In ways this passage is about addressing the difficult issues of conflict and relational breakdown within the church. In other ways this passage is an invitation into the loosing, liberating, life giving ways of Christ. This may be a difficult passage to understand, but certainly it is a difficult passage to embrace as part of the Christian life.
Over two thousand years ago, near Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks Simon Peter 'who do you say that I am?". Today we are asked the same question, 'who do YOU say Jesus is?'
We come to the remarkable reading of the Canaanite woman who lunges into the life of Jesus, amongst the crowd and the disciples, and pulls him from the inconvenient interruption, back into the reality of the Christ and the way of God. A remarkable reading for us at this time also, as our minds, hopefully, are turned towards the middle east. Join us as we explore life and faith together.
Peter's rescue reminds us that our hope rests in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus' compassion reaches out to a multitude of people, they are healed and fed. The compassion of God, revealed in the person of Jesus. He invites us to be expression of God's love, hospitality and compassion.
A few little parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. "Why do you always speak in parables" the disciples ask! So let's wrestle with parables and the trouble with understanding.
The promise of this parable is that God sees the whole field. God knows what belongs to the kingdom, and God will bring all things to their rightful end. Until then, we are invited to live faithfully.
The seeds of the Extravagant Sower falls everywhere, no matter the terrain.
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