That’s What Love Will Do - Mother’s Day

Introduction

I want to begin by saying Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there.

Today I want to speak for a little bit about this mother, a mother of a daughter who was vexed.

While I will focus on mothers today, and situations and struggles they encounter, the principles in this message are universal.

This mother as we meet her around the coasts of Tyre and Sidon was in a bad way. Worse yet, it appeared that no one cared for her situation. But thankfully, she came to Jesus. CHURCH - THINGS CHANGE WHEN WE COME TO JESUS.

So as we look at this woman, we see first the Problems that She Had - she probably had more than what we’re looking at today, but we know of at least 2 that we’ll examine

I. The Problems She Had

Her Daughter was Disquieted

The Bible uses the word vexed (def) irritated; troubled; agitated; disquieted; afflicted. But it goes on further in that she wasn't just agitated and disquieted. She was afflicted, the Bible says, with a devil.

Church, make no mistake, demonic influence is real. Demonic influence was real in Jesus's day. Demon’s were real during Old Testament times, and they are very much real today.

To deny demons and demonic influence would be to deny the Word of God itself.

How else do you explain what is happening in America today?

When you have in a society men dressing up as women and not just that but in The attire of a harlot, Reading books to children in the public library - That's not just an alternate lifestyle. That is demonic.

When you have 50% of society believing it's okay to kill an infant when it's in the womb of its mother, that's not choice, that's demonic.

When you have a young father shot down in front of thousands for his religious beliefs, that's not a lone nut. That is demonic.

We see demonic activity and how it presents itself in different ways in the Bible.

If you look at what is known as the Maniac of the Gadarenes, you would see how the demons influenced him:

He was Rebellious

He was Combative

He went around showing his nakedness

He was cutting himself

He was homeless

He was casting fear in others

Does any of this sound familiar?

Church we look at a lot of people today and we call them by many names:

Addicts

Whores / whoremongers

Rebellious

‘Anger issues’

Mentally Ill

What they are in truth are demonically influenced. They don’t need AA, they don’t need to grow up - THEY NEED JESUS!

This woman’s daughter needed Jesus! She was Disquieted

She was Distant

The Bible tells us this woman was from Canaan. In other words, she was not a Jew.

And in that day that meant something.

We do not have time to get into a deep theological discussion about the ministry of Christ but it's easy to see in this passage of Scripture that Jesus himself told her that he was not sent unto her.

She was distant to Jesus - She did not have the proper standing.

I'm going to say something that might sound like sacrilege to some of you and that is that even though your momma may be good, she may be very distant from Jesus.

Mamas, you may be a good mama but you also may be very distant from Jesus. And it's because of your position to Jesus whereby your prayers might be hindered.

(Ill.) This is my first Mother’s Day I won’t get to call my mama. She was a good mom and loved me - but for the majority of her life, she was distant from God. That is until 5/5/2019 when she came to this altar and put her faith in Christ!

She was Distant

So we see that she is in a bad way. But this was a very dedicated Persistent woman. Next, let’s look at the persistence she showed

II. The Persistence She Showed

What did she do to fix her situation?

She Came to Christ (v22a)

I spoke about how she was distant from Christ, so she had to “close the gap” if you will.

Mama’s got problems. Oftentimes with their children. But regardless of what problems your’e facing, you’ll be better off if you ‘close the gap’ between you and Christ.

Some of you may need to be born again

Just like my mama. Maybe you felt like because you selflessly cared for your children and you did this and you did that, that somehow that merits you a home in heaven. Let me tell you what: it doesn't. The Bible tells us: Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

If you’re going to Heaven it’s because of the Grace of God and your Faith in Him!

Some of you may need restoration yourselves.

Maybe you’ve let a little too much of the world come between you and God.

Maybe you’ve let the “Love of the flesh, eyes and pride of life” hinder your walk with God.

Maybe you’ve walked away from God

Whatever the case is, you know and God knows if you've let distance come between you and Him.

You need to come to Christ -

If you’re lost, Jesus is not hiding from you, He’s at your hearts door knocking even now, praying you’ll open unto Him

If you’re distant, Jesus did not leave you, you left Him. He’s waiting for you to come back unto Him!

We see she came to Christ. That was the first thing she did.

She Cried Out to Christ (v22b)

Mamas, how many times have you cried out prayers for your children?

And listen this wasn't easy for her. She was struggling. But we see time and time again she continued calling out unto Jesus for her daughter.

We see this in three different ways. She persisted when she was dismissed.

When She was Dismissed (v23)

She's crying out to Jesus and Jesus is ignoring her. He's just not even answering her.

(Ill.) Let me ask you a question. How many times have you cried out to Christ and it just feels like He's not listening to you? Like your prayers are going as far as the ceiling and that's all?

Jesus wasn't listening to her.

But do you know what? She still kept crying out to Jesus. She still persisted in her cries unto the Lord!

She persisted when she was dismissed and she persisted when she was denied.

When She was Denied (v24)

In verse 24 Jesus essentially said “no”.

This church was not the answer she wanted to hear.

