Verse for Meditation
He said “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire” (Matt. 15: 28).
Sermon
The Divine character that hates the sin and loves the sinner is visualized in the public ministry of Jesus. He was known as “the friend of the sinners and tax collectors” (Matt. 11:19). Christ’s Godly love is expressed through this character of Jesus. Christ who invited everyone to himself attracts and accepts people to him. For this reason Christian’s spirituality is known as acceptance and tolerance. Such a character of God that accepts estranged men as children is seen in the Old Testament also. The Book of Hosea is an apt example for this. Christ who accepted the Syrophonecian women (Mt. 15:21-28) and the epistle of Paul (Philemon) which talks of Onesimus who owes something to accept him as a brother is also to be remembered here.
1. God’s character of Accepting: in the story of Hosea Hos.2:14 -23.
The story of Hosea, who is first among the Minor Prophets is very much admirable. He prophesied during the time of Ussiah, Jotham, Aha and Hesekiah, the kings of Juda and Jeroboam the son of Yovas, the King of Israel. During the time of this prophet Israel had economic stability. The reign of Jeroboam II was the golden period for Israel. The development of trade paved the way for the growth of the cities. Medium level traders and their lives flourished. But the poor growth of economics and trade resulted in the downfall and destruction of religious activities. The Prophet who was worried due to this situation profess the message through his family life. God commanded the prophet to accept a woman who was a whore and her children who were born of illegal relationships (Hos. 1:2). Thus he accepted Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, she gave birth to him two sons Jezreal (God will sow) and Lo Ammi(not my people) and a daughter named Ruhamah (I will have no mercy on) (Hos. 1:4, 6, 9. Again God asked him to love another harlot, in the third chapter. Thus, Hosea bought a harlot and took care of her (3:1-3). For all these actions symbolic interpretations are also given in the Bible. This is the picture of Israel who lost good relationship with God. A trustworthy God accepts Israel who is untrustworthy. Jesus also has quoted a few verses from the book of Hosea (Hos. 11:1, 6:6 Matt. 9:13, 12:7; Hos. 10:8, Lk 23:30). The theme of the book of Hosea is the unchanging love (Hesed) of God. The Divine love accepts the sinful man.
2. The character of Accepting In the story of Syrophonecian woman Matt. 15. 21-28.
Mathew 15:21-28 records the incident of the Syrophonecian woman who approached Jesus and requested for the healing of her daughter. Here we find Jesus appreciating her saying ‘your faith is great’. Canaan is the forth son of Ham and the grandson of Noah. Noah cursed Canaan (Gen 9:18, 22-27). The boundary of Canaan starts at Sidon through Gerar, up to Gaza and through Sodom and Gomorrah, Adma and through Seboum up to Lassa (Gen 10:19, 12:5, 13:12) Num 13:17-21, 34:1, 2). The Jewish people considered the Canaanites untouchables and cursed. People those settled in Phoenicia especially in Syria-Palestine belong to the 11 tribes of Canon and his descendants (Gen 10:11-19). From this place a lady came requesting the healing of her daughter. In Mk 7: 224-30 she is referred to as a Greek lady. People from Phonecia called themselves ‘Canaanites’. During the days of Jesus, Phoenicia (Pheniciya) which included Sor and Sidon was part of the Roman Province called Syrio-Phoenicians. Jesus accepted the faith of this Greek woman. We should see the faith of the people of other faiths also without prejudice.
3. The character of Accepting: In the story of Onesimus, Philemon 1-21
Philemon was a member of the church Colosseac Onesimus was a thief (Vs.18) and a runaway man who became a Christian under Paul at Rome. The aim of this letter is to reconcile Philemon and Onesimus. Paul requests Philemon to forgive the mistakes of Onesimus and accept him as a brother. Paul requests Philemon to consider anything that Onesimus owes to him to count it on Paul’s account. This incident explains God’s character of accepting people, “For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, No longer as a slave but more than a slave - a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (Phile 15-17). Since Paul has brought Onesimus to faith Paul calls him as his spiritual son. The meaning of the name Onesimus is “useful one”. Through this letter which Paul wrote to Philemon he decided to accept Onesimus. The tradition says that Onesimus gradually has reached to the higher levels of church leadership. The letter to Philomon teaches us that we should reveal to the society the character of Christ, accepting people.
Prayer
Merciful God, who has established a covenant with us in righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness. We pray that, though we have gone astray, accept and restore us. For, we are Your children and You are our guardian-redeemer, Through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever more. Amen.
- The daughter who was attending a wedding for the first time asked her mother, “Why the bride is wearing white dress?”The mother helped her to understand that on the most joyful day one wears a white dress. The child had a deep thought and enquired again. “Why the groom is wearing a black dress? Is this the day on which all his happiness die out?”
- Pastor was preaching and a man stood up and went out. As he repeated this many times the pastor complained this to the man’s wife. She replied. It is not because of any grudge against you that he is doing so, he has a sickness of walking during sleep”.