Begging To Get In: Faith Tested

[Willie B White]

Mark 7:24-30; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

This week’s discussion of the Sunday school’s lesson is from an overview approach as it deal with a Syrophenician woman and her encounter with Jesus. This lesson depicts a mother’s determination in her efforts to see her daughter healed. The Syrophenician woman was from a culture where worship of the true God was not practiced. However, this woman somehow knew she needed to connect to Jesus if there were any hope of her daughter being healed.
What does this say for unbelievers? Unbelievers must confess their sins and connect with Jesus if they want a healing. Sometimes believers are faced with crises and they too feel disconnected from Jesus. Believers can connect to Jesus through prayers and having faith in our prayers that Jesus will answer.

Let’s look at the outlines and their lessons:
1. The Petition of a Gentile woman (Mark 7:24-26)
This section teaches about prayer as it is our communication with God. Prayers are be meaningful and sincere from the heart. Believers and non believers are to place complete trust in Jesus as Lord; this is what the Syrophenician woman did. She knew her position as it relates to the Jews and Jesus. She was looked upon as an outsider but this did not deter her in her determination to meet Jesus. Faith and trust at work is on display. She was determined to connect with the one who could save anybody only if they confess their sins.
No doubt the woman had heard of Jesus’ fame of healing all manner of diseases as her daughter was possessed with demons, and this mother had exhausted her means of healing her daughter and her only option left was Jesus. When all else fails try Jesus.
2. The Petition Rejected (Mark 7:27)
Jesus rejection of the woman’s request must have left her feeling alienated and riding an emotional roller coaster. Rejection will do that to the rejected. The question is was she really rejected? Jesus’ answer wasn’t a rejection at but a test of her faith and humility because of the phrase “for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.” The children in this case represent the children of Israel and dogs represent the gentile nations. Also, Jesus’ statement was designed to lead the woman step-by-step to understanding who He was and His Lordship over all humanity. Also, it was to lead her to a confession of her faith and humbled her into accepting His deliverance. Greeks were not worshippers of God they worshipped false gods. Her encounter with Jesus changed her understanding and worship of God for He is worthy to be worshipped by all humanity. Her answer in our next section shows her humility and surrending herself to Jesus.

3. The Petitioner’s Petition Rewarded (Mark 7:28-30)
What does the woman’s answer say about her? It says that she recognized that Jesus is Lord and she must make Him Lord of her life. Another point is that this woman’s persistence paid off for her. Also, it depicts that believers are to be persistent in our prayer lives with an undeterred faith and God will answer. The woman did not become angry or irritated at being classified as a “dog.” She graciously accepted the label and persisted in her request to Jesus for His healing of her daughter, which He did.

What reactions would we have had if the statement would have been made to us? Would our reactions been one of humility and persistence or became irritated with self-pride and left without deliverance? Persistence pays off!

Lessons learned:
The lessons learned form this study is that persistent prayers pay off, humility is an attribute of Christians and faith is the key to all prayers. Second, labels will not get us into heaven. Third being labeled as a child of God is what’s important because all humanity is God’s creation and He wants all to be saved. Believers have been labeled with Christ’s mark that is invisible to the naked eye, but visible to God and Satan. Third, know who you are and whose you are? Both believers and non-believers faith will be tested and how we respond to these tests will answer the question do you believe there is a God and if so how much do you trust Him? Fourth, Jesus’ apparent rejection wasn’t a rejection but His method of providing her with deliverance; thus no doubt she became a believer in the true God. Fourth, a faith encounter with Jesus brings about a change. Fifth, salvation is free to all who believe. Sixth, Jesus is the mighty healer of all diseases. Seventh, there are blessing in connecting with Jesus---connect and be blessed.

Finally, I am reminded of the words in this song “God said I’m Blessed, I am what God says I am. I’m healed because God said I’m healed” (Darrell Mc Fadden and The Disciples). Who does God say you are? You are blessed and conquerors in Him

[Enoch Mubarak]

Faith is the key to consistency of purpose and continuity. I return here often and as the years unfold Sister Willie B. White you remain the leading voice of serious spiritual inspiration and not merely feel good messages.

Sincerely, Enoch Mubarak
President/CEO Mubarak Inter-prizes
www.mubarakinter-prizes.com