First Church of God in Harvey
Sunday Morning, October 16th, 2011
Let us pray
Welcome...
This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Problems all around us, but this still is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.............
Last Sunday our speaker spoke on "Facing our fears," and he encouraged us to wait on the Lord. During the week, did you find yourself waiting on the Lord, or did you find yourself tackling problems on your own? It is so very easy wanting to do things on our own, but it is far better to wait on the Lord
This year we have been reading through the Bible, and on October 7th, a portion of our Bible reading was from Matthew 15, and yesterday a portion of our Bible reading was from Mark 7th. Both Matthew 15 and Mark 7 gives the story of a Syrophoenician woman, a Canaanite who was desperately in need of help, and was willing to take the crumbs because there was a need to see her daughter get well.
Our scripture reading for today is taken from Mark 7 verses 24 through 30, and we can all stand and read from the screen. Please tell someone, there is help for the brokenhearted.
My to-pic for today is, More than the crumbs for the brokenhearted. The word broken means, emotionally crushed........
As we look at our text for today, here are a few questions to think about. "Do you see God in the brokenness of your life?" "Do you see God in those empty places of the heart that no one has ever been able to fill?" Miracles, supernatural events occur when you are standing on the edge, in complete desperation, and you are forced to cry out to God for help. Thank God, there is help for the brokenhearted. Saints and friends, "there is the miracle: that in our brokenness, in the deep center of our pain, God will make himself known. God meets us in those places where all other hope has been lost." There is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.
Who want to eat crumbs? Crumbs are for the beggars. Crumbs are for the poor. Crumbs are for those who can't afford the finer things of life, but today I want you to know that there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.
This woman in our text, who was referred to as a certain woman, it seem everything was going against her; she was a woman, and she was an alien or a foreigner. Back in those days women were not highly considered, and matters became worse if you were an alien. There was a problem between the Canaanites and the Jews, somewhat like the racial problems we have today, and that is seen in many of our churches today, but Jesus came to bridge that gulf and make us all one in Christ Jesus. In Christ there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.
Christ our Lord was ministering, and he was quite likely very tired, and so he withdrew himself from "the crowded cities and busy shores," to some secluded spot where he could rest for awhile, but the bible says, "but he could not be hid." When you are involved doing God's work, when lives are being changed, when bodies are being healed, when the unclean is being made clean, it is somewhat difficult to hide yourself. News will get around, and those who are in need will come seeking for you.
Somewhere in that town was a woman, a woman who was desperate, a woman who it seems everything was going against her, this woman heard about Jesus. Jesus was in town, and she had a need, her daughter had an unclean spirit, and so she had to see Jesus. She must have heard, that Jesus could give sight to the blind. She must have heard, that Jesus could make the dumb to speak again. She must have heard, that Jesus could make the lame to walk again. She must have heard, that Jesus could make those who have unclean spirit clean again, and so she had to see Jesus. This woman had a very good reason for wanting to see Jesus, she was brokenhearted.
I wonder if there is somebody here today who have a need, this need is so great,. you just can't wait, you have to see Jesus. Deep down inside of you there seems to be turmoil. On the outside things appears alright, but on the inside there is desperation. On the outside there might be a smile, but on the inside there is a struggle going on. You are in the right place at the right time, because thank God, Jesus is passing your way. (Reach out and touch the Lord as he pass by......)
Whether we want to accept it or not, we all want to be included. We all want to be a part of what's happening. Most of us like to be where the action is. If there is a gathering at church or in town for some kind of celebration, even if we did not plan to attend we want to be invited, we want our personal invitation. If we were not invited for whatever reason that might be, we would feel left out. We might react, I wonder who they think they are, they did not invite me to that celebration, well it's their loss, I'll keep my few dollars for myself. Sounds familiar. Maybe you might not do that, but it's quite possible others do.
Have you ever felt left out? Have you ever felt that nobody cares about you? Have you ever felt unloved? Maybe you don't live in the right neighborhood. Maybe you don't have the proper education. Maybe you don't have the right job title. It seems everything is going against you, you feel left out, and so you go into your little corner and sing to yourself, sometimes you might even talk to yourself or fuss with yourself, that nobody but Jesus knows what you are going through. If you have experienced this, then maybe you have a good idea what this woman, who had was going through, she felt left out, she was brokenhearted.
