GOD'S PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO BUCK THE SYSTEM
Matthew 15:8-28
James Dean was the original rebel without a cause. From the movie screen, he became a symbol of rebellion and wild, reckless behavior as he bucked the system.
Jesus, on the other hand, was a rebel with a cause and a mission. His mission was to lead the lost sheep of Israel back into right relationship with God and with other human beings. Jesus was out there raising "heaven," making the religious powers that be uncomfortable and bucking the system.
When the Pharisees criticized Jesus and their disciples for not following the ritual of washing their hands, what Jesus was responding to was the "tradition of the elders," an oral code which was a human interpretation of the Law of Moses that intensified the demands of the law. The Pharisees and other religious leaders used it to their advantage to financially support their favorite causes while ignoring the needs of their own aging parents and the poor. By following it rigidly, they also thought it made them morally superior.
So, Jesus called them on it. "Whoa, Jesus," his disciples said, "You really insulted those Pharisees. You don't want to mess with the system!"
This last week, I saw an episode of the old "Andy Griffith" show. Sheriff Andy, who was on the committee for the charity fund drive for needy boys in Mayberry, was shocked to learn that his own son, Opie, had only contributed three cents to the cause because little Opie was saving up his money to buy his girl friend, Charlotte a present.
Andy was outraged. How was this going to look like to the rest of the community? How would it reflect on him, the sheriff, the justice of the peace and a member of the committee when it came out that his son refused to give to such a worthy cause so he could spend money on some girl.
Opie knew he was in trouble with his father, but he stubbornly refuse to give in. Opie didn't care about keeping up appearances. He cared that his friend, Charlotte, didn't have a decent winter coat because her mother couldn't afford one. Opie was saving his money up to buy her one.
Jesus tried to explain to his disciples that being right relationship with God and with other people has nothing to do with ritual purity and the appearce of righteousness. It has to do with humility, putting one's faith in God, not man-made rules and expectations, and caring for those in need.
When the Canaanite women approached Jesus, she recognized that because of who she was that she shouldn't expect anything from Jesus, According to the Jewish culture, she was considered "unclean." She was bucking the system, but she believed that Jesus could save her daughter.
Humbling herself, she called Jesus, "Lord, son of David," and knelt before him and worshipped him. She put her hope in Jesus, hope that something good would fall her way even though Jesus was mandated by the culture to ignore her. Because of her faith, Jesus healed her child.
Faith, not a human-centered code that burdened the poor while it elevated those in religious power.
Jesus was considered a rebel because he taught and lived a life that was in contrast to what was demanded by those who had become entrenched in human tradition that they had lost sight of what God had spoken to them through the prophet Micah -- to do justly, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8). God is not interested in rituals and rules but in a humble heart that recognizes its need for grace, places it's hope in Christ and reaches out in compassion to the unwanted and unloved.
We buck the system when we put our faith in God through Christ rather than in the things of this world or in our ability to be righteous all on our own. We buck the system when we live our lives in humble faithfulness and not worry about appearances as we open our hearts and our doors to those whom others may think we should shut out.
When we buck the system, the world will see Christ at work in us and through us and the miracles that transform lives and communities.
James Dean was the original rebel without a cause. From the movie screen, he became a symbol of rebellion and wild, reckless behavior as he bucked the system.
Jesus, on the other hand, was a rebel with a cause and a mission. His mission was to lead the lost sheep of Israel back into right relationship with God and with other human beings. Jesus was out there raising "heaven," making the religious powers that be uncomfortable and bucking the system.
When the Pharisees criticized Jesus and their disciples for not following the ritual of washing their hands, what Jesus was responding to was the "tradition of the elders," an oral code which was a human interpretation of the Law of Moses that intensified the demands of the law. The Pharisees and other religious leaders used it to their advantage to financially support their favorite causes while ignoring the needs of their own aging parents and the poor. By following it rigidly, they also thought it made them morally superior.
So, Jesus called them on it. "Whoa, Jesus," his disciples said, "You really insulted those Pharisees. You don't want to mess with the system!"
This last week, I saw an episode of the old "Andy Griffith" show. Sheriff Andy, who was on the committee for the charity fund drive for needy boys in Mayberry, was shocked to learn that his own son, Opie, had only contributed three cents to the cause because little Opie was saving up his money to buy his girl friend, Charlotte a present.
Andy was outraged. How was this going to look like to the rest of the community? How would it reflect on him, the sheriff, the justice of the peace and a member of the committee when it came out that his son refused to give to such a worthy cause so he could spend money on some girl.
Opie knew he was in trouble with his father, but he stubbornly refuse to give in. Opie didn't care about keeping up appearances. He cared that his friend, Charlotte, didn't have a decent winter coat because her mother couldn't afford one. Opie was saving his money up to buy her one.
Jesus tried to explain to his disciples that being right relationship with God and with other people has nothing to do with ritual purity and the appearce of righteousness. It has to do with humility, putting one's faith in God, not man-made rules and expectations, and caring for those in need.
When the Canaanite women approached Jesus, she recognized that because of who she was that she shouldn't expect anything from Jesus, According to the Jewish culture, she was considered "unclean." She was bucking the system, but she believed that Jesus could save her daughter.
Humbling herself, she called Jesus, "Lord, son of David," and knelt before him and worshipped him. She put her hope in Jesus, hope that something good would fall her way even though Jesus was mandated by the culture to ignore her. Because of her faith, Jesus healed her child.
Faith, not a human-centered code that burdened the poor while it elevated those in religious power.
Jesus was considered a rebel because he taught and lived a life that was in contrast to what was demanded by those who had become entrenched in human tradition that they had lost sight of what God had spoken to them through the prophet Micah -- to do justly, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8). God is not interested in rituals and rules but in a humble heart that recognizes its need for grace, places it's hope in Christ and reaches out in compassion to the unwanted and unloved.
We buck the system when we put our faith in God through Christ rather than in the things of this world or in our ability to be righteous all on our own. We buck the system when we live our lives in humble faithfulness and not worry about appearances as we open our hearts and our doors to those whom others may think we should shut out.
When we buck the system, the world will see Christ at work in us and through us and the miracles that transform lives and communities.
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