Even though Jesus told her no, she persisted and continued crying out unto him and worshiping him, the Bible tells us. Pleading for his help!

She persisted even when she was denied.

When She was Demeaned (v26)

Oh now we see something amazing. Jesus is telling her that it is not right to take the food that's meant for children and give it unto dogs. He's likening her unto a dog. Let that sink in.

For many of us, that would have been the last straw. We would have given up. We would have quit. But not this mother! She still sought Jesus even in this!

She Persisted even when she was demeaned

We see her problems and the persistence she showed to solve them

III. The Purpose that Drove Her

Why did she endure all this?

How could she endure all of this?

She was of a Lowly Mind

Consider how easy it would be to ‘buck up’ if someone called you a dog… The way people react today when they feel they are disrespected. These aren’t just fighting words to many, they are shooting words.

But when Jesus called her a dog, it didn’t phase her one bit - do you know why? She was of a lowly mind. She wasn’t prideful.

Relationships have been destroyed because of pride

Marriages have been broken because of pride

Jobs have been lost because of pride

Lives have been lost because of pride

Wars have begun because of pride

Nations were split because of pride - Rehoboam

Right here, if she would have let pride get in her way, her daughter would have been lost!

Proverbs 11:2 “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: But with the lowly is wisdom.”

Galatians 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

We have become so puffed up as a people. This generation is so vain - but church, you’ll never become something great if you already think you’re all that.

Proverbs 15:33 “The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; And before honour is humility.”

Proverbs 18:12 “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, And before honour is humility.”

Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, and honour, and life.”

She accomplished much because of her humility. She was of a Lowly Mind

She Loved her Daughter

This basic, Godly instinct - a mother’s love. She loved her daughter.

She wasn’t seeking Jesus for herself, she was crying out to Him, enduring the shame and persisting continually because she simply loved her daughter.

(Ill.) Church, I’m a blessed man. God has blessed me in so many ways. But speaking from a father’s perspective, with the exception of my wife, the greatest blessings I have enjoyed in this life is that of my children. (And now my children’s children). There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them.

(Ill.) I know I’m not alone. I made some comment to Mrs. Carrie Wednesday joking about choosing her children over me and she - without hesitation - said ‘every time’.

So this woman was driven by love toward her child

She Knew Hope was Found in Christ Alone

Where else was she going to go? (I thought of that song “Where Could I Go but to the LORD”)

Let’s Go back to the demoniac of the Gadarenes, know this: Nobody but Jesus could help him. People tried. They tried restraining him. They attempted to help him, but no one but Jesus could!

(Ill.) This is something I believe with all my heart.

I believe the answers to a person's problem are found through Jesus.

I believe the answer to society's problems is Jesus.

I believe the problems that persist in our state, in our nation, will be solved by Jesus or they would not be solved at all!

This woman knew that. That's why she persisted the way she did.

The Pharisees didn't have the answer.

Pilate didn't have the answer.

Herod didn't have the answer.

Her co-workers on the job didn't have the answer.

The Canaanite God didn't have an answer.

She knew the only place she was going to get help was through Jesus Christ.

Oh if our world would just realize that!

She persisted because she knew hope was found through Jesus.

We see her problems and the persistence she showed to solve them, The Purpose that Drove Her

IV. The Pleasure She Experienced

So we see in the end her persistence paid off.

In church know this: Jesus wasn't trying to be mean to her. He was testing her faith.

When it feels like Jesus is ignoring you

When it feels like he's saying no to you

When it feels like he couldn't care less about you

PRESS ON! DEMONSTRATE YOUR FAITH, AND HE WILL REWARD THAT FAITH!

We see the pleasure she experienced was first that her daughter was restored.

Her Daughter was Restored (v28b)

Yes, demons are real and yes they are powerful but they are no match for my Lord!

She sought the Lord in humility persistently because she loved her daughter and she knew Jesus was her only hope.

And thank God, because of that, her daughter was restored. The demons that vexed her could vex her no longer, because Jesus stepped in!

We see her daughter was restored.

She was Recognized (v28a)

This is not to point to her being great, but that her faith was great. Remember: Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, and honour, and life.”

But more importantly, she became an object lesson.

Everyone there was able to see what faith could do! What persistence could do! God would use her to teach others!

Church, people are remembered one of three ways:

Those who serve as cautionary tales

Those who used to teach & bless others (as this woman)

And those who are forgotten altogether

Which do you want to be? Your life will mostly fit into one of these three categories.

Conclusion

Her problems were first addressed when she ‘closed the gap’ between her and Jesus. Whatever problems you have, this is step one.

Have you been born again?

Have you strayed away?

When you get that right, you can move forward.

You’ll never be able to help fix others, without fixing this first.

Now, what is your need that only Jesus can fix? Come to the altar and take that need to Him.

If it doesn’t seem like He’s listening - persist

If it seems as though He said no - persist

Humble your heart and mind and seek His face! Do you truly believe? Maybe He’s testing your faith? Will you persist as this woman did and enjoy the pleasure when Jesus moves?