The Table Crumbs of Christ
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21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
The Table Crumbs of Christ
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
ARE YOU OPEN TO THE REALITY OF MIRACLES HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE AND/OR HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MIRACLE?
MAYBE AN EVEN BETTER QUESTION FOR TODAY WOULD BE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A POSITION WHERE YOU’VE NEEDED A MIRACLE?
SOME OF US MAY FEEL THAT MIRACLES DONT HAPPEN THAT OFTEN…OR MAYBE THAT MIRACLES DONT HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE….
WOULDNT IT BE WONDERFUL IF WE HAD EASY ACCESS TO THE MIRACLES WE WANTED TO HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES…
I KNOW SOME OF US WISHED THAT WE COULD GO ON LINE TO AMAZON AND GET OUR MIRACLES DELIVERED TO US OVERNIGHT…..BUT
I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL OF US KNOW THAT IF YOU NEED A MIRACLE, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE LORD IN PRAYER. HE’S THE ONLY ONE IN THE MIRACLE BUSINESS AND TRUTH BE TOLD THAT IS THE EXACT SITUATION OUR MAIN CHARACTER FINDS HERSELF IN TODAY.
SHE NEEDS A MIRACLE AND SHE KNOWS THAT JESUS IS THE ONE WHO CAN HELP HER DAUGHTER.
HER STORY IS ONE OF PERSEVERANCE AND FAITH. HER STORY SHOWS US THAT JESUS IS FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAITH. HER STORY OF HOPEFUL PERSISTENCE REMINDS US; DON’T GIVE UP, TRUST THE PROVISION OF GOD, AND RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF ABUNDANCE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SEE IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING THAT WE SHOULD “NEVER GIVE UP”
22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
OUR MAIN CHARACTER IN THIS PASSAGE IS A MOTHER WHO HAPPENS TO BE ……A CANAANITE WOMAN.
THE CANAANITES HAD BEEN ENEMIES OF THE ISRAELITES.
• HOW COULD A CANAANITE EXPECT ANYTHING FROM JESUS?
• HER PEOPLE HAD FOUGHT AND KILLED ISRAELITES
• SHE WORSHIPED THE WRONG GOD OR PERHAPS NO GOD AT ALL
LOOK AT WHAT SHE CRIED OUT AND SAID……..
Matthew 15:22 (NKJV)
22 ……. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
AND LOOK AT HOW JESUS RESPONDS IN THE NEXT VERSE……
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
JESUS DIDN’T EVEN RESPOND…….TO HER CRY……HE ANSWERED NOT A WORD………
• DOESNT THIS SEEM CRUEL?
• JESUS SIMPLY DISMISSED HER!
JESUS WHO HAD GONE ABOUT THE CITIES OF ISRAEL HELPING THE OPPRESSED -- HE WHO HAD ALWAYS BEEN SO QUICK TO RESPOND TO THE APPEALS OF THE NEEDY, DID NOT EVEN ANSWER THIS MOTHER WHO WAS IN NEED OF A MIRACLE.
“NOT A WORD” DID SHE RECEIVE IN RESPONSE TO HER CRIES OF DISTRESS.
JESUS GAVE HER THE SILENT TREATMENT……
HIS DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD WHY HE DIDN’T RESPOND TO HER, SHE WAS A GENTILE….SO THEY URGED JESUS TO SEND HER AWAY…
EVEN WHEN JESUS INITIALLY IGNORES HER, SHE DOES NOT GIVE UP.
SHE CONTINUES TO PLEAD WITH HIM, SHOWING US THAT FAITH IS NOT A ONE-TIME ACT, BUT A CONTINUOUS JOURNEY. IT'S ABOUT HOLDING ON, EVEN WHEN THE SITUATION SEEMS HOPELESS.
IT'S ABOUT TRUSTING IN GOD'S TIMING, EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH OURS. THIS WOMAN'S FAITH WAS NOT DETERRED BY SILENCE; SHE KNEW WHO JESUS WAS AND WHAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF, AND SHE HELD ONTO THAT BELIEF….
• HOW MANY OF US WOULD PASS THIS FIRST TEST THAT JESUS PUT THIS WOMAN THROUGH?
THE SILENCE OF CHRIST WAS ONLY HER FIRST TEST. MOST WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED THE FIRST TEST; AND, VERY FEW WOULD HAVE PASSED THIS NEXT TEST.
WHEN CHRIST DID NOT ANSWER, HIS DISCIPLES TOOK A SHOT AT HER FEELINGS NEXT.
IF THE SILENCE OF JESUS WERE NOT ENOUGH, NOW THE DISCIPLES CHIME IN AS THEY BECOME AGGRAVATED WITH HER CRIES FOR HELP. THEY SAID, "SEND HER AWAY; FOR SHE CRIETH AFTER US."
