Persistance Pays Off & Pessimism Put to Rest
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
As I began to meditate on this passage of scripture before us today I couldn’t help but to zoom out and take a bird’s eye view of the scripture and ask myself…why?
Why was this passage of scripture recorded for us to look at? What is it here for other than just a wonderful story about one gentile woman’s great faith?
It was in that moment, that it all came together. Who can tell me one of the first things Jesus did when He began His ministry?
Now, think about it for a second. After John baptized Jesus and made Him known… “behold the lamb that has come to take away the sins of the world”…if you will remember Jesus went into the wilderness where He was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights and then, once He came out, what did He begin to do?
He began calling His disciples right?
Why did He need disciples? Why did Jesus need to pour everything He had into 12 men for the next 3 1/2 years?
Because someone had to carry the message on after He was gone right?
After Jesus emerges from the wilderness, He spent the next 3 1/2 years of His life with these men. Teaching them, molding them, growing them in their faith.
Everything He did, every person He healed, every town He visited, every confrontation He had, it was all to grow these men and to transform them into who they needed to be and show them real life experiences that they would come to face after He was gone!
We left off last week, with Jesus tearing down the traditions of men in Gennesaret. This week we pick up some 35-50 miles away in the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon.
These were gentile cities.
Up to this point, Jesus has only ministered to Jewish people in Jewish territories but now, as we flip the page to the second half of the Book of Matthew, we see Jesus going where He’s never gone before and to a people He’s never ministered to previously.
Keeping the bird’s eye view motive in mind, it’s almost as if Jesus says to Himself, “Ok, it’s time to show these guys a little something new!”
Now, some might say that He was simply trying to get away to Himself. And that very well could have been the case because chances are, the Pharisees and Scribes would never set foot in gentile territory.
Therefore, Jesus knew that Tyre and Sidon would be a place He could get away and clear His mind for just a little while.
But deep down, I believe like a master chess player, Jesus travel plans were well thought out ahead of time for a much deeper purpose!
To take these 12 men to the next level. To continuously form and forge them into the men who after His ascension would have all the tools necessary to turn the known world at that very moment upside down!
So, with no further ado, if you have your Bible’s turned to Matthew 15:21 would you say, Amen!
The Places in Our Story — (Vs. 21)
The Places in Our Story — (Vs. 21)
Tyre & Sidon were both extremely important coastal port cities located on the Mediterranean Sea. Both were cities of old, whose roots ran deep. They were major trade routes in olden times and mighty in wealth and status. To say that they were hustling and bustling hubs would be an understatement.
The greatest thing to note about these two cities when it comes to the scripture before us today though is that they were Gentile cities.
Jews looked upon Gentiles as dirty, mangy, even referring to them as dogs. They looked down upon the Gentiles and so Jesus retreating to this area would have kept the wolves at bay for a while for they more than likely, wouldn’t dare set foot in Gentile territory much less have any dealings with them!
Marks gospel tells us in...
24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
We can glean from Mark’s gospel that Jesus just needed some time away. Away from the defending of position, the confrontation day after day after day! The constance of being needed wherever He set foot. Jesus just needed a break.
And this region would at least afford Him a little rest from those pious Pharisees & Scribes!
But notice what Mark’s gospel says… “Jesus would have no man to know it:…but He could not be hid!”
When you do the things that Jesus had done; when you perform miracles that no one else can do; when you put those who’ve lifted themselves upon pedastools in their place…those things tend to make you famous!
It doesn’t matter where you go, when you have that kind of reputation, someone is going to notice you!
As Archbishop Trench commented, “Like perfume betrays itself, so He whose name is perfume poured out cannot be hid.” — John MacArthur
And it didn’t take long for a little lady to do just that!
Before we move on, something Doug brought up in Sunday school reminded me of something I want you to see.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The Person in Our Story — (Vs. 22)
The Person in Our Story — (Vs. 22)
A woman of Canaan somehow hears that this man who has performed many mighty miracles has come to her town!
