Godly Leadership of a Mother

Intro:

It is no secret that today is Mother’s Day… a day that we celebrate the love, sacrifice, and influence of the women who have shaped our lives in countless ways.

But beyond the cards, flowers, and kind words, today is also an opportunity to recognize the powerful role that mothers play as leaders — not just in their homes, but in their communities and in the lives of their children.

A godly mother doesn’t simply care for physical needs; she leads by example, teaches with wisdom, and nurtures with faith.

This morning, we’re going to take a break from our study in Nehemiah, but we will keep along the same topic, as we explore what it means to embrace the godly leadership of a mother.

We are going to look at a mother this morning who refused to give up, who led her home not with position or power, but with prayer, humility, and an unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

Her story reminds us that godly leadership is not about status—it's about a heart that trusts God and fights spiritually for the next generation.

If you will, please turn in your Bible’s to Matthew 15…

In Matthew 15, Jesus confronts the religious leaders for their hypocrisy, exposing how their traditions have distorted and replaced God's true commands.

He then teaches a crucial lesson: that defilement doesn't come from external things like food, but from within—from the sinful thoughts, words, and actions of the heart… This sets up a striking contrast.

The Pharisees, who should have recognized Jesus as the Messiah through the very Scriptures they taught, instead reject Him out of pride. Yet in the passage we’ll focus on this morning, we meet an unexpected character—a Gentile woman—who displays remarkable faith and humility, revealing what genuine godliness truly looks like.

(Read vv.21-28)

Meat:

A Godly Mother Leads:

I realize that this message and outlined are tailored towards mothers… however, every principle that we will look at today, from this godly mother, can and should apply to all of us as godly leaders.

The first thing that we are going to notice, is the fact that, a godly mother leads…

1. Through Intercession

v.21 says…

Matthew 15:21 “Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.”

Do you know what the Lord found in Tyre and Sidon?.. The same thing that He found everywhere else He went… He found troubled people… People in need of a Savior… and specifically here, he finds a mother with some severe problems…

v.22

Matthew 15:22 “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.””

Now, I would bet that any mother that Jesus passed by, probably had her own set of issues… and that fact hasn’t changed… … you can talk to any mother in this Sanctuary, any random mother on the street or in the grocery store, and I am certain that they can list off many struggles that they are currently dealing with.

I read about a woman who called a friend and asked how she was feeling. “Terrible,” came the reply from the other end.

• “My head’s splitting.

• My back and legs are killing me.

• The house is a mess.

• And the children are simply driving me crazy.”

Very sympathetically the caller said, “Listen, go and lie down: I’ll come over right away and cook and clean up for you while you get some rest. By the way, how is your husband Sam?”

• The complaining housewife gasped and said, “I don’t have a husband named Sam.”

• The first woman says “My heavens, I must have dialed the wrong number!”

• There was a long pause. And this struggling mother spoke up and said, “Are you still coming over to cook and clean for me?”… …

Yes, no matter where you go, there will be mothers who are struggling in one way or another… and this Canaanite woman was no different… she was struggling… she was very concerned for her daughter… and so she intercedes for her…

and she does so with…

1.1 Urgent Prayer

She “… cried out to Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord”

This mother's prayer wasn't a quiet, rehearsed, or routine request. The word Greek word that is translated as “cried out” implies a loud, intense plea—a scream from the depths of her soul. This was a desperate mother pouring out her heart because her daughter was suffering terribly.

I have personally witnessed a mother crying out in this way… The night Caleb was missing, I watched my wife collapse to her knees urgently and intensely crying out to God for our son.

The prayer of this Canaanite woman was urgent because she understood the gravity of her daughter’s condition. She didn’t have time for formalities or hesitation—she needed help, and she needed it now.

As godly leaders, it is during these times that our faith can be greatly strengthened… not in perfect words, but in passionate, urgent appeals to God.

But notice that she was not trying to tell Jesus what to do through her prayer… so many people think that God is a genie who grants wishes as you request them through (quote on quote) “prayer”… this is simply not true and it is not what this mother was trying to do…

She is asking for mercy… “Have mercy on me, O Lord”… It was her daughter who was demon possessed, but this lady says “Have mercy on me”… Why!?… … Because when a child hurts, mom hurts…

And once again, this is something that should be evident in the life of a godly leader… The Apostle Paul puts it this way in…

Romans 12:15–16 NKJV

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another…

As godly leaders, we are to share in the joys and sorrows of those we lead…

When was the last time we came before the Lord with such raw, compassionate urgency for our children, our families, or anyone else that God has placed in our care?

This lady was hurting because her child was suffering and she did the only thing she could do… send out an urgent prayer…

And she didn’t just pray to anyone… Remember, the gentile nations had many false gods that they would pray to on a regular basis... but this lady… intercedes for her daughter by,

1.2 Believing in Jesus’ Sovereignty

When she cried out to Jesus, she addressed Him as “Lord, Son of David,”… I want you to notice that she wasn’t just using a respectful title—she was acknowledging Him as the promised Messiah, the King with divine authority and it was a powerful recognition of His sovereignty… And by calling Him “Lord,” she was submitting herself under His rule and power.

