going to be reading and Kirsty, so if you'd like to come up and maybe just give the reference
and page numbers, that'll be helpful. Thanks very much.
It's page 1010 in the Church Bible, Mark chapter 7 from verse 24.
Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone
to know it, yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him,
a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her
daughter. First, let the children eat all they want, he told her, for it is not right to take
the children's bread and toss it to their dogs. Yes, Lord, she replied, but even the dogs under
the table eat the children's crumbs. Then he said to her, for such a reply you may go,
the demon has left your daughter. She went home and found her child lying on the bed and the demon gone.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and
into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could
hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the
crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spat and touched the man's tongue. He looked up
to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, Ifatahata, which means, be opened. At this, the man's ears were
opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone,
but the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement.
He has done everything well, they said. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.
Continuing on in chapter 8. During those days, another large crowd gathered. Since they had
nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion for these people.
They have already been with me three days and have had nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry,
they will collapse on the way because some of them have come a long distance. His disciples answered,
But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them? How many loaves do you have?
Jesus asked. Seven, they replied. He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the
seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people,
and they did so. They had a few small fish as well. He gave thanks for them also and told the disciples
to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterwards, the disciples picked up
seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About 4,000 men were present, and having sent
them away, he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees
came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said,
Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.
Then he left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.
As I'm getting sorted here, there's notes and pens if anybody would like to avail of that.
You can just ask for it.
Thank you.
Thanks very much.
Okay, well, let's pray.
Our Father God, we ask that you would answer the prayer that we sung a moment ago, that you would come.
Holy Spirit, come.
Breathe life into these words so that we hear your voice speaking to us.
So that the words that we hear from your word change us, transform us, and help us to understand who you are, the kingdom that you have come to build.
That we would leave as a people who are on board with your mission, with hearts that are aligned to your priorities.
Please do a work amongst us, we pray in Jesus. Amen.
Well, we reach a turning point in Mark's gospel where Jesus is moving towards a different people and into a different place.
Up to this point in Mark's gospel, Jesus has been primarily located around the Lake Galilee with primarily Jewish people.
And as he was preaching that they should repent and believe the good news.
And also proving through his miracles that he is God's king who has come to renew this disordered world and restore broken lives.
But now, look at verse 24, it tells us Jesus left that place and he went to the vicinity of Tyre.
This is a decisive and a deliberate move by Jesus.
Jesus leaves and goes to a different people.
He goes to the Gentiles and he goes to a different place to Tyre.
Jesus is on a mission to expand and to see his kingdom grow.
So, verse 31.
Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and he went down through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
It seems a straightforward journey that Jesus goes out, he does his work and he comes back again to Lake Galilee.
But the way that Jesus went, and if we had a big map here you'd be able to see it, it would be like us going to Limerick via Dublin.
He makes this massive big detour, this big huge horseshoe all the way out.
And it's telling us that Jesus is decisively and deliberately moving out to new people and he's going to new places because his kingdom is to go to all people.
His mission is that his kingdom would expand and that people would know about him.
So the question that we want to ask in all of this as we look through these three stories is to ask how does his kingdom expand?
How will we see it grow in places like Carigaline?
Well, firstly, it's an open kingdom.
The grace of Jesus is open to all.
Jesus may be going to a different place and to a different people, but the offer of Jesus remains the same.
Look at verse 24.
He entered a house and he did not want anyone to know it because he's always wanting to show who he is.
He doesn't want other people trying to figure it out.
He wants to tell them who he is.
But he couldn't keep his presence secret.
In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.
Now, this is normal ministry for Jesus, isn't it?
We've come across this before time and time again in Mark's Gospel.
It happened all the time.
But this time it's meant to shock us.
The last person who fell at Jesus' feet was Jairus.
He was a well-respected man within his community, president of his local church, a man with clout and influence, and he took his religion seriously.
But here, look at verse 26.
We have a woman who was a Greek.
That is, she's a Gentile.
She's unclean.
Born in Syrian Phoenicia, they were enemies of Jews.
But more importantly, they were pagans.
She didn't go to church.
She didn't have a Bible.
They weren't into religion.
All her credentials that we have before us basically disqualify her from coming to God.
But this woman is not going to be disqualified.
She is both determined and courageous.
Look at the rest of verse 26.
