The Power of Interceding Action

There was no getting away at all. Having just spent time debating with the religious leaders who had travelled down from Jerusalem to see what this man called Jesus was actually up to. They were on a fact finding tour to monitor Jesus’ activity in and around the Sea of Galilee. As people brought their sick and dying to him to be healed word about him had spread both far and wide.
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Jesus left that place and travelled to the vicinity of Tyre, some thirty miles away. He entered a house there and did not want anyone to know he was there. He wanted to keep his presence a secret, but that would prove to be impossible.
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There was a woman there, a mother whose daughter was very ill. She was possessed by an evil spirit. The woman was not Jewish, she was Greek. The whole vicinity of Tyre was Gentile and one would have thought that Jesus could have rested here as he would have been, or should’ve been relatively unknown.
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As soon as this mother heard that Jesus was there she came and fell at Jesus’ feet. There are so many people in the Gospel who have done the same. They see or hear Jesus and they come and fall at his feet. The man with leprosy came to Jesus and fell on his knees and said "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Because of his leprosy, he was a social outcast. Jesus broke with the religious custom of his day, and reached out his hand and touched the man and simply said, "I am willing, you are clean.
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Then there is the elderly woman who had been sick for twelve years. She too was a social outcast. Because of her illness she too was considered unclean.
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She believed that all she needed to do was to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe and she knew, she just knew she would be healed. She did and she was. When Jesus turned around and asked who touched him, the disciples were amazed as there were so many people pushing and shoving and the woman trembling with fear, fell on her knees and owned up to being the one who had touch his robe. Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace."
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Just moments earlier, a synagogue ruler by the name of Jarius had also got down on his knees and begged Jesus to come with him and lay his hands on his little daughter who was deathly ill. Jesus set off with Jairus to go to his home.
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There is the account of the rich young man, who ran up to Jesus and fell on his knees and asked Jesus "What must I do to have eternal life?"
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When Jesus told the young man to go and sell everything that he had and give the money to the poor, the rich young man went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus said "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of an needle that for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."
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Now what these three people had in common was the fact that they were all Jewish. Each had come to Jesus for a different reason - but they were Jews.
The woman in our story today was not Jewish, and I said earlier, she was Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia, and when she encountered Jesus he made that very clear. In fact one might be forgiven for thinking that Jesus actually insulted her with his reply to her request to drive the demon out of her daughter.
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"First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."
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Was Jesus calling this woman a dog? In those days dogs were not the nice domestic pets we have today, but rather were viewed as scavengers. Jesus was speaking of the children of Israel, which might seem to suggest that he was in fact calling this woman "a dog" or a scavenger. The equivalent in English would be to call a woman "a bitch" which we know it a female dog, but when applied to a woman has a totally different meaning entirely. In those days, there were no knives or forks, people ate with their hands, and they would use bread to wipe their hands on, and then throw the bread down on the floor for the dogs.
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However, this woman did not hear derogatory or belittling remarks or insults. For Jesus to not be compassionate, kind and caring would have been so far out character, and we know from other encounters that the only people Jesus insulted were those among the religious and political elite.
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And so the woman replies, ‘Yes, Lord, but the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." She was not to be so easily discouraged or put off. She didn’t want the meat or the bread that belonged to the children of Israel, she only wanted the crumbs. She would settle for the crumbs. For such a reply Jesus told her that she may go for the demon had left her daughter. She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
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Now I am sure you recognize this story or at least recognize some of the wording associated with this story. Each Sunday when we celebrate Holy Communion, we recite the words of the Prayer of Humble Access and say, "we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table ..."
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Reflecting on this particular story, what stands out is the woman’s persistence and courage. She would do anything she had to - even lower herself to the status of dogs who scavenged around the tables looking for crumbs. However, what Jesus is saying to this woman, and through this woman, that the children of Israel would have first refusal to the Gospel of good-news. They would have first opportunity, but if they refused to listen, then the bread of life wold be offered to people like this woman, whose faith was perhaps greater than that of the Jewish people - and particularly the Jewish religious leaders whose only purpose and aim was to find fault with Jesus and have him arrested as well.
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The Jewish people were guilty of not listening. They shut their ears to Jesus.
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The second story from the Gospel this morning concerns a man who was deaf and not able to speak very well. Some people brought this man to meet Jesus.