This may not seem like a huge deal, but in reality it was because she was a Gentile… someone outside of the covenant community of Israel.

Culturally and religiously, she had no reason to understand or believe in the Jewish messianic prophecy. Yet her words revealed a deep insight in the ministry of Jesus and who He truly was…

She believed that Jesus had absolute authority not only over Israel, but over her life and her daughter’s condition as well… In other words, she wasn’t just coming to a healer—she was appealing to the Sovereign King. She believed He had the right, the power, and the final say over her situation.

As godly leaders, we need to have that kind of faith… not just asking Jesus for help, but trusting His will, His timing, and His rule over every outcome.

And once she acknowledged who Jesus was, she interceded by…

1.3 Making Her Requests Known

“… My daughter is severely demon-possessed”

She didn’t look to other people for help, she didn’t consult idols or cultural remedies—she went directly to the only One with the authority and compassion to intervene.

And she laid it right out there… “… My daughter is severely demon-possessed”…

To quote the words of Paul again…

Philippians 4:6 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

This mother didn’t allow anxiety or helplessness to consume her—she turned those feelings into supplication, she turned those feelings into urgent prayer and then she laid the burden of her daughter’s suffering at Jesus’ feet.

I wonder if this was a situation that Peter looked back at later in his ministry and and used it as an example for the words he wrote in…

1 Peter 5:7 NKJV

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

She cast her care—her deepest concern—upon the Lord because she believed He cared for her and would act.

As godly leaders, we cannot carry the weight of our struggles and the struggles of those we lead, alone; We have to take it to the One who cares, the One who hears and the One who responds.

Hebrews 4:16 says...

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This Canaanite Mother came boldly, crying out for mercy, because she believed in Jesus’ power and compassion.

We lead by interceding for those entrusted to our care… by bringing others before the Lord in prayer, with confidence in His ability to do what we cannot.

Secondly… A Godly Mother Leads…

2. With Humility

Remember, she said “Have mercy on me, O Lord”…

Everything we get from the Lord is because of His MERCY and His GRACE, not because we deserve anything… The only thing that we deserve is to live completely separated from God, in the Lake of Fire, for all eternity… That’s what we deserve and that’s what this mother deserved… she knew this and that is why she asked for mercy when she approached Jesus…

She didn’t say:

“Lord, I’ve done my part, now it’s your turn.”

“I went to church last week—don’t I deserve something in return?”

“I tithed and prayed—you owe me for that!”

No, she came humbly, fully aware that her only hope was in God’s mercy, not in her actions.

Many people stop doing certain sinful things and then begin to feel as if God owes them a reward for cleaning up their lives. But we must remember: we have sinned against God thousands of times—we owe Him everything, and He owes us nothing.

This humble mother understood that… When she came to Jesus, she didn’t come with a sense of entitlement. She didn’t claim to deserve anything from Him. Instead, she humbly cried out for mercy.

And she remained humble…

2.1 Through The Silence

She cried out to the Lord in humility, exposed the problems she and her daughter were having to Jesus and to everyone else who was around at the time… and v.23 says “But he answered her not a word...”

People hear that and say “Well, now, that isn’t like Christ.”… “That doesn’t show that He cares”… “That is not very compassionate”… “Why doesn’t He say something?”… …

The first 3 rules of Bible study are as follows; Context, context, context… When a certain verse or passage of Scripture does not quite make sense, always look at the context, the verses before and after the one that is causing confusion…

In this case we will talk about the ones leading up to this account…

We won’t read it today, but if you were to read Matthew 15:1–20, you would see that Jesus had just dealt with religious leaders who were full of pride, hypocrisy, and shallow devotion. They honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. They were more concerned with outward appearances than true righteousness.

So when this Gentile woman approaches Him, and He initially remains silent, it's not because He doesn't care—it's because He's drawing a contrast. After so much shallow and superficial faith, Jesus is now drawing out something deeper.

His silence has a purpose—it gives her the opportunity to persist, to press through, and to reveal a genuine, tested, and enduring faith.

We all know those times when it seems God has become silent. We are tempted to ask, “God… Where are you?”

And its during these times that we have a choice to make… are we going to give up and go our own way because we think that God is not listening?… or are we going to trust that He is remaining silent for a reason?

Look at what Jesus said in…

Matthew 7:13–14 NKJV

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

This may come as a shock to some of you, but Jesus says that it is with difficulty that men enter the Kingdom of God.

God wants to make sure that we are not just giving Him lip service, but that we truly mean what we say… that we truly believe He is who we say He is.

