Tag: Gentiles

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Seeing through eyes of mercy.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter. Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs. Mark‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In Mark’s gospel, written from Peter’s firsthand, eyewitness accounts, he wants to show the reader the power of Christ. As Jesus reveals more and more about who he is, he also progressively shows more authority. Jesus doesn’t hoard or self consume the power and authority given him. As son of man/son of God, he freely disperses it among the broken, the outlier. And in this case, to a Syrian (Gentile) Woman and her demon possessed little girl.

Jesus breaks through racial and cultural barriers to bring mercy and freedom. Jesus, raised in a typical, but poor family, would have learned all about God’s Laws and God’s ways. But if we look at the common cultural understanding of how young Jewish men and women were instructed, it was very much a separatist mentality. Gentiles (non Jews) are not good people and they should not have any interaction with them. A Jewish male would not culturally be allowed to have any contact with a woman, let alone with one who was a long historical enemy with Assyrian heritage. So either Joseph and Mary instructed Jesus differently (which is completely possible), or Father God had been teaching His own true intentions of rescuing the entire human race – not just the Jews (Isaiah 56:6-7). Either way, Jesus continued to baffle his followers and invite hostile criticism for this kind of cultural faux pas.

If Jesus was so religiously and socially counter-cultural, why do we struggle with being like Him today? I think our heart is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), but we forget there is both religious (legalism) AND humanistic wickedness. The religious have always despised Jesus’ counterculture ways. And, equally the self-serving humanist despises him as well. Normal, common people, who know they are broken and have need of being saved, have always loved Jesus’ ways. Why? Because they reflect exactly how God sees us. Religion and/or humanism both make us arrogant.

Jesus explains to this Syrian woman that his first priority is to the Jews, the people of God. Jesus, not so subtlety referring to her own people as dogs, wasn’t offensive to her at all. She knew the comparison was true. Folks have tried to soft-pedal this “dog reference” as a beloved pet in the household. That’s nonsense. The enemies of the Jews knew they were like wild dogs and were possibly proud of it! The feelings were mutual between the ethnicities.

The woman, similar to the Samaritan woman at the well, had some comments in response to Jesus’ words. She said, “but even the dogs…”

She calmly kept her cool.
She was smart.
She knew who she was, but she also knew who Jesus was!

She was telling Jesus, “I know our story,” “I know God’s intention is for His own first,” “But I don’t need the full on life of blessing and favor as given to the Jews,” “I just need the scraps, the leftovers.” Her faith saw that even the scraps of mercy from God would be powerful enough to free her daughter. Jesus commented about her faith, saying “your faith is great” (Matthew 15:28). You know the gospels record Jesus being amazed just a couple of times. One, he was amazed at his hometown folk’s “lack of faith” (Mark 6:6). Two, he was amazed at the Roman centurion’s extraordinary understanding of authority and faith (Luke 7:8).

Here in this story, the woman got what she wanted. Jesus complimented her retort, “Good answer!” She received what she came asking for. Jesus told her, “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” Jesus was clearly impressed.

Do we want to know how Jesus really feels about the non-religious, even enemies of God? He shows mercy to whomever he chooses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19). I believe we can be just as culturally contrarian in how we see people today. Folks can know how we feel about them simply looking at our facial expression! Following the ways of Jesus means we see with eyes of mercy. If we see with eyes of mercy our face will follow!

Prayer

​Dad,
I absolutely know this is how you saw me, and how you see me still – through eyes of mercy. I absolutely love to wake up each morning with fresh, new mercy in my account for the day! “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”(Lamentations 3:22-23). I am ever in amazement of your enduring patience and grace. Thank you. Amen.

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Freedom to serve.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul writes this phrase, “I am a free man.” It doesn’t seem like much to a western-world, U.S. Citizen, because we’ve been “free” for hundreds of years.

In Paul’s day, many people were not free. Slavery, servanthood, was common. He lists the the classes of people of his culture at that time, the Jews and the Greeks (gentiles). And, he writes about how one group had been raised on the Torah, the Laws of God, the other had no real moral or religious code. The gentiles were anyone not Jewish, so it was not exactly a racial issue.

Paul says some interesting things about these laws of God. He was raised and trained in strict Judaism. He held title and authority as a Pharisee. So he writes, “I am not subject to the law,” then later writes, “I obey the law of Christ.” We can’t fathom the massive shift in belief and behavior that this phrase means.

Most of us have only and always been free from the “Law of God,” meaning the 10 commandments and the five books that make up the Pentateuch. And yet, though we are free from that “master,” Paul wants us to understand that all humankind is under another master, another law – the lawlessness of sin.

So when Paul writes of being under Christ’s law he has transferred his servanthood, not just from the Old Testament Torah, but also his slavery from sin itself.

Lastly he adds another object lesson, or a picture to illustrate the true nature of being under the mastery of sin, he writes about the weak. “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” Paul list “those without strength.” Paul’s desire was to win over the Jews, which he did with limited results, the Gentiles, which Paul had huge success setting up dozens of churches in multiple Gentile cities. And he also reached the poor, the weak, the disenfranchised.

Paul found “common ground,” for him to present the gospel all may be free, from the Torah (Law), free from the chains of sin and become a servant, a bond slave to Jesus Christ and truly be free! Our biggest issue today is finding the common ground of those who are still in slavery to an ideology, a social virus, or cultural religion that masks the truth and gives aires of superiority. We cannot, we must not walk with hubris religiosity, political morality or calloused judgment to reach this generation. He have to walk in the humility of love and grace to do everything we can to save them!

