Lake Martin Presbyterian Church June 28, 2026 Podcast

Join Rev. William Skinner for this week’s message from Mark 7:24-37, "Crumbs for Dogs". Explore Scripture, hear thoughtful teaching, and let us encourage you in your walk with Christ. For more information and resources, visit lakemartinpca.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Lake Martin Presbyterian Church Podcast. We're glad you're listening. Lake Martin Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, located near Lake Martin, Alabama. Each week we share the preaching ministry of our church and pray it encourages you in your walk with Christ. Here's this week's message.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

If you would please turn with me in your copy of God's Word to the Gospel of Mark. Mark chapter 7. So if you'll remember, last Sunday we heard a second round of accusations from the scribes and the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the Jews who had been sent from Jerusalem down to the region of Galilee, accusing Jesus' disciples this time of eating with defiled hands. In response, Jesus took them back to the Scriptures, back to God's Word, to show them how it was their man-made traditions which were truly defiled, and not only their traditions, but their hearts. They themselves were defiled from within. It's the heart of sinful man which defiles him. It's not washings or food. We are all defiled from within. Finally go and get the rest that they had been looking for. If you remember, for weeks now we've been following Jesus and his disciples as they've been trying to get some rest. They had gone out on this increased intensity mission where they'd split off into groups of twos and they were going hard. They were preaching, they were healing, they were casting out demons. And after that, Jesus had wanted to give himself and his disciples some rest, some retreat from that high-paced ministry, and now finally, in this passage, they're going to get it. So they go to Tyre and then to Sidon, to Gentile country outside of Israel, perhaps hoping that outside of Israel they can find a place more obscure, where they're not as quickly recognized, where they can get the rest and the retreat they've been looking for. And their plan works to a degree. It works for a period of time, but it doesn't take long before even the Gentiles figure out there's something different about this Jesus. And they begin flocking to him for help and healing. And in this passage, Jesus is going to do numerous things. He's going to pour into his disciples. He's going to minister to them, to teach them, to rest with them, to be refreshed. And he's also, while doing that, going to prove the faith of a Syrophoenician woman and cast a demon out of her daughter. And then in Sidon, we're not told everything that he does, but we are told in particular that he took a man who was deaf and who had a speech impediment, and he gave him hearing, and he loosened his tongue from that impediment. And in the midst of all these diverse accounts that we're going to see in this passage, there's one main thing that I want you to see. And it's the refrain that the citizens of Sidon give in verse 37. That Jesus has done all things well. That's the main thing that I want you to see this morning, that Jesus has done all things well. And in this text, I want you to consider two headings with me. First, a persistent faith in verses 24 through 30. A persistent faith. And secondly, a consistent savior. A consistent savior in verses 31 through 37. A persistent faith and a consistent Savior. Before we read the text, let's pray and ask God's blessing upon the reading and preaching of His Word. Abba Father, holy God, we come to this word expectant. Expectant on you to speak to us, to see our Savior Jesus Christ. We know that no man-made traditions can wash away our defilement. That we are defiled from within, and Jesus is our only hope in life and in death. So we ask as we come to your word that you would pour out your spirit upon us, that we might behold our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's in his name that we pray. Amen. Mark chapter seven, beginning in verse twenty-four. And from there he Jesus arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon, and he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, Let the children be fed first, for it's not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. But she answered him, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. And he said to her, For this statement you may go your way. The demon has left your daughter. And she went home and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went went through Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis, and they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him, and taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue, and looking up to heaven he sighed and said to him, Epitha, that is, be opened. And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly, and Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed him. