Bottles from the Springs.

Bottles from the Springs- 6/16/2019 We were reminded together of Father's Day today and later Fathers were blessed in congregational laying on of hands and prayer. Anthony Gullo chatted us up about the priestly duty of all believers in whatever way we find to be busy for God. Sister Olivia Wright picked up the Guitar to help us worship in music! What is in your hand to do? Brother Gullo also spoke about how Jesus was His Disciple's Rabbi and on one of his Journey's He and they met a Woman who was not from Israel. This is because Jesus had taken his students on a Field trip of Lebanon only in that day it was known as the country around the cities of Tyre and Sidon-the conquering Police-State of Roman Empire called it Syro-Phonecia. The people of Judah and Israel called it Gentile Country and wouldn't you know Jesus just had to take them right through the thick of that area! These sons of Israel knew that Jesus had come to them and all Israel to be their King. They had Pride and Prejudice! Not only were these folks ignorant of the Temple at Jerusalem and the God of the Israelites, one of their Women just had to raise a ruckus as Jesus was leading them through the countryside! Check out Matthew 15: 21-28 21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. So, Sarcasm, Insults, anyone? Anthony suggest that Pride and Prejudice cuts off the flow of God's Love to others in a person. Somehow the Non-Jewish woman knew of Jesus and his reputation and she would trust God to deliver her Daughter and her own broken Mother's heart from the Demons and the Evil that created Hell's own drama in her life, Non-Stop! She brought her faith-filled expectation to the one she would call, “Master” or “Rabbi”! How did Jesus' guys, his boys, his “clones” treat this woman? Their words were “Send her away”... what was in their hearts was, Sarcasm and Insults, Pride and Prejudice. So first Jesus responded to them and her with Silence! He also did that with others who met Jesus. It let's people stew in their own juices, their own inner fears and prejudice-he knew that was where the words they spoke came from...Then he states what might be a mission statement- I came only to the “Lost Sheep” of Israel. I wonder how that sat with the now silent disciples? Some of them were Radical Revolutionaries, some of them professional fishermen, some of them despised compromisers with the pagan Romans , some from the more religious folk of the day-who thought of themselves as “true sons of Israel”. None of them ready yet to let Gentiles in, worse yet, Female Gentiles-for them, a double whammy of Pride and Prejudice! Doubly cutting off God's love for the suffering Mother... But her faith rose to the challenge and called out to Jesus and her statement called him Lord and Master and appealed to the Family and the Kingdom of God. And Jesus again revealing what was the empty philosophy his disciples were raised in, used their own thoughts and words about Gentiles, “dogs and children of Israel and God” “Children's Bread” Note Jesus is now using a different level of language, he no longer spoke of Lost sheep, but of family and mealtime, and crumbs to Dogs! The woman took the slight leverage from the Lord and used it to raise her Faith and appealed with it to Jesus! Her faith, equal to the woman who only needed to touch Jesus Robe Fringe to access the Power of God to heal her! Her faith which let Jesus know that this woman GOT IT! She only needed just a crumb of True Power straight from the fount of God's Mercy and Chesed/ Lovingkindness- All of which should be at the heart of every follower of Jesus to overflow to all those around us in the weekday life we live in. I wonder, did the self-righteous disciples Get It? Well that's probably why Jesus took them on this road trip-He does nothing by accident, I think. What is in our hearts today, and what comes out of our mouths to help the needs and cries for help that others mouth around us? Is it God's powerful Love that heals and separates from Sin, and need and Heals and rescues all that are really needy and hurting? May His Kindness lead us to repentance and inform us who claim to be walking in the Sandals of Jesus.... Again the question Brother Gullo shared with us, what is in our heart? Is it God's Love? Or Pride and Prejudice...