Biblical Text: Matthew 15:21-28
The text is the that of the confrontation between Jesus and the Canaanite woman. As I mention at the start, this lesson is probably the source of more terrible 20th century theology than any other. Stuff so ridiculous that it barely deserves mention beyond signifying that these people can’t read the scriptures. But I do think that the text has a deep challenge that goes without mention these days. The first and very surface meaning is the easiest. The Jewish messiah – the son of David – is also the messiah of even the Canaanites – the all time enemy of the Jews. It is right there on the surface that any of the worldly divisions that we live with are not part of the Kingdom of God. But there is a much deeper second lesson about the character and providence of God. It is more about what type of God do you believe in? Is your God a god of scarcity or is he a God of abundance? Is he a God who always provides what his people need? And Jesus’ back and forth with the Canaanite woman establish just what she believed. And what we should believe. It also establishes how hard this faith is. The sermon develops these themes.
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