IN ESSENCE THEY WERE SAYING THIS WOMAN IS GETTING ON OUR LAST NERVES.
• SURELY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO SEND HER AWAY WITH WOUNDED FEELINGS
• ANYBODY EVER BEEN THERE?
• HAD YOUR FEELINGS NOT ONLY HURT BUT WOUNDED?
• BUT, DID SHE LEAVE?
• SHE WOULD NOT LET THEM ROB HER OF BLESSINGS NEEDED….EVEN THOUGH THE DISCIPLES WANTED TO SEND HER AWAY….
LISTEN TO HER WORDS -- SHE SAYS, "HAVE MERCY ON ME, LORD, YOU SON OF DAVID!"
• IN THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE IT IS KYRIE, ELEISON -- LORD, HAVE MERCY
• THIS CANAANITE WOMAN ISN'T PRAYING THAT JESUS WILL FORGIVE HER SINS
• SHE IS PRAYING THAT JESUS WILL HEAL HER DAUGHTER
• BUT THE WAY SHE SAYS IT IS INTERESTING -- "HAVE MERCY ON ME, LORD, YOU SON OF DAVID! MY DAUGHTER IS SEVERELY DEMONIZED!"
• YOU WOULD THINK THAT SHE WOULD SAY, "HAVE MERCY ON MY DAUGHTER"
• BUT SHE SAYS, "HAVE MERCY ON ME!"
THIS MOTHER AS ANY PARENT REALIZES, WHEN OUR CHILDREN OR CHILD SUFFERS, WE SUFFER WITH THEM AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM.
AT THIS POINT YOU WOULD EXPECT JESUS TO PUT THE DISCIPLES IN THEIR PLACE AS THEY TRY TO RUN HER OFF.
BUT JESUS SAYS NOTHING. NOTHING! MATTHEW SAYS, "BUT HE ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD.”
AND THEN THE DISCIPLES SAY, "RUN HER OFF, JESUS. WE CAN'T STAND HER SCREAMING!"
INSTEAD, HE SAYS…..
24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
—THIS MEANS - "I WAS SENT ONLY TO HELP THE JEWS."
BUT EVEN HEARING THESE WORDS DID NOT STOP THIS CANAANITE FROM PLEADING FOR JESUS TO HAVE MERCY ON HER….
25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
THE WOMAN KNEELS AS IN WORSHIP BEFORE JESUS AND PLEADS, "LORD, HELP ME.” NOW COME THE WORDS THAT SHOCK US— WORDS THAT WE CANNOT IMAGINE JESUS SAYING WORDS THAT NO PREACHER WANTS TO EXPLAIN. JESUS SAYS,
26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
• OH, NO, JESUS, PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT!
• PLEASE WIPE OUT THOSE WORDS!
• START OVER AGAIN!
• I AM SURE YOU CAN DO BETTER!
• PLEASE, JESUS
• BUT THE WORDS STAND!
• THERE THEY ARE RIGHT THERE IN THE BIBLE
"IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO TAKE THE CHILDREN'S BREAD AND THROW IT TO THE DOGS."
JESUS NOT ONLY REFUSES TO HELP THIS TORMENTED WOMAN AND HER TORMENTED DAUGHTER, BUT HE ALSO INSULTS THEM BY COMPARING THEM TO DOGS.
BUT THIS CANAANITE WOMAN EVEN OVERCAME WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS DEROGATORY; COMPARING THE GENTILES TO DOGS, SHE DOESN’T SEEM TO TAKE OFFENSE.
IF I CAN BE REAL WITH YOU THIS MORNING….
FAITH OFTEN REQUIRES HUMILITY - THE ABILITY TO SEE OURSELVES AS WE TRULY ARE, NOT AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE.
IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING OUR NEED FOR GOD AND HIS GRACE, AND NOT LETTING PRIDE GET IN THE WAY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
NOT GETTING OFFENDED AND FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELVES WHEN WE DON’T GET THE ANSWER THAT WE WANT.
INSTEAD, SHE USES THE SAME METAPHOR TO EXPRESS HER FAITH, AGREEING THAT EVEN DOGS EAT THE CRUMBS THAT FALL FROM THEIR MASTER'S TABLE.
27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
IS IT MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE OBEY THE GOSPEL AND SERVE THE LORD IN THE CHURCH, OR RUN HOME WITH OUR FEELINGS HURT?
• BUT, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE DONE?
• WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF SOMEONE SHOULD CALL YOU A DOG?
WHEN JESUS SAYS, "IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO TAKE THE CHILDREN'S BREAD AND THROW IT TO THE DOGS," THIS CANAANITE WOMAN GETS A GLEAM IN HER EYE.
SHE SAYS, "YES, LORD, BUT EVEN THE LITTLE DOGS EAT THE CRUMBS WHICH FALL FROM THEIR MASTERS' TABLE.”
