Outsiders

Have you ever felt like an outsider—like you don’t belong, like you're on the outside looking in? In this episode of The Dirt Path Sermon Podcast, we continue our Hearing Voices series by listening to the voice of a persistent woman in Mark 7:24-30. She wasn’t part of the "in crowd." She wasn’t supposed to have access to Jesus. And yet, her relentless faith moved Him to respond.

This message is for those who have ever been told they’re not good enough, that they don’t belong in church, or that God’s grace isn’t for them. It’s also a challenge to those of us on the inside—are we helping others get to Jesus, or are we standing in the way?

Join us as we explore the power of persistence, the wideness of God’s mercy, and what it means to truly welcome those who feel like outsiders.

Linkoln shares his story on why he started coming to Ravenna Church of the Nazarene and shares why you should consider doing the same.

Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472

Enjoy this message? Consider visiting Ravenna Church of the Nazarene where Pastor Jason is the Senior Pastor. Have a prayer need? Want to share something with Pastor Jason?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Trailer [linktree link]
• 0:19 Theme song--"The Dirt Path" by Jeremy Edwards
• 1:23 Podcast Greeting
• 2:36 Introduction: Persistence
• 6:21 Reading of the Passage: Mark 7:24-30
• 7:31 v24-26 Jesus steps into Gentile territory
• 10:36 v27 Jesus' unexpected response
• 17:46 v28 The woman's bold faith
• 22:32 v29-30 Jesus' response of grace
• 23:30 What does this teach us?
• 28:37 Invitation--Take the next step of faith
• 36:27 Closing prayer [contact form link]
• 38:27 Outro

Transcript

HEARING VOICES

#4 OUTSIDERS

     Our Lent series is called “Hearing Voices,” and we have not been talking about the voices in our heads. We have been studying the voices of the different people Jesus interacted with on His journey to the cross. Today we will continue on that journey.

     When my oldest daughter was three years old, Nicole and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. We ordered the loaded nachos for an appetizer, they came with cheese, tomatoes, beef, onions, and jalapenos. Jaeydn thought the jalapenos were pickles. She kept asking to have one. Trying to be a good dad, I told her no, but Jaedyn was persistent. No matter how many times I explained to her it was not a pickle, she was determined to try one. So, I decided to let her. She took one bite and let out a loud scream that I am sure the entire shopping plaza heard. And to this day, Jaedyn will not eat spicy food.

     Jaedyn was persistent, which is why I let her try the jalapeno. Persistence has a place in faith. There is a woman who encounters Jesus, and her persistence leads her to God’s grace. Just like Jaedyn would not take 'no' for an answer, this woman in our text shows us what it means to have faith that refuses to quit.

     Mark 7:24-30(CEB):

24 Jesus left that place and went into the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know that he had entered a house, but he couldn’t hide. 25 In fact, a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him right away. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was Greek, Syrophoenician by birth. She begged Jesus to throw the demon out of her daughter. 27 He responded, “The children have to be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.

28 But she answered, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29 “Good answer!” he said, “Go on home. The demon has already left your daughter.” 30 When she returned to her house, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

Before we can understand this passage, we need to know what happened at the beginning of Mark 7. Jesus had been questioned by the Pharisees about why His disciples did not wash their hands before eating. They believed this practice made the disciples unclean, but Jesus explained it was not what goes into the body that makes a person unclean, it was a person’s heart. This led to a lengthy discussion with His disciples also.

Verse 24 shares that following this encounter, Jesus went to Tyre, a Gentile area. Dealing with people like the Pharisees, Jesus was tired and sought solitude. He was not in this area for public ministry, Jesus was here to rest. “But he couldn’t hide.” Even when Jesus is hidden, grace draws people to Him. A woman had heard of Jesus and came to Him with a request for help for her daughter.

When Jesus responds, it comes across as harsh. He says in verse 27, “The children have to be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Jesus’ mission was to share salvation with the Jews, they were God’s chosen people and were allowed to respond to salvation first. However, the word “first” implies God’s intentions to expand the offer to the Gentiles.

Jews believed there were two types of people, Jews and dogs. They were God’s chosen people, in their minds it made them superior to others, who were like vicious mutts who roamed the streets. It would seem that Jesus calling this woman a “dog” was reinforcing this prejudiced belief and rejecting the woman’s request. But that is not what Jesus is doing. The word “dog” is not the typical word used by the Jews, this word refers to a little puppy, a family pet who sits under the table waiting to catch the crumbs from the table. Jesus was not saying she did not belong in the house, but a probe of the woman’s faith.

The woman responds in verse 28 with, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She accepts her position but still believes Jesus has the power to free her daughter. The word “Lord” literally translates to “sir”, but in Greek, the word “sir” is the word for “Yahweh.” The woman calls Jesus “God,” and is the only person in Mark’s Gospel that does this. And this reveals that her faith is not based on entitlement but in the goodness of God.

Jesus says, “Good answer!.” And without going to the woman’s house or even seeing her daughter, Jesus casts the demon out. He acknowledged the woman’s faith and persistence, extending grace beyond the Jews. God’s power was not bound by geography or ethnicity.

What does this teach us? This woman had faith that would not take “no” for an answer, and that faith allowed her to be a recipient of God’s grace. She represents all who feel like outsiders, those who think and might even be told they are unworthy of God’s grace. But Jesus challenged the woman’s faith, not to exclude her, but to reveal her trust. God’s grace is available for everyone, but faith requires persistence.

Outsiders are those who grow up on the wrong side of town, whose parents are the opposite of influencers, and who have a different value system. Their skin color might be different, their language might be foreign, and they might not look like a typical churchgoer. Can you imagine if Jesus had this interaction in front of the Pharisees? They would have labeled Him unclean for interacting with this woman if they even got past the fact Jesus was in a Gentile area. Too often, we as the Church can have the same attitude and want to keep the outsiders away.

If you feel like an outsider today, do not stop seeking Jesus. You might feel like God is distant because of the appearances and attitudes of His people, but be persistent! God is listening. God has grace for you! His salvation is for you! Do not let the barriers in the way be a hindrance, persist! Do not stop asking, seeking, and knocking, grace is still at work.

For those of us considered on the inside, who have been going to church since exiting the womb, are we a barrier? Are we setting up barriers that try to block the path to Jesus? If Jesus in His weariness took time to extend God’s grace to a Greek woman, should we not do the same? For example, think about the 'welcome time' at church. We mean well, but what if you are new and do not know anyone? You see others hugging and chatting while you sit all alone. Instead of feeling welcomed, you might feel like an outsider who does not belong. Could something meant to be inviting actually feel like a barrier?

We need to repent of our attitudes, and maybe some actions. We should look for opportunities to welcome and listen to the voices of those who feel like outsiders. By doing so, we extend the grace God has given us to those who need it.