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READ: Mark 7:24
CHALLENGE: Have Faith in God’s Work
In our story today, Jesus is still trying to remain unnoticed so He goes to Tyre, north of Galilee and into a Gentile area. A Greek woman from the area finds out and seeks his help. Jesus is resistant because He was sent to the Jewish people and she’s a Gentile. He will help her as she pleads for her daughter which is a beautiful example of faith.
Let’s think through where Jesus had been. Christ was trying to find peace and quiet with his disciples because they could not even get a bite of food without a knock at the door. They went to a remote place, but the people followed him. There in the wilderness, he feeds 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. It was not what they had planned but it’s what happened as God had another plan.
He then walks on the water and there is hardly a more storied miracle than that one. He then comes to Gennesaret where he is in the “Garden of God”. People literally line the streets with the sick just so they can touch the hem of his robe and find healing.
He then gets into a dispute with those sent to spy him out regarding hand washing and the true source of defilement. Jesus teaches that it’s not the dirt on your hands, it’s the dirt in your heart. He then heads to Tyre, a Gentile area, and one of the oldest cities in the entire region. Tyre sets along the shores of the Mediterranean. There was a fortress on the land but most of the population had lived on the island. However, Alexander the Great built a causeway to the Island 300 years prior and he conquered it.
Tyre would have been wealthy by virtue of the shipping and commerce that came through the port. Tyre was known for dealing in purple dye. It says that she’s from Syria Phonecia – Phonecia is a Greek word that means purple. It was a super valuable dye and traded all over the known world.
In Mark 3, it says that people came from Tyre to hear Jesus and experience the healings. We would have to assume that some Gentiles got healed along with the Jewish people. Clearly, the demoniac was a Gentile. This woman may have heard of the healing through Jesus so she seeks him to find help for her daughter.
Tyre was also known for idol worship and materialism. They were certainly not a bunch of Bible believing, God fearing people. Yet, Jesus enters it, and an amazing miracle will happen.
Josephus called the people from Tyre “our bitterest enemies”. “Jesus may be reacting to a member of the oppressive upper class. Economically, Tyre took bread away from Galilee. This region was well stocked with food produced in the Galilean hinterland while the Galileans went hungry (Acts 12:20). Galileans perceived Tyre as a bloated bully and hand long despised it for amassing wealth at the expense of the poor.
(trans.) What do we learn?
- GOD’S WORK DOESN’T NEED OUR HYPE
Vv24-25 – Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet.
Jesus was literally trying to escape unnoticed. He wasn’t looking for the spotlight or attention in any way. He wasn’t in the marketplace riling the people up. “Who wants to see another miracle today? Let me hear you? Louder, louder, louder”. He wasn’t on a stage, he was in a house, minding his own business.
A sign of God’s work is that it doesn’t need to be promoted. It’s not a production or a performance. I’ll take it a step farther, Jesus was not trying to manufacture ministry to spread his own name and fame. Ministry found Him as God sent it his way.
When God is in it, it doesn’t need hype. It doesn’t need chest beating like we’re spiritual Tarzans! We just need God! There’s nothing wrong with ads or promoting what you are doing but what’s really impressive is when God is working beyond all that. In the quiet corners of the community just getting stuff done!
William Blackaby in Experiencing God said that surfers cannot manufacture waves, they can only catch the ones already made. That same is true of God’s work. Let’s be careful that we never think ministry is based on our human devices or methodologies.
If our church is helping families, God will send us families. And if we’re helping the recovery community, they’ll come out to Celebrate Recovery. If we’re helping marriages and people know that. If we’re communicating the truth of God, people will come who are seeking the truth. God offers the things that people need. Hope. Forgiveness. Salvation. Joy. Wisdom for living. Structure in a world that wants to undo every aspect of normalcy. So, when you’re giving people hope and some borders that make sense of life, they’ll show up and find God!
B. GOD’S WORK HAPPENS IN SURPRISING PLACES
Vv26-27 – The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
This sounds kind of mean. We know that in the parallel account in Matthew 15, that Jesus said he was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus did not view her as his mission at that moment.
