He Does All Things Well

In one paragraph

This message walked through Jesus taking his ministry beyond the familiar Jewish territory of Galilee, up into Phoenicia and across to the Decapolis, and what that cost the disciples to understand. Pastor Carl used geography, congregation humor, and a close reading of both Matthew and Mark to show that God's compassion has never been limited by the lines people draw. The sermon opened with a...

Read together

1. Mark 7:24 Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and wanted no one to know about it
2. Matthew 15:21 Jesus withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon
3. Mark 7:25-26 a Syrophoenician woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit fell at Jesus' feet
4. Matthew 15:22-28 a Canaanite woman cried out for mercy and Jesus commended her great faith
5. Mark 7:27 let the children be satisfied first, it is not good to throw the children's bread to the dogs
6. Mark 7:31-35 Jesus healed a deaf man in the Decapolis region, saying Ephphatha, be opened
7. Matthew 15:29-31 large crowds came to Jesus on a mountain and he healed them, and they glorified the God of Israel
8. Mark 7:32-37 they brought a deaf man to Jesus and were astonished saying he has done all things well
9. Matthew 15:32-38 feeding of the four thousand, Jesus had compassion on the crowd that had been with him three days
10. Mark 8:1-9 feeding of the four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fish
11. Matthew 15:39 after sending away the crowds Jesus went to the region of Magadan
12. Mark 8:10-12 Pharisees demanded a sign and Jesus sighed deeply saying no sign would be given
13. Romans 2:10-11 used as the benediction, glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for God does not show favoritism

Talk about it

1. Pastor Carl pointed out that even Jesus' own disciples wanted to send the Canaanite woman away, saying 'Send her away because she keeps shouting at us.' Where do you see that same impulse showing up in your own life, and what does it cost us when we give in to it?
2. The sermon suggested that Jesus' response to the Canaanite woman, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' was meant to teach the disciples rather than to rebuff the woman. What does it tell us about how Jesus works when He uses a moment like that to reveal what is already in someone's heart?
3. The woman's answer, 'even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their master's table,' drew out Jesus' response, 'Woman, your faith is great.' What do you think made her persistence faith rather than just stubbornness, and how do you tell the difference in your own prayers?
4. The sermon noted that the Gentile crowds in the Decapolis glorified the God of Israel after seeing Jesus heal people, even though He was not their God at the time. What does it look like in practice for people around us to see something in the way we live and give glory to God because of it?
5. The benediction closed with Romans 2:10-11, that God shows no favoritism, and the sermon said God is persistent with us in showing us our own prejudices a little at a time. Where do you think God might be working on you in that area right now, and what would the next step of obedience look like?