Maybe today you really feel left out. Maybe you really feel that nobody cares about you. Maybe you really feel that you are about to give up, before you decide what to do, before you decide to take some drastic measures, just wait a minute, I have some good news for you. You may feel knocked out; you may feel kicked out; you may feel thrown out. Before you take any drastic measures, I would like to remind you that there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted. The Great God whom you serve is standing by, "and he will pick you up and turn you around, and place your feet on solid ground." God loves you just as you are, and even when someone might feel unclean, dirty, unworthy, Jesus is there to change things around, This woman had a need, and in Matthew 15 verse 22 the same story is being told, and Matthew says, "And, behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil." This woman was crying out for mercy, but in verse 23 it says, talking about Jesus, "But he answered her not a word...." To make matters worse, the disciples said, "Send her away, for she crieth after us."
Here is a woman crying out for help, crying out for mercy because she had a need, she was brokenhearted. In her brokenness, Jesus ignored her, and the disciples said send her away. Can you imagine this happening? So often in the church many come crying out for help, and we are sending them away. So often many are around us burdened down crying out for mercy, and we are sending them away. So often people come, confused, abused, and we are sending them away.
Today, I challenge everyone here, we cannot afford to send anyone away that is in need of help. All around us, there are single mothers who are trying to make ends meet, they are struggling, sometimes working two or three jobs, having no quality time to spend with their children, and we cannot send them away. There are men who have spent most of their lives in jail, and we cannot send them away. There are people out there walking the streets, having a lifestyle that we frown upon, and we cannot send them away. They are crying out for mercy, they are brokenhearted, they need to know about the love of God. They are crying out for mercy, and we need to tell them about the good news of salvation. They are crying out for mercy, and we need to give an helping hand. Thank God there is help for the brokenhearted, and there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.
No matter how far down, and far out one might have gone in sin, Jesus can turn that person around, and so we cannot send them away. The drunkards need Jesus. The prostitutes need Jesus. The man on skid row needs Jesus. The drug addict needs Jesus, and so we can't turn anyone away.
This woman was not about to give up. Jesus you have ignored me; the disciples did not want me around, but that's alright, I am here for my blessing. My daughter is sick, my daughter needs help. The Bible says she came and fell at his feet, this woman was in worship, and she asked Jesus to cast the devil out of her daughter. There is something about true worship that will cause the Lord to respond. When we fall on our knees, and call upon God out of a sincere heart for that need we might have, the Lord will respond. What needs do you have, tell the Lord about it. What's on your mind, take it to the Lord in prayer. The Lord is here to help the brokenhearted...
What would you do if you had a daughter who had an unclean spirit or any other sickness, and you know there was someone who could help you? If you love that person, you are going to get that needed help. This woman might have gone to all the doctors and specialist in the region. She might have spent all the money she had. It is quite possible she had no where else to turn, but one day she heard about Jesus. She heard that Jesus was in town, and she was going to do everything in her power to see Jesus.
I want somebody to know today, when you really need help, you will go for help just as you are. When you are really desperate to get a blessing, you will do whatever you can to obtain your blessing. There is no time to get all fancy with the Lord. No time to call up your friends, because you might miss your blessing. No time to call your prayer partner to say I am desperate, please pray for me, because you might miss your blessing. When you are really desperate for help, when you are really looking for your blessing, you will come to Jesus just as you are. Thank God there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.
I wonder if there is somebody here today that is brokenhearted, you are desperate for a blessing. Jesus is passing by and you can reach out and touch him. Charles Elliott wrote this beautiful song, "Just as I am, without one plea; But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bids't me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come." Today if you are really looking for a blessing, if you are really reaching out to Jesus, then you can say," Father, I stretch my hand to thee, no other help I know, if thou woulds't take thy hand from me, wither shall I go." Do you want a blessing today, Jesus is here.............
We don't like to be insulted, we don't like to be ignored, we like to be treated right, but even when Jesus might have called her a dog in verse 27, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it unto the dogs." Just think for awhile, if somebody make reference to you as a dog, what would you do? Don't answer.