She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
This is like an illegal immigrant in Ireland, bursting into the offices of Enderkenny, demanding that he give them a job right now.
But they have no rights.
They disqualify at so many levels.
And it's the same with this woman.
She's got no rights.
But she does understand the generosity of God's grace.
Jesus' answer is somewhat confusing and it almost seems quite harsh.
Verse 27.
Jesus said,
Now Jews were considered God's children.
They were the insiders.
God's special people.
And they had rights to God.
Gentiles, on the other hand, were seen as dogs.
Outsiders.
Unclean.
You didn't have anything to do with those people.
They had no rights.
So Jesus is saying,
You can't take what rightfully belongs to the children.
You can't take what belongs to the Jews
and give it to the dogs.
The Gentiles.
The Messiah.
God's King who's come to renew and to restore this broken world and disordered life.
Well, he was sent to the Jews, not to the Gentiles.
So who are you coming to me asking me to do something?
Seems quite harsh, doesn't it?
But she is determined to receive God's grace.
Her answer is spectacular.
Verse 28.
Yes, Lord, she replied.
But even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.
Look, Jesus.
You know what it's like when kids have their dinner.
There's a mess all over the floor.
And the dogs come in and they clear up the leftovers.
They also get to eat, don't they?
Literally, the dogs eat as much as they like.
In other words, she's grasped the fact
that she knows the grace of Jesus
is so deep
that there is an overflow.
His generosity
spills over to people
like her.
Verse 29.
So then he told her,
for such a reply,
you may go.
The demon has left
your daughter.
In other words,
she has received his grace.
And she went home
and found her child
lying on the bed
and the demon gone.
This woman here
shows us
how God's grace
is open to all.
He has
no favourites.
He makes
no distinction
between people.
Whoever you are,
wherever you come from,
whatever you've done,
whatever you've done
this week,
the
reservoir of God's grace
is so deep,
it's so wide,
it's so long
that everybody
is welcome
to come and drink
and be filled
and be satisfied
from his grace.
But why
did Jesus speak
in parables
to this woman?
Why did he not say,
as he had done
so many times before
to other people,
why didn't he just say,
go, your daughter is healed?
And that was the end
of it.
It seems that Jesus
is deliberately
making it difficult
for this woman
to receive grace.
Why is he doing this?
Well, the grace of Jesus
is open to everybody.
However, we must
really want it.
We must be both
courageous
and determined
in our request
and our desire
for God's grace.
Like this woman,
we too have no rights
to God's grace.
We don't deserve
God's grace.
However,
God's grace,
because of his character,
it is so deep
that there is this
overflow.
His generosity
spills over to people
like us
on a daily basis.
And so,
the invitation here
is to come
demanding
that he pour his grace
on us without measure.
We can come to him
insisting
that he fills us
and he satisfies us
with his grace.
Not because of who we are,
but because of who he is,
his generosity,
his kindness.
So,
the kingdom of God
is going to expand,
it's going to grow
when we come
like this woman
and receive
the grace
that Jesus
has to offer.
The second,
the kingdom
will expand
because
it's going to be revealed.
The touch
of Jesus
is needed
by all.
Jesus may be going
to different people
and to different places,
but the work
of Jesus
remains the same.
Look at verse 32.
There some people
brought to him
a man
who was deaf
and could hardly talk,
and they begged Jesus
to place his hand
on the man
just to touch him,
to heal him.
Now,
the place
where this is happening
and the kind
of person
that's described here
is full of significance.
We've got to understand
and to know
our Old Testament
to grasp
what is going on here.
So,
keep your finger there
in Mark
and jump back
to Isaiah
chapter 35.
Isaiah
chapter 35.
35.
The first 34 chapters,
this is just generally,
but generally,
the first 34 chapters
are all about
God's judgment
on rebellious people
and on the nations.
And included
is,
in chapter 23,
is this lengthy judgment
on Tyre
and Sidon,
the place where Jesus
was doing his work,
his ministry.
And then we get
to Isaiah
chapter 35
and we get
a glimpse
of the work
that God has promised
to do in the future.
And this is what we read,
Isaiah 35,
verse 1.
He says,
the desert
and the parched land
will be glad.
The wilderness
will rejoice
and blossom.
Like the crocus,
it will burst
into bloom.
It will rejoice
greatly
and shout
for joy.
