Greeneville Seventh-day Adventist Church: Last week in our series on the gospel of Matthew, we saw how Jesus was faithful in following the will of his father in heaven to continue being a suffering servant rather than a conquering king. You remember the great temptation that we talked about last week after the feeding of the 5,000 men and their families have become, the temptation was to become king of this world without following the path. the cross. We also saw how Jesus tried to teach his disciples this lesson as well. How after Jesus came to them walking on the water, the disciples for the first time acknowledged that truly you are the Son of God. And again, we see in Matthew with his careful writing style that in chapter 15, those aren't just random stories, they all fit together. I'll give you a hint as you look for this. It's about the clean and the unclean. Now we find Jesus in confrontation once again with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, scribes. Don't get confused by all the titles. I'm not a fan of titles. I had to finally accept the fact that my first name had been changed by other people to pastor. You should see us all at camp meeting or ministers meeting someone and say, pastor, and a dozen people turn around. What? So when you hear about scribes, rabbis, and teachers of the law, they're all the same people. They're kind of close to what pastors are. The Pharisees, they're the ones who task themselves with obeying everything these other guys come up with, thus forming the HTTC, the Holier Than Thou Club. Look at chapter 15 in Matthew. questioning their sincerity. They're sincerely. The Bible says there's a way that seems right to a man. but it doesn't end well. It ends in death. Chapter 15, verse one. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. Now I don't know about your mother, but my mother was a stickler for washing hands before mealtime. Kent, did you wash your hands with water this time? None of that dry cleaning stuff. I hear the water running. Are your hands in it? That hand towel better not be dirty when you're done, or I'll know you didn't use soap. If you don't wash your hands before you eat, you'll get what? I never saw any germs, but she said they were there. Does that sound familiar? Well, the scribes and Pharisees were not concerned with germs or even dirty dish towels. This was not about getting your hands clean so that you could safely eat. This was about putting their rules of ritual purification into effect. They would dip their fingers into a finger bowl. and let the water then drip off their elbows Did this get their hands clean? No, but it showed ritual purity for some reason. It was symbolic cleansing. Remember the first miracle that Jesus performed? Those huge jugs of water that Jesus turned to wine? They weren't there to be drunk. They were there to do all the ritual purifications that would have to take place throughout this wedding time. Jesus turned them to greater use. What? Are we not gonna wash with that water now? Forget washing. Have you tasted this stuff? This is amazing. So much better. As in so many confrontations between Jesus and the scribes and their Pharisees, they've gone out of their way to provoke an argument. Matthew tells us that they come all the way from Jerusalem. A glance at the map in the back of your Bible will show you they made quite a trip to do this. This conflict centers around ceremonial defilement, but it is really based on the very nature of religion and the depth. of human sinfulness. Did you notice they did not directly accuse Jesus, but rather accused his disciples? It was bad, but maybe understandable. If an individual did not keep every one of the thousands of regulations and traditions, but to teach others to do so was next to unforgivable. ⁓ Jesus, these disciples that you're instructing, you're their rabbi, you're letting them do this? Look at what they're doing. So basically it's a backhanded slap on him. You're doing worse than they are because you taught them this. But Jesus knew that they had distorted the laws of Moses by taking the symbolic washings of the priesthood and applying them to everyone. The implication being that if you're not as ritually clean as the priest, then you're unfit to worship God. So people tried very hard to do as they were taught. It could even be called the sin of devotion. They were devoted to the wrong thing. Over and over Jesus taught the far greater ideas of loving God and loving your neighbor just like this hymn tells us, don't know a lot of stuff, but I know in whom I believe. Get to the good stuff. The desire of ages. I found this. It says, whenever the message of truth comes home to souls with special power, Satan stirs up his agents to start a dispute. over some minor question. Thus he seeks to attract attention from the real issue. Whenever a good work is begun, there are cavaliers ready to enter into the dispute over forms and technicalities to draw minds away from the living realities. Are you living in a world in technicalities or are you living in a world of realities? She continues, When it appears that God is about to work in a special manner for his people, let them not be enticed into a controversy that will work only ruin of souls. The questions that most concern us are, do I believe in the saving faith on the Son of God? Is my life in harmony with the divine law? This desire of age is 396. I was