She’s syro-phonecian which indicates that she’s affluent. She’s from a place which primarily worshipped false gods and was known to be pagan. This was the same area King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, came from. Whose name is synonymous with “wicked witch”. She loved Baal worship and adored killing the prophets of God. She even wanted to kill Elijah. Her daughter, Athaliah, was married to the son of Jehoshaphat. She was the only woman to ever rule as a queen in Judah. After husband was killed, and then her son, she seized the throne and killed her grandchildren and any in the line of David who might gain power from her. One infant child was hidden from her and spared the slaughter and later became king at age 7 and she was then killed. So, Jezebel and her darling daughter were quite a pair and they came from the region of Tyre.
Jesus said, first let the children eat all that they want because it wasn’t right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs. And who could argue with that logic? A dog compared to a child is not nearly as important. However, the comparison is not very flattering for this woman. In my day, if you called a girl, a dog, that was derogatory. You call her a fox and that was good.
What are we to make of this? It’s an analogy. He’s not saying she has the value of a dog, he listened to her, he complimented her faith, he healed her daughter. But still, sounds pretty harsh!
We know that Jesus encouraged us not to cast our pearls before swine. That means that we don’t have to communicate truth to people who hate hearing it. In that analogy, the mocker would be similar to a pig and the truth to pearls. We don’t think ill of that statement because we’re used to it.
We are also told not to give what is holy to the dogs, lest they turn around and tear you apart. Have you ever been attacked for sharing the truth? And to what does Christ compare that? It’s like being attacked by a rabid animal! I really can’t dispute that some people have been vicious because I told them the truth and they hated it.
Culturally, people from this region had been hostile to Judaism and the truth of the Bible including the 10 Commandments. In that case, it would be unwise for him to throw the truth of the gospel to people who had been rejecting God for quite some time.
The bread in this story is the gospel and the first responsibility of Christ was to make sure the Jewish people heard that. However, the gospel was also for the Gentiles and this story is about God’s desire for all to hear and be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 – This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
- A Surprising Person
Now here is this woman from Syria Phonecia. She was born Greek which wouldn’t be surprising since Alexander the Great conquered Tyre. While some were interested in Jesus, because her region was steeped in idolatry, it would seem unlikely that she would want to be a believer. However, she becomes a stark contrast with the Jewish leaders. Here’s a person you would think would never believe and she’s turning to Christ. The people you would think would happily embrace Jesus, reject him!
Therefore, God’s work extends to all people in all places. Let’s be ready for God to work in the unlikely places. God will surprise you. I’ve seen it where two men run into each other along the back wall of our church. One says, I’m surprised to see you here. The other responds, I’m surprised to see you here too. Two men both shocked by the grace of God! Neither would have expected the other to be in church.
You might hear a label like, “atheist”. Someone may have a troubled path. Some might hate church. You cannot freeze people where they are because people change and God can work in the hearts of even the godless. He can take unbelief and convert it to faith. Daniel was in the Babylonian Empire. Joseph was in Egypt. And God worked in worldly places.
So even if you hear negative things about spiritual issues, don’t thow in the towel. So, someone might say, “Our marriage will never work”. Just because someone says that at this moment does not mean that they will feel that way in a few months. People will say lots of things but God’s work is surprising.
- Surprising Response
V28 – “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
I like the witty comeback. I might be like a dog under the table, Jesus, but I’m only asking for a crumb. She understood that the kingdom of God started with the Jews but all she was looking for was for a little to trickle down her way. The dogs do eat the children’s crumbs and it’s one of the great things about dogs! You don’t have to clean up the kid’s mess or food they dropped because they’re already taking care of it.
Her statement is a wise word and shows understanding of God’s grace and mercy. Again, you might not expect it from her, but God is working. We need to realize that wisdom comes from surprising sources too. I’ve heard some great points from people who may not be considered traditional Christians. Yet they have some great insights into the Bible, life, and culture. I’m willing to learn wherever I can.
