Good Morning Children of God,The hymn I chose to accompany the message is “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” It seems like a strange selection seeing as how we are in the middle of August. But the theme for Sunday shines a light on the arms of God that reach out to embrace everyone. That reaching out took place in a very real and physical way when God’s Son was born. “How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!” The gift of God’s loving and universal embrace continues to amaze us. Here is Sunday’s message.
August 16, 2020
11th Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer of the Day
God of all peoples, your arms reach out to embrace all those who call upon you. Teach us as disciples of your Son to love the world with compassion and constancy, that your name may be known throughout the earth, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
First Reading Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Psalm 67
Second Reading Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Gospel Matthew 15:10-28
Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.” Words of Jesus in Matthew 15:18
At the core of our inmost beings resides a heart. Instead of blood, it pumps instinct and inclinations which shape values and ultimately cultures. It is the seat of human nature which drives thoughts, words, and deeds.
Each person’s heart, though hidden, is on full display for all to see and what is revealed is not always a pretty sight. “For out of the heart comes evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.” (Matthew 15:19) Proverbs 20:9 declares the truth: “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin?’” No human being can say such a thing. Humanity has a heart problem.
The good news is that God has an answer for our ailment and it is Jesus. It turns out that God too has a heart, which like ours, is revealed through words and actions. Jesus is the word of God who reveals the Father’s heart. Gratefully, it lies within the heart of God to love, forgive, and heal. That divine instinct was made manifest through Jesus. His teaching and his deeds have highlighted God’s gracious and merciful nature. Through his death on the cross for the salvation of all people, Jesus put the Father’s heart on full display.
“Let your way be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations.” (Psalm 67:2) Jesus has made God’s way known. God’s way is to love and to save everyone. Just as “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23) The broken human heart and the nefarious human nature have been redeemed by God’s perfect way through Jesus; the way of the cross. While we cannot contradict the proverbial truth and say that we have made our hearts clean and that we are pure from our sin, we can say that Jesus has cleansed all people, Jew and Gentile alike, with his precious blood. Because of Jesus, the Father has deemed us to be of clean hearts and free of sin. Accordingly, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Matthew 15:21-28 tells of a woman who was foreign to Jewish ways yet grasped the gracious and powerful way of God. She called on Jesus to save her daughter who was tormented in life. She approached him with great faith, a faith which Jesus both admired and affirmed when he healed the daughter. When the woman’s trust was put to the test she did not yield. When her prayer was met with silence and hesitation, she persisted.
The Canaanite woman in this story is unnamed. When that happens in the scriptures, I like to think that the Spirit is inviting us to put ourselves in the story, stand in the person’s position, and relate to him or her. It is not a difficult thing to do in this case as we have all been in the position of praying for loved ones and sometimes experiencing silence or what seems to be divine hesitation. The lesson here is that in such times we must persist in faith, trusting God’s pure heart. When God’s way does not align with our way we must trust God no matter what!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) The heart problem that we humans have is not beyond the healing reach of God. Our human nature is instructed by his nature. God’s word, both written and abiding in the flesh in Jesus, is our teacher. And this is what we are taught: “Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed.” (Isaiah 56:1) Evidence of a clean heart is found in thinking, speaking, and doing what is right in God’s eyes. It stands in stark contrast to the evils mentioned by Jesus in today’s Gospel reading. A heart instructed by Jesus is encouraged toward kindness, empathy, and compassion. It pumps justice and love.
Our thoughts, words, and deeds reveal our hearts. I pray that they would also reveal Jesus. He alone can provide the hope, healing, and peace that everyone needs to survive the torments of life. His request of you is that you claim the clean heart and right spirit that he has won for you through his sacrifice on the cross. His desire is that your life exhibit such a heart and spirit as you love the world for God. Amen.
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks)
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by; yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary, and, gathered all above while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wond’ring love. O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the king, and peace to all the earth!
How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n. No ear may hear his coming; but, in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.
O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; oh, come to us, abide with us, our Lord Immanuel!
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Bill