Dearly Beloved in Christ,

In last week's gospel reading (Mark 7:14-22) Jesus challenged the purity codes concerning food: nothing that goes into a body can make it unclean, however, that which comes out of the body (the heart) can and does make it unclean.

Leaving the boundaries of Israel Jesus journeys into the unclean territory of the Syrian/Phoenician border, where an unclean Syrophoenician woman comes and pleads with him to heal her daughter possessed of an unclean spirit.  After an exchange that seems out of character for Jesus, he heals the woman's daughter.  And in so doing he demonstrates that through him that which is unclean can be made clean.  Purity cannot be attained by external boundaries, unclean humanity is made clean only through Jesus.

But in the exchange he also reveals the primary focus of his mission leading up to the crucifixion.  After the resurrection he will commission his disciples to spread the gospel message to all the unclean (pagan) nations, but for now his mission is to the children of Israel.  He must first fulfill all that was written about him in the Hebrew Scriptures (Luke 24:27).  He must fulfill his mission as Israel's messiah in order to be the world's King.  And he does so by inaugurating his kingdom with healings and miracles.  He returns to Galilee and heals a deaf man clearly fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah 35:5-6.

The seemingly ironic title above Jesus' head as he dies on the cross - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews - is never more true.  For precisely because the Jewish messiah suffers and dies does he become not only the King of the Jews, but also the King of the Earth.  The kingdom of King Jesus has come in power and now all the unclean can be made clean in Him.

In the Peace, Grace, and Love of our Lord,

Resumes this coming Wednesday, September 12 at 10:30 am in Roberta's Hall

This Beth Moore series begins Wednesday, September 19 at 10:30 am in Roberta's Hall

Stuart Auerbach, Garth Schweizer