- Surprising Humility
She fell at his feet. I love that she’s not entitled. She doesn’t feel she’s owed something. She falls at his feet and humbly begs and that’s significant too. Humility is a part of getting prayers answered.
It’s interesting because one of their chief gods, Aslepius was depicted as being between the snakes and that was a symbol of healing. She cannot count on what she’s grown up believing because it doesn’t work. She comes to Christ because He is the true healer.
Some may look to the world for wisdom and answers but come up empty and unfulfilled. This is where God comes in. His ways work!
Psalm 1:1 – Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
What does this woman learn? Her pagan culture did not have answers. For years the mantra of America was “do whatever makes you happy” but we’re not happy. And happiness is not coming with things or acclaim or pleasure or any of that. Solomon found this in Ecclesiastes as it’s all a chase after the wind. We need to have a relationship with God. Fear God and keep his commandments as this is the chief duty of man!
God’s way for marriage, honesty, parenting, morality, etc. It works. Prayer works. Salvation works. It’s truly amazing to follow God. She has to abandon her old beliefs and bows at the feet of Jesus Christ.
I was talking to someone recently about Christianity. I just want a fair chance as a Christian to compete in the arena of ideas. I believe that what we have through Christ is better than anything else. The peace that passes all understanding. Love and joy. It’s awesome!! We humble ourselves to come God’s way.
C. GOD WORKS THROUGH FAITH
V29 – Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
Matthew 15:28 – Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Let’s ponder though the faith and how it’s seen.
- Faith is Persistent
Matthew 15:21-23 – 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.”
Mark 7:26 says that she was pleading
She kept coming. She bows. She pleads. She did all that she could. The disciples were actually annoyed by her persistence and they just want her sent away but God’s compassion is great so Jesus will help her.
Here’s something that encourages me. There are certain people God will work with because we prayed. Wow, you’re doing a world of good when you’re praying to God on behalf of others. Faith in proxy is powerful. How many will come into the kingdom or experience change because we persistently come to God?
I love the story of the persistent widow. She just kept coming to the judge and the judge finally granted her justice because she kept on praying. That’s a beautiful thing!
- Faith Only Needs a Little
Just a crumb. I only need a crumb! A crumb of your power, fallen, left over, on the floor, is enough! It’s more than enough to heal! God, I just need a crumb and it’s plenty.
Jesus said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed that we can move mountains! Jesus, just a crumb is sufficient. Talk about the sufficiency of Christ – you’re enough! Do we believe that faith is enough and a little from God is enough? A word from Jesus was enough and her precious daughter would no longer be oppressed by demonic forces. No more crying out or nightmares. No more fears. Jesus was enough!
Jesus is enough. Enough to overcome. Enough to fix relationships. Enough to save you. Enough to give you hope. Enough.
And all this woman wanted was for her daughter to be well. All the money in the world cannot touch the significance of your own family and it started with a mom and the faith of a mother saves her daughter. God, work and protect my family and that’s enough! If we can just bring our family to Christ and get His touch!
God can make the world with a word – He’s got all the power needed to help us.
- Faith Leads to a Complete Work
V30 – She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
She came with a specific request. She wanted her daughter completely healed for the demon to be driven out of her daughter. When it comes to faith, faith is looking for something specific. We’re not throwing generic requests up where the results are undefinable. What specific things are we asking for when it comes to God?
This child is healed completely. This is a reality far beyond mere nice words. When a person is healed completely, then that’s a work of God … clearly.
You encounter Christ truly and things change. I’ve heard this kind of thing for years. We had 100s of professions of faith while there are 50 people in your church. Where are all of those people?
This is so much more than just raising a hand. It’s more than a feeling. True salvation leads to true and deep change and that my friends is a work of God. When God works, you know it. You’re not left the same as you were! Addictions are left behind. Bad habits are in the past as you become faithful, patient, loving, and the like.
God’s work is beyond hype, it’s surprising, and it’s accomplished through faith.
I want God to work, don’t you? His work is beyond us so I’ll look to Him in faith! He’s constantly working.