She, being a gentile, would have probably never stepped foot into Jewish territory alone to ask for this man’s help but now that He’s came to her region, to her area of comfort, she can’t wait to get to Him to ask for some help!
Marks gospel tells us in...
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
She was a Greek…a Syrophenician.
This means that she was a gentile!
Now, listen, in today’s culture that means nothing to us. But in this day and time, that would have meant so much!
You see, women during this day and time were looked upon differently than women today.
Women were to stay home, be keepers of the house, raise the children and so on. It was a different time, a different place, a different culture.
Rabbis wouldn’t even hardly pay a Jewish woman any attention, so the fact that not only was this a woman, but she was a gentile woman, and she comes to Jesus (a Jewish Rabbi) here making a request, that’s huge!
She must have had something going on so important that her need overcame the stereotypical and socioeconomic actions of the day!
Here need was great so she wastes no time coming to the great healer.
The Plea & The Problem — (Vs. 22)
The Plea & The Problem — (Vs. 22)
“Cried” — strong word that means to cry out loudly!
When you cried out like she cries out here, there’s no way to not make a scene!
She cries in such a way as to make sure to get Jesus attention! And if you will remember, the last thing they were trying to do here is draw attention to themselves. That was the whole point behind going to the regions of Tyre and Sidon. To get away and float under the radar for a while, right?
But here she is, and she’s crying after Jesus and look at what she says...
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David;”
Couple things to point out here...
She begs for mercy. “Mercy” — not getting what you deserve!
She appeals to His authority as Master!
“Lord” — (kyrios) — conveys the idea of someone who is in a position of authority. Master!
3. She appeals to His deity as the prophesied Messiah!
“Son of David’ — prophetic but Jewish — she’s a gentile.
And then we come to the problem of the hour!
“Grievously” — (kakōs) — severely, dangerously
“Vexed” — possessed
Matthew 15:22 (NLT)
“For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”
The Passivity of Christ — (Vs. 23-24)
The Passivity of Christ — (Vs. 23-24)
The Persistence of the Syrophoenician — (Vs. 25)
The Persistence of the Syrophoenician — (Vs. 25)
“Worshipped” — to bow down
She wasn’t giving up, she wasn’t giving in, she wasn’t going away!
Who does this remind you of that we just read about recently in our Sunday night Bible study? — Jacob
Jacob wrestled with the Lord and said, “I’m not letting go until you bless me Lord!”
This little woman showed the same tenacity that Jacob did!
“Lord, I know you’re the only one who can help my daughter and I’m not leaving here without a blessing!”
“Jesus I’ve tried everything else and nothing can heal her but I’ve heard the stories of the power that lies within you and I know that you are the answer to my problems! I know that if anyone can heal my poor daughter, it’s you!”
The Proving of Her Faith — (Vs. 26-27)
The Proving of Her Faith — (Vs. 26-27)
“Dogs” — (kynarion) — house dog…pet
This is different from the word many Jews used for the gentiles which was (kyon).
John MacArthur said — Two different Greek words are used in the New Testament for dogs. One refers to the mangy and often vicious mongrels that ran in packs and lived largely off garbage and carcasses of dead animals. The dogs referred to here, however, were household pets that were sometimes treated almost like family.
The Profession — (Vs. 28a)
The Profession — (Vs. 28a)
Jesus’ first priority was to minister to God’s people Israel, to reveal Himself as their Messiah and to offer them the kingdom; but He always extended Himself to open hearts and never refused a person of any race or culture who came to Him in faith. — John MacArthur
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
The Payoff of Her Persistence — (Vs. 28b)
The Payoff of Her Persistence — (Vs. 28b)
The Pessimists Put to Rest — (Vs. 29-39)
The Pessimists Put to Rest — (Vs. 29-39)
Baskets — (spyris) — Large basket big enough to hold a man! This spoke of the kind of basket they let Paul down in when he snuck out of Damascus because they were lying in wait to kill him!
The other kind of basket we seen when Jesus fed the 5,000 was (kophinos) and spoke of a small wicker basket; the kind that might have been used to carry one’s lunch.