This is a
wonderful picture
of God's
promised
restoration
and renewal.
Instead of judgment,
he said,
there's a time coming
when salvation
is going to come
to all people.
And the sign
that that time
has come,
look at verse 5.
How do we know
that salvation
has come?
He tells us,
verse 5,
then the eyes
of the blind
will be opened,
the ears
of the deaf
unstopped,
the lame
will leap
like a deer
and the mute
tongue
shout for joy.
In Mark,
and let's go
back there,
we find Jesus
walking through
the region
of Tyre
and Sidon
and what's he doing
as he's walking
around this area
once it had been
told a place
of judgment?
He's now healing
a deaf
and a mute
man.
The significance
is crystal clear.
Jesus is doing
the work
that God had
promised all
those years ago.
Jesus is God's
king who's
invaded,
who's intervened
into the world
and he's come
to restore
the disordered
world and to
renew broken
lives,
to bring salvation,
to bring grace,
to bring mercy
and he's right
there on their
patch.
No wonder
the people
went celebrating
verse 37.
People were
overwhelmed
with amazement.
He has done
everything well,
they said.
He even makes
the deaf hear
and the mute
speak.
Jesus has
reached into
these people
and he's
touched their
lives and
he's revealed
the kingdom
to them.
They understand
who Jesus
is.
But why
did Jesus
heal in
this way?
I mean,
it's very
strange,
isn't it?
We don't read
about this
all the time.
Coming along,
sticking his
fingers in
somebody's ears
and then
spitting on
his fingers
and touching
somebody's tongue.
It's all
rather gross,
isn't it?
why does
he heal
in this
way?
Well,
we've got to
remember where
the disciples
are at.
Ironically,
the disciples
still don't
get who
Jesus is.
The woman
who we've
met,
she knows
who Jesus
is.
She knows
that he's
overflowing
with grace.
That the
people here
who he's
just healed,
well,
they've
grasped
who he is.
He's God's
promised king.
The disciples,
however,
they've seen
Jesus do
lots of
miracles.
They've heard
him teach
all over
the place,
but they
still don't
get who
he is.
They still
don't understand.
In fact,
at the beginning
of chapter 7,
Jesus said to
them,
why are you
so dull?
Why are you
so thick?
What have I
got to do
for you to
understand?
So it
seems that
this healing
here pictures
what needs
to happen
to us
all.
If people
are to
understand
who Jesus
is,
then the
kingdom has
to be
revealed to
them.
It has
to be
opened up
to them.
They must
experience
the touch
of Jesus
in their
lives.
So let's
look at this
healing in
verse 33.
After he
took him
aside,
away from
the crowd,
this is
something very
personal and
intimate,
Jesus put
his fingers
fingers into
the man's
ears.
Then he
spat,
and the
translation there
is on his
fingers,
and then
touched the
man's tongue.
You see,
he can't hear
Jesus,
he can't
respond to
Jesus and
talk to him,
so Jesus
communicates by
touch.
Verse 34,
he looked up
to heaven
and with a
deep sigh
said to
him,
Ephasa,
which means
be opened.
At this,
the man's
ears were
opened,
his tongue
was opened
or loosened,
and he
began to
speak
plainly.
Now,
reading this,
I couldn't
help but
make comparisons.
Rebecca,
our daughter,
as you know,
is deaf.
She can't
speak very
well.
She's just
like this
man in
this story.
And like
the man's
friends who
bring him
to Jesus,
well,
we've brought
Rebecca to
Jesus,
and we
asked that
he would
heal her,
that he
would touch
her.
but over
time,
we've
learned to
ask for
a different
kind of
healing for
our daughter.
Of course,
it would be
great if
Rebecca could
physically hear,
but God
has chosen
not to do
that,
and that's
okay,
we've worked
through all
of that,
and we're
content.
In fact,
we're probably
glad that he
hasn't,
and you can
ask us about
that afterwards.
But of
far greater
importance is
that Rebecca
can hear
spiritually.
So we
now come to
God and
we ask that
he would
reveal the
kingdom to
her.
Jesus,
will you
put your
fingers in
Rebecca's
ears and
say,
be opened,
so that
she can
understand
who you
are and
trust you
and love
you?
Jesus,
will you
put your
finger on
Rebecca's
tongue and
say,
be opened,
so that
she can
begin to
sign to
others who
are deaf
the abundance
of your
grace so
that they
can be
welcomed
in too?
