1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:14,440 O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. 3 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:25,000 As a pastor, one expects to get calls or texts outside of normal business hours. A pastor's 4 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:32,000 work schedule usually doesn't refer to the Dolly Parton 9-5 paradigm. I was very well 5 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:39,000 aware of this when I signed up for the job. My mentors and my professors therefore emphasized 6 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:46,000 the need to set boundaries, especially between what can wait and what cannot wait. Obviously, 7 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:54,000 a balancing act is required, and this certainly takes some time to master. In case you were 8 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:01,000 wondering, I've not quite mastered it yet. Over the course of my 14 years, I've had fewer 9 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:09,000 calls or texts than one might expect. However, I've had some memorable ones. I'm not going 10 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:15,240 to go too much into detail, but interestingly enough, most of these calls are actually from 11 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:20,840 people outside of the congregation, people who are not members of the congregation. They 12 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:27,840 need food or water or shelter or medicine. Every once in a while, I'm able to help out, 13 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:37,320 but unfortunately, I ignore a lot of the calls. Now, that might sound rude, but we did just 14 00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:44,320 read about Jesus ignoring this Canaanite woman. She is even worse than that. She is seeking 15 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:49,320 Jesus because she believes that he can heal her daughter. When she finds him, she yells 16 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:56,320 after him, addressing him as Lord. He looks at his phone and presses decline. She calls 17 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:01,320 right back, but the disciples urge her, urge him to send her to voicemail. He at least 18 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:06,320 answers the phone this time and tells her that what she's asking for is not a part of 19 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:12,320 his job description. The Canaanite woman, however, has complete disregard for Jesus 20 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:18,320 boundaries, remains oblivious to them, or rather she probably just doesn't care. Jesus 21 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:24,320 has only come to save the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus has only come to save the Jews, and 22 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:31,320 at very best, she is a lost dog that no one is looking for. She's a pagan. She comes from 23 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:37,320 a people who worship Baal. She's a Gentile. She's a non-Jew. According to many Israelites, 24 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:43,320 she and her people have no more dignity in society, no more protection in society than 25 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:50,320 that of a dog. And dog is used pejoratively here. She's a mutt. She's not a purebred. 26 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:55,320 Now, before we get too offended, let's go back to the beginning of today's lesson. After 27 00:02:55,320 --> 00:03:00,320 talking with the Pharisees, the disciples rush to tell Jesus, you have offended the 28 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:05,320 Pharisees by what you said. But what's new, right? The Pharisees get offended by what 29 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:10,320 you said. But what's new, right? The Pharisees get offended a lot. But reading that line 30 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:16,320 about Jesus offending the Pharisees right after I myself was offended by Jesus, racial 31 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:23,320 slur, caused a lump to develop in my throat. Is this one of those Nathan and David moments? 32 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:30,320 Is this one of those reverse psychology lessons when I realize that the person that I should 33 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:37,320 be offended by is myself because I am that man? I, like one of the Pharisees, are offended 34 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:43,320 too. Jesus' actions have offended me. And not the hand washing part, but the part where 35 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:49,320 Jesus is just flat out rude to this woman. He could have said with a smile on his face, 36 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:54,320 I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't help your daughter right now. If you wait over here, maybe I 37 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:59,320 can get to you after all my paying customers have been treated. Here in the south, being 38 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:05,320 nice covers a multitude of sins. However, Jesus doesn't save the world by being nice. 39 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:12,320 In fact, Jesus saves the world exactly because he offends us and everyone on every level, 40 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:18,320 no matter who you are. So if you think Jesus is on your side on every single issue, then 41 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:24,320 you might want to start talking less and listening more in your prayers. Jesus doesn't come 42 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:30,320 to pick sides. Jesus isn't here to sponsor your agenda or cause. Jesus comes to save 43 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:37,320 a world that is divided and enslaved by sin. He comes to save a world that can't stop 44 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:43,320 fighting with one another. And a part of that salvation will actually see traditional enemies 45 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:49,320 come together. The Jews and the Romans come together to form alliances to kill Jesus. 46 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:55,320 The Canaanite woman, however, has no dog in this fight. She is not a part of the political 47 00:04:55,320 --> 00:05:00,320 landscape. Regardless of who wins the region, the Jews or the Romans, she will still be 48 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:05,320 a dog. She will still be less than human. You might say that she has nothing left to 49 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:11,320 lose and she will not take no for an answer. At this point, nothing can offend her, not 50 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:18,320 even Jesus ignoring her, not even his pejorative remark. She knows if anyone can heal her 51 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:25,320 daughter, it is this man and she will demand mercy and she will get it. There's a song 52 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:33,320 at Camp McDowell that offends me and my theological sensibilities on every level. It's a catchy 53 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:40,320 song, not to put it down too much, but to make matters worse, it is an all time camp 54 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:45,320 favorite. If you don't play this song at a Camp McDowell session, then you're going to 55 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:52,320 get a refund. Removing it from the rotation would lead to protests in front of Epps Hall. 56 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:58,320 But like, and like many camp songs, it's a pop song reinterpreted for a church setting. 