Prayer

Dad,
I just love your whole plan on calling and transforming the Apostle Paul – great move! This guy ends up writing the majority of practics in our understanding of the New Covenant (Testament) and how it interweaves with the gospel. As a Gentile myself, I love the simplicity of obedience to the law of Christ – love others just like You loved me! May we find the common ground that Paul writes about in our current culture that lives in the most upside down thinking ever! And may we be exactly like the father who runs and welcomes prodigals coming home!!!

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Finding God’s purpose for your life is not a linear process!

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.” Acts‬ ‭9:21-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Well, you know what they say, “if you can’t beat ‘em, kill them!”

For awhile back then Saul/Paul found himself despised by all and feared by believers. After, he comes in from his desert experience, Saul immediately starts preaching Jesus is the Son of God.

His life, his radical turnaround forces this question, “Isn’t this the guy that…?” Basically, this happens in all well known previously bad-human conversions even today. One’s transformation story is very powerful when people ask about the former life. Saul got his speaking groove down so well, that the Jewish religious elite just couldn’t refute his proof. So, rather than see truth or change their hearts, something more sinister took over their thinking. “Let’s kill him,” they said. What hubris, egregious hypocrites. They couldn’t deal with truth, so they ramp up a riot. Sounds like our modern political climate right now.

Saul continued to start with civil synagogue discussions in every town he visited. Yet, it just got increasingly violent, until finally he had to give up going to the Jews first. He believed he was called to the Jewish people! A little providence and a whole lot of death threats convinced him that maybe his calling wasn’t to the Jewish people.

This seems to happen when discovering God’s will. You think it should go one way but door after door continues to close until you realize- that’s not what God wants you to do! There’s something else out there. Paul shifted his focus solely on the Gentiles (non Jews) and then took that passion all the way to the Church leaders, convincing them that the gospel was ALSO for the rest of the world. Acts 15 was all about a fulfillment of God’s plan for Israel and his own favored people to be the ones who brought salvation to the whole world and not just to keep it for themselves. Israel always had a tough time with that idea.

Saul/Paul would go on to bring the message of Jesus to all the major regions of Gentile populations and plant churches (not synagogues) everywhere he went. Paul would come into town, set up his tent making, tent repair shop. Then he would make friends with all the local businesses leaders in the town through shoptalk. He led highly influential men and women to Jesus, then convinced them to use their nicely sized homes to meet in for church on Sundays. Many of those original business owners became church elders and pastors. Paul also ended up writing a large part (almost half) of what we know as the New Testament with thirteen letters, written to correct and encourage these new churches. I would say, all the death threats and riots resulted in explosive growth in the gospel going out to all nations.

Have you started any riots? Received any death threats? Are you struggling with what you think God has called you to do? Maybe there’s something else God has in mind?

PRAYER:

Dad,
Your calling, your purposes are not always the easiest to discover and even more difficult to accept. I have seen a very non-linear path in my own life, right? It’s seems like more of a scribble than a straight line! Yet, you have been faithful and patient. I am thankful for that. For many years, I never thought I would be any kind of first chair leader. There were hopes dashed and failed possibilities. I just settled into the fact that I would be a great second chair for the rest of my life. Then, SURPRISE, through an extraordinary turn of events, I get a callback to serve in my home church as the lead pastor, or Chief Servant Officer as I say. Who would have thought? So now I need your wisdom and favor more than ever before!

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Peter meets the Greeks

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.” Acts‬ ‭10:28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

All those years in the Old Testament, where God used his spokespersons to get Israel to understand His whole plan of using the Jews to bring God to the whole world.

All those wild interactions Jesus had with Gentiles and Samaritans, many of them women, no less.

And it takes a supernatural and commanding vision to finally begin to fulfill this original plan of redemption offered to all.

Peter blurts out this awkward greeting to Cornelius – “hello, I’m not supposed to talk to you, but God made me.” Such strong words, “You know…” was it that obvious? “It is against OUR laws…” Were these civil or moral laws? No, they were Jewish religious/cultural laws. Talk about some deep-seated, systemic racism! I don’t know, maybe the hatred went both ways.

Peter summarizes his own personal vision, “I should no longer think of ANYONE impure or unclean!” Holy bacon bits – that’s such a huge shift for him. So much had changed and yet God kept pushing Peter into a “Kingdom of God” perspective. God had given both men this twinsy, matching visions. Peter’s vision went against a massive amount of food laws that had been handed down to his people for generations. Levitical laws were clear and strict! Cornelius had just been praying and giving to the poor yet had no idea what or why he was doing. He was without purpose or direction.

God saw him and said, boom, there’s the BRIDGE guy! There’s the guy that will get this religiously racial wall torn down. Angels were dispatched with one mission – let’s get Pete and Cornelius together. Cornelius was curious, Peter confused!

After story-swapping, Peter comes to this conclusion… it just give me goosebumps! “Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

God shows NO FAVORITISM! In Christ there is complete and absolute equality across several physical and cultural boundaries – Paul later tells the Church, There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus!

And don’t even get me started in the fact that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Cornelius crowd. With not only a powerful outward indication of an inward change, but also a sign of unity. Peter’s crew was ASTONISHED at what they SAW and HEARD – “The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”

PRAYER:

Dad,
Oh how I long for such reconciliation among the Church today. Unity, bridging the gap in racial and cultural- even denominational divides! These “laws,” this barriers are still causing issues today. It should not be so. There is so much social media trash slinging in the body of Christ, so many theological labels to hide behind and use against a unified church. Help us Lord!