The Jews did not care too much about dogs, but the Gentiles were regarded as dogs by the Jews. On the other hand the Gentiles had dogs, and they might have been treated like a family puppy, like man's best friend. Just like today, some people who have dogs take very, very good care of their dog. So when Jesus said taking the children bread and giving it to dogs, for the Jews this might have been an insult, but for this Gentile woman she might have been thinking about that family puppy. So there might have been two ways of interpreting what Jesus had said.
This woman who had everything going against her, did not try to analyze if this was an insult or not. She did not try to argue, as to what Jesus might have meant when he said taking the children's bread and giving it to the dogs. She was not like some of us who get so easily offended when someone says something that we do not like, she was not brought up in the Church of God, she was a nobody, listen to what she says in verse 28 of our text, "Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." Lord I don't want a whole loaf of bread, just give me the crumbs. Lord I have no time for T Bone Steak, just give me the crumbs. I really don't have the time for a 3 course meal, just give me the crumbs. Lord you did not come for me; I am a woman, I am a foreigner, everything is going against me, but right now, give me the crumbs. We should learn from this woman who was brokenhearted, and was crying out for help.
Lord, call me a dog, that's alright, but right now my daughter is sick, and she needs to be healed. My daughter is demon possessed and she needs to have the demon cast out. Lord my young daughter is in need of a miracle, so I'll take the crumbs, so give me the crumbs, help me, I am brokenhearted. This woman did not realize that there was more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted..
As you come today maybe you are looking for a miracle, and Jesus the miracle worker is here. What miracle do you want? Lord, I need my husband back. Lord, I need my wife back. Lord, I need my family back. Lord, my child is on drugs. Lord, I don't know where to turn. Lord, I need to be delivered. Whatever you need, Jesus is here to supply all your need. Thank God there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted. Today is your day for a miracle. Today is your day for deliverance. Today is your day for peace of mind. Today is your day................
This woman was asking for the crumbs. She was willing to settle for the crumbs. You remember the story of the prodigal son. He left home and went into a far country and wasted away all he had. His food was gone, his money was gone, his friends were gone, and he had to settle for pig's food, he had to settle for the crumbs. Somehow he came to himself; somehow he realized that he did not have to be eating pig's food, he did not have to be eating the crumbs, because there was more than the crumbs at his father's table, and for him who was brokenhearted, and he decided to go back home. He said, I will arise and go back to my father..............................
I want somebody to know today, you don't have to settle for the crumbs; because there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted. You can have a full meal; you can have a full loaf. Like the woman maybe you are crying out, give me the crumbs, but thank God you can have more than the crumbs. You may not think you are worthy, but don't settle for the crumbs. You may think you can't make it on the job, things are too wild, but don't settle for the crumbs. You have been waiting for the right person to come your way, keep on waiting, but don't settle for the crumbs. The money tree has stop bearing, there are not even any blossoms around, but please don't settle for the crumbs, because there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.. Young people please do not settle for the crumbs, please don't settle for the leftovers, God has something good for you.........
This woman who was insulted, this woman was ignored, this woman who was requested to be sent away, had her prayers answered. In verse 29 of our text we read, "And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter." Woman, because of your faith; woman, because of your humility; woman, because of your earnestness; woman, because of your persistence, go thy way, go back home, your prayers are answered, and the devil is gone of your daughter.
I believe this woman simple obeyed the master's voice. It is quite possible some of us would try to question. Lord, is my daughter really healed? Lord, is my daughter alright. The Bible says in verse 30 of our text, "And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. When Jesus speaks all we have to do is simple obey the Master's voice. When Jesus says it is done, simple believe it is done.
I believe today God wants to shower us with his blessings. I believe God is ready to help the brokenhearted. You don't have to settle for the crumbs, because the windows of heaven are opened, and there is more than the crumbs for the brokenhearted.. Do you want to be saved? simple believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Do you want to be free? Jesus can set you free. Do you want a miracle? miracle days are still here; the banquet table is spread, the Savior is waiting, and he invites you to come and dine. Just come as you are, there is a place at the table for you, there is always room for one more......
Let us stand
Closing song/prayer
