A picture of what was to come
Gospel of Mark: Jesus a life to serve • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsActive faith from unlikely source a display of what was to come
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A new scene for a new way
A new scene for a new way
Jesus had been shaking things up with the Jewish people, and they struggled with it, now to a new scene and a new audience. A focus on an audience of one, a gentile woman.
The Jewish people had a covenant relationship with God, they had the blessings of God, they had the Word of God and yet they did not have the faith that was needed for entry into the kingdom of God. Their familiarity bred contempt for Jesus for He was not what they envisioned as the Messiah.
A new scene and a new way that was first available to the Jews was going to be made available to the Gentiles too in the not to distant future and our passage gives us spiritual picture and a physical picture too.
To this point Jesus had only brought the message to the Jewish people and was in the Jewish area. Instructed His disciples to take only to the Jewish people too (Mt10:5-7). But the promise, the covenant, original covenant was for going to be for all people, not just the Jewish people (Gen12:1-3)
5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
The good news was to start with the house of Israel and the would radiate out. Fulfilling the promise, the prophesy and the covenant entered into with Abram.
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
A new scene, so let me show you a picture and give you some background so then when we look at the passage you can gain even more understanding of the significance of this incident.
(insert picture of Tyre and Sidon; already saved on the computer)
Jesus is travelling from Capurnaum to Tyre, about 40 miles north west. The name “Tyre” means “The Rock.” it had a natural sea ridge (3000 feet long) that made a natural breakwater and a great harbor. It is from Tyre and Sidon that the first sailors came to navigate by the stars (just a fun fact to know).
Sidon is 26 miles north east of Tyre, it too had a natural breakwater. Both were Phoeenician cities that were a part of Syria (but part of tribe of Asher in original division of the promised land). Eventually Sidon lost her trade, her greatness to Sidon and sank into demoralised degeneracy.
This is not the first time that we see these cities noted in the N.T.
8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him.
The word about Jesus had already been spreading as far as the 40-60 miles from Jesus hub in Capernaum. So it is no wonder that this woman, this mother in our passage knew about Jesus.
This is a Gentile territory, and it was even questioned that when the promised land was given if the Jews ever took occupancy of this area. where the might of man was unable to accomplish the will of God because it lacked faith, the true Israel, one that came them (Jesus) came calling on faith not might. This is not a strange land Jesus is coming to, its promised land that will help man to understand God’s grand plan for all men.
28 and Ebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah, as far as Great Sidon. 29 The border turned to Ramah and to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and it ended at the sea by the region of Achzib.
So, now you have some background let’s look at the passage as such.
Jos
The narrative
The blessings
The Narrative
The Narrative
After controversy at home; controversy with man over traditions, we now get to a time that is a time of withdrawal to an unlikely place to set up a picture of what was to come. In the passage we see the reason, the request, the refusal and the response.
24 Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. 25 But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet.
26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28 But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
30 And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
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The reason: Was it for privacy (Mk7:24)? Was it to finally get some rest (Mk6:31-32)?
The request: A request for a child (Mk7:25-26); there was an acknowledgement too (Mt15:22); there was originally silence (Mt15:23) then pestering (Mt15:23)
The refusal: (Mk7:27); the parallel (Mt15:24); add to that the promise to Israel (Deu14:1-2); then look at Mt7:6; Php3:2; Rev22:15)
The response: (Mk7:28) she shows her faith; Then there is Jesus response (Mk7:29-30; Mt15:28); you saw the result (Mk7:29) and the proof (MK7:30)
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The reason: Was it for privacy (Mk7:24)? Was it to finally get some rest (Mk6:31-32)?
The reason: Was it for privacy (Mk7:24)? Was it to finally get some rest (Mk6:31-32)?
The Pharisee’s and scribes branded Him a sinner because He broke their traditions. The people in Nazareth labeled him “out of his mind” and treated him with dislike and Herod, well to him He was a menace.
Jesus entered into a house, but you can’t hide Jesus, He will always be made known. And you, as a spiritual house, if you have Jesus in you then you can’t hide Him and He will make Himself known through you.
Back in chapter 6, well, let me give that go you, then talk about it.
31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) 32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.
After the limited commission, they were so crowed out they could not even have time to eat. We know what happened, they went to the other side and the crowd was there and Jesus compassion was on them as they were like sheep without a shepherd that lead to a miracle followed by another faith lesson for the apostles on the boat. So could it be for the rest they set out for originally? Could be. But i think I go with what most commentators believe it was to show a picture of what was to come, salvation for Gentiles as well as the Jews.
The request: A request for a child (Mk7:25-26); there was an acknowledgement too (Mt15:22); there was originally silence (Mt15:23) then pestering (Mt15:23)
22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
The request: A request for a child (Mk7:25-26); there was an acknowledgement too (Mt15:22); there was originally silence (Mt15:23) then pestering (Mt15:23)
what do you see in the Matthew verses here?
what does she acknowledge?
what does she request?
This leads to the next point the refusal
The refusal: (Mk7:27); the parallel (Mt15:24); add to that the promise to Israel (Deu14:1-2)
The refusal: (Mk7:27); the parallel (Mt15:24); add to that the promise to Israel (Deu14:1)
The request: A request for a child (Mk7:25-26); there was an acknowledgement too (Mt15:22); there was originally silence (Mt15:23) then pestering (Mt15:23)The refusal: (Mk7:27); the parallel (Mt15:24); add to that the promise to Israel (Deu14:1)
in case you forget where we are now.