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear, and the mute speak. This is God's word. First, look with me at verses twenty four through thirty, a persistent faith. Jesus and his disciples leave Galilee and go first to Tyre in verse 24. And when they arrive there, they go to a house and they lay low. And of course we know the purpose of this, for we don't know the timeline, but perhaps over a week they've been trying to get away and rest, to eat nutritious meals together, to get some sleep, to spend some time recuperating and recovering. And this was the opportunity that Jesus and his disciples had been looking for. This was their retreat to go to a gentile, to go into the gentile country and have an in-house retreat where they weren't being seen. They got into a house and that was their retreat. Presumably they were sleeping quite a bit. They were eating good meals together. They were debriefing everything that had happened. The disciples were probably finally debriefing their mission to Jesus, and Jesus was giving them feedback, teaching them, reciting and explaining the scriptures to them, and teaching them about what they would need to do to carry on his mission and carry out his message. And just think of the blessing that this would have been. Think of how wonderful and marvelous this would have been. To have been in that house entire with Jesus. To rest and relax at the feet of Jesus. To learn directly from the Lord Jesus Christ in that relaxed, intimate setting. To share meals with him. What an honor that Christ's disciples had to be in this house. To spend this type of time with our Lord and Savior. The more you think about it, it just sounds better and better and better to rest and relax and sit at the feet of Jesus. And this is certainly a rabbit trail, but it's one I'm going to chase for a minute. Because I want you to know that all of you, all of us, will have these moments with Jesus. All of you can look forward to this type of moment with the Lord Jesus Christ. In the new heavens and the new earth. Learning at the feet of Jesus. Resting and relaxing, worshiping, studying, an eternal retreat with the Lord Jesus Christ. The more you think about it, I hope it sounds better and better and sweeter and sweeter to you. And it's a worthy thought to think about. Spending eternity resting with Jesus. But in the meantime, I want you all to know that we do have a place for rest and retreat with Jesus. It's what we're doing right now with one another on the Lord's day. Here with Christ's people and Christ's church, gather together on his day where we listen to his word together, where we rest and relax and enjoy one another's fellowship. Where we hear the word and we worship God together. This place and these people are your rest along the way. This is your retreat. This is your refreshment until we make it to the celestial shore. So I hope and pray that this body for each one of you is a foretaste of what the new heavens and the new earth will be like. Albeit we are sinners. We will sin against each one another. This won't be perfect. But I hope that this is just a small foretaste of the eternal rest to come, of eating and drinking, of resting and learning at the feet of Jesus. And this is a worthy thought, and it's a thought I want you all to think about often. But it's not the focus of this passage. In fact, Jesus and his disciples getting this rest is not even the focus of this passage at all. I wanted to point it out because we've been talking about it so much, but it's not the focus of this passage. There's something that happens in the middle of their mission's retreat, an outside interruption which comes to the foreground of the passage, comes front and center. There's this woman who somehow had knowledge of who Jesus was, and we're not told anything about that. We don't know how she knew who Jesus was. But she knew that Jesus was there and that he was hiding out in a house with his disciples. And her daughter was possessed by a demon. Verse 26 gives us all the details we know about her. She was a woman, a Gentile, specifically a Syrophoenician, and she was seeking help for her demon-possessed daughter. And those details are significant to us because it comes in complete contrast to the passage we looked at last Sunday. The scribes and the Pharisees, who were busy ceremonially washing their hands after coming into contact with Jews, God's chosen people in the marketplace. They were washing the uncleanness of unworthy Jews in their estimation. These men would have never been anywhere near a Syrophoenician woman, and they would have never helped her daughter. Perhaps they would have helped the son of a prominent Jew, but certainly not a Gentile daughter in this ancient world. This woman in her plight wouldn't have even crossed the radar of the Jewish leaders of the day. They wouldn't have given her the time of day. In fact, they probably would have been offended at her mere presence. They probably would have gotten up and gone and washed themselves again just to get away from her. But that's not what Jesus does. This woman bursts in to the mission's retreat, interrupts them, and is begging Jesus to come and cast a demon out of her daughter. And Jesus replies to her. And this is astonishing. He says, It's not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. Now that's quite the reply coming from Jesus. It sounds pretty harsh to call this woman a dog. And many interpreters have thought that Jesus was referring to her status as a Gentile. That he didn't have any business going to the Gentiles. And he was ministering to the Jews. And that makes Jesus sound an awful lot like the scribes and Pharisees that he had just dealt with, doesn't it? To say that he was just treating her as a Gentile. But that can't be right. I think we've seen enough of Jesus' character to know that he's not a self-righteous Pharisee. He's not a law-twisting scribe. So what is Jesus doing here in this strange reply to this woman? What's the purpose of saying it's not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs? What Jesus is doing in this passage is testing the faith of the Syrophoenician woman. He's telling her that she, a mother, a mother who clearly cares a lot about her daughter, would never take food meant for her children