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Jesus had left the vicinity of Tyre and gone into the region of Decapolis. You will remember that Jesus had been there once before when he cast out demons from a man called Legion - because the demons were many - and caused the demons to go into a herd of pigs - and the people pleaded with Jesus to leave.
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However the healing of this man called Legion was so dramatic that the people could not help but be amazed. And now when word had leaked out that Jesus is once again in the area, some people brought to Jesus this man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus to place his hand on the man.
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What happens next shows the beauty of our Lord’s compassion. Jesus took the man aside, away from the glaring eyes of the crowd that had gathered. He afforded the man privacy, permitting him to keep his dignity. Next Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears perhaps to let the man who could not hear understand each step that Jesus took in this man’s healing. Then Jesus spit and touched the man’s lips. Perhaps Jesus was using a form of sign language to guide this man who could not hear so that he fully understood what Jesus was up to.
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Then Jesus looked up to heaven, to perhaps show where his power came from, then with a great sigh said to the deaf man "Ephphatha!" which means ‘Be Opened!" At this the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
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Now Jesus commanded the people not to tell anyone, but the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it and telling anyone who would lend an ear and listen. The people were overwhelmed with amazement at the power of Jesus.
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As we come to worship we risk being touched by this Jesus. If we hear his message and feel his touch - then our lives will be changed for ever and ever.
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When we encounter Jesus - his touch opens us up, first to Him, then to each other, and finally to those outside of the Church. Like the nameless people in our Gospel, they brought their friend to Jesus. Do you think for one moment this man who could not hear and could not speak properly would be able to keep silent about what Jesus had done for him. Surely he‘d tell everyone he met?

Soul Food?

The mouth can betray the Heart.

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Did you know that in the United States of America, the second-largest food consumption day of the year is Super-Bowl Sunday? Statistics tell us that in that single day—actually in one 4-hour period that night—among other things, while watching the Super Bowl football final on television, Americans eat:
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· 4 million pounds of popcorn
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· 9 million pounds of tortilla chips
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· 12 million pounds of potato chips
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· 13 million pounds of guacamole dip!
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Now there are two consequences that come from eating all this junk food: First, it leads to thousands of upset tummies. We know this because statistics also show that on this day when stomachs bulge, sales of antacids also bulge by 20%. And the second effect of consuming all these millions of pounds of salt-filled food is that it makes people thirsty! I don’t have the stats on this but I’m sure people drink millions of gallons of beverages to slake their thirst after eating all those chips and popcorn. However, we do tend to eat all the wrong things.
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I recall as a child that when it was supper time, first of all you came as soon as mum called. If someone prepared a meal for you, you were expected to show up and eat it. Next you hand to wash your hands before eating, and we were not allowed to watch tv or read at the table - this was a time for talking - or more importantly - it was a time of listening. Parents to children and children tp parents. It was a time of sharing family stories and family histories.
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Last week while doing sermon research, I came across a piece of information that was striking in its simplicity. The latest buzz today is about obesity in children. The culprits in all of this are said to be fast food chains and pop manufactors. We have not only super-sized pop drinks and super-sized food portions, but we have super-sized a whole generation of children who will have terrible health problems as they grow older, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and bone density problems on a scale never before seen in previous generations as many today eat the wrong thing full of empty calories
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One of the reflections I read on this upsurge of obesity was that many children live in very stressful situations today and use food and pop to ease their stress just as adults might use drugs and alcohol to reduce their stress - all the while increasing their stress levels through associated health problems.
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But what fascinated me was what one person saw as the answer to all this - it was so simple that at first I laughed out loud. The answer was a programme aimed at teaching parents how to cook and eat properly and in doing so, have their children eat their meals seated around the family table instead of at some fast food restaurant where there are all kinds of distractions - never mind the calories eaten through fat food and sugary drinks. This way, the food nutritionist suggested, that not only could parents monitor what was going into their children’s mouths but also was was coming out of their children’s mouths.

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus is being taken to task because his disciples have not observed the traditions and customs around hand washing. When observant Jews came into contact with Gentiles, or other Jews who were not observant, and thus hand-washing was necessary to be rid of the defilement of everyday contact with those considered unclean. The water that Jesus turned into wine, wasn’t for drinking, but rather it would have been used for this cermonial washing of hands, where the Jew would be cleansed of their defilement by pouring the water of their hands. They saw Jesus and his disciples as unclean.
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The very fact that Jesus ate and drank with outcasts and sinners, and allowed unclean people like lepers and prostitutes touch him, and his disciples did not observe the religious laws regarding hand-washing, in the eyes of the religious leaders made Jesus and his disciples unclean.
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Jesus’ disciples did not observe the religious laws regarding this hand washing, and when the religious leaders challenge Jesus regarding this, Jesus responds by first calling them ‘hypocrites" because even though they said all the right things, the right words rolled of their lips, their hearts were far from God. They were very good at keeping their own man-made rules, but when it came to keeping the Biblical commandments, well that was a whole different thing.
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Jesus actually slams the religious leaders by telling them and the crowd that has gathered to listen that there is nothing a person can eat that will make them unclean. In fact, it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that makes a person unclean, but rather what comes out of a person’s mouth that makes them unclean. Jesus goes on to say that it is what is in a person’s heart, the evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly, these are the things that come from inside a person that indicates an impure heart.
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If you listen hard enough it doesn’t take too long before the words of our lips will betray the secret thoughts of our hearts. The words of our lips often betray the envy, greed, malice, or deceit that we entertain in or the dark recesses of our hearts. The thoughts of our hearts will spill out of our mouths when we are angry or upset or frustrated. From the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
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There are so many examples from Scripture that one might use to illustrate how from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, however, one of my frustrations in ministry is that I spend time preparing a service and a sermon in the hopes of spiritually feeding God’s people, but only a few ever show up to partake of it.
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But, be that as it may, the call to me is to be faithful in the preparation and wit that I reflect on the Parable of the Prodigal Son which is misnamed, because the story of the prodigal son, who asks for his inheritance early than promptly goes off and wastes in on wild living, then returns to be welcomed home by his father, who does not condemn this wayward son as one might expect, but instead orders that the fatted calf be cooked and let there be a great celebration, for the son who was lost has been found. But the story does not end there, my friend.

