Monday Night @ Frist B Feb 6th

In one paragraph

Monday night's study brought the group to Mark 7:24-37, two miracles set in Gentile territory that center on faith, humility, and the good news reaching beyond Israel. The passage pressed the question of who the gospel is actually for, and the conversation that followed drew out personal stories that made the themes concrete. The pastor wove the two healings together around one repeated point:...

Read together

1. Ephesians 3:16-17 prayer that God would empower listeners with inner strength through His Spirit and that Christ would make His home in their hearts
2. 1 John 3:1 read aloud to show the great love the Father has lavished on believers in calling them children of God
3. Isaiah 49:6 cited as the prophecy that the coming Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles and bring salvation to the ends of the earth
4. Mark 7:24-37 the main passage for the evening, covering the faith of the Syrophoenician woman and the healing of the deaf man
5. Psalm 34:4 referenced to illustrate that the Lord turns His face toward those who seek Him humbly in faith
6. Romans 1:16 quoted to connect the miracles in Mark to the good news being the power of God saving everyone who believes, Jew and Gentile alike
7. Isaiah 35:5 cited as the prophecy that the Messiah would open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf, fulfilled in Jesus healing the deaf man

Talk about it

1. The pastor pointed out that Jesus went to Tyre, a city described as a wealthy and godless enemy of Israel, and said the gospel is for people we might not even like. Who in your life or in our culture do you find it hardest to believe the good news is really meant for?
2. The Syrophoenician woman did not argue with Jesus, walk away, or give up. She came in humility and faith and stayed persistent. When have you had to persist with God in prayer over something that mattered deeply to you, and what did that persistence look like?
3. The pastor said he squirmed at the exchange between Jesus and the woman, and the group talked about not always knowing the tone behind the words. Is there a passage or moment in Scripture that has made you squirm or confused you, and how do you sit with that uncertainty?
4. Several people shared tonight that faith looks different when you are interceding for a child, a spouse, or someone close to you compared to praying for yourself. Have you experienced that difference, and how did it shape the way you approached God?
5. The pastor closed by connecting these miracles to Romans 1:16, that the good news is the power of God saving everyone who believes. What does it mean practically, in your everyday life, to come to Jesus empty-handed in humility and faith rather than already having it figured out?