and throw it out to dogs. She had a responsibility to her children first, an instinctual responsibility. She was compelled by nature to put her children first, which ironically was what she was doing, interrupting Jesus, interrupting his time with his disciples to say, hey, come, come heal my daughter. She has a demon. Can you cast this demon out of her? And Jesus was telling her, his disciples were his children. His ministry to them was important. It was primary at this very moment in time. His duty was to them first. If he left them, if he went out and started healing and casting out demons entire, the whole goal of this retreat was out the window. No more sleep. No more meals together, no more session sitting at the feet of Jesus. He couldn't abandon that primary purpose in this moment to leave and go start healing and exorcisms. And furthermore, he was testing this woman's faith and his character. Was he like the scribes and the Pharisees? Would he send her away as unworthy, unclean, defiled hands? Would he make her leave? Would he cast her off? Would he treat her as a worthless Syrophoenician woman with a worthless Syrophoenician daughter? Absolutely not. When you read this from Jesus, it's not right to take the bread from the children and give it to the dogs. Don't imagine Jesus saying this in a harsh tone, looking away from the woman, hoping that she'll leave. Imagine Jesus full of compassion with an inviting smirk on his face, pressing this woman to decide, who do you think that I am? Who do you think that I am? How am I going to help you? Well, the woman, for her part, fully understood Jesus' intentions. She gets it. She fully understood what Jesus was speaking about. And the reply of this Gentile Syrophoen woman is the strongest faith that we've seen in the entire Gospel of Mark. Her reply is that even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. This woman was essentially saying to Jesus, Yes, Jesus, what you're doing here is important. Your primary mission must be primary. The children must be fed. But you are here, and you are able, and you know my daughter's plight, and you can do it. And furthermore, Jesus, not only can you do it, not only are you able, but you care. I know you care. I trust that you care. I trust your power and your love, and I know that you are willing. It didn't matter how you do it, it doesn't matter how you do it, it doesn't matter if you touch her, it doesn't matter if you leave your disciples and come to my house. You can sit right here and you can still help my daughter. You can do it. Just give us the crumbs. She trusted that Jesus was powerful enough for her needs. And she trusted that Jesus was willing, that he was compassionate, and that he cared. This Gentile woman entire passed the test of faith. She had a faith that was persistent, that couldn't be told no. She trusted Jesus. She needed Jesus, and she knew that Jesus was willing and he was able. In response, Jesus commends her faith. For this statement, you may go your way. The demon has left your daughter. And she goes home to a demon-free daughter. And I want to commend this type of faith to you. This faith of the Syrophoenician woman is the faith that we all ought to aspire to. A faith that's confident in Jesus' person and work. A faith that trusts Jesus is the only one who can help. And a faith that is certain that Jesus will help, that he's willing to help. A faith that knows with certainty that Jesus came for sinners. And that he can make you whole, that he can redeem you. And not only is he able, but he is willing. This is a persistent faith. A faith that won't leave, that won't give up until it's found what it's seeking. A faith that won't give up until it's taken hold of Christ. That's a persistent faith. A persistent faith, let's now look at a consistent Savior. Look with me at verses 31 through 37. Jesus goes from Tyre to the region of Sidon and the Decapolis. And while he was there, the crowds there brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. He couldn't hear, and his tongue didn't work right. And Jesus took the man aside privately, and he touches his ears. He put his fingers into this man's ears. And then he spit and he touched his tongue. And he commanded them, be opened. And his ears were opened, and his tongue was loosed. In response, the people of this area won't stop talking about what has happened. And they continue to proclaim it louder and louder, more and more. He has done all things well. He has done all things well. Now in this text, I don't want to miss the forest for the trees. I don't want you to miss the forest for the trees. The forest is this that Mark's gospel has been pounding into our heads and into our hearts this question, who is Jesus? And it's been answering that over and over that Jesus is the Messiah. He's the one prophesied in the Old Testament. The Old Testament scriptures prophesy that He is the one who will come and carry our sorrows, who will heal our sicknesses and our sufferings, who will cause the deaf to hear and the blind to see. He will make the mute to speak. Mark is giving us an account that shows us that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies. He is the Messiah. He is the Christ of God. Who is Jesus? He's the eternal Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world. All of these miraculous healings are bit by bit painting the full picture to leave you without excuse, with no doubts in your mind, that Jesus is the one who's prophesied in the Old Testament. Jesus is the one who's long foretold, who would come and take away the sin of the world, the offspring of Eve who would crush the head of the serpent in Jesus. Genesis 