Great Faith

I. Great Faith can be found in Uncommon Places.

A. Jesus travels to the area of Tyre and Sidon.

1. These were Gentile regions. It was actually ancient Phoenicia, what is now Southern Lebanon. This was about as far North as Jesus ever went in His ministry. Primarily Gentile people in that area, yet Jesus said that Tyre and Sidon would receive a less sever judgment than Israel (11:21-23).

2. Mark tells us that he entered a house there (7:24). He also says that He didn’t want anyone to know He was there. Probably a few reasons for coming here: to get away from the multitudes trying to force Him to be King (John 6:15), Herod Antipas was paranoid, thinking He was John the Baptist risen from the dead (14:2), religious leaders were trying to kill Him (12:14). Obviously Jesus had in mind a particular person/place to stay in that region. This was a planned trip.

3. The journey to this region had purpose. I think Jesus was probably preparing the disciples for the crucifixion so He wanted some alone time with them. As well, Jesus did get tired so it is likely He needed some rest. The Lord sent Elijah to this same region to get some rest and be taken care of by a Gentile widow woman in 1 Kings 17:9. On top of that I am sure that the meeting He would have with this Gentile woman was on His agenda as well.

B. Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman.

1. She is not the perfect candidate to be approaching a Rabbi. She was a Canaanite-great enemy of the Jews and an idolater. She was a woman- not culturally appropriate for a Rabbi to have any dealings with a woman, much less a Canaanite woman. She has a terrible home life- a demon possessed daughter.

2. She comes desperate. Making a spectacle. Crying out for mercy. You can sense the desperation in the passage. I think she probably ran to Jesus as soon as she saw Him. Obviously the fame of Jesus had spread even into this region. The love of a mother had driven her to this desperation. Her child needed help. Her heart was broken. The demon possession had probably caused the child to hurt itself and require constant supervision. If nothing happened the child would never be able to function in society. Certainly she had tried other avenues, but nothing had worked yet.

3. The disciples tell Jesus to send her away. Maybe because she is blowing their cover, a multitude might gather if they are not careful. I can’t help but think that this is what the disciples tried to do before the feeding of the 5,000 as well (14:15). To this point Jesus had seemed to be just ignoring her.

C. Jesus responds to the situation.

1. He responds to the disciples. “I’m not sent to her”. If the disciples would have thought a moment they would have remembered that Jesus had healed the Roman centurion’s servant, and he was a Gentile (8:5-13) and had given living water to the Samaritan as well (John 4). It seems to me that they just give up, they don’t know what to do. It’s clear that they are more bothered by the situation than they are burdened.

2. The woman shows great faith. She comes with a simple prayer “Lord help me”. Jesus says something unexpected, seems almost unkind. “Not right to throw the children’s bread to the dogs”. The wit and the faith of this woman come out. “But the dogs do get the crumbs”. She is saying “It is a very small thing for you to do this Lord”. This impresses Jesus.

3. Jesus blesses this woman. He commends her for having “great faith” and He heals her daughter. Mark tells us that when the woman got home she found her child laying on the bed. There was another time Jesus commended faith, and it was in a Gentile as well (Roman centurion). Jesus said He had not found that type of faith in all Israel.

II. Great Faith is Doctrinally Sound.

A. It can be based on little light. Don’t have to be a Theologian to have great faith.

1. The disciples had little faith. Jesus told Peter he had little faith (14:31). Peter had all of Judaism to lean on. In addition, call of Christ, teachings of Christ, miracles of Christ to strengthen his faith. Great Theology does not necessarily mean great faith.

2. This woman did not have the privileges of the disciples. At best she had simply heard of the Lord Jesus. She had likely never seen Him or His power before. She didn’t have the OT Scriptures; she had not been waiting on a Messiah. She simply had a burden. She loved her daughter and wanted her to be healed. In a since, she was like the woman with the issuer of blood, driven to faith. No one but God could help her.

