Sunday 8th September – Changing Plans – Pastor Adrian Kitson

Every time come across this strange encounter between Jesus and a very persistent gentile mum desperate for some real help for her suffering daughter the seeming rudeness of the words Jesus says to this mum catch my ear.

A Greek woman, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

Nothing unusual there, but then …

Essentially a “No”.

But then …

This seems so harsh. What is this uncharacteristic rudeness?

We all say we believe that Jesus was human as well as God’s only Son. When we say that we probably think of him truly suffering, bleeding and dying on that cross. But what about less obvious and more common signs of humanness? What about just plain “cranky Jesus. Is he THAT human? Sounds like it.

We might find this hard to take. Jesus’ response seems to fly in the face of all the ‘tolerance’ and ‘inclusion’ that we are now expected to live in, as well as in the face of that nice fluffy warm and friendly version of Christianity built on a Saviour who always nice and always says yes! Not here!

At this stage of his public ministry Jesus is like some hounded politician or movie star facing the unwanted assault of the paparazzi wherever he goes.

But he has headed out to a place he thought might be hidden to the constant demand.

He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it …

He is in Tyre. That is a long way away from his home place in kilometer’s and culture.

It is a Gentile sea-side city of great commerce and significance in the Mediterranean economy. This is modern day Lebanon. Not a place for a Jewish rabbi to be!!

Surely he won’t be recognized here …

But, we hear, he was noticed, by this mum looking for help.

Nowhere else does he refuse a direct request to heal someone. Nowhere else does he respond to a seeking person with a bald insult like this, calling her and her sick daughter “dogs.“

It is a name Jewish people would use of unclean, sub-standard Gentiles. Why the name? Although Jesus’ motives are not clear, his intent seems very clear. He refuses the request for help.

We have to make a decision about this harsh and uncharacteristic word from Jesus today. Is the woman passing a test or winning an argument?

Some say she is passing a test. Jesus’ initial refusal to heal her daughter (verse 27) must have not been a cranky Jesus letting it fly but rather a Jesus speaking words with a playful gleam in his eye. His words are giving the woman a chance to express the faith he knows dwells within her before he gladly heals her daughter. In this case, she is passing a little test of faith.

Others say, no. There is no test. This is just plain “No”. Maybe Jesus means what he says and has no intention of freeing the daughter from her oppression and unwellness. He has that authority. But she wins the argument with a pithy reply.

Many would say the women is neither passing a faith test or winning a theological argument. She is simply asking for help.

Not a TEST

Not an ARGUMENT

Simply ASKING for help …

And what I noticed is that Jesus says,

So, there is a ‘first’ and a ‘second’ priority or time. There is a plan here. Maybe the request itself is not bad but the timing is out. Might this be not so harsh – not a dead-end ‘No”, but more a “No, not yet”?

“Let the children (of Israel) be fed first”. Not “Let them (the Jewish people) be the only ones fed forever”.

God’s kingdom life will come to gentiles like her, in time, but for now God’s new life in Jesus are focused on his chosen people – Israel.

But this mum in need is not taking even a “No, not yet”!

Like any parent wanting serious help for their child, this mum persists….

Wow.

“Jesus, even if I don’t know your wise plan and if my timing is wrong, even a few scraps of your healing power will be good for my daughter”.

Where’s the ‘faith’? This is the only healing account that does not have ‘faith’ as the thing mentioned and commended. Instead, Jesus commends the woman’s ‘reply’ or ‘word’.

That is the ‘faith’. Her ‘word’ or ‘reply’ is the faith. Asking IS faith; even asking is trusting that Jesus can act in goodness and love.

Others have spoken this kind of faith. I think here of Moses reasoning with the Lord for the future of the people, Abraham reasoning with the Lord over Sodom and Gomorrah. Jacob, Elijah and others in dialogue with the Lord and ‘talking the Lord into’ responding favourably to the situation; all conversations asking God for what is needed; all conversations built on trust in this God who can act in love.

This mum talks with the Lord with persistence, boldness, but humility and respect. She pleads her case, and it is a good case. She talks to Jesus about what she needs. She asks him plainly with humility.

She does not “demand her rights”. She is not only wanting what Jesus can give but she sems to want him – his presence, his authority, his goodness for her daughter and maybe herself.

She does not demand to be treated equally as one of the “children” (as an Israelite). She carries no banners, placards, media campaigns #metoo movement. She simply asks honestly and humbly.

She is happy to receive just a few crumbs, not the whole table of food. She somehow recognizes that even a little bit of what Jesus can give will be more than enough for her need.

And what strikes me is that Jesus can change his mind. He can listen and respond. Here he listens to this person whose time has not yet come and changes his plan, disrupts God’s schedule, responds to need despite the ancient divine plan.

Jesus allows this mum’s time to come early; to jump the queue; her time to be now time.

Friends, I find this such good news. God will change his plans for need; for simple faith in a simply request founded on faith in his goodness and authority. Jesus changes the plan to meet this need. The unclean outsiders (gentiles) can receive blessings, too, even now, before their time.

In your need, this is faith.

Faith is persistence. This mum sticks. She does not go away at a No. She reminds me of Jacob in the Jabbok (Genesis 32:26). He sis did not let go and this woman is not letting go until she gets her blessing.

Faith is hopeful awareness. This mum refuses to believe even a tiny speck of grace isn’t out of reach and that receiving just a scrap can make the difference for her.

Faith is trusting acceptance. She is willing to take Jesus at his word and journey home alone to confirm her daughter’s healing.

No need to pass a faith test or win a theological argument with God.

We have a Saviour who can say ‘No’. He has that wisdom, that insight, that authority.

We have a Saviour who listens and can change his ‘No’ to a ‘Not yet’ or maybe even a ‘Yes’.

And so, Mark shows us this woman’s faith, so we live this faith.

Whatever you are facing or dealing with or longing for or suffering through or needing, faith is:

Persistence. Stick with Jesus. Don’t leave it at ‘No’ forever, as if Jesus cannot and does not change his plan for you, change his mind about you, want more for you.

Faith is hopeful awareness of the power of Jesus’ word to heal and give life. Know today that even a tiny speck of his grace is in reach in Jesus’ word. Know that just a scrap can make the difference for you, even with your own tiny mustard seed of faith.

Faith is trust to take Jesus at his word and journey on to confirm what he has given you for the journey of faith he has planned for you up ahead.

This Saviour is human.

This Saviour listens.

You can speak to this Saviour.

This Saviour will meet you where you are and set you going to where he is leading.

He will change his plans for you.

He will offer you more than a few crumbs.

He gives you his life, his love, his hope however your table is set at the moment.

• This Saviour is human.
• This Saviour listens.
• You can speak to this Saviour.
• This Saviour will meet you where you are and set you going to where he is leading.
• He will change his plans for you.
• He will offer you more than a few crumbs.
• He gives you his life, his love, his hope however your table is set at the moment.

The Spirit give you what you need today in these few crumbs so that you walk out of this gathered community

37 … overwhelmed with amazement because  ‘Jesus does everything well, and  makes you hear and speak.’

And the great value of sticking with this Bread of Life – consuming his Words and his gifts?

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