3.15. That's the big picture. Mark is cluing you in to who the Messiah really is. That Jesus is the Christ of God, the Savior of the world. That's the forest. And so don't miss that with every healing that we read about in Mark's gospel. Mark's telling you that this is him. This is the one we've been waiting for. This is the Christ. But it's also important to look at the trees. I love to look at trees. If you spent time with me, you know this. I love trees. One of my favorite books is The Guide to the Eastern Trees. Eastern United States. Something like that. It's a tree book. It's one of my favorites. So let's look at this tree. Let's look at the details. What can we learn about our Savior in this text specifically? What about his character or what he does can we learn in this text specifically? And this passage which took place in Sidon, you see a picture of what Jesus does for each and every one of us. For every one of you who have trusted in Jesus. For every one of you who have taken Jesus by faith, who have made him your Lord and Savior. For every one of you who plead, nothing but the blood of Jesus can make me clean. If that's your battle cry, if that's your hope, if that's your trust, then you have experienced what you see in this text. The Jesus, the good shepherd, the gentle Savior, stooped down to you by his spirit, and he took you aside, and he put his fingers into your ears, and he touched your tongue, and he said, Be opened. And at that moment where he touched your ears, you heard and you understood, perhaps for the first time, that you are a sinner, a poor, helpless sinner without hope, under the wrath and curse of Almighty God, undergoing all the miseries of this life, death itself, and the eternal punishment of hell forever. And you also understood that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost all those who are trusting in him, that he is the great high priest who offered himself once for all to save all the elect of God. And you understood that this Jesus who is able to save you indeed gave himself for you, a dog under the table, an unclean gentile, that to Jesus you were far more than a dog, you were far more than an unclean gentile, that to Jesus you were the bride coming down the aisle, and he is the blood-soaked groom waiting for you at the altar, with tears of joy flowing down his face, marveling at your glory, glory that he's given to you, himself purifying you from your sin, making your filthy soul clean, arraying you in perfect beauty and righteousness, and having touched your ears so that you heard the gospel news, he touched your tongue, and he set your tongue free, he put a new song in your mouth, a God to glorify, a song of praise to magnify your God, to sing. And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood? Died he for me who caused him pain, for me who him to death pursued, amazing love. How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? If you've been born again in Jesus Christ, nothing that I've said is surprising to you. What you see Jesus doing in Sidon is a reality for you. You know it. You've tasted it before, and you can't help but say He has done all things well. If you've not been born again in Christ, if these things are not a reality for you, if you've grown up around the truth but you've never trusted it, you've never taken Jesus by faith, you never trusted him as your only hope in life and in death, then I want you to know that Jesus is a consistent Savior. He does all things well. What he did for the man in Sidon, he's done for millions of sinners like you, and he can do it for you too. He's able to touch your ears and to open them to hear and understand the good news of the gospel for sinners. He's able to loosen your tongue, to put a new song in your mouth, a song of praise to God. Go to him like the Syrophoenician woman, and don't give up until he touches your ears, until he touches your tongue. He is able to save you. He's willing to save you, and he is consistent. He does all things well. You've seen the persistent faith of the Syrophoenician woman. She knew Jesus' power. She knew his willingness, and she wouldn't relent. She wouldn't give up until he helped. And you've seen the consistent Savior proving himself time and time again to be the Messiah, the Christ of God, and doing what he always does, opening deaf ears, loosening mute tongues to praise their God. I hope what you see in this text this morning is Jesus, the powerful Savior who's willing to touch your ears and your tongue. Jesus who won't treat you as an unclean dog. Jesus who does all things well. If you've not trusted him, go to him. Go to him with a persistent faith. He's willing. He's able. We can doubt no more. Let's pray. Our God and Father. You've showed us a persistent faith. And so often we are persistent. We give up. We doubt the power of Christ or we doubt the heart of Christ. By your Spirit, would you teach us that He's willing and He is able? And we've seen our consistent Savior. That He does all things well. Would you help us to trust Him? Would you bless us? Would you help us to get a fresh glimpse of our Lord and Savior? Who opens our ears, who loosens our tongue, who does all things well. It's in his name we pray. Amen. Would you please stand with me and let's respond and praise to God on page six in your order of worship in Christ alone.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

Thank you for listening to the Lake Martin Presbyterian Church Podcast. If this message encouraged you, please consider sharing it with someone else. To learn more about our church, including worship times and upcoming events, visit LakemartinPCA.com. We'd love to have you join us.