Behold! My Servant whom I have
chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him,
and He will declare justice to the Gentiles (Mt 12:18, NKJV).
(Overview and commentary on: Cross-cultural missions, Lesson 8)
Karakia Timatanga | Opening Prayer
He hōnore, he korōria ki te atua
All honour and glory to our maker
He maungārongo ki te whenua
Let there be peace and tranquillity on earth
He whakaaro pai ki ngā tangata katoa
Goodwill to mankind
Āmine.
Amen
Saturday | Sabbath | Hātarei
The introduction to this weeks lesson makes some very interesting points about the cross-cultural experiences Jesus may well have had. In this matter we are really entering on a field of conjecture but it would not be surprising to find that God had deliberately shaped things this way. If we are going to speculate on Egypt we could also speculate that this experience may also have impacted on Jesus parents. Often our attitudes and stereotypes of other races and cultures are formed in our childhood experiences at home.
Sunday | Rātapu
The Samaritan woman
John 4:9 is worth a second look.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)In this verse Jesus is breaking down racial, cultural, historical and gender barriers for our sakes. He is our example (1 Jn 2:6). There are many acts that can be considered righteous and breaking down barriers between cultures is righteousness.
John 4:10 says:
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”Our familiarity with this story leads us to conclude that this sinful woman really needs righteousness, perhaps not realising that we too need what she needs.
Paul elaborates in Romans chapter five that the gift of God is righteousness. He explains that the gift of righteousness is extended to us, just as it was to this 'foreigner' and that it comes to us through the grace of Jesus. Breaking down barriers as Jesus did will always require acts of grace. Grace fosters trust.
Monday | Rāhina
The Roman Army Officer
This man is incredible. He is a leader of an occupying Roman force in Israel and has managed to build good relationships with the local people. He clearly understands power and authority. He exercises it wisely on behalf of those who he is responsible for. While other Romans would rather kill a Jew he wants to save one. This centurion places value - even compassion, on a servant (slave) when most of his contemporaries would have given the matter no consideration whatsoever (Barclay, 1975). No wonder Jesus commends this man. Schantz and Thompson (2015) rightly point out that this man is a prototype of the righteous gentile. We read in Matthew eight:
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
One day we all hope to hear such words of commendation from Jesus.
Don't be surprised at the grand entrance of many unlikely heroes into God's kingdom.
In 1963 the Israeli parliament institute the award "Righteous among the Nations". The supreme court of Israel is charged with establishing the claims of all such people honoured. This was instituted following the holocaust. Check out the criteria for the modern righteous gentile. In my view this ancient Roman ticks all the boxes:
Don't be surprised at the grand entrance of many unlikely heroes into God's kingdom.
In 1963 the Israeli parliament institute the award "Righteous among the Nations". The supreme court of Israel is charged with establishing the claims of all such people honoured. This was instituted following the holocaust. Check out the criteria for the modern righteous gentile. In my view this ancient Roman ticks all the boxes:
- Only a Jewish party can put a nomination forward;
- Helping a family member or Jew convert to Christianity is not a criterion for recognition;
- Assistance has to be repeated and/or substantial; and
- Assistance has to be given without any financial gain expected in return (Righteous among the nations, n.d.)
Rabbinical Judaism believed that righteous gentiles would be saved. These gentiles were thought to obey the seven laws of Noah, the post-flood universal father.
Tuesday | Rātū
Dealing with demons - the Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30)
I will just focus on the Canaanite woman. I think this is a very difficult passage to read because at face value Jesus is doing everything that we would expect of his fellow Jews who had no time for gentiles. In contrast to other passages where He reaches out to other cultures - in this instance He acts as a 'red neck' racist. What's going on?
During this part of His ministry Israel is hardening in its attitude of rejection to Him as the Messiah (Ross, 2006). It seems that in coming to the area of Tyre and Sidon Jesus is taking a break from the intense pressure that is beginning to mount in Israel over His ministry. However, this meeting does not occur by chance, it occurs through Divine providence and through the deliberate action of faith. God places Jesus in this vicinity and this woman seeks Him out. It was a Divine appointment and is recorded for our benefit so that we might benefit from the hope and promise it offers.
