Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Jul 27 2020 - Mark 7:24-8:10 – More than crumbs from the table

The story of Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman is simply wonderful. The woman had a daughter who was suffering with some form of disabling condition, believed to be caused by demon possession. Hearing that Jesus was in the area she came to find him. Falling at his feet she asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus seems to dismiss her request with sharp words; "First let the children eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs" (Mark 7:27). But she immediately responds, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs" (7:28). Jesus is pleased with her response and sends her away with the assurance that her daughter is healed.

The quick and playful response of this woman not only pleased Jesus, it evidently delighted and amused the disciples who later recalled what she had said. But why did Jesus seem reluctant to help this woman? Maybe his words were intended to test the woman's faith; was she sufficiently convinced of Jesus' ability to heal that she would not be willing to be turned aside from her purpose of gaining healing for her daughter?

But there may also be a clue in the opening words of Jesus, "First let the children eat ..." These words express the priority of Jesus' ministry while also leaving the door open to the possibility that others may also gain a blessing from him – a door which is eagerly pushed wide open by this needy mother. During his earthly ministry, Jesus is concerned to bring the message of the kingdom to the lost sheep of Israel. He does this not because he lacks concern for those outside the bounds of his own people, but precisely because he is concerned for the whole world. It is from these sons of Abraham that, in due course, the gospel will be taken to the nations.

Paul expresses this same priority when he writes, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (Romans 1:17). The same theme is to be found at the beginning of John's Gospel, "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:11-12).

The priority in Jesus' ministry was with the Jews; he comes as their promised Messiah. But, praise God, it does not end there; he is the Saviour of the world. The blessings Jesus brings are for whoever will come to him. Indeed, he gives us more than the crumbs that drop from his table, he bids us welcome to a feast of delights:

Come, all you who are thirsty,
   come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
   come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
   and your labour on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
   and you will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1-2)

In Christ we enjoy a feast of blessings that are beyond all expectation and deserving: sins forgiven; adoption into God’s family; the gift of the Spirit; the freedom to come before the Creator of the universe in prayer and know that we are heard; being part of the fellowship of God’s people; the promise of eternal life and the renewal of all creation – and much more besides. What a feast of good things!

Father, I readily confess that I am not worthy to receive so much as the crumbs that fall from your table, yet you have given me a place in the marriage supper of the Lamb. I feast with joy on the Lord Jesus Christ and on all the blessings I have in him. Help me to encourage others to come to the banquet and share in the feast.

Jul 27 2019 - Micah 6 – Call to repentance

This morning's passage takes the form of a courtroom drama. The Lord is bringing an accusation of unfaithfulness against his people and is calling upon them to answer his charge. The mountains and hills are called to act as witnesses in this drama (6:1-2).

The Lord reminds Israel of how he redeemed them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to this good land. When Balak king of Moab plotted against them and hired the prophet Balaam to curse them, God caused him to bless them instead (6:5). God had been gracious and good towards Israel in their poverty and need. But they have failed to respond to his kindness.

Micah voices Israel's response. What shall his people do to show their gratitude to God for all his many blessings? How about animal sacrifices? (6:6), or if these are not enough, what about offering their firstborn children as sacrifices to the Lord as was the practice of some of the other nations who inhabited the land before them? (6:7). Micah then answers the people with these well-known words:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (6:8)

God is not looking for religious ritual, let alone child sacrifice. He wants his people to live upright and godly lives, showing compassion towards others and a humble spirit before God. He wants them to reflect his own gracious character and the pattern of his dealings with them.

The verses that follow underline the relevance of this call, for the conduct of his people is far from reflecting the call of God on their lives. They are cheating one another by using false scales and weights when selling goods (6:11). The rich are oppressing the poor with violence and lying about their conduct when the oppressed seek justice (6:12). For this, God will bring them to judgment: their harvests will fail and the nation will be brought to ruin (6:13-16).

What does the Lord require of us? All too often, our neglect or exploitative treatment of the poor of this world goes on out of our sight and so escapes our notice. Unfair systems of international trade exploit lax working conditions and low wages of people in third-world countries to provide us with cheap goods at their expense. How can we act to make a difference in such situations?

Inspired by Micah 6:8, the Micah Challenge was formed in 2005 as a global coalition of Christian organisations seeking to mobilise Christians against poverty and to hold governments to account for their promise to halve extreme poverty by 2015 (a promise made in the Millennium Development Goals). Success has been partial and patchy but not insignificant. Nevertheless, many in this world still live in poverty and the gap between rich and poor seems to be growing ever wider.

In the light of these things, what does the Lord require of you – and of me? In practical terms, how does our behaviour need to change if we are to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God in every aspect of our daily lives? We need to ask such questions when making purchases, whether in shops or online. We need to ask how we are using the good things that God has given us to serve his purposes in this world rather than serving ourselves.

Above all, these verses point us to the Lord Jesus Christ who left the riches of glory to assume the poverty of a life in which he had nowhere to lay his head. He has shown us what is good by his own life of acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with his Father God. He calls us to follow him.

Father God, make us aware of the needs and conditions suffered by others across your world. Make us sensitive to the call of Christ and to the promptings of your Spirit. Turn us from the idolatry of greed that seeks to perpetuate our comforts at the expense of others. Give us a heart of compassion for the poor and a passion for justice that reflects that of Jesus our Lord.

Peter Misselbrook