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There is another older brother who refuses to join in the great celebration. and even with his father pleading with him to celebrate, the older son simply refuses.
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With anger in his heart, the words of his lips betray his jealousy and envy, and even the deep resentment not only against his brother, but against his father -:
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"Look! Even his first word that he chooses betrays him. "Look! All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours ( he could not even bring himself to call him his brother) When this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him." The words of his lips betray not only his anger and frustration regarding his brother, but also reveal what he thinks about his own father for who he has slaved "all these years." Was his father really only a slave -driver in his sons eyes. Such resentment and envy.
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Then I think of Mary and Martha, two sisters who were close friends of Jesus.
On this occasion Jesus was invited to relax in their home and a special dinner was prepared in his honour. However Martha was distracted by all the preparation that had to be made for this special dinner, while her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to what he said. Martha came to Jesus and asked him ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself. Tell her to help me!" Can you hear the jealousy and envy in her request?
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It is so easy to get discouraged. It is so easy to get distracted. It is so easy to think that no-one else cares. It is so easy to be envious of the success of others, while we are left to do all the hard work and get little or no recognition.
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In times of discouragement, in times of distraction, in times of disillusionment,
I try to remember that everything I do, I do for Jesus. I try to remember that imperfect as I am, and unworthy as I am, God has called me to this time and place. Even though there are times when I feel all alone in ministry, I try to remember that I am not alone, for he has promised to be with me at all times.
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In such times, I try to remember that it is the word of God that sustains me,
and that Satan will attack me when ever and where ever possible,
but Jesus alays walks with we where ever he asks me to go.
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And so, as you leave here today, remember he has promised to be with you.
And as you go, take with you his promise that he will never leave or forsake you.
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Remember that every good and perfect gift is from above,
and may the name of Jesus be for ever on your lips.
Amen.

Easily Led

EASILY LED ......