thinking about this that this morning because I was going through the simple act of tying my shoe. I like to tie my shoes differently than you do, because I'm better than you are. No, I was taught, I don't know, shortly after we got married, I bought some new hiking boots, and the guy was trying them on my feet, and he did something different. I said, what did you just do? Well, I just tied your shoe. Yeah, but you did it differently. And he taught me how. So if you want to know the real way to do it, Come see me. It's like a double knot, but you can still release it with one pull. And I've used it ever since, not just for hiking, but I tied my shoes that way this morning. Isn't that incredible? Aren't you impressed? but what should be more impressive? that I could teach you a different, better way, or that you have shoes. What's more important, that people have shoes or they know how to do that technicality that I do? And sometimes that technicality becomes consuming. And when we forget that person doesn't even have shoes. Don't let us get caught up in things that are not very important. As it says in John 3.36, he who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. First John 2.3 says this, now by this we know that we love him if we keep his commandments. What are our priorities? Well, Jesus tells us back in Matthew 15, starting in verse three. He answered and said to them, why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded saying, honor your father and your mother, and he who curses his father or mother, let him be put to death. But you say, whoever says to his father or mother, whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God. then he need not honor his father or mother, thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you saying, these people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Their teachings are but rules taught by men. Jesus doesn't defend himself or his disciples. He turns the tables and asks them why they are so busy straining gnats out of their camel soup. They are so busy with minutiae that they don't realize how truly unclean they have become. You remember the verse, you're straining gnats and swallowing camels. Are camels clean meat? No, but you're eating camels while you're trying to strain those unclean gnats out of Jesus is not telling people that they should not give gifts to God, but what was happening in that day was that you could look at your wealth and devote it all to God. And that sounds real nice. But remember, Jesus quoted from Isaiah, these people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. What they were really doing and saying was that they could not help anyone, including their parents, with their wealth. because it was devoted to God, which meant that God would get whatever was left over, if anything, when they died. In the meantime, they had full access to their own wealth without feeling guilty for letting their parents starve. I received this document this week from the local courts. No, I'm not in trouble. One of our members passed away. And they're having the reading of the will. And so I received this document. okay, I can be at the reading and contest it if I'm not contesting the will, okay? But they have to let me know. And this person left some money to the church. And ⁓ it wasn't a boatload, don't get all excited. But it was from their heart. and it will be used well. And I also know what the rest of the family got, because it's all in here. And he took care of his family. That's what Jesus is talking about. Jesus is, and he took care of them in life, and now he's taking care of them in death. And Jesus is saying, put your heart, make sure your heart's behind this. And I knew he wanted to give something to the church. That's one of the things he said just before he died. He says, when I die, the church is gonna get something. And he stood by that promise. And that's what Jesus wants us to be more like. Truly following Jesus and not trying to save everything for ourselves. Verse 10, when he had called the multitude to himself, he said to them, hear and understand. Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth. This defiles a man. that make sense? What comes up? Jesus is telling the people that eating with ritually unclean hands is not what defiles the body. It is what comes out of the heart, who a person really is that can make him unclean. Like how he treats his parents, like how he treats his neighbor. Actually, let's let Jesus say what he means. Verse 12. Then the disciples came to him and said, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying? But he answered and said, every plant which my heavenly father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch. Then Peter answered and said to him, explain this parable to us. So Jesus said, are you still without understanding? And the way it's written here in Greek, basically he calls Peter a dimwit. Are you still so dull? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and it's eliminated? Jesus understood biology. He created it. