Persistent Mom and Friends | Follow | Sunday, November 2, 2025

In Mark 7, two stories unfold that invite us to see Jesus’ heart for those on the margins and to reflect on our own posture as we approach God. First, a Gentile mother, desperate for her daughter’s healing, comes to Jesus with humility and persistence. Though Jesus’ initial response seems dismissive, she does not take offense or turn away. Instead, she accepts her place as an outsider, yet boldly asks for even a crumb of his mercy, believing that even the smallest portion of his grace is enough. Her faith and humility move Jesus, and her daughter is healed.

The second story brings us to a man who is deaf and can barely speak, brought to Jesus by friends who advocate for him. Jesus takes the man aside, touches him, and with a deep sigh—signaling both compassion and the weight of human suffering—heals him. The crowd is amazed, declaring, “He has done everything well.” These stories are not just about miracles, but about the way Jesus meets people in their need, honors their faith, and draws near to those who are often overlooked.

Yet, these accounts also highlight the tension we live in: the “now and not yet” of God’s kingdom. We see moments of healing and breakthrough, but we also know the ache of unanswered prayers and ongoing suffering. Jesus, who entered our world and experienced our pain, is present with us in both the miracle and the mystery. He is not distant in our waiting; he is our advocate, interceding for us before the Father.

The humility, persistence, and advocacy shown by the mother and the friends in these stories are postures we are invited to emulate. We are called to bring our needs and the needs of others to Jesus, not with entitlement, but with a humble trust that even a crumb of his grace is enough. And as a community, we are to carry one another’s burdens, interceding and advocating for each other, just as Christ does for us. In the tension between what is and what we long for, we are sustained by his presence and his love.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Humility is the gateway to receiving from God. The Gentile mother’s willingness to accept her outsider status, yet still ask for mercy, reveals a posture that God honors. True humility is not self-deprecation, but a recognition of our need and God’s sufficiency, allowing us to receive even when we feel unworthy. [38:28]
• 2. Persistent faith does not demand, but endures. Both the mother and the friends of the deaf man refused to give up, even when faced with obstacles or apparent rejection. Their persistence was not rooted in entitlement, but in a deep trust that Jesus is able and willing to respond, even if the answer comes in an unexpected way. [57:43]
• 3. Advocacy is a Christlike act. The friends who brought the deaf man to Jesus modeled the kind of intercession and advocacy that Jesus himself embodies for us. We are called to stand in the gap for others, carrying their needs to God, especially when they may not have the strength or faith to do so themselves. [58:42]
• 4. Living in the “now and not yet” requires trust in God’s presence, not just his power. While we celebrate the miracles, we also acknowledge the pain of unanswered prayers. Faith is not just about seeking miracles, but about trusting that God is with us in the waiting, sustaining us with his presence even when the outcome is uncertain. [51:50]
• 5. Jesus is our ultimate advocate and intercessor. He humbled himself, entered our suffering, and continues to intercede for us before the Father. In our own advocacy for others, we reflect his heart, and in our need, we can rest in the assurance that he is persistently bringing our case before God. [60:35]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [29:24] - The Power and Distraction of Sports
• [30:29] - Introduction to Mark 7
• [32:39] - The Syrophoenician Woman’s Plea
• [35:52] - Jesus’ Response and the Bread Metaphor
• [37:33] - The Woman’s Humility and Faith
• [39:18] - God’s Love for Outsiders
• [40:13] - The Deaf and Mute Man’s Healing
• [44:18] - The Gift of Jesus’ Presence
• [45:51] - The Power of Advocacy
• [48:29] - The Tension of the “Now and Not Yet”
• [50:03] - Jesus’ Empathy in Our Suffering
• [52:40] - Following Jesus Between Miracle and Mystery
• [56:34] - Postures to Emulate: Humility, Persistence, Advocacy
• [60:10] - Jesus as Our Advocate
• [61:05] - Prayer and Invitation to Respond

Bible Reading

Mark 7:24-37 (ESV) —
> 24 And from there he 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. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
>
> 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 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. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Observation Questions

1. What do you notice about the way the Gentile mother approaches Jesus, and how does Jesus initially respond to her request? (Mark 7:25-28; [35:02])
2. In the story of the deaf and mute man, who brings him to Jesus, and what do they do on his behalf? (Mark 7:32; [43:14])
3. How does Jesus interact with the deaf and mute man differently than with the crowd? What physical actions does he take? (Mark 7:33-34; [45:12])
4. What is the reaction of the people after the healing of the deaf and mute man? (Mark 7:37; [41:16])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might Jesus have used the metaphor of children and dogs when speaking to the Gentile woman? What does her response reveal about her understanding of Jesus and her own position? ([37:33])
2. The friends of the deaf and mute man advocate for him by bringing him to Jesus and begging for help. What does this say about the role of community in experiencing God’s work? ([58:42])
3. The sermon talks about the “now and not yet” of God’s kingdom—experiencing both miracles and ongoing suffering. How does this tension affect the way we approach God with our needs? ([51:50])
4. Jesus sighs deeply before healing the man. What might this sigh represent about Jesus’ heart toward human suffering? ([46:07])

Application Questions

1. The Gentile mother showed humility by accepting her outsider status and still asking for mercy. Is there an area in your life where you feel like an outsider or unworthy to approach God? How might you bring that to Jesus with humility this week? ([38:28])
2. Both the mother and the friends of the deaf man were persistent in seeking help from Jesus. Can you think of a situation where you gave up too soon in prayer or advocacy? What would it look like to persist in that area now? ([57:43])
3. The friends advocated for someone who may not have been able to seek Jesus on his own. Who in your life might need you to “stand in the gap” for them right now—through prayer, encouragement, or practical help? ([58:42])
4. The sermon mentions that sometimes we only get “crumbs” of what we hope for, but even a crumb of God’s grace is enough. When have you experienced God’s grace in a small but meaningful way? How did it impact you? ([37:33])
5. Living in the “now and not yet” means trusting God even when prayers seem unanswered. Is there a specific area of waiting or disappointment in your life where you need to trust God’s presence more than his power? How can the group support you in this? ([51:50])
6. Jesus is described as our ultimate advocate, interceding for us before the Father. How does knowing this change the way you pray for yourself and for others? ([01:00:35])
7. The sermon encourages us to be a community that carries one another’s burdens. What is one practical step you can take this week to help carry someone else’s burden, or to let someone else help carry yours? ([59:31])