Now,
I know
that's very
personal for
us,
but I
think it
illustrates the
prayer
prayer of
every single
one of us
here.
Isn't that
what we
ask for
our own
children?
Isn't this
what we
want for
our own
family and
for our
own friends
who have
not come
to experience
the depth
and the
wonder of
God's
grace,
that he
would put
his fingers
in their
ears and
say,
be opened,
so that
the kingdom
is revealed
to them,
so that
they can
experience
his grace?
The
kingdom of
God will
expand and
it will
grow when
we experience
the touch
of Jesus
in our
lives.
God
will
do that
in people's
lives,
around our
community.
Well, it's
an open
kingdom,
it's a
revealed
kingdom,
but it's
also a
future
kingdom,
the feast
of Jesus
celebrated
by all.
Jesus may
be going
to different
places and
to different
people,
but the
promise of
Jesus remains
the same.
Look at
verse 1
of chapter
8, he
says,
during those
days,
another large
crowd gathered,
this time it
was 4,000
people,
that's just
the men,
maybe there
are women
and children
there.
Since they
had nothing
to eat,
Jesus called
his disciples
to him and
said,
I have
compassion
for these
people.
I want
to meet
them in
their need.
They have
already been
with me for
three days
and have
had nothing
to eat,
and if I
send them
home hungry,
they're going
to collapse
on the way
because some
of them have
come a long
distance.
Now what
follows in
this story,
and we know
it all so
well,
is quite
remarkable.
It's nothing
short of a
feast.
Look at
verse 5,
how many
loaves do
you have?
Jesus asked
seven.
He told
the crowd
to sit
down on
the ground
and when
he had
taken the
seven loaves
and given
thanks,
he broke
them and
gave them
to his
disciples to
set before
the people
and they
did so.
And they
had a few
small fish
as well and
he gave
thanks for
them also
and he
told the
disciples to
distribute
them.
And the
people ate
and they
were satisfied.
And afterwards
the disciples
picked up
seven
basketfuls
of broken
pieces that
were left
over.
Now we
live in an
age of
plenty,
don't we?
It's normal
for us to
have three
good meals
a day.
In fact,
we've got so
much food in
our cupboards
and our
fridges,
we throw
it away.
These people
that are with
Jesus are
used to one
basic meal
and even that
was rationed.
In fact,
we're told
here they
haven't eaten
in three
days.
So they're
pretty hungry
guys.
So you
could imagine
what this
would have
been like.
Bread and
fish,
as much as
you wanted.
All you
could eat,
seconds and
thirds and
as much as
you liked.
To the point
of where it
says they
were completely
satisfied.
They even
went home
with a doggy
bag.
There was
so much
left over.
And to
top it
all off,
this feast
was free,
provided
completely
by Jesus.
So what's
going on?
Is Jesus
trying to get
on to
MasterChef
or something?
Well,
I don't
think so.
Again,
we've got
to understand
our Old
Testament.
So jump
back to
Isaiah
chapter 25.
Again,
this is
one of
these
little
pictures
amongst
all the
kind of
the judgment
that's going
on that
God is
pronouncing.
And we
get this
wonderful
picture of
the new
creation of
heaven itself,
something that
God is going
to do.
And look
how he
describes it.
Isaiah
chapter 25
verse 6.
On this
mountain,
the Lord
Almighty
will prepare
a feast
of rich
food for
all peoples,
a banquet
of aged
wine,
the best
of meats
and the
finest
of wines.
And here
we are
in Mark's
Gospel.
Jesus has
just prepared
a feast
for all
these people,
4,000 of
them.
And okay,
it's bread
and fish,
it's a little
bit different
to fine
wines and
roast beef,
but my
word,
this is still
a feast
for these
people,
isn't it?
It's almost
like an
appetizer,
the first
course for
what's to
come.
It's a
foretaste
of this
much greater
promise,
the promise
of heaven
itself,
the new
creation,
where God's
people will
live forever
and ever
and be
eternally
satisfied
satisfied.
But why
does Jesus
repeat this
same miracle?
Only
recently in
Mark's
Gospel,
we read
of the
miracle of
feeding the
5,000.
Okay,
there was a
bit of
difference,
there were
five loaves
and two
fish there,
but it's
pretty much
the same,
isn't it?