• AND SHE HAS HIM!
JUST NOTICE HOW HE RESPONDS. "WOMAN, GREAT IS YOUR FAITH! BE IT DONE TO YOU EVEN AS YOU DESIRE.” DON'T YOU HEAR THE JOY IN THOSE WORDS THE EXUBERANCE! "WOMAN, GREAT IS YOUR FAITH! BE IT DONE TO YOU EVEN AS YOU DESIRE."
• JESUS LOVES IT!
• NOW HE CAN HELP THIS WOMAN – BECAUSE SHE DID NOT GET ALL CAUGHT UP IN HER FEELINGS
MATTHEW TELLS US, "AND HER DAUGHTER WAS HEALED FROM THAT HOUR!”
• RIGHT AWAY!
• IMMEDIATELY!
--I ALSO THINK JESUS WAS PERHAPS LOOKING FOR AN OPENING, AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECONCILE HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE JEWS AND HIS LOVE FOR THIS GENTILE WOMAN
--I BELIEVE HE WAS LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER THIS WOMAN’S REQUEST TO KYRIE, ELEISON!
--TO SHOW HER MERCY!
--JESUS SHOWED THIS WOMAN MERCY THAT DAY AND TEACHES US HOW TO DO IT BY SETTING THE EXAMPLE!
THE CANAANITE WOMAN CAME TO JESUS HOPING FOR HER DAUGHTER'S HEALING, BUT SHE RECEIVED SO MUCH MORE.
SHE RECEIVED AFFIRMATION OF HER FAITH, A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE MESSIAH, AND A PERMANENT PLACE IN THE NARRATIVE OF GOD'S REDEMPTIVE PLAN.
THIS IS THE ABUNDANT PROVISION OF JESUS - IT IS MORE THAN WE CAN ASK OR IMAGINE.
THE WOMAN'S FAITH WAS REWARDED WITH THE IMMEDIATE HEALING OF HER DAUGHTER IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF HER WORTHINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD.
NOT TO MENTION, HER EXAMPLE SHOWS THAT JESUS WAS OPEN TO THE FAITH OF OUTSIDERS, CANAANITES, AND OTHERS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF JUDAISM.
THIS STORY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ONE IN PART BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS THE PROPHECY FROM ISAIAH 42:6, “I WILL KEEP YOU AND WILL MAKE YOU
TO BE A COVENANT FOR THE PEOPLE AND A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES…”
JESUS SHONE A LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE WORLD. HE ENCOURAGED US TO “LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN…” (MATTHEW 5:16) HE BLESSES YOU ABUNDANTLY SO THAT YOU CAN BE AN ABUNDANT BLESSING TO OTHERS. HE SHINES A LIGHT INTO YOUR LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN SHINE A LIGHT FOR OTHERS.
THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS; WE ARE ALL RECIPIENTS OF GOD'S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS.
EVERY DAY, WE EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE, HIS GRACE, AND HIS PROVISION.
EVEN IN TIMES OF HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, WE CAN SEE HIS HAND AT WORK IN OUR LIVES, PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS AND SUSTAINING US WITH HIS LOVE.
THIS IS THE BLESSING OF ABUNDANCE THAT COMES FROM HAVING FAITH IN JESUS… IF YOU HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH; YOU HAVE THE MIRACULOUS PROVISION OF HEAVEN.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
CORRIE TEN BOOM FAMOUSLY SAID, "FAITH IS LIKE A RADAR THAT SEES THROUGH THE FOG."
AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT LIFE CAN FEEL PRETTY FOGGY AND CONFUSING SOMETIMES.
WHERE DO WE GO WHEN WE’RE LOST? WHERE DO WE TURN WHEN WE FEEL LIKE THERE’S NO ANSWER OR REMEDY FOR OUR PROBLEMS?
WHAT DO WE DO, WHEN LIKE THE MOTHER IN OUR PASSAGE, WE NEED A MIRACLE…
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS STORY, AND WHAT WE SEE MODELED IS AN UNWAVERING FAITH AND TRUST. EVEN DOWN TO THE MOMENT WHEN THE MOTHER CALLS JESUS, LORD. SHE KNEW ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT HE WAS THE ONE THAT SHE NEEDED AT THAT MOMENT.
WHAT MOMENT ARE YOU IN NEED OF TODAY? WHAT PROBLEM DO YOU NEED TO TAKE TO THE FEET OF JESUS? WHAT MIRACLE ARE YOU HOPING FOR?
WHATEVER IT IS, I’M SURE THAT EVEN THE CRUMBS FALLING FROM JESUS’ TABLE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH.
AND IF YOU HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH; YOU HAVE THE MIRACULOUS PROVISION OF HEAVEN.