The woman was a descendant of the ancient Canaanites who were intractable enemies to Israel for nearly a thousand years. The Canaanites and Israelites had been involved in an ongoing struggle for the same narrow strip of land that God had promised to Israel on account of the Canaanite's evil practices. This Canaanite woman, through her action and words provides Jesus a sanctuary, just as Rahab offered Joshua's spies a sanctuary at Jericho in Israel's first conquest (Josh 6:17; Heb 11:31). She recognises what Israel does not, she recognises Jesus by His rightful title (Mt 15:22). In this acknowledgement she is confessing His claim and her allegiance to Him.
Yes she wants something from Him in return, but don't we all. She wants something for her daughter who is plagued by a demon. At this stage Jesus mission is primarily to Israel, yet strangely He is not in Israelite territory. The dialogue on the surface gets a bit testy. Jesus throws up some stumbling blocks. This woman persists when many of us would give up. We don't like to think that God tests us but He does (Jn 6:6). Jesus is testing this woman. Reference is made to pet dogs and the left overs that they get because the children don't want them. This woman, with great spiritual insight grasps that in Jesus there is enough for everyone (A Canaanite woman's faith, n.d.). God makes an assessment or judgment of us based on just one thing: our response to His beloved son. What fascinates me is Jesus response to both the centurion and this Canaanite woman. Yes, we are amazed at Him and He is amazed at us. That God should be amazed at us, is incredibly unbelievable but on the other hand, are we not His children.
Wednesday | Rāapa
During this part of His ministry Israel is hardening in its attitude of rejection to Him as the Messiah (Ross, 2006). It seems that in coming to the area of Tyre and Sidon Jesus is taking a break from the intense pressure that is beginning to mount in Israel over His ministry. However, this meeting does not occur by chance, it occurs through Divine providence and through the deliberate action of faith. God places Jesus in this vicinity and this woman seeks Him out. It was a Divine appointment and is recorded for our benefit so that we might benefit from the hope and promise it offers.
The woman was a descendant of the ancient Canaanites who were intractable enemies to Israel for nearly a thousand years. The Canaanites and Israelites had been involved in an ongoing struggle for the same narrow strip of land that God had promised to Israel on account of the Canaanite's evil practices. This Canaanite woman, through her action and words provides Jesus a sanctuary, just as Rahab offered Joshua's spies a sanctuary at Jericho in Israel's first conquest (Josh 6:17; Heb 11:31). She recognises what Israel does not, she recognises Jesus by His rightful title (Mt 15:22). In this acknowledgement she is confessing His claim and her allegiance to Him.
Yes she wants something from Him in return, but don't we all. She wants something for her daughter who is plagued by a demon. At this stage Jesus mission is primarily to Israel, yet strangely He is not in Israelite territory. The dialogue on the surface gets a bit testy. Jesus throws up some stumbling blocks. This woman persists when many of us would give up. We don't like to think that God tests us but He does (Jn 6:6). Jesus is testing this woman. Reference is made to pet dogs and the left overs that they get because the children don't want them. This woman, with great spiritual insight grasps that in Jesus there is enough for everyone (A Canaanite woman's faith, n.d.). God makes an assessment or judgment of us based on just one thing: our response to His beloved son. What fascinates me is Jesus response to both the centurion and this Canaanite woman. Yes, we are amazed at Him and He is amazed at us. That God should be amazed at us, is incredibly unbelievable but on the other hand, are we not His children.
Wednesday | Rāapa
Ten Lepers
In this healing the primary lesson is that of gratitude. Gratitude is often a rare thing and sometimes it is not shown by those who should know best. Jesus recognition of the Samaritan is likely not only for the benefit of the man himself but also for Jesus disciples who bit by bit are having their prejudices whittled away. God's mercy and grace extend to all people, grateful and the ungrateful, the righteous and the unrighteous. Perhaps a barrier was broken down inside this Samaritan who recognised that in his healing Jesus had crossed that barrier of racial prejudice.
Thursday | Rāpare
The Greeks and Jesus
I like Philip. We see the Greeks say to Philip "We would see Jesus". Philip is a great missionary. He is constantly bring people to Jesus. Philip brings Nathaniel to Jesus with
the invitation “Come and see”. We also see Philip being
tested and failing on bringing the little boy with the barley loaves to Jesus
(John 6).
Phillip learns the message of Christ well. Tradition suggests that he acted as a missionary to Greece, Syria, and Phrygia (Philip the apostle, n.d.) and is eventually martyred in Phrygia (Turkey).