I would like to tell you a story of a woman who was dying of AIDS. She summoned a Christian friend to comfort her, but it seemed hopeless.
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"I'm lost," she said. "I've ruined my life and every life around me. I have made so many mistakes. I'm headed for Hell. There's no hope for me. Pray for me"
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Her friend saw a framed picture of a pretty girl on the dresser. "Who is that?" he asked.
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The woman brightened. "She's my daughter, the one beautiful thing in my life."
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"Would you help her if she was in trouble, no matter how many mistakes she'd made? Would you forgive her if she asked you too? Would you still love her, no matter what?"
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"Of course I would!" the woman exclaimed. "Why would you even ask a question like that?"
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"Because I want you to understand," explained her friend, "that God has a picture of you on His dresser, too."
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That is what faith is all about. God knows our name. We are God’s work of art. God made us and knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows even the number of hairs we have on our head. Each hair is numbered. God knew us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. No matter how far we might wander away from God, no matter how many mistakes we make,
God is always waiting with open arms to welcome us home.
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One can of coke contains nearly 10 teaspoons of sugar or the entire daily recommended amount of calories from sugar;
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One of five American children is now considered obese. Americans consume nearly 53 teaspoons of sugar daily;
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Sugar in soda makes blood acidic robbing the body of calcium and which can lead to osteoporosis;
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The "quick energy" from soda is followed by "lows", ask any teacher who has to deal with students loaded with sugar;
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The sugar in soda helps to whither crucial bacteria in our intestines, reducing vitamin B which inhibits thinking, making children sleepy;
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Studies have shown that girls who play sports and consumed soda daily experienced 3x the risk of bone fractures.
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Clean a toilet with Coke it remove stains from vitreous china. Use Coke and a ball of aluminum foil for rust on chrome. Clean corrosion from car battery terminals. Use a Coke-soaked cloth to loosen a rusted bolt. Use a can of Coke in a load of greasy laundry.
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Big movie stars were happy to endorse smokes on TV as well, and the number one celebrity of the era was the Duke. John Wayne appeared for Camel in 1952, speaking highly of the product: "Mild and good tasting pack after pack. And I know, I've been smokin' em for twenty years." This commercial was filmed in conjunction with Wayne's movie Big Jim McLain. Coincidentally (or not), John Wayne died of lung cancer twenty-seven years after that spot aired; some of the last commercials he filmed were to ask people to stop smoking.
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Remember when the government made a big stink about Joe Camel in the nineties? They were outraged that more kids recognized Camel's cartoon carton-pusher Cool Joe Camel than could ID Mickey Mouse. Camels were flying off the shelves and (presumably) into the tiny fingers of young children.
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This was nothing new, cartoon characters had been selling cigarettes for decades, particularly on television.
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In 1988, Camel cigarettes were in trouble. They were perceived as an "old man's" cigarette, and sales were slipping. The R. J. Reynolds people knew that most people who start smoking start early, certainly before they're mature, and usually even before high school. Every year, a million kids under the age of 18 start smoking. According to a study by the University of Michigan, the peak periods for kids to start smoking is in the sixth and seventh grade.
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So they created a cartoon character (Joe Camel) to sell their cigarettes to young people. They gave him a face that's a clear example of the subliminal power of building a character around human genitalia. They dressed him up in cool clothes and put sunglasses on him. And they pumped millions and millions of dollars into the ad campaign (last year they spent 40 million bucks on Joe, up 63% from the year before). Sad to say, their strategy has worked. Sales of Camels are up (get this!) 8000% among teenagers! That's not a typographical error -- it's eight thousand percent. One out four kids aged 12 - 17 say that they smoke Camels.
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In a recent brand recognition study, 67% of adults knew who Joe Camel was and what he was selling. Among 6-year-olds, that recognition factor increased to 91%, bringing Joe Camel equal to Mickey Mouse in being recognizable to children.
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in a survey taken by Kids Peace these startling concerns of children were uncovered. Children today live with life stresses that a generation ago did not exist. The survey was taken of 1023 American children. Consider the finding:
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* 54 percent fear they may contract AIDS;
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* Four in ten children as young as ten believe they may fall into the
traps of early pregnancy, unwed parenthood, drugs, or alcohol;
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* 45 percent fear they will be physically or sexually abused;
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* 51 percent are worried about their own deaths;
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* In a country where happiness and its pursuit are virtual birthrights written into our founding documents and cultural DNA, nearly half (47 percent) say they are afraid they might be unhappy in life.
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Reflecting on what many experts in the field believe is an epidemic - that is the problem of ‘obesity among children", It appears that one of the strategies employed in the battle against this ever growing problem is to teach parents preparing and eating home cooked meals at home so that they can monitor not only what goes into their kids mouths, but also what comes out of it as well!
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We live in an age when we worship slimness yet, have to deal with the modern phenomena of the super-sized meal. Christianity Today carried an article entitled "Fit or Fat" that stated that 16 % of American children are obese, while another 11% have an eating disorder such as either anorexia or bulimia.
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Today we have witnessed the baptism of two children, Haley Samantha Anne and MacKendrick. As we welcome these children into the household of faith, we perhaps need to remember that we are not making little Angicans here.
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One wonders what kinds of challenges and changes these two children will face. In just one generation the world has undergone tremendous change and is facing tremendous challenges. Terrorism, wars and rumours of war abound. Drugs, pornography, sexual abuse, eating disorders, mlutrition, AIDS and a million other things are there to be faced, challenged and overcome.
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What a privilege it is to hold a new born baby and to feel the pride and joy he or she gives. But greater still, is the calm assurance of faith, that these children can face uncertain days, because of Jesus Christ, who came into our world as a tiny, helpless baby and would die on the Cross so that those who believe in him may live for ever.
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What has happened here today is in direct response to the words of Jesus, that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood will live for ever.
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Sometimes the Church gets into denominational arguments regarding baptism - whether it ought to be infant baptism or adult baptism. That’s the wrong question - the real issue in whether these children are surrounded by people of faith - and whether they will be raised in the faith - so that they may grow into the knowledge of Jesus Christ and be inheritors of the kingdom of God.

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Haley Elizabeth Anne and MacKendrick have come home today. They have become through their baptism the newest members of the household of faith, the family of God and inheritors of the Kingdom of God. Their names are engraved on the Almighty Hands of God.

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It is important to note that both children are surrounded by three generations of faith, both Haley Elizabeth Anne and MacKendrick represent the fourth generation of faith in their respective families. May they grow in their faith.

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