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man. Why do you think your parents washed your mouth out with soap? For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. Then Jesus does something amazing. He retreats. He retreats to a place where the scribes and Pharisees cannot come. They can't follow him here. He goes to a place considered unclean to the max. You want to see unclean hands? I'm going to where everything is unclean, the land of the Gentiles. Verse 21, then Jesus went out of there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan. OK, that makes her a Canaanite. Remember, they're not the good guys. They're the enemies that were waiting on the children of Israel when they came to the promised land. This is where she is from. They behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David, my daughter is severely demon possessed. And he answered her. that offend you? Sounds offensive. Jesus is giving her the silent treatment. Don't ever give your spouse the silence. need to communicate not that way. Jesus is giving the silent treatment. Well the disciples think that they understand their master's feelings toward the Gentiles so they follow suit. After all they have the same feelings they think. Also did you notice this Gentile Canaanite refers to Jesus as what? Lord son of David. She knows something. His own disciples have just now referred to him as the Son of God, and they've known him for quite a bit of time. She meets him as the Lord Son of David. She knows who he is. Verse 23 again, and his disciples came and urged him saying, send her away for she cries out after us. But he answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, Lord. But he answered and said, it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. Yeah, the actual Greek implies little dogs. Are you offended yet? Jesus just called this Canaanite woman a dog. This Gentile woman who has just worshiped him, not just a dog, you're just a little yappy. Barking after my heels. a term she was all too familiar with, coming from the Jews. Dogs were considered unclean, as were the Gentiles. They were worthless in their sight. I noticed that while living in Kenya that the typical Kenyan had a different attitude towards dogs than I was used to. I was used to having a dog as a pet, a much-loved part of the family. Isn't that the way it is with your pets? I wasn't gonna do this, but I promised God that I would always be open with you as I could. This has not been a good morning. I'm usually an hour early for anything, and I was an hour late today, because I was giving hospice care to my cat. I saw this morning she was dying, and I lay down beside her and held her. And, ⁓ I'm crushed. People said, how are you today? I said, not good. Because I try to be honest, I'm not good today. Because we've only known this cat for 19 years. She was found in Africa on the side of a street near Nairobi, having been hit by a car, and she's lived on two continents now. Cool cat. And I had to say goodbye this morning. And so, my heart's aching. But we love our pets, they're part of the family. And dogs in Kenya, they weren't loved so much. Cats, who wants a cat? No way. ⁓ Maybe the wealthy people have pets in Kenya, they do, but they're most often seen as a work animal, rather to be either feared as a watchdog or ignored as in dogs that help shepherds with the goats. Most of these were skin and bones because no one would think of giving them food. Scrounge up your own food. ⁓ My cat Asali, which is Swahili for honey. She was fed. She was loved. It was hard enough to feed your kids in Africa. Why are you going to feed a dog? Dogs got the crumbs and they hunted for themselves. One thing I do know about dogs, if you feed it, it's yours. This Gentile woman was about to be fed from the master's table of all places. Verse 26 again. But he answered and said, it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, yes, Lord. Whoa. Notice, she doesn't take offense. We live in the world of the offended. She's gotten called a little dog and she doesn't take offense. Do you take offense at things? Take some lessons from this Gentile. She accepts the description that Jesus applies to her. Talk about humility. But according to the desire of ages, she could see in his Eyes, compassion shining out. Right through his harsh words. Verse 27, and she said, yes Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Wow, this woman accepts that Jesus has a first priority to the Jews, but shares a way that he can continue his mission to the Jews and bless her as well. Also notice, Jesus has not given up on rejecting the Jews. He says, I'm here for the Jews. Well, the Jews have just rejected him over and over. He says, I'm here for them. Take heart. If you've rejected Jesus, he's still here for you. He doesn't give up easily on us either. Verse 28, then Jesus answered and said to her, ⁓ woman, some of your translations just say woman. It's a term of endearment. If I walked to my mother when she was living and said, woman, she would have smacked me. I'm your mama. But it is a term of endearment then, used for his own mother at the cross. You remember, woman, behold your son. Woman, great is your what? Faith. Let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that. very out. Jesus was teaching his disciples to be like... He shows them that this woman, that the Jews considered to be a dog, was actually, according to her faith, not a dog, but a sheep. A lost sheep of Israel, a part of the family of God. Her faith in Him made the disciples' faith look barren. She has passed the test put to her faith and has shown the disciples what they have yet to that in order to receive everything, one must accept being nothing. Yet they will continue to argue about which one of