This week’s Scriptures remind us that as a pilgrim people of our Lord Jesus Christ, we discover our roots in God’s election of the Jews. The image of a “pilgrim people” and the historical emergence of pilgrimage way-stations actually find their origins with synagogues in the Roman Empire. As a people “set apart” from the “nations”, diaspora Jews, Jews living outside the land of Palestine, developed the institutional framework necessary to sustain their minority people in worship of the God of Israel in a world of violence and idolatry. Even though the Roman Empire passed laws to prohibit conversions from their people to synagogues, it was precisely the uniqueness and life-style difference and avoidance of idolatry in worship that drew non-Jewish converts into various synagogues.

From an outsider perspective during these early centuries after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, it was very hard to tell the difference between Christians and Jews. From within, of course, it was very easy – the status of Jesus and participation in the Lord’s Supper and the reading of the Apostolic Writings rather than just the Torah and Prophets distinguished the two. Both groups awaited the Jewish messiah; the issue was whether the Messiah had come or not and whether Jesus was this Messiah. To feel this, perhaps it’s best to begin with the Gospel reading, move into the Epistle, and then to the OT reading tonight.

Matthew 15:21-28

Notice that Jesus goes to the region, not into, Tyre and Sidon. These were coastal cities of non-Jews, but Phoenicians. Jesus stays outside the city into areas, “suburbs” so-to-speak, of the non-Jewish world. How does the “Gentile woman” address Jesus? What is ironic about that? Compare Jesus’ and the disciples’ response to her calls. What is the difference between them – what is the problem with her for Jesus? With the disciples? What makes her faith /her loyalty to Jesus so great? What happens as a result? What happens through this act of wonder to the woman and her daughter? How does she fit within those to whom Jesus was sent? What does both Jesus and her presuppose as true about Jesus?

Romans 11:13-15,29-32

How does Paul “divide up” the persons in the world here? Why would he speak to “the Gentiles”? How does that make Paul’s “people”? Notice that Paul understands “them” in terms of Jesus, whose rejection by the world leads to the worlds reconciliation to God through resurrection. What would be Paul’s purpose in reminding the “gentiles” of such a hope?
Why is it important to know that the “gifts and the calling of God” are “irrevocable”? To whom particularly does Paul refer? Why has God “imprisoned all”, Jew and Gentile alike, into disobedience? What difference does this make for “Jew and Gentile” relations? How does salvation occur? Where now do we see the calling and gifts of God? What does this make a congregation?

Isaiah 56:1-7

Towards what does the prophetic text look? Who is involved? In the Book of Deuteronomy eunuchs are excluded from gathering in the Temple with Israel. Why are they included here? What is it to be included on God’s “holy mountain”? Remember that sacrifices are banquets – who eats together as a result? How therefore does the text define “justice”? Can “justice” be separated from the proper worship of God? How do “sacrifice” and “worship” relate? What is the role of Sabbath? How would you call how the text speaks of this time of salvation to come that includes Gentiles sacrificing to the God of Israel? What is the crucial point to inclusion in worship?

We live in a day where “inclusion” means “tolerance”. According to these texts, what is the basis for “inclusion” for the Gentiles into the life of God’s elect people? How does this differ from “tolerance”? Is this inclusion based upon a “common humanity” or upon God’s election of Israel? How does this help us to define our life and mission in the preaching of the Gospel, the celebration of the sacraments, and life in and among the poor?

Have a wonderful evening!