Jesus knows that this woman’s faith is strong, and He remains silent so that she can demonstrate it to the others who are around…

The disciples did not exhibit the same self control… as the rest of v.23 points out…

Matthew 15:23 “But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.””

And the implication here is that the disciples wanted Jesus to act as this woman’s genie, grant her her wish and then she would be gone…

Which Jesus then promptly reminds them of the main objective of His earthly mission…

Matthew 15:24 “But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.””

At first glance, this might seem dismissive or even harsh, but it reveals something important about the timing and focus of His earthly ministry.

Jesus was sent on a mission with a specific purpose: to offer the message of the Kingdom to the Jewish people first. They were God’s chosen nation, the ones who had received the promises, the prophets, and the Law.

So, when Jesus says this, He is not denying the Gentiles forever—He is acknowledging the order of God’s redemptive plan… Just as Paul explains in…

Romans 1:16 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Jesus’ mission during His earthly ministry was to call the lost sheep of Israel to repentance, to give them the first opportunity to recognize Him as the Messiah.

Matthew 15 is actually a picture of how the gospel would go beyond Israel… The first part of the Chapter He is trying to get the Jews leaders to see that He is the Messiah, they reject Him and now He is here with a believing Gentile.

Through the Silence of Jesus and the rejection of the disciples, this mother remained humble…

She also remained humble…

2.2 Through the Unexpected Answer

I am certain that it would come as no surprise if v.25 said that “the woman turned and walked away”… but instead, it says…

Matthew 15:25 “Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!””

Remember, when God doesn’t immediately answer your prayers about a specific need, it may be because He’s working to grow and strengthen your faith. So don’t give up—keep praying… keep trusting…

This is a really humble lady. She doesn’t get angry and storm off… Instead she worships Him, she puts her face to the ground and says, “Lord help me.”

As godly leaders, we have to be able to continue to worship, even during the difficult times, even when it seems that God is remaining silent… we continue to worship…

And here comes the unexpected answer…

Matthew 15:26 “But He answered and said, “It is not good (it’s not the normal, accepted, or reasonable thing to do) to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.””

Now, these words are red in my Bible… indicating that it is Jesus who is speaking… but can that be right?…

First He says nothing at all, then He pulls out the timeline of of His ministry and says “sorry, its not your turn” and now He calls this poor mother a dog!…

Well, that’s not really what going here…

There are two different Greek words for "dogs." One refers to wild, mangy, scavenging dogs that roamed in packs and were considered unclean and dangerous. This is actually how most of the Jews referred to the Gentiles… In their eyes, the Gentiles were nothing but dirty dogs.

The other refers to small household pets—beloved little dogs that lived in the home… That’s the word Jesus uses here. So His statement isn’t harsh or insulting; it’s actually much gentler, more like a metaphor drawn from everyday family life.

“You’re not going to make a meal for your family and then give everything that was intended for your kids to the dogs.”

This is just another test of her faith… is she going to walk away, or is she going to stay?…

Look at her response… and I hope you don’t miss what is going on here…

Matthew 15:27 “And she said, “Yes, Lord,... yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.””

“Even though the puppies don’t eat first, they still get to eat!”…

She is saying “Lord, if you want me to be a dog, I will be a dog… because then I can at least eat the crumbs that fall from your table”

As godly leaders, we need to recognize and reflect that same humility and dedication in our own lives. This mother didn’t demand a seat at the table—she simply believed that even the smallest portion of what Jesus had to offer was more than enough.

She wasn’t offended, she wasn’t discouraged, and she didn’t give up… Instead, she clung to hope, trusted His Sovereignty, and responded with remarkable faith.

She was willing to do whatever Jesus asked of her and she was willing to be whoever Jesus asked her to be.

And finally… A godly Mother Leads...

3. Until Her Reward is Received

Matthew 15:28 “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.”

This woman’s faith was remarkable because she kept asking and trusting, even when everything seemed to be working against her.

Her background as a Gentile was against her. Her gender was against her, since most Jewish rabbis in that time gave little regard to women. The disciples appeared to be against her, and even Jesus’ initial words could have made her feel rejected.

But none of these barriers stopped her—instead, they made her try even harder, stay humble, and hold on to her hope in Jesus. Each challenge gave her a chance to show how real her faith was, and it only grew stronger because she didn’t give up.

Closing:

As godly leaders, we lead until our reward is received. We don’t give up when the path is hard, when prayers seem unanswered, or when the fruit of our labor takes time to appear.

Like the mother, here in Matthew 15, we keep pressing forward in faith, trusting that God sees, hears, and will respond in His perfect timing.

Scripture reminds us in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

And in 2 Timothy 4:7–8, the Apostle Paul declares, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day.”

Our reward may not always come in the way or timing we expect—but God promises that those who are faithful will not be forgotten.

As godly leaders, we are called to finish well: to lead with endurance, to trust through trials, and to cling to the hope that one day we’ll hear those powerful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Prayer: