10^th September 2006
Mark 7.24-30

Lord Jesus, May we see you with our eyes, hear you with our ears, understand you with our hearts, that we may turn to you and you will heal us. Amen

The story of the healing of the Syro Phoenician woman’s daughter is one of the many accounts that we find in the Bible of Jesus compassion and love for those he met.   The event is recorded in the two of the Gospel texts, Mark and Matthew and it is clear that the healing was significant.  Of the hundreds if not thousands of miracles that Jesus performed, this was one of a few that the authors recorded for posterity

The story is perhaps recorded because Jesus heals someone who is not a Jew.  The text tells us that the woman was in fact Greek, a gentile.   Jesus initial response to her pleas for help, are perhaps a little unpalatable for us: ‘First let the children eat all they want for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs’.  Jesus makes it clear that in the first instance the gospel was to be given to the children, the Jewish people.   But the woman’s persistence and faith pay off, despite not being a Jew, the woman is able to benefit from Christ.  The story was a marker for things to come - Jesus was for all people.  Jesus, the King of the Jews, had come to save the entire world.

The amazing and inspirational part of this whole story is however the woman’s faith.  The woman has a remarkable faith in Jesus and his ability to heal her daughter.  In Matthew’s gospel she cries out ‘Lord, son of David, have mercy on me’ and ‘Lord help me’.  At a time when many of the disciples are still uncertain exactly who Jesus was, the woman had no doubts - she refers to Jesus as Lord.  The account concludes with Jesus’ words ‘Woman you have great faith. Your request is granted.’  Jesus acknowledges her faith and rewards her with the healing of her daughter.

Well firstly, who was Jesus? Yes, he was fully human. We know that as a man he experienced a full range of emotions, sadness, happiness, empathy and even anger.   But he was so much more than that.  The Syro-Phoenician woman recognized his importance when she referred to him as ‘Lord, Son of David’.   In fact, she is the only person within Mark’s gospel who addresses Jesus as ‘Lord’; she understood that Jesus was the son of God.

It must have been wonderful to have been alive when God walked the earth as a man; to have gazed upon His face, to witness His miracles and to hear him speak.   Yes, Jesus was fully human, but more importantly he was fully God.

But how did the woman come to have such a faith?  Was it easier to believe in Jesus when he was physically present in the world?

If Jesus was stood here at the front of the church, what questions would we ask?  I’m sure many of them would reflect the concerns of the wider world - Why do people suffer?  Why are there wars and terrorist attacks?  What happens when we die?  Why does the world seem so unjust?   What will happen in the future with global warming?  How does a loving God allow all these awful things to happen?  And many of these questions provide a huge barrier to the acceptance of God and the Christian faith.

For a lot of our lives, we manage to block these questions out.  As we struggle through the business of our daily lives, we put these uncomfortable questions on the back burner.  We busy ourselves with work, family life, school runs, and entertaining friends.  But occasionally something happens that causes us to reflect.  We get ill, a friend or relative dies, we have children and worry about their future.  Or maybe as we settle back into our work and home routines we find ourselves asking ‘Is there more to life than this?’

I must confess I used to ask myself the question a lot.  Particularly at this time of the year, back from my summer holiday, first week at work.   I didn’t look forward to the short winter days and a return to the frantic pace of life.  Each day had enough problems without tackling the really big questions.   But in the end I just could not escape the feeling that despite having so much, a wonderful family, lovely friends and a job I enjoyed … something was missing.   I was listless and lonely on the inside but I didn’t know why.

Then on a beautiful summer's evening, nearly two years ago I went to a friend’s confirmation service.  To my surprise and initial embarrassment a number of people stood up to talk about their faith and how they had become Christians.  One particular woman had done an Alpha course and had become a Christian.   As she spoke I saw a depth of joy within her that was missing from me.  She had contentment and a peacefulness.  I realise now that she had a real and living faith.

I decided by the end of the evening that I would do the next Alpha Course and signed up for that September.  After overcoming my initial apprehensiveness I found that I really enjoyed the evenings.  The food was good, and the talks and discussions were interesting.  It was a great opportunity to explore the big questions of life, the ones for which so long I’d chosen to ignore.  Then on the fourth evening I realised that I had come to a crossroads.   I could continue as I was, freezing God out and refusing to commit to him or I could ask him into my life, to be with me.

God extends a hand to us all.  In his hand he offers us the gift of life, a life in technicolour, in all its fullness.  But God gives us choice; we either take that hand and follow him or ignore it and continue to go it alone.

On 14th October 2004, during a prayer I asked God to come into my life and I said sorry for turning my back on Him for so long.  I finally made a commitment to God.  The decision in the end came from within, despite all my reservations and fears, I grabbed God’s extended hand – and it was the best decision of my life.

God’s response to my prayer was to give me a profound experience of His love for me; A love that filled me from head to toe.  A gift above all gifts, faith and an unshakeable conviction in the presence and existence of God

In the weeks and months that followed I saw life in all its dimensions.  Life made sense.  The loneliness that I had felt inside left me.   I felt complete and had a deep sense of joyfulness.  Only as a Christian could I truly see God’s many blessings in my life, my husband, my family and my friends.

To my surprise I found that Christianity was not restrictive, but liberating.  I was able to hop off the unrelenting treadmill of life.  Faith brought answers to the big questions that I sought and for the questions that remain, I trust that God knows the answers.

So what is faith?  The author of Hebrews, one of the books in the New Testament says that ‘faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see’.  As Christians today we can not see Jesus and yet we know he exists.  He doesn’t stand here as a person but he is here with us.   Jesus rose from death and his spirit lives in our hearts.  We hope for a life in all its dimensions here and eternal life with God after.  Instead of being scared of death and its certainty we know that something better is to come.  As many of the American Baptist churches say, death is not an end but a ‘home going’.

Both during the life of Jesus and now people still choose to turn their back on God.  Jesus may not be physically here with us, but two thousand years later we are not at a disadvantage.  We have the benefit of the authorative word of His life in the Bible.  We also have the accounts of Christians who, like me, have experienced the risen Christ and see his presence in so many areas of their lives.  We should never forget that hundreds of thousand of Christians have and still endure persecution and death for the conviction of their faith.  The strength of their faith speaks volumes.

As Christians, modern day disciples, what does God call us to do?  Well, we are all called to be lights in this dark world.  God calls us to be ambassadors for Him, to show the joy of Christian faith.  Christianity is the best news the world has ever known and we must share this great news of salvation.

Christianity is not a cosy club nor should it be the world’s best kept secret.  We need to reach beyond the walls of our church and show that Jesus can meet the needs of people in the twenty first century.  Jesus is the answer to all our questions, and we have a responsibility to articulate this message in a language and style that people understand.

We need to do good in the world and awaken our social conscience.  Our faith must be reflected through words and deeds.  It’s not enough to preach, if our lives don’t reflect goodness and godliness.  Arguably Mother Teresa was as much an evangelist as Billy Graham.  Her kindness, humility and selflessness are an inspiration to all and her good deeds are renown around the world.

In our Christian walk, we cling onto God’s extended hand.  His strength allows us to meet the new challenges which lie ahead.  But we need to maintain and work at our relationship with Him, find quiet times to reflect and pray and continue to read the Bible.  Home groups, group Bible study and courses such as Alpha are good opportunities for reflection and for staying spiritually strong.

As I draw to a close I’d like to read the words of Peter in his first letter to Christians facing persecution in Asia Minor.  They give us hope and encouragement today in our relationship with the risen Christ.  In referring to Jesus, Peter says,

‘Though you have not seen him, you love him; end even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an expressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.’  (1 Peter 1 8-9).   Amen.