3. She knew that Christ was merciful. She didn’t know a lot about God, but she knew He was a merciful God. So she appeals to the very character of God with her faith “Have mercy on me”. The Lord proclaimed Himself to Moses as “The LORD God, merciful and gracious…keeping mercy for thousands…”

B. The object of her faith was Christ.

1. It was not a superstition. She wasn’t trusting in karma. She wasn’t saying “things will just get better”.

2. She appealed directly to Christ. “O Lord thou son of David”. She wasn’t trusting the disciples, her own goodness, or effort. She knew that Christ could heal her daughter so she trusted in Him.

C. Great faith is anchored in Christ.

1. Some people have faith in faith. They falsely believe that their faith is what brings the blessings of God. Christ is the source of our blessings, not faith. Notice this woman did not come “claiming” healing for her daughter, she came asking, seeking, knocking.

2. The object of our faith must be Christ. We don’t come to prayer for our needs, we come to Christ. We must see the Person of Christ. He is a caring, merciful Savior that we can boldly approach because of the cross.

3. Our faith must be in the Christ of Scripture. God in the flesh, crucified, buried, risen. It cannot be the Christ of the cults, the liberals, etc.

III. Great Faith Firmly Stands.

A. When God is silent.

1. This woman did not get upset when Christ seemingly ignored her. Verse 23 says Jesus “answered her not a word”. Some might would have gotten offended and left to never return.

“I thought He was merciful, loving, kind.” It is amazing what people conclude about God when He is silent. She continued to pursue. To the point that the disciples knew she was not going to stop!

2. When God is silent it does not mean He wants you to go away. The silence was not the result of indifference. It was not hatred. It is often a test. How desperate are we? How much faith do we have? How long will we remain at the throne without receiving our answer? Unless Christ sends you away, keep on praying and believing!

3. Silence may come in many ways. No direction-feel as if God is not directing us, no deliverance-storm is still raging, nothing tangible to prove that we have even prayed. Great faith continues when God is silent. Lazarus dead 4 days and Mary and Martha heard nothing, but that means nothing! Great faith is not always immediately rewarded. Great faith holds fast even when God is silent.

B. When it looks as if God is rejecting us.

1. This woman worshipped when it appeared the Lord rejected her. We see that in verse 25. Great faith can pour its heart out to God in worship even when it feels like God is treating it unfairly. By the way, what a humble prayer, “Lord, help me”. Romans 4:18 says of Abraham “Who against hope believed in hope…” For years it appeared the Lord rejected Abraham when it came to giving him a child. But Abraham stayed the course and when it looked impossible, he still believed.

2. When it appeared that God did not care for her, she chose to believe that He still did. The Lord told her it wasn’t right to give a dog the children’s bread. She didn’t argue with Him she basically said “Maybe I am a dog, but I am your dog. Throw me some scraps.” There are times when it may appear that God won’t do a thing in the world for you. During these days we have to choose to believe that He cares for us.

3. She recognized the power of Christ. All she needed was a crumb from the master. You see, the hem of His garment is enough, a crumb is enough. The power of God is so great that it only takes a touch or a crumb to satisfy menial creatures like you and I. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. Great faith recognizes that.

C. Great Faith is Rewarded.

1. Jesus commends this woman. When Jesus compliments something we should take note of that. What a reward that she would be set up as an example for all generations of what it means to have great faith. What would God say of our faith? Little, dead, weak or is it strong, rich, precious, bold?

2. She was rewarded with a deeper understanding of Christ. Think about the initial barrier the Lord put up. It seemed as if He was trying to keep her at a distance. But if He had immediately answered (v 22) we wouldn’t have verse 25. In verse 25 she is at His feet worshipping Him. Sometimes what seems to be a barrier in our life may be there to draw us closer to the Lord. Trials have a way of making us desperate. This woman came to Christ because of her trial.

3. There is a lesson for the unbeliever and the believer here. The unbeliever can know he is loved and will be accepted by Christ. The believer can learn to hope in the direst of circumstances. We can all have great faith. Do we?