The Church is Going to the Dogs
(Mark 7:24-37)
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 28 "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." 29 Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." 30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. 33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). 35 At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
How many of you have dogs?
Dogs come in all shapes and sizes
My very first dog-was black cocker spaniel
But we’ve had Chihuahuas—
Several muts
But one of my favorite dogs—was a Yorkie
He was very cute-Bridget loved him-got parvo and died
Most of the time when we think about dogs-we think of
Pet—“man’s best friend”
Because they are loyal—and loving
But there is another kind of dog
The vicious killers-
Like wolves and coyotes
They are dangerous –will kill even humans
But there’s a another kind of “dog”
I’m not talking about a were wolf
The term “dog” can be used-as a derogatory term for a person
When I was young-called person a dog—meant they were ugly
But now days—the term can be used sort of teasingly
“Like you ole dog!”---when person is known
for being salty character
Or--a young male who is known for being a skirt chaser
So-it has always bothered me—when I read that Jesus
The loving gracious Son of God
Compares a young mother coming to Him for help
To a dog—that sort of sounds out of character
Did He mean—she was ugly—vicious—scum bag
Why did Jesus compare this hurting mother to a dog?
We have to take a minute to consider the background
Last week-we read about Jesus being in a Jewish area
Where the Pharisees were after him
Because Jesus’ disciples didn’t wash hands before eating
They didn’t do the ceremonial cleansing ritual before they dined
Jesus—in a way-says-you guys are “barking up the wrong tree!”
Its not what food you eat that makes a person unclean before God
It’s a sin sick heart that makes person unacceptable to a Holy God
After that episode and being tired of being “hounded” by leaders
Jesus and His “pack of friends”---His disciples
Take a road trip
They travel 20 + miles up to a town called Tyre
Tyre is located in current day Syria
It was a non-Jewish area
The city of Tyre and the city of Jerusalem had a long history
From what I’ve read- both were major cities of commerce
So they were competitors of sorts
So when Jerusalem was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar in OT times
The people of Tyre rejoiced
Why—not only because of competition
But also because the Jews hated them—because they were Gentiles
And for those of you who know much about OT
Tyre is the home town of the famous evil Queen
Queen Jezebell
So-where is Jesus----in a Gentile area
This journey into the Gentile areas
And of all places to go—
He retreats first to Tyre!!
So here is Jesus-trying to have some “chill time”
And low and behold along comes a woman
A woman of solid gentile ancestry
Whose ancestry is tied to the Syrians-who attacked Israelites
And she wants Jesus to heal her demon possessed child
If you take Mark’s and Matthews’ account together
You see that this woman came to Jesus’ disciples
And they tried to stop her from seeing Jesus—Why?
She’s a female—in society where women not supposed to approach men
She’s gentile----from town that Jews hate
From region-Jews despise
So Jesus says its not right to take the children’s food
And toss it to the dogs
The children are the Jews----in other words Jesus saying
That God sent Him first to bring the message to Jews
Dogs—term used by Jews about Gentile
The term they usually used for dog
Meant scum-viscous dog that eats dead flesh
But Jesus uses a different term for dog
A term that means beloved house pet
And the woman catches on to what Jesus is doing
I agree with Max Lucado who thinks
Jesus and this woman were engaging in satire
Lucado asks, “ Could Jesus be so delighted to have found one who is not bartering with a religious system or proud of a heritage that He can’t resist a bit of satire?”
Jesus is sort of making fun of the Jews who thought
That God only cared about them
So He mockingly says, “Well you know I shouldn’t be throwing children’s bread to the dogs.”
Jesus is so trilled with this woman’s faith
He knows he can take care of the problem
So He uses this opportunity to teach his disciples a lesson
That God cares for ever person
Then- Jesus leaves that area—goes to what is called the Decapolis
Region of ten cities—another Gentile area
Where some people hear Jesus in town-bring man who can’t talk or hear
Who is the “They?” We don’t know
But I think its interesting that a Gentile woman
heard about Jesus and comes to Him
Now another group of Gentiles brings someone for healing
And what did Jesus do—turn them away---because they not Jew
Ignore them because they not part of the “in crowd?”
