Crumbs From The Master’s Table

Text: Matthew 15:21-28

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (10/27/02)

Introduction:   

ILLUS: What would you think if I showed up at Midnight on your doorstep asking for food?

Its in the Bible.   SEE Luke 11:5-8

Another example of such persistence is in our text.

Verse 27 – The “Crumbs” she asks for are the mercies of God.

KEY THOUGHT – The shameless persistence of an intercessor in relationship to God’s mercy.

I know there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favour, yet He commands us to ask and to ask persistently and fervently.

Key Characteristics of the Syro-phoenecian or Canaanite woman.

Perseverance in Prayer

James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Faith

Only twice did Jesus marvel, was amazed at a person’s faith, in both instances they were Gentiles. (This Canaanite woman and the Roman Centurion in Luke 7 & Matt 8)

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Humility

She recognized her low estate.

Matthew 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

MERCY – The Relief or Removal of our Misery.

Grace is extended to men in relation to guilt, which is a result of their sin. Mercy is extended to men in relation to misery, which is a result of their situation.

Grace is God taking care of our sin; mercy is God taking care of the mess we are in.

We need both Grace (first) and (then) Mercy.

Throughout the Old & New Testament, you will see that God's mercy is relative to man's misery.

Mercy is not connected with being sinful, but with being in poverty, in being an orphan, in being beaten up and left for dead, in being blind, and in having a demon-possessed daughter. It is human suffering.

Mercy is compassion, and it is compassion that moves one to action.

I. The Resource of Mercy

The Lord Jesus Christ

She came to the right person!!!

She recognized Him as LORD and Christ.

A. The very Character of God

Psalms 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalms 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Psalms 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

B. Compassion for His people

Matthew 9:36  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

C. Touched by our Miseries

Hebrews 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

II. The Recipients of Mercy

A. An Invalid

There is a popular notion that “God helps those who help themselves.”

That is wrong – The truth is God helps those who cannot help themselves!!

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

B. An Intercessor

As an intercessor she......

1). Felt the pain of another

2). Took up the burden (not the offense) of another.  Gal. 6:2

3). Would not be denied (We’ll get to more specifics on this in a moment).

III. The Restraint of Mercy vs.23

“He answered her not a word”.

The Lord does not always immediately answer the requests of His people.

Now the question becomes why?  Why the delay?  Why the restraint for a time of His mercy?

NOTE:  He always knew what he would do.  And what He did He intended from the beginning.

NOTES on verse 24

As a Prophet, Christ was sent exclusively to Israel.

As a Priest to all the elect.

As a King over all.

His is a universal Kingdom.  At His second coming He will be recognized globally as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Notes on verse 26

It was a trial of her faith, and not lending his sanction to the propriety of the abusive term. He regarded her with a different feeling. – BARNES

Not so much was it Christ’s own sense of things, as it was an expression of the language of the Jews.

This woman was already well familiar with such sentiments and expressions.

They would not have come as a shock to her, and she acknowledged such a statement as truth v.27.

In other words Christ is saying, “This is what the common sentiment is among both Jews and Samaritans. 

“Are you then willing to go against the grain, discount popular opinion and trust me?”

BREAD – The external ministry of the Word, the miracles and outward favours of Christ’s ministry.

Healings, deliverances, etc.

Psalms 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Allow me to suggest two application of this popular verse.

1). Thank God for a table prepared for the Jews, yet prepared in the presence of Gentile peoples who are now recipients of the Gospel “crumbs” as it were.

2). Could it be that some “crumbs” need to fall from our table to the lost around us? 

STRESS - The importance of being at His table!!

IV. The Request for Mercy

Perseverance in Supplication. - Importunity

LOOK UP & READ Luke 18:1-8

Luke 11:8  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

Let’s notice several aspects of this woman’s persistence in prayer.

A. She Worshipped vs.25

The substance of her worship was the acknowledgment of God’s person.

“O LORD, thou Son of David” vs.22

B. She Pleaded

“Have mercy on me”  (for my daughter’s sake) vs.22

Crying after the disciples vs.23

“Lord, Help me” vs.25

C. She Argued vs.26-27

Explain her argument of verse 27.

It is based on her knowledge of God’s character.

She knows Him to be wise and merciful, just and righteous.

The “crumbs” she is asking for are from a good Master’s table.

The “crumbs” at the Lord’s table are not a second grade of mercy or grace.  They are all first rate!!

ILLUS: Eating the leftover cookie dough as a kid.  Licking the candles on a birthday cake.  Leftover pie crust made into mini-cinnamon rolls.

Job 23:4  I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

Are you able to fill your mouth with a biblical argument? Especially in intercession?

We have a strong argument!!

Not demanding, but acknowledging God’s character and divine principles as revealed in God’s Word.

EXAMPLES:

An infallible God                    An immutable God

A merciful God                       A righteous and Holy God.

Calvary                                    The Blood of Christ

The Resurrection                     The Person of Christ

Conclusion:     (Review)

MAIN POINTS

1. The Resource of Mercy

2. The Recipients of Mercy

3. The Restraint of Mercy

4. The Request for Mercy

What is your argument???

ILLUS: What I Believe and Why – by Michael Coren