Surprising Heritages

Matthew 15:10-28
Vin Walkup, preaching

The reading from Matthew for this Sunday provides two stories which I want us to hear side by side.  You may want to follow in your Bible as Ken and I read this alternately.  Listen carefully, because you may experience a side of Jesus you really don’t expect and may find surprising – even disturbing.


(1a)     10-11
Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand:  it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.”

(2a)     12-14
Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?  He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.  And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.”

(3a)     15-20
But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”  Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer?  But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.  For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.  These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

(1b)     21-23a
Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.  Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.”  But he did not answer her at all.

(2b)     23b-26
And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”  He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

(3b)     27-28
The Canaanite woman said, “Yes, Lord, yet even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”  Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And her daughter was healed instantly.

The first story (10-20) addresses issues about unclean hands, food and words.
The second (21-28) records an encounter between Jesus, the disciples, and a supposedly unclean woman (Canaanite) whose daughter had an unclean spirit (demon).
The second story illustrates the challenges raised by the first, but taken up several notches, especially when the unclean mother of an unclean girl refuses to be dismissed even by very harsh words reflecting Jesus' own apparent sense of calling to offer ministry for the Jewish people exclusively.

So great was this woman's faith that she gave us a surprising heritage!
Jesus came for ALL PEOPLE!!

Jesus and his disciples had "withdrawn" to the region of Tyre and Sidon (verse 15). They were taking time away from mission there. This was a vacation.
The coastline in the region was the Riviera of the ancient Eastern Mediterranean world.
There just weren't many Jewish people in that region, and she certainly wasn't one of  them.
In short, he's on vacation, and he and the disciples really want nothing to do with this Canaanite woman.

Now, let’s do a little comparison in the context in which this story is told in the Gospel of Matthew:
•    Two stories prior to the passage we have heard, the disciples were caught in a boat in the midst of a storm.
Jesus, who appeared first to be a ghost to them, came walking across the water.
Jesus said – “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter, who has been with Jesus for two years – maybe more – said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

•    This Canaanite woman, who from all indications had only heard about Jesus, cried to him, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David.”

•    Peter, when he became aware of the winds, began to sink, and cried out, “Lord, save me!”

•    The woman, being pushed aside by the disciples and ignored by Jesus, cried, “Lord, help me.”

•    Later, Peter could not understand the simple parable Jesus taught, and Peter was put down by Jesus.

•    On the other hand, the woman, even put down by Jesus, did not cower, but challenged him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall under the table.”

•    Jesus had said to Peter, “You of little faith,” but now he said to the woman –“GREAT IS YOUR FAITH!  MAY IT BE DONE TO YOU AS YOU WISH!”

About five years ago, I was introduced to and encountered by THE ULTIMATE GIFT, written by Jim Stovall.  The story shows a surprising inheritance from “Uncle Red” to his nephew, Jason Stevens.  This is one of those writings which help readers deal with the unexpected, and often un-recognized, heritages.  After I read it, I gave it to Ann.  We then gave it to our son, Kevin, who read it and gave it to his wife, Andrea.  In the succeeding four years, they gave it to each graduating senior at Calvary.  Without ruining it for you, Jason is told that if he does what his Uncle Red prescribes each month for twelve months, he will receive the ultimate gift.

Now, I want you to think with me for a few moments about some of the surprising inheritances we have received across the centuries.

1.    From Moses to Job to the psalmist to the Canaanite woman we have the heritage that God is big enough for all of our arguments, our complaints, our hurts, our wishes, dreams, and desires.

2.    Were it not for this un-named Canaanite woman,
a.    a Roman centurion,
b.    Andrew bringing Greeks to see Jesus, and
c.    Paul listening to God in a dream to cross over to Europe,
we Gentiles might have never known about this Jesus the Messiah.  We have the heritage of their faith and witness.

3.    From Peter and Thomas, we have the heritage that we can confront Christ with what we do not understand – because doubt is not the opposite of faith.  Doubt, in fact, may be a stepping stone toward a trust that will never be broken.

4.    From the disciples and a wealthy young man, we have the heritage that Christ may confront us for our lack of faith, but Christ never gives up on us.  God is saying to you what God has said for centuries:  “I love you.  I have always loved you.  I will always love you, and there is nothing that you can do that will stop me.”

5.    We also have the heritage of Baptism – what a tremendous inheritance!  Do you realize that if the records were intact and available, we could trace every one of our baptisms back to the Apostles?  

6.    Another heritage across the centuries is Holy Communion, the Eucharist.  Keep in mind what happens when we “remember” what Christ has done.  Whether it is in baptism, where we are reminded to “remember our baptisms and be thankful” or it is in communion, where the words of Christ are repeated, “Do this in remembrance of me,” we are bringing a past event into our current experience.

We are all recipients of surprising heritages.

Now back to the passage and its context:  immediately, from this point forward, the mission of Jesus gets back into high gear with a far more inclusive focus.

We immediately see Jesus teaching, healing and feeding a mixed crowd of Jewish and Gentile people in northern Galilee (Matthew 15:29-39).

Feeding the multitudes was the text two weeks ago.
Jesus had 5 loaves, two fish, to begin the feeding of the 5000 men plus women and children.
After an interlude of three stories, in the mixed cultural areas around Tyre and Sidon, Matthew tells about Jesus with a crowd of Jews and Gentiles, than before – this time 4000 men plus women and children.
Again, the disciples still don’t get it – how can we get enough bread for all of these people?
YET – they had more to start with now than they did for the larger crowd just days before!

Do you sense the surprising heritage?
One story tells us, “Whatever you need, bring it to Christ.”
Another tells us, “Whatever you have, give it to Christ. “
In the hands of Christ, blessed and shared, it will become enough!
God must dream of having disciples in the 21st century who will take that heritage and once again bring to God whatever we have, and whatever we need.
Our only problem will be what to do after our need is met and what to do with the leftovers!

There is yet another heritage from these back-to-back stories:
•    Perhaps it is not simply words that defile, but labels and attitudes.
•    Perhaps freedom from an exclusive focus on one brand of people, relegating the rest to second-class or worse, requires no less than a change in heart.

What are the heritages your family, your church, your community have given you?

Who are the "Canaanites" where you live and work, the folks some think you should dismiss or at least to whom you should not respond?

With whom may God be calling you to be in mission?

For whom do you need to pray – even beg God to help, to heal?

How will you reflect the voice of today’s children and their needs through Belmont United Methodist Church and where you live, work and play?

Remember, in this text, this wasn't about just adding a few more people to the circle of concern; this story marks a decisive break with Jesus' announced mission, a break that has never changed.
God’s love is for everyone!

God loves you fully and wastefully.
Therefore, go forth to live fully and to love wastefully for the Christ.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.