In Mark 7, we see two remarkable encounters that highlight the power of faith and the compassion of Jesus.
First, a Syrophoencian woman, a Gentile outsider, begs Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus initially responds with a challenging and disturbing statement about children and dogs—reflecting the cultural tensions between Jews and Gentiles. Yet the woman responds with persistence and a challenge to Jesus: “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Her faith breaks through barriers, social, theological and gender. Jesus and the woman should not have had the conversation to begin with, it was against social convention. However, the woman is on a mission, healing her daughter. In the end, Jesus heals her daughter, affirming that God’s mercy extends beyond ethnic and religious lines.
Next, Jesus heals a man in the cities of the Decapolis. In the sermon, I will talk about them, but you can Google ahead if you would like to learn more. In this next story, set nearly 100 miles away from the previous story, Jesus heals a man near the city gate… He takes the man aside, touches his ears and tongue, and says, “Ephphatha” (Be opened). Immediately, the man can hear and speak. Jesus’ personal and physical approach shows us that healing is not only about power—it is about presence and connection and God is the source.
In the sermon, I will talk about the controversy of this text and what it means to me personally. Our sermon series is titled Disorder and Order Anew. This story really speaks to me and I believe it reflects what Jesus is about too. Together, we can explore the text during worship and think about how it can help us grow personally. I look forward to seeing you in person or online!
Peace,
Todd