New Testament Women
A Faithful Mom?
As we begin a new year I would like to begin a new sermon series. It will be new series for me as well as you. I have read and studied these ideas before, and may have even preached on some of them, but this is the first time we will tie together a series of sermons considering Women of the New Testament. We will begin this series in Matthew chapter 15 verses 21-28 where we will read about a mother that is commended as having great faith. Let’s read our text together....
"21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 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. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."
Jesus Himself commends this un-named woman as having great faith. Let’s pick apart this story, and see if we see what Jesus saw. I want us to consider the steps or process by which this declaration occurs. What are the events leading up to this statement and miraculous healing of the womans daughter.
1. She came in Desperation
a. The situation
This caananite women came seeking Jesus’ help in in spite of her situation.
1. She was a woman
2. She was a Caananite woman.
3. This meant she was not a Jew, but a gentile, a dog!
b. She came because of her daughters vexation
It says she cried unto Him " Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. "
In spite of the obstacles before her, she went boldly to Jesus seeking mercy & help! All though her cry was have mercy on me, it was for her daughter sake.
c. She fought against Temptation
Temptation, to do what? To give up. He ignored her, The disciples were saying send her away! Jesus told her He was not there for her, but for the Jews!
2. She offered Adoration
In spite of Jesus ignoring her, inspite of the request of the disciples, in spite of His statement, she offered Him adoration.
It says she came and worshipped Him. She bowed down before Him. He had ignored her, and said that He was not there for her benefit. She could have cursed Him and ran away. "Thanks for nothing!" But she didn’t she worshipped Him. She hadn’t received the response she wanted, and yet she worshipped Him.
3. She continued in Humiliation
He had basically rejected her. He ignored her, told her he wasn’t there for her benefit, and she fell down and worshipped saying Lord help me! She had already called him Lord once, recognized Him as the Son of David, she knew who He was and she pleaded with Him ;" Lord help me!" She had already humiliated herself among the people, in front of the disciples and yet she still cries out. It seems almost as though Jesus heaps on the humiliation calling her a dog. Keep in mind that is what the house of Israel thought of all non Jews, all gentiles were dogs. Jesus tells her that what has brought is for the children (of Israel) and it wouldn’t be right to cast it to her, a dog! Now, she has reason to run away in humiliation. Her request had been turned back, by Jesus saying she wasn’t worthy! She was a dog....
But, look at her response; "Truth, Lord" What you’re saying is true Lord. She recognized His authority and her lowly place. She recognizes she is undeserving. She was a woman of caanan. Her daughter was possesed by a demon. She had absolutely no right to approach Him and ask for anything. All she knew was that he was Lord, The Son of David and He could help her daughter. So she agreed with what He said. It’s true, I’m not worthy to receive what is meant for the children of Israel, but can I please catch the crumbs? Yet the dogs catch the crumbs that fall from the masters’ table. Give what you will to the children, and I’ll take the scraps! What Faith, She didn’t need something big, she knew that for Jesus healing her daughter was no big thing. When the crumbs fall from the masters’ table they are enough!
4. She received Compensation
Not often do you hear Jesus commending someones faith as being great. I can only think of one other example, the centurion whose servant was dying. He went to Jesus and asked him just to speak, say the word. you don’t have to see him, touch him, just say it! and he will be healed. Jesus commended this man has having great faith. Here in our story Jesus says to her " O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt" Your faith is so strong that what you want, you got! Now this mother didn’t just want a pat on the back! She didn’t want compliments, praises, commendation, she wanted her daughter healed of the demon! And that is what she got!
" And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."
This woman who was un-named received not only Jesus’ commendation of her great faith, but received the Compensation, the reward of a great faith.
So what was the process here that we can learn from?
Desperation..When No one else can help, I know a God who can!
She wasn’t defeated by her situation. She wasn’t worthy but came anyway!
It wasn’t out of selfishness, for her daughter, not her!
She fought the temptation to give up!
In spite of what she heard or didn’t hear she offered her Adoration, her worship!
She continued in Humility! We deserve nothing, when we start thinking God owes us, He might give us what we deserve. Remember, what shall be called impossible for man is possible with God! Crumbs are sufficient when they fall from the masters’ table! For all of this she received a reward of faith, Jesus heard her plea and answered it positively! This lesson about an un-named woman is not just for women, men we should desire to have so great a faith! Shall we pray....
