Seek The Person, Not The Formula

Seek the Person, Not the Formula

Mark 7:24-37

In the C.S. Lewis story, Prince Caspian: the Return to Narnia, Aslan said to Lucy, “Why didn’t you come to me for help?”

Lucy responded, “I’m sorry, why didn’t you come in to save us like last time?”

Aslan replied, “Things never happen the same way twice.”

I don’t necessarily believe that nothing can happen the same way twice; but, one thing I do know is that Jesus never healed the same way twice, with His miracles found in the Gospels.

Sometimes Jesus’ healing was public, sometimes it was private; sometimes Jesus spoke a word from a distance, and other times He would simply touch a person; sometimes He used His spit.

Jesus' pattern of healing may seem strange to us mortals; but, because He is God, His methods are always right and His ways are not our ways.

Please open your Bibles to Mark 7 as we continue that study

Last week, we learned how the Pharisees traveled about 70 miles to come and correct Jesus about His Disciples eating without properly washing their hands, according to traditions.

Jesus met the people’s needs; but, the religious leaders were more concerned with appearances and rules, than the needs of the people.

Then Jesus rebuked those hypocrites, because the real issue was not the dirty hands of the Disciples; but, the real issue was the dirty hearts of the religious leaders.

Jesus taught that we are not defiled by things from outside of the body; but what comes out of the heart, defiles a person; not eating with dirty hands.

In today’s passage, Jesus went into an area of the Gentiles and He wanted to remain anonymous; but, He is recognized again and because of His love, He performs a healing.

After that Jesus goes into another area and heals someone else in a completely different manner. So first…

I. Jesus went to a pre-judged area.

Read Mark 7:24-26

Tyre and Sidon were port cities located in modern day Lebanon on the Mediterranean coast.

These cities had already been judged by the Lord because of their wickedness in the past.

In the prophecy of Ezekiel as well as other OT prophets, Tyre and Sidon were prophesied against because of their wickedness.

Tyre was also the capital of Canaanite culture and religion, which had completely saturated Israel; which led to Ezekiel's repeated pronouncements of God's wrath against Israel.

God promised a swift end would come to these cities under the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, and eventually these cities were also conquered by the Greeks, the Persians, and even Rome.

John the Baptist sent men to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah…

Jesus said, Matthew 11:20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

Matthew 11:21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. NKJV

Jesus being fully God as well as fully man is omniscient, (meaning having complete knowledge); so He knows the future better than we know the present.

Here we are, approximately one year before His crucifixion and Jesus travels into this pre-judged area; an area God previously promised to give to the Jewish people as an eternal possession.

The Promise Land was an unconditional promise to Israel; however, the Children of Israel never fully took possession of the entire the Promised Land.

Jesus shows up to this Gentile territory and He meets a woman.

Being Syro-Phoenician means she was half Phoenician and half Syrian, considered a true Gentile half breed by the Jews.

The Syro-Phoenicians were known for the worst kinds of idolatry and satanic acts.

This teaches us the Lord wants us to leave our comfort zones, so we can reach the unlovable, people who are different than us.

Jesus crossed over borders to reach people, including people like us. Jesus crossed over borders to save people like me!

What do you think the Disciples were thinking about this time?

Why would Jesus want to go over to these Gentile dogs? These people are not worthy of our time or attention.

This woman comes to find Jesus; and we learn…

1. This woman heard about Jesus. (vs. 25)

Mark 7:25 a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him…NKJV

Someone had told this woman about Jesus. We learn that we should tell someone about Jesus and our personal testimony, how we were lost, but now we are found.

You don’t have be a great sales person to evangelize; just tell people what Jesus has done for you and He will handle the rest.