Questions for Pondering and Discussion
Read Mark 7:24-30:
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. 26 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.”
28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (ESV)
- Icebreaker: If you know a story of someone who suddenly had super-human strength to rescue someone they loved in a dire situation, share about that.
- If you’re experiencing a situation that only Jesus can solve, share what that is.
- God had a special relationship with Israel and asked them to keep separate from the uncleanness of the world (holy). This special relationship and this holiness wasn’t meant just to benefit them. Rather it was so they could be a light drawing other nations to God. How did the Jewish leaders of Jesus’s day misunderstand this?
- Why did Jesus say what he said to this woman? What might he have been trying to do?
- What was it about this woman’s response that was impressive to Jesus?
- Tim Keller said, “Jesus has a way of doing this: When people claim they can see, he says, ‘you’re blind!’ When they say, ‘I’m blind’, then he says, ‘you can see!’ He who humbles himself will be exalted, he who exalts himself will be humbled. He who finds himself will lose himself, he who loses himself will find himself. This is the gospel.”How does this relate to this story from Mark 7?
- Jesus allowed this woman to participate in her daughter’s healing through her bold request. He also gave her an opportunity to participate in his outreach to Tyre, a Gentile area. What does this tell you about Jesus? How might this apply to your own walk with Jesus?
- Tim Mackie, of The Bible Project said, “There are ways that the kingdom of God is meant to invade from the future back into the present, and things that Jesus won’t do until his disciples persistently and boldly come to him to ask him to be who they know he is.” What did he mean by this?
- Jesus loved spiritual outsiders back then, and He still loves them today. What are some practical things you could do to grow your love for spiritual outsiders and to participate with Jesus to reach them?
- What did you sense God saying to you through this message?