There is a great play on words with this lesson's title. In John 12:32 in response to meeting with the Greeks we see Jesus prophesy that His death will lead to a universal drawing of mankind to Himself. The phase of His ministry to just Israel is about to end and the meeting of cultures will result from His crucifixion.
Phillip learns the message of Christ well. Tradition suggests that he acted as a missionary to Greece, Syria, and Phrygia (Philip the apostle, n.d.) and is eventually martyred in Phrygia (Turkey).There is a great play on words with this lesson's title. In John 12:32 in response to meeting with the Greeks we see Jesus prophesy that His death will lead to a universal drawing of mankind to Himself. The phase of His ministry to just Israel is about to end and the meeting of cultures will result from His crucifixion.
Friday | Rāmere
Schantz and Thomspon (2015) write:
It’s easy to become complacent about truths that we have been given, truths that in some cases no one else is preaching and teaching. First, we need to make sure that we keep ourselves grounded in these truths; then, second, we need to be willing to teach these to those who don’t know them.
What Schantz and Thompson say here is quite right to a point. We are Adventist's (hopefully but not necessarily) on the basis that we think that Adventist beliefs and practises line up with the Bible more than some other religious denomination. However, herein lies the danger with having a set number of fixed fundamental beliefs. The more doctrines that are set in concrete, the more 'heretics' you create and the more people you alienate from the church. I know of Adventists - minorities of course, who believe in: the Wednesday resurrection, eating meat, drinking alcohol, marrying outside the church etc... There are also Adventists who don't believe in: the remnant church, the investigative judgment, the trinity and the prophetic ministry of Ellen White. What do you do with all these people - cast them out? Some members definitely would. Early Adventists were much more fluid in their doctrine, vigorous in debate and exuberant in their worship.
I personally would rather see Adventists grounded in the gospel narratives than codified doctrines. I am not arguing against having doctrine because too few Christians altogether know what they really believe. I am simply saying that it is the gospels and not doctrine that will lead you to eternal life (Jn 20:31).
I personally would rather see Adventists grounded in the gospel narratives than codified doctrines. I am not arguing against having doctrine because too few Christians altogether know what they really believe. I am simply saying that it is the gospels and not doctrine that will lead you to eternal life (Jn 20:31).
Considerations for practise
1. In a number of the stories this week the cultural barriers are broken down not by those who ought to be breaking them down but by those who should be reached out to. As an Adventist/Christian what barriers racial, religious or otherwise are you breaking down?
2. As a European Christian, Chinese Christian, (put in your own race) do you think your race is any more superior to another? Does Christ place more value on your race and culture than another?
3. This question is more difficult than the last. As an Adventist is your view of the world more superior to that of a Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness or Mormon?
2. As a European Christian, Chinese Christian, (put in your own race) do you think your race is any more superior to another? Does Christ place more value on your race and culture than another?
3. This question is more difficult than the last. As an Adventist is your view of the world more superior to that of a Pentecostal, Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness or Mormon?
4. The woman at the well
went back and witnessed to her own people about Jesus. What does this teach us
about missions and the importance of using those of a particular culture to
reach their own people? (Schantz & Thomspon, 2015)
5. The Greeks wanted
to see Jesus. No doubt they had heard about Him or had themselves seen some
of the things He had done. Jesus, of course, is now in heaven, and the church,
His people, represent Him here on earth. What does this mean for us in terms
of the kind of life we live and the kind of witness we present? (Schantz & Thomspon, 2015)
6. (Following on from the last question) - What are the implications for local church leadership, local church practise and worship?
6. (Following on from the last question) - What are the implications for local church leadership, local church practise and worship?
Closing Prayer - Karakia Whakamutunga
2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
References
A Canaanite woman's faith. (n.d.). In Matthew 15 - IVP New Testament Commentaries. Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Matt/Canaanite-Womans-Faith
Barclay, W. (1982). And He had compassion: The
miracles of Jesus. Pennsylvania: Judson Press.Philip the apostle. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_the_Apostle
Schantz, B. & Thompson, S. (2015). Biblical Missionaries. Adult Sabbath School Quarterly 3Q. 2015. Silver Spring: MD: Pacific Press.
Righteous among the Nations. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 14, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_Among_the_Nations
Ross, A. (2006, March).
23. The faith
of a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28). An Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew. Retrieved August 15, 2015, from https://bible.org/seriespage/23-faith-canaanite-woman-matthew-1521-28
Seven laws of Noah. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 14, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Laws_of_Noah
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