57 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:05,320 It's called Unconditional Love by Donna Summer. It was written in 1994. The chorus goes like 58 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:11,320 this, give me your unconditional love, the kind of love I deserve, the kind I want to 59 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,320 return. Now I like that last part, the kind I want to return. But first of all, there's 60 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:20,320 no shame here. Where's the humility? Give me the love I deserve, excuse you. How about 61 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:28,320 adding at least a please or a thank you somewhere? And I think the lyrics are a little oxymoronish. 62 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:33,320 If love is unconditional, then how can you deserve it? And because I'm a theological 63 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:39,320 snob, I sing it like this. I want your unconditional love, the kind of love I can't 64 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:46,320 earn, the love I want to return. And let's just say my version hasn't caught on yet. 65 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:51,320 Who am I to demand God's love? Who am I to say that I deserve God's love? But then 66 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:57,320 again, I am not the Canaanite woman. I am not the one on the outside looking in. I've 67 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,320 never had to wait in the back of the line for anything. I was born near the front of 68 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:08,320 the line and my last name starts with an A. What did I do to deserve that? Nothing. 69 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:13,320 Moreover, there are people born at the back of the line every day and their name starts 70 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:21,320 with a Z. What did they do to deserve that? Nothing. Jesus is right. It isn't fair to 71 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:27,320 take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. The dogs, or the Gentiles, deserve 72 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:32,320 a place at the table too. And if we, the religious people, don't give them a place at the table, 73 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:38,320 they will demand a place. They will most likely offend our religious and social sensibilities. 74 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:45,320 Too often do we religious people use their rude behavior as justifications as why we 75 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:52,320 don't let them have a place at the table. In 1965 at St. Paul's in Selma where I served 76 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:58,320 as rector, they integrated the parish there, allowing local black women and children and 77 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:04,320 men to attend worship. But it didn't come without a struggle. It was largely inspired 78 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:10,320 by Jonathan Daniels, a 26-year-old seminarian, an eventual martyr in the Episcopal Church. 79 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:16,320 He was actually killed 58 years ago today in Hanedville, Alabama after standing in front 80 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:22,320 of a shotgun intended for a young black woman who wanted to buy a Coke at a local all-white 81 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:28,320 store. But back in March of that year, Daniels worked with the rector and with members of 82 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:33,320 the congregation to integrate St. Paul's, which led to obviously contentious debates 83 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:38,320 among the membership. I once heard someone say that they weren't allowed to worship 84 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:43,320 because they didn't wear church clothes. That wasn't the majority. That was just one person's 85 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:49,320 comment. But that's sort of the mentality. It was their fault because they weren't acting 86 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:54,320 right, that they didn't follow the social conventions and sort of washed our hands clean 87 00:08:54,320 --> 00:09:00,320 of the wrongdoing. Now, the week before Daniels and his delegation were allowed into worship, 88 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:05,320 they kneeled before the steps of St. Paul's in prayer as a form of protest. Other members 89 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:11,320 of St. Paul's who didn't agree with the segregationist stance also stood outside the church in protest. 90 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:17,320 And the opening hymn that morning was, Oh Jesus, Thou Art Standing Behind the Fast-Closed 91 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:23,320 Door. Now, by the following week, Daniels and his delegation were welcome to worship. 92 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,320 And a handful of the members there at St. Paul's were so offended that they left the 93 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:32,320 church. And they literally did not come back until their funeral. Most of the congregation 94 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:39,320 stayed. Now, I tell this because if Jesus doesn't offend you from time to time, then 95 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:45,320 you are either a saint or a sleep. I didn't ask Emily's permission on this, but hopefully 96 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:51,320 she'll forgive me. She remarked this week that if first century Jesus came among us 97 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:57,320 in 21st century America, we'd probably call the cops on him. And I don't think we would. 98 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:03,320 I think we already have. At least I think I have already called the cops on Jesus. I 99 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,320 say this because when we decide to follow Jesus, we are also making a decision to cross 100 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:13,320 boundaries that we've been told not to cross. Geographical boundaries, social boundaries, 101 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:19,320 political boundaries, religious boundaries even. And the list goes on. But the good news 102 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:25,320 is that the reward for crossing those boundaries far outweighs the risk. Because when we cross 103 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:32,320 those boundaries, we get to meet with and live with a God whose love knows no boundaries. 104 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:39,320 A love that has made you worthy to sit at the table. A love that we know in Jesus Christ, 105 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:45,320 our Lord, the one who crosses over the chasm, the great boundary between heaven and earth 106 00:10:45,320 --> 00:11:13,320 to show us the way. Amen.