Scripture: Matthew 15:21–28
Main Themes: Wrestling with difficult Scripture, the Canaanite woman’s persistence, human prejudice and exclusion, the God we create in our own image, faithful questioning, transformation, and God’s persistent love.
Discussion Questions:
1. Wrestling with a Difficult Story
- What troubles or surprises you about Jesus’ initial response to the Canaanite woman? Why is it important not to avoid the difficult parts of this story?
- How might wrestling honestly with a troubling passage deepen our faith rather than weaken it?
2. The Persistence of the Canaanite Woman
- What do you notice about the woman’s courage and persistence as she continues advocating for her daughter?
- Pastor Mark suggests that this woman challenges Jesus and helps reveal the expansive reach of God’s love. What does that possibility invite you to consider about how God works through human encounters?
3. The Lines and Barriers We Create
- Pastor Mark says, “Every time we draw a line, every time we put up a wall or a barrier, every time we exclude somebody, Jesus isn’t with us. He’s with them.” How does this challenge the ways individuals, churches, and communities decide who belongs?
- What lines, walls, prejudices, or assumptions might keep us from recognizing Jesus among people we have placed on the “other side”?
4. The God We Believe In
- What does the pastor’s question, “Tell me about the God you don’t believe in,” help us uncover about the images of God we may have inherited or created?
- How can we distinguish between the God revealed through persistent love and a god shaped primarily by our own fears, preferences, or prejudices?
5. Applying the Sermon
- Where might God be challenging you “in love, through love, and for love” right now?
- What is one line you can cross, barrier you can question, or person you can see differently this week as you trust the God who never stops persistently pursuing us in love?
