CENTRAL THOUGHT
Persistent faith in God guarantees answered prayers.
HYMN: WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
TEXT: Matt. 15:21-28, Mark 7:24-30
INTRODUCTION
Christ left the borders of Israel after reproving the learned men of Jerusalem for their hypocrisy in making void the commandments of God by their traditions. He departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon which were two ancient principal cities of Phoenicia. Tyre and Sidon were port cities located north of Palestine on the East Coast of the Mediterranean area.
During Christ’s visit there; the Syrophoenician woman approached Him to heal her demon possessed daughter. Despite being ignored of the Lord and resented by the disciples, she kept up her plea for mercy. Even when the Lord eventually answered her, she was told her request could not be granted since she was a Gentile. Even then, she chose to worship and persisted in her plea. When granting her request was likened to handing the children’s bread to dogs, she replied that she was content to get the crumbs that fell from the master’s table. Her unwavering faith and persistence got her request granted. The persistence demonstrated by this Gentile woman is an example of what is expected of believers when requesting God’s intervention in the face of daunting challenges.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
1.) Reveal the identity of this woman from Canaan and her need.
2.) Show the Lord’s response and the disciples’ attitude towards her and her response to the situation.
3.) Explain what the healing of the Syrophenician woman’s daughter reveals about God’s power.
4.) Show the lessons we can learn from this woman’s resilience.
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. HIGHLIGHT THE IDENTITY OF THIS WOMAN FROM CANAAN.
Mark 7:26, Eph. 2:12, Deut. 7:1-2
The woman was a Greek from Phoenicia also called Syrophoenicia because it bordered upon Syria and so a Gentile who was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel. She besought the Lord Jesus Christ to heal her daughter who was demon possessed. She was not a Jew but an alien who was not entitled to get anything as of right from God (Matt. 15:24). This woman must have heard of Christ’s healing ministry and so decided to seek help of Him for her daughter. Her way to getting her desired answer was not easy. She demonstrated faith and persistence which has become the hallmark of her testimony.
Q2. WHAT WAS THE LORD’S INITIAL RESPONSE AND THE DISCIPLE’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE WOMAN?
Matt 15:23
Matt. 15:23 “But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us”. The Lord seemingly ignored her because He answered her not a word. The disciples did not help matters. They saw her as a nuisance and demanded of the Lord to send her away. The Lord’s lack of response here should not be mistaken for lack of compassion. The Lord was perhaps waiting for the woman to manifest faith. The disciples attitude showed a lack of understanding of what Christ came to accomplish. It was not to send men away but to bring them back to God.
Q3. DID JESUS’ STATEMENT IN MATT. 15:24 CONTRADICT THE TRUTH THAT GOD’S MESSAGE IS FOR ALL PEOPLE?
Ps. 22:27, John 1:11-12, Eph. 3:1-11
Matt. 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. This statement does not in any way contradict the fact that Salvation message is for all mankind. However, we must recognize that in this matter, it is to the Jews first then to the Gentiles.
Paul speaking in Rom. 1:16 emphasized this point when he wrote “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”. The gospel to the Gentiles, had to wait until Christ’s atoning death was accomplished. This is what actually opened the doors for the Gentiles to become part of the commonwealth of Israel.
Q4. HOW DID THE WOMAN RESPOND TO THE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT CONFRONTED HER?
The Syrophoenician woman comes through as a person with a mission and her attitude was one of individuals who would not be deterred irrespective of the challenge and obstacles. Christ’s initial lack of response and the attitude of the disciples only made her cry out louder like blind Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:48). She was determined to get an audience with Christ. When told the “bread” she was seeking was meant for the children and not dogs, she did not mind being compared to a dog, rather was even willing to eat crumbs like a dog. Not many people will accept to be treated as she was and still remain focused, determined and resolute to achieve their purpose. She was different, it is no wonder that Christ exclaimed “O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt” (Matt. 15:28). This is a great lesson for us to emulate when we seek God’s intervention, not to give up so easily in the face of obstacles.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
Being referred to as a dog can be demeaning and she could have felt insulted. The woman acknowledged her position as undeserving and without legal covenant right to the children’s bread, yet she used the Lord’s own words concerning dogs as ground for further claim for healing. She finally received her miracle. We should similarly be determined, persistent, in getting our needs met by God.
MEMORY VERSE
Luke 18:1
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: The gospel is to all nations.
Ps. 22:27, John 1:11-12
Tuesday: Gentile and Jews are fellow-heirs.
Eph. 3:1-11
Wednesday: Test of the Gentile Woman’s faith.
Matt. 15:23-27
Thursday: A woman’s hunger for the Lord’s intervention.
Mk. 7:26-30
Friday: Healing as God’s children’s bread.
Is. 53:5, Matt. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:24, 3 Jn 1:2
Saturday: God honors faith for healing.
Matt. 15:28, Mk. 5:34, 10:49, 52