Why does
he repeat
the same
miracle again?
well,
the one
big difference
between these
two miracles
is his
audience.
Earlier,
the people
were all
Jewish.
This time,
he's in a
different place
with different
people.
They're all
Gentiles,
they're all
outsiders,
they're all
unclean,
they're all
pagans,
they're people
who don't
go to church
and they
don't read
their Bible.
In other
words,
he's saying
to them,
I am
providing
a feast.
The feast
of heaven
which is
promised for
you is
open to
all people.
I don't
care who
you are
or where
you come
from,
it's open
to you
all.
In fact,
it's the
kind of
feast that
we all
long for.
Again,
look at
Isaiah
chapter 25
verse 7.
He says
it's a feast
for all
peoples.
On this
mountain
he will
destroy the
shroud
that
enfolds
all
people.
This
blanket
if you
like
that
covers
people
with
darkness.
The
sheet
that
covers
all
nations.
He will
swallow
up
death
forever.
The
sovereign
Lord
will
wipe
away
the
tears
from
all
their
faces.
He
will
remove
the
disgrace
of
his
people
from
all
the
earth.
The
Lord
has
spoken.
This
promised
feast
will
include
people
of all
nations
regardless
of race
or religion.
And he's
making it
crystal clear
that it's
for people
like you
and me
who mess
up and
who fail
all the
time.
And it's
going to be a
feast that's
going to be
celebrated with
life.
Because he
says here
death is
going to be
swallowed up
forever.
And living
in a
broken
world
where
death
sometimes
invades
not just
to old
people
but as
we were
reminded
today
sometimes
to little
people.
But the
promise
in the
midst
of all
the
brokenness
that we
are
surrounded
with
day in
day out.
Here is
a feast
where he
will swallow
up death
forever
and the
sovereign
Lord
will wipe
away the
tears
from all
their faces.
A feast
filled with
joy and
happiness
because there
is no more
pain
and no more
heartaches.
And this
is the
Jesus who
has come
into this
world
who has
invaded
into our
lives
to offer
this future
feast
promised
to all
his people.
The
kingdom of
God will
expand
when we
anticipate
and look
forward
to the
feast
that Jesus
has to
offer.
This is
three stories
combined
together
showing us
that Jesus
is continually
moving out
to different
people and
different places.
We're never
meant to be
stuck in the
one place
and with the
same people.
We've got a
kingdom to
build.
A kingdom
where the
grace of
God will
flow.
The kingdom
that is going
to be revealed
as Jesus
touches people
alive.
The kingdom
will grow
as this
feast is
being celebrated
right now
by people
like you
and me.
We need
to pray
that God
will build
his kingdom
through us
and be
pleased to
see many
people
welcomed
in.
Let's pray
together.
Our Father
God, we
thank you
that in
your generosity
and in
your goodness
you have
reached out
to people
like us.
Different
people
represented
here
from
different
places.
But yet
you have
made it
your business
to reach
out to
us.
To welcome
us into
your kingdom.
To be
satisfied
with your
grace.
To be
filled
with it.
Thank you
that you
have revealed
the kingdom
to us.
That you've
opened up
our ears
to understand.
And please
would you
open up
our mouths
and our
lives
so that
we will
speak the
kingdom
to other
people.
And we
thank you
that we
have a
future
to look
forward to.
A great
feast.
We long
for that
day.
And please
keep us
faithful
and please
help us
to be about
your work
and the
building of
your kingdom
until that
day comes.
In Jesus'
name.
Amen.
We're going
to sing
something that
reflects really
what we've
been looking
at.
Your glorious
cause, oh
God, engages
our hearts.
It's all
about the
kingdom
growing, the
kingdom
expanding, and
God using
people like
us who
have
experienced
it in
our own
lives, that
we would
go and be
about his
work.
Let's stand
together as
we sing.
Amen.
Your glorious Father God
Engages our hearts
May Jesus Christ be known
Wherever we are
We ask not for ourselves
For your renown
The cross was made
So we pray
So we are not
Let your kingdom come
Let your will be done
That every heart might know your name
Let your song be heard
Everywhere I heard
But your song be
On this gift of life
And the kingdom come
The kingdom come
Give us your strength
Oh God
The will you do
Perform your wondrous deeds
And also our will be
Lord Jesus