them will be greatest in the kingdom. Jesus is also teaching them the value of every life. We are all His creation. His love is for everyone, even those considered dogs by the rest of society. These lessons eventually sink into their thick skulls. because you remember Jesus saying to Peter, why are you so dull? You haven't gotten it yet. I created these people too. There's hope for the disciples of Christ. Because these very disciples will soon be putting their lives on the line for people just like this woman. They will learn. Then something happens that we tend to ignore. I grew up hearing about the feeding of the 5,000. Impressive. And then there's the story of the feeding of the 4,000. Not so impressive. I mean, you know, it's less. We had the 5,000. It'd been better if we started with 4,000 and moved up to 5,000. Wow, it's getting better. But no, he feeds 4,000. And then I understood what was going on a little bit better. And we've missed a blessing by kind of passing over the story. Well, that's only 4,000. Verse 29, Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others. And they laid them down at Jesus' feet and He healed them. So the multitudes marveled when they saw the mute speak and the maimed made whole. the lame walking and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel. That might be a hint what's going on here. Now Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they have now continued with me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way. Then his disciples said to him, Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude? Okay, wait, is this after feeding of 5,000? What's going on with the disciples? I've wondered that all my life. They just saw this miracle happen with 5,000, why are they worried about 4,000? Again, will they ever learn? What are they thinking? They're thinking about who these people are. More on that in a bit. Jesus said to them, how many loaves do you have? And they said seven and a few little fish. So he commanded the multitude sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to his disciples. And the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled and they took up seven large basket fulls of fragments that were left. Now those who ate were 4,000 men besides women and children. and he sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. So who are these people? According to Mark 731, this took place in the region of Decapolis. They are still in Gentile territory. These are not Jews, and they're praising the God of Israel. And they have a different reaction to the miracle than the Jews had to the feeding of the 5,000. Let's make him king! These guys don't do that. They don't try to force Jesus to be king. Jesus feeds the dogs much more than the crumbs from his table. There's leftovers as well that dogs can't even eat at all. Did they come because he healed the Gentile woman's daughter? Remember, he's done quite a few things there. And the people are beginning to recognize who this is faster than his own people. He shows his disciples the worth of all people. The Jews would accuse him of being unclean for eating with Gentiles, but Jesus shows just how clean he is by expressing his unconditional love for everyone. This is what Jesus expects of his disciples then and today. This is what Jesus expects of you and me, to bring home the lost sheep of Israel, because there's no dogs out there. Just lost sheep. All week long, there's a sound I hear from my office window. I haven't been in my office much this week. I've been hospital rooms all week. But I hear this sound out the office window and it goes like this. Whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop, whoop. And that's it. I don't even get up and look anymore. I know what it is. That's the police officer pulling down into Asheville Highway blocking traffic for the next funeral. And I think, that person, did somebody take the time to share Jesus with that person going by? I know time is short, but it's not about getting busy because the pressure is on or feeling guilty because that person may not have heard about Jesus. And that's often the motivational tools that are used. Two days ago, stopped at a truck stop between Morristown and Johnson City as I was trying to keep up with everybody in hospitals. And going to this truck stop, and I see a couple of stickers for sale that I seem to remember telling you about before, but this time I broke through the barrier of them being sacrilegious and I bought them. because I think some of the motivation that we have may also be just as sacrilegious. One of them has a picture of Jesus looking around the corner and saying, I saw that. Much of the Christian community operates under that fear. I saw that. ⁓ he's watching me. I better be good. Don't you wish your kids would behave when they know that you're not watching because they love you? That's what Jesus wants too. The other one says, this is the same type of thing, Jesus is coming. Look busy. I these to put on my shelf to remind me that's not what I'm doing. I will not do this. It's a similar falsehood. It should say, Jesus is coming. I can't wait to meet him face to face with all those sheep whom I've shared his love. Father, we pray the same prayer that we heard in the children's. We want to help bring them closer. and help us to latch on and set. Bless us as we bring them in out of our love for you. In Jesus' name, amen.