27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
and more that we can add from the parallel in Matthew
The response: (Mk7:28) she shows her faith; Then there is Jesus response (Mk7:29-30; Mt15:28); you saw the result (Mk7:29) and the proof (MK7:30)
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
According to Mt15:24; why did Jesus refuse? (add Deu14:1-2)
Jesus was originally silent but she kept persistently asking begging and even begging the disciples; but Jesus kept to mission
24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, the mission to all the world was yet to come but this helps to set that up.
Look at Deu14:1-2
1 “You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. 2 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
1 “When the Lord your God cuts off the nations, whose land the Lord your God gives you, and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and in their houses,
1 “You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead.
You may think that the Lord is being hard, being difficult to a woman who is a difficult position a difficult situation. He is growing her and making her faith evident to those who are there and even to herself. It is more than about her daughter it is about her too.
There maybe times in our walk that we feel the Lord is being difficult with us, or not listening or caring. But it could be that He is allowing our faith to grow, not just for ourselves but to be a display of faith to others.
She knew that as a Jew He could refuse her as a Gentile, but she came to Him anyways, acknowledge Him and begged not just him but the Apostles too.
Let me expand on the word He used “dogs”
To the Greek it was a
Dog’s were not considered a pet, a guardian of the home, but dog was a term, a symbol of dishonor
To the Greek it meant a shameless and audacious woman
To the Jew it was a term of contempt (Mt7:6; Php3:2; Rev22:15)
6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Or
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
And finally
15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Anyway you look at this, Jesus using the word dog is an insult, but we need to look at context for that really matters. Look again at Mk7:27
27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Mk7:27
He said let the children of Israel be satisfied first. Israel was offered satisfaction first, by covenant, by word. Now the woman knew that even the scraps would be good, she displayed her faith her and it brought great response and results.
The response: (Mk7:28) she shows her faith; Then there is Jesus response (Mk7:29-30; Mt15:28); you saw the result (Mk7:29) and the proof (MK7:30)
28 But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.”
Her response displayed her faith and her faith resulted in Jesus response.
29 And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
and in the Matthew passage
28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.
The proof was shown to her when she went
30 And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.
So symbolically speaking the woman represents the Gentile people, the Gentile nations that so eagerly look for, long for, are willing to accept the bread of heaven which the Jews have rejected and threw away, crucified.
Finally, want to talk about the blessings.
The Blessings
The Blessings
The blessings we want to look at are the blessings to the Gentiles since that is what we are talking about today, Gentiles.
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Gentiles blessed by faith then
The Centurion at Capernaum (Mt8:5-13)
After Pentecost, Cornelius (Act10:1-6)
We are blessed today by faith (Eph2:11-22; Mt8:11-12)
Making good of our blessings, are we? (Mk16:15-16; Mt8:11-12; Rev3:1-2; Rev3:14-19 and Rom11:21-22)
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Looking in the New Testament and the Gentiles who were blessed because of their faith there are some good examples.
The centurion at Capernaum (Mt8:5-13)
The refusal: (Mk7:27); the parallel (Mt15:24); add to that the promise to Israel (Deu14:1)
The response: (Mk7:28) she shows her faith; Then there is Jesus response (Mk7:29-30; Mt15:28); you saw the result (Mk7:29) and the proof (MK7:30)
Summarize the story
5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.”
sick servant, came and implored Jesus to help
Did not feel worthy to have Jesus come to his home, but knew at His word that the servant could be, would be healed.
He was told by Jesus he had great faith, greater faith could not be found.
Cornelius, first convert (Act10:1-48)
Summarize the story
Summarize the story
Devout man who feared God
Was sent to find Peter in the home of Simon the Tanner
Good news preached to Cornelius and many others and they received salvation by obedient faith in baptism.
The first centurion did not feel worthy, so basically ate crumbs. The second, Cornelius was able to sit at the table.
We are blessed today because of our faith (Eph2:11-22)
No longer without Christ or without hope (Eph2:11-12)
Brought near by the blood into one body (Eph2:13-18)
Made fellow citizens, members of household of God (Eph2:19-22)
Because of the promise that was made to the Gentile woman who begged on behalf of her daughter we too can be blessed by our faith and are invited to sit at the table.
Are we making the most of our blessings?
We are not, if we don’t accept the invitation to (Mk16:15-16)
We are not, if we refuse to eat at the table, when we are disobedient like many of the Jews were (Mt8:11-12; Mt21:43)
43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.
Remember the Jews had the covenant, the Jews had the Word, they broke the covenant and discounted the word, it was then going to go out to all!
Are we making the most of our blessings?
We are not, if we don’t accept the invitation to (Mk16:15-16)
We are not, if we refuse to eat at the table, when we are disobedient like many of the Jews were (Mt8:11-12; Mt21:43)
We are not if we eat only the crumbs (Rev3:1-2; Rev3:14-19; ROm11:21-22)
Look at what we can see to the church at Sardis
1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 ‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.
and I encourage you to look at the church of Laodicea (Rev3:14-19) on your own and one more passage to remember to make the use of the blessings we are given, or have access to, do not become apathetic
21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
May we have the faith like this Gentile woman today who was persistent and willing to accept even the smallest blessings (crumbs) from Jesus. For those who accept the blessings I will end with this.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Enjoy your blessings and make the most out of your blessings!