No-in both cases—he healed the people
Because He is happy that these people came to Him-had faith
So-what lessons might be learned for us as a church?
God Cares About the “Dogs” of This World.
What do I mean by that?
If the Jews were the insiders—then all Gentiles were outsiders
The outsiders—were the ones who were called dogs—by Jews
Remember what I told you
Jews used the very negative term for dogs—
Like saying—they are scum—not matter
They are just fuel for the fires of hell
So they treated them like they non human
Sort of the way-some people treat others in this world
The way some look at people who are poor
The way some look at others because skin color not the same
Or their national origin is not same as the majority
Or the way sometimes we Americans may consider those
Who live in third world countries
Or the way some Christians look at the drug addict-homosexual
But God cares about those people
Because He cares about us------
Because according to Paul—we are all “dogs” so to speak (Rom. 3:23)
I don’t mean that some of us a German shepherds-or poodles
What I mean is that to some degree the Jewish leaders were right
We are all scum-lost filthy sinners
Who stand before a Holy God
We all stand equal –all the same
We are all outsiders
Even the Jews—God special people were outsiders
Because they were sinners
And even we who call self Christians have been outsiders
Before we accepted God offer to be healed-be brought into His family
You see these Gentile people who were healed by Master
Represent all of us------it’s ONLY because of grace of God
That we are healed of our sin sickness-talked about last week
It’s only because of God’s love—
that we are invited to move from being outsiders-estranged from God
To be insiders---children of God
And that invitation is open to every single human being
God never seeks to exclude anyone
It is His desire that the entire world would be saved from sin and death
And be brought into right relationship with our maker
So before I go any further with this sermon
I want you to know—that God desires that you
Would be His precious child
Not some estranged alienated person
But church—
now the message moves to what we are supposed to do with this
If God cares about all the “dogs” of this world-
those who estranged from Him by sin
Because He cared about us when others would have called us a “dog”
That He sent His Son to bring us out of being estranged to
be close to Him
So He calls His Church to “Go to the dogs”
Because He wants His church to reach out in love
Bring those who alienated from Him—to know Him as Savior
Therefore He,
Calls Us to Inconvenient Ministry
Jesus had left Jewish area—because the religious leaders after Him
He was in need of some chill time---teach disciples
But along comes this woman-needing something from Jesus
She interrupted His Time—it wasn’t convenient
But did Jesus turn her away—no-He helped her
You see- if we are always waiting on a convenient time
To help others—share our testimony
That convenient time may never come
Many times-we church folk are willing to help
After we have checked our schedule-have nothing else to do
But real ministry happens many times at most inconvenient times
A friend calls and is hurting—and the Ala/Auburn game about to come on
You are in a hurry to get home—
and coworker suddenly shares that she going through divorce
The church is planning a missions work day
On the day you wanted to go shopping
All of these are examples of how really ministry happens
Because that’s what happened to our Lord
And so-He took time to put aside what He wanted
Because He knew-He was being given a unique opportunity
To impact a life-----for good
Secondly-this passage teaches us God
Calls Us Out of Our Comfort Zone
Jesus could’ve played it safe-stuck with what the Jews knew
He could’ve just went right along with the status quo of the time
And everything would’ve went fine for Him
He could’ve never ventured out of the Jewish areas
And instead just roll along—not make waves
Thus He could’ve avoided the cross
Life may have been relatively easy for Him
Could’ve used His power as Son of God
Developed a huge following
But-then were would we be?
Stuck in sin and death!
But no—not Jesus—He went to where was needed
He left the comfort of the status quo
Taught a new way to God
And He even taught His disciples a lesson-by stretching them
Taking them into areas they may have never known before
Like Tyre---and the Ten Cities—and Samaria
You see Jesus calls all of us who say we follow Him
To come out of our comfort zones
And do new things to bring people to know Christ.
