As we continue our study, consider this….this is not a story, it’s a scene. This is not a commentary, it’s a collection. A collection of heart-beats, breaths, people, real problems, real pain…We have to consider these are real people…real desperation…and real love. It’s only then that it will be more than information. More lasting than knowledge alone. Its then that it becomes worthy of our attention, contemplation and ultimately…change!

If we can do that, get there, then we will hear these truths, watch these scenes, collect these real heart-beats and we will change…change for our better…for our family’s better, for the better of this entire world…I’m talking enormously better! Personally, I’m done with “think about.” This give us something to “think about.” I’m into “do about.” What am I going to go do about what I now know…but man if all it is is a story, a commentary, knowledge…not enough…these are real people…And I love this real scene we see today…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 10 – 11

• Now this statement goes hand in hand with the passage in Isaiah that He just quoted. Back in verse 9 Jesus said, “Folks are drawing near to Me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Me!” This is it! “Better make sure that bread is right and better make sure your hands are clean,” I mean these Pharisees and scribes traveled a weeks-worth of a journey to correct Him with that! But people are being made well. People are being restored and man, people are being fed! Your mouth might be upholding the law in terms of your cuisine, but man your Corazon! HA! Your heart is all wrong!
• And so Jesus walks on the water again! At the tip-top level of the law. A reiteration of the Sermon on the Mount and reveals to them that the sin isn’t in the action, it’s in the heart! Sin is not what we do, sin is what we have become. Even if our outward actions were just and perfect, our hearts would still be sick with the disease of the fall of man…and so it’s not what you eat, it’s what comes out that reveals your inward pollution…
• And please don’t get this twisted, this has totally got to be taken in context or one may conclude something completely ludicrous! Swallow anti-freeze, you’re done. Eat a knife, you’re dumb! Those things will defile you to death! HA! He is talking about food! Gluten…HA! Just kidding! Don’t get all offended! But He is talking about food. Bread, fish…unwashed hands. He’s not talking about drugs. He’s not talking about alcohol…How do we know? Because other scriptures speak against being drunk and speak against the sorcery of drugs and God does not contradict Himself…
• They knew that Jesus was talking about food and apparently this really (in some sort of obvious manner) antagonized and stung the scribes and the Pharisees…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verse 12

• This is funny…I mean, when they said this to Jesus, His response is like, “Well mission accomplished!” HA! But it appears that from what Jesus says next, they were actually looking for some direction. What should we do? Should we argue these things with them…? Should we apologize for the offense? Jesus’ response…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 13 – 14

• This is big because Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those that labor, labor in vain…” If that thing you are in to or that goal you are working towards is not what the Lord has called you to or something that is not in alignment with the Lord, expect uproot. Oh it may not fall apart, but it may be worse. It may work…

• On one hand, I’m talking about being taken/pulled right away from the Lord but on the other hand I’m also talking about getting what you’ve worked for, getting what you’ve committed to and once you have it, it ruins you…it turns your life to work and hardship rather than life and life abundant. Being unequally yoked is a good example. That turns into a full time job, ministry and lesson in suffering…man…expect uproot if what you’ve been cultivating isn’t of God…

• Jesus says to them, “Let them alone. Unfortunately for them, there is a ditch in their future…”

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 15 – 16

• I just love Peter! I think he and everyone around knew that Jesus was talking about food but they just sensed that something else was going on! And so Jesus, not out of frustration but out of loving them, says…, “Don’t miss the simplicity of the truth!” Consider the food, just the simplicity of what I’m saying…I mean we do the same thing! We think so hard and boil our brains killing a subject like this one…when Jesus is really just talking about food…HA!

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 17 – 20

• Those are things not on the menu, right? I mean you don’t pull up the drive through and order a number 5 up-size, biggie-sized, super-sized and they ask you how you want your false witness, grilled or extra-crispy! HA! No, the same lips, the same mouth that you’ve consecrated with your religiosity in that you eat only clean things, the same instrument is the bull horn of the heart…reveals your problem isn’t your stomach, it’s your heart. I simply love this next scene because here comes this lesson real time…an unclean gentile…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 21 – 23a

• See this? No evil, no murder, no adultery, no fornication, no theft, no false witness, no blasphemy…none of that just came out…and Jesus sees an opportunity to teach them and us and He takes it…He answered her not a word…He knew at this moment what He was going to do, mind you…watch this…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 23

• See that? They didn’t yet get what He had said to them before…what a test! A test that they didn’t do too well in…, “Jesus, here is what You were talking about! A gentile who has eaten food with unwashed hands…food that the law states is unclean,” and yet her words…, ‘O Lord, Son of David!’ And their reaction…, “Send her away!” Same thing they said about the hungry multitudes…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verse 24

• Now, interesting…who is Jesus talking to? Who just interrogated Him? The woman? No. He is answering His disciples…And I love this, the way I read this, and man my bent is to read the Word simply, for what it says, in context of what it says, and the way I see this, Jesus is referring to the woman of Canaan as a lost sheep! He’s saying, “Send her away!? This is why I’m here!” I believe the woman perceived this because look at what she does…and watch this interaction of love and humility…

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 25 – 28

• An amazing, powerful, impactful scene! A woman, unclean all over, man…and watch this approach, interaction and response! Complete Kingship assigned to Jesus! Jesus offers her crumbs…she says, “I’ll take it!” Everything healed! It’s so simple yet so profound and such a contrast to His interaction with the religious well! Man, are you so ready for release that you’re good with crumbs!? Are you ok with being nothing more than a little puppy!? This is so very sweet and so very real…Jesus says, I don’t want to throw you bread…but come close if you’re ok with crumbs!

Matthew Chapter 15 Verses 29 – 39

• There are some that see this as Jesus welcoming or fulfilling the church…before 5 loaves and 2 fishes. 5 Being the number of the Torah and 2 being the tablets of the law…twelve baskets taken up…all pointing to the Jew. Now, seven loaves, few fish…and seven large baskets taken up…seven speaks of perfection, clean and clear…a few fish…many are called but few are chosen…and seven LARGE baskets taken up…pretty neat picture…or it could just be Jesus feeding the people again…HA!
• At any rate, real people, real scenes, real problems, real healing…is this real at all for you? That God is not only the God of the bread but He is also God of the storm…even more than that, He is God over the storm. In the beginning, God…that He is who He said He is…Are you ready to change for the better? The enormously better!   Are these things just to think about?

• This book, these things are more than a commentary, these are collections…collections of heart-beats…what’s the story of yours?