INTRODUCTION
Mark 7:24-30 recounts the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman (reproduced here from the New King James Version).
24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
You are probably familiar with this famous passage that demonstrates the wisdom, perseverance, and tenacity of a woman who needed the Lord to deliver her daughter from a difficult situation. Perhaps you also are facing a difficult situation in your life. The story of the Syro-Phoenician woman encourages us to put our faith in God. In the last three posts we looked at three aspects of faith revealed in the text.
POINT 1: FAITH REQUIRES THE HUMBLE REALIZATION OF OUR NEED
POINT 2: FAITH REQUIRES HEARING
POINT 3: FAITH REQUIRES PERSISTENCE
To access these past devotions, please CLICK HERE.
POINT 4: THE OBJECT OF FAITH IS JESUS CHRIST
Fourthly, I believe that the main message of this passage is that genuine faith has the Lord Jesus Christ as its object. In other words, Jesus Christ himself is central to any profession of faith. The Syro-Phoenician woman said “Yes, Lord.” The Syro-Phoenician woman acknowledged the lordship, the sovereignty, the worthiness, the power and the authority of Jesus Christ. She yielded herself to him and responded to him with an attitude of reverence and respect. Real faith requires us to surrender to Jesus Christ and respond to him with love and trust. Because the Syro-Phoenician said “Yes!” to Christ, Christ said “Yes!” to her request. In verse 29, Jesus said to her: “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” In Matthew’s account of this story in Matthew 15:28, Jesus replied: “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” Christ admired her resolve and the trust that she placed in him. We learned yesterday that persistence is very important in the walk of faith. Persistence by itself, however, is not enough. Genuine faith requires abandonment to the Lord. We place our lives into his hands and we allow Him to bless us as only he can do. What made the woman’s petition so effective was her surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Regardless of what you may be facing today, it is time for you to say, “Yes, Lord.” No matter how severe your trial or how intense your situation, you must surrender to the Lord and say, “Yes!” to Him. “Yes” to your will! “Yes” to your way! “Yes” to your call! “Yes” to your timing! “Lord, I say ‘Yes’ to you!” Faith in Christ requires yieldedness to him. The Syro-Phoenician woman yielded to the Lord and received the victory that she needed. We can indeed learn from her example. Like this great woman of faith, if we will surrender ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ then we too can receive the victory that we need. Say “Yes!” to the Lord today!
Discussion Questions
Here are a few questions to help you and your loved ones explore today's topic in greater depth.
- How does the Syro-Phoenician woman's response to Jesus reflect the concept of surrendering to His Lordship? What specific actions or attitudes demonstrate her surrender according to the passage?
- In what ways do you think persistence and surrender intersect in the context of faith? Can one exist without the other, or are they both necessary components for genuine faith?
- How does the example of the Syro-Phoenician woman challenge our own perceptions of faith and surrender? Are there areas in our lives where we may need to surrender more fully to Jesus' Lordship?
- Explore the role of trust in surrendering to Jesus. How does trust in Jesus' character and promises impact our willingness to surrender our lives to Him completely?
- Can you think of other biblical examples or personal experiences that illustrate the importance of surrender in the life of faith? How do these examples further illuminate the concept discussed in Mark 7:24-30?
- Discuss practical ways in which we can cultivate a deeper sense of surrender to Jesus in our daily lives. What habits or disciplines can help us continually submit to His Lordship and trust in His provision?
Have a wonderful day!
Blessings,
Wilfred Graves Jr.
www.wilfredgraves.org
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