For some that may mean having to teach a class-never taught before
For others it may mean sharing your faith with clerk at Walmart
Or it may mean going into a section of town
You would never normally go into
Or talking with a person—that is nothing like you
Or sharing loving care with a person you know does things you object to.
If we ever think being a Christian-means playing it safe
Living inside our own little bubbles—
Then have we ever got it wrong.
That’s why Jesus told His disciples right before He asended
You will be my witnesses at home---Jerusalem (the comfort zone)
Then Samaria-----the land that was full of people that Jews hated
And to all the world---way outside their comfort zones (Acts 1:8)
Thirdly, this passage teaches us that God
Calls Us to Show Compassion to All People
While its true that God has a special place in His heart for Jews
Jesus showed us-that God has compassion for ever human being
By dealing with the Gentile woman and healing her daughter
And then healing this Gentile man----He showed us that God
Does not play favorites----all who come to Him in faith will be received
Throughout the Bible God has condemned showing favoritism
To some people while neglecting others
• Because as the writer of Proverbs said, The rich and the poor have this in common—God made them all.”
• Paul says in Romans 2-God does not show favoritism
• James-the half brother of Jesus told us James 2:8-9
• “If you love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin."
The point is—we can’t just show compassion-love of Christ
To people with whom we are comfortable with
We are called to show compassion to everyone regardless
How different they may from us…
The drug addict—the sexual sinner
The homeless—the poor
The person of different color
The person who is older or younger than us
Why---because God’s grace is available for the accepting!
Our country remains in an economic recession
I believe these times represent a huge opportunity for the church
If we will reach out in the love of Christ in these trying times
We can show people that the people called Christian
Care more about them than the Democrats or Republicans
And we can introduce them to the greatest leader ever known
Who didn’t make all sorts of political promises
Instead He took decisive action---
By dying on the cross to pay for their sins
And rose from the dead to show that love triumphants over hate
Last thing this passage teaches us is…
When we minister to others even when its inconvenient
When we are willing to come out of our comfort zones
And show compassion to all people
Then Lives Will Be Transformed
The woman came to Jesus out of faith
And Jesus healed her little daughter
Now what was wrong with her—what were her symptoms
I don’t know-scripture just says she was demon possessed
So that probably meant extreme thrashing around—anger—
I imagine this poor woman had tried everything-but nothing worked
Then she heard about this man named Jesus
And all the miracles He had done
May have thought—“If only I could get my daughter to him
But—He’s Jew—He’ll never come here.”
But He does—and she hears about it
And because of Jesus’ compassion and power
The little girl’s life was forever radically changed
Because this mother intervened for her to Jesus
Same way with this Gentile man
He couldn’t hear or speak
Imagine how hard his life had to be-never knowing what people saying
Never being able to speak to someone else
But someone brought this man to Jesus-----
And this man’s life was forever changed
Folks our Lord went to where the need was
And when needs were brought to Him
Out of His great love—He dealt with them
All our Lord asks is that we bring people to Him
So that He can meet their needs
That is why….
Every church should be going to the ones the world calls “dogs”
Because Jesus went to those kind of folks
And again—who are those kind of folk
Everyone here!
None of us has the right
To look down our noise at someone else
Instead we are called to minister and bring alienated-lonely people
To the saving grace of Jesus Christ?
Close?
Do you sometime feel like an outcast
The kind of person the Jewish leaders would have called a dog?
Guess what God doesn’t see you that way
He sees you as one He loves and seeks to heal
All you have to do—is come and accept His Son
And you will become His child
How about you church folk
Are we willing to be a church that is “going to the dogs?”
Because we recognize that once we too were a “dog” an outcast
Because of our sin….and so we want to reach those who are lost?
I hope so----because that is a good thing in God’s eyes
