’s remarkable revelation that we should no longer call any person unclean (Acts 10:28). And so in Matthew 15:10-28 Jesus began leading his disciples into this new understanding by confronting a Gentile woman from a region with a particularly heinous history, Canaan. Every nation has a history of crimes against humanity. Americans bow their heads in shame over slavery and native Americans. Australians bow their heads in shame over the Tasmanian aborigine. Germans bow their heads in shame about the holocaust. Jesus’ confrontation was a practicum, an object lesson in understanding that faith makes anyone clean, no matter what their historical background. Her faith overcame her national shame.

Shame and Grace

Shame is a terrible burden. Are we so ashamed of our past that we find it difficult to pray? In Matthew 15:10-28 a Gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. We are not told of her personal sins, only that she was from a culture known for ritual prostitution and sacrifice of newborn children. Our culture is similar, with our shameless immorality and killing of inconvenient unborn children. When we are ashamed of personal sins or the sins of our people we may find it difficult to pray and ask God for any blessings. We may feel undeserving and we would be right. None of us is deserving. However, God’s grace covers shame. He blesses us though we don’t deserve it and this story is one of many examples where God graciously intervened when someone boldly requested his help. God welcomes all who come in faith.

Welcome Mat or Trespass Sign

What kind of sign is outside our church building? What kind of reputation do we have in the community? Do we seem to have a welcome mat or a no trespassing sign? The discussion between exclusivity and inclusiveness in the Church is two thousand years old and the conversation is not over yet. Part of that discussion is the events of Matthew 15:10-28. The Old Testament was very exclusive. Males had to be circumcised. Everyone had to meet strict requirement of ritual cleansing. Even marriages with foreigners were forbidden. Israel’s relationship with its neighbors was best described as a one-way street with no compromises. In the New Testament, we find a change. The requirements are simple: repentance towards God, faith in Jesus Christ and willingness to follow where the Holy Spirit leads. All people everywhere are being invited in. What if God says no?

When Jesus says No

When Jesus says no are we reluctant to appeal? Remember the importunate Gentile woman in Matthew 15:10-28? Did you think I was going to say the importunate widow? That’s another example of being persistent with God. Could it be that God will sometimes test our faith in ways that make us think he is unfair, racist, bigoted, rude, arrogant or uncaring? Yet, in the end his mercy is just. Faith means not giving up. Jacob wrestled all night with God’s messenger. It seems that God wants us to learn to be unrelenting. Indeed, he that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13). Just as a wise parent will encourage a placid child to fight for themselves, is God trying to bring out the best in us by helping us to learn persistence even in the face of insults?

Unable to be Insulted

Don’t you just love to be around people who are unfazed when they are insulted! Some people just shrug their shoulders, others even agree with the insults with a so-what attitude especially if a fault that is common to all is part of the affront. There are many similar fascinating approaches that defuse potentially angry encounters. In Matthew 15:10-28 Jesus insulted a Gentile woman by saying that it's just not right to take bread out of the children's mouths and toss it to the dogs. Many people would hurl back another insult and some might even want to start a useless fist fight over such taunting words. What did the woman do? Rather than be insulted she turned the insult to her favor, by insisting that even the dogs get to eat the crumbs from the table. Let’s imagine a time when our culture has few Christians left.

The Year 3020

It is the year 3020. Asia and Africa are wealthy Christian continents. After a thousand years of poverty and trouble, Europe and America are returning to Christianity. Historians tell us what happened to the once great Christian powers of Europe and America. They became decadent and worshipped the gods of Money, Power and Sex instead of the true God. They were Democratic Oligarchies making parents work long hours with low pay and with little time off. Families were sacrificed for the wealthy elite. Reminiscent of other ancient societies like the Canaanites they were sexually promiscuous and killed their unwanted children. Christianity waned, marriages failed and children suffered most. They became possessed by the demons of violence. In the year 3020 many from Europe and America are returning to Christianity and praying to Jesus to heal their children (Matthew 15:10-28). Is this our future? Are we filled with national pride and arrogance or do we come to Jesus with nothing?

She Came to Jesus with Nothing

The woman of Canaan in Matthew 15:10-28 came to Jesus with nothing. European and American Christians come to Jesus with pride and arrogance. We believe that our heritage makes us superior. Canaanite history by contrast was reprehensible and despised. We quickly forget our own shame. The Napituca, Mystic and Jamestown Massacres are only a few of the many shameful acts of American history. The Spanish Inquisition, Polish pogroms and Nazi atrocities are only a few of the many shameful acts of European history. The disciples were from a people with a long history of knowledge of God but they had little faith. The Canaanite woman came to Jesus with nothing, but her faith was strong. Perhaps like Paul we ought to count our own pasts as dung (Philippians 3:7-8) and come to Jesus with nothing to brag about. Are we proud of our church traditions?

Tradition Does not Guarantee Faith

The woman of Canaan in Matthew 15:10-28 came to Jesus with nothing but was praised for her great faith. The Pharisees came to Jesus with a great tradition in the Holy Scriptures but were criticized for their almost total lack of faith. Modern Christianity is based upon Scripture, tradition and reason. Of those three, Scripture is the most reliable. Our traditions often mirror those of the Pharisees and our literature reflects the Jewish Talmud. We are proud of our traditions, whether they are ancient or modern. We speak highly of our Church fathers and bind rules upon our denominations that neither Jesus nor the Apostles demanded of the Church. We ask if we have fulfilled all the requirements that were established by mere men, but do not ask if we have great faith. Yet it is faith that saves.

Outro

Bigotry defines some people as unwashed, unclean, unwanted based entirely upon physical characteristics such as race, nationality, income, religious tradition and so on. Yet, Jesus shows that what is important is whether or not our hearts are clean. Will we allow him to make our hearts clean?