Faith of A Caananite Woman

Context:

What does faith look like, specifically the life of faith. This is an odd little story, but I believe it gives a brief image of the sort of life that faith calls us to. There are two stories in the new testament where Jesus commends someone for their faith, the centurion, and this woman. And so I want us to look and see..how a burden shapes us, and what faith looks like!

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Matthew 15:21–28 ESV

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

“Jesus Withdrew”- Had just fed 5000 people the chapter before. Was likely tired and wanted rest.

Syro-Phonecian Woman

Mark 7:24–29 ESV

24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.”

A Faithful Life is

Fueled by a Spiritual Burden

Prays with Desperate Persistance

Listens with Humble Acceptance

Receives with Thankful Reverance

Fueled by a Spiritual Burden

Matthew 15:21–22 ESV

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

This is a woman who is desperate for her daughter to be healed! She has been plagued with a demon this burden, for the spiritual well being of her daugher has brought her to Jesus!

Where do we go first with our problems? What is your biggest worry? What is it that keeps you up at night?

Pray for the Right Things!!

Notice first where she goes! For a Gentile to approach a Rabi, knowing the tension and problems that existed between them, she had to have exhausted other options. She had heard of Jesus, and comes with recognition of who He is..and with trust that only He can do what she is asking!

We often treat prayer like a break glass in case of emergency. That we can handle it. Go to God…first! Second! Third! I’ll let you in on a secret, most of the problems we face are caused because we tried it our way, went to someone else for the answer only God could give!

This burden in her heart has broken her, to see her daughter suffer, and she cries out to Jesus for help!

Notice secondly what she brings! She brings her problem, but this isn’t just a physical issue..we don’t know what the specific problem that the daughter had, and how this demonic influence was affecting her, whether physical or mental.but she brings the request to God, not simply for the physical cure, but a spiritual one!

We have to have a burden not simply for the physical (though important) but he have to have a burden for the spirtual well being of others!

Over the past 3 years I have been here, we have been through 2 once in a lifetime storms. I have helped at the baptist building, saw how many came in and needed help! I went down harpers ferry road, knocked on doors to see what the damage was, prayed for people..and I was encouraged by how many in our churches and community would get out, serve, donate, do whatever they could to help people who had lost everything. My question is, why does it take a storm for church people to get out and give..or for church people to get along. Why does it take that? Because the bible says there is a greater storm coming, not of wind and rain, but of fire..and that if we don’t recieve the salvation of Jesus..we will be destroyed. It is one think to lose your home..it demands our help..but what about those daily who are heading to hell..that will be there spiritual home for eternity if nothing changes!

"Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us." — Keith Wright

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." — C.T. Studd

Our hearts have to break for lost people, for those around us! As the pastor mentioned yesterday, we may share a testimony about how God have us a home, or car, or job, or even health..but if we don’t know Jesus as our Lord and savior..all of that doesn’t matter.

It is this burden, that has pulled me to mission work. That if nothing changes, there will be people, family, who will go to hell! We must do something! Our hearts have to break for lost people, for the spiritual well being of others!

When is the last time we have cried or been broken by the lostness around us?

Most of the worries in our life have little eternal significance!

Notice Who She Brings: She didn’t come for herself, but for something else! When you carry a spiritual burden..you run to God because he is the only one that can help, you pray for the deeper spiritual issues, not just superficial, and you spend time in prayer for others!

We often do the exact opposite, we pray do God after we’ve tried everything else, we pray not for the Spiritual issues, but superficial ones (money, job, comfort), and we don’t pray for others…we pray for ourselves!!

When God had appeared to Isaiah, he says send me…because he was at once burdened with the spiritual well being of those around Him! I’ll go, because they need to see you God like I did!

What is your why for your walk with God? Is it to have a good life, comfortable life, just go to heaven..or is it becuase your heart breaks for the lost around you!

Billy Graham!

Pray With Desperate Persistence

Matthew 15:23–25 ESV

23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

Matthew 15:23–24 ESV

23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matthew

Matthew wrote his gospel with a Jewish Audience in mind!

Now this statement almost shocks us. Jesus says, “ I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Again, let me remind you, Jesus is not trying to demean or devalue her, He is testing her. And he says this, essentially…I was sent to the Jews. These are the chosen people, I have given them the word, the special revelation, I have been sent to this people, at this time..to reveal to them that I am the Messiah.

John 1:11 ESV

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Now notice what He says, I was sent to the Jews..and as far as the disciples knew, that was it, but Jesus is about to reveal that though he came to the Jews as his chosen people, it will be through the root and revelation given to the Jews, that he will reveal that he comes FOR all people. Jesus says yes I come only to them…but not only for them! But it is from this statment that this woman responds, persists..and starts this wrestling almost with Jesus.

Keep Praying!

And Jesus says some startling thing here!

Notice first God’s delay: Jesus heras her, but does not even respond? What do you do when you pray and pray, but it seems as if there is no response..and nothing gets better?

She Keeps Going! She doesn’t give up! The burden was too heavy to give up, to quit! If you are here today and you can’t hear God..wonder where he is..keep going!

Anyone God has used greatly he has tested greatly! Jesus was seeing the genuineness of her faith, and sometimes..it is in the delay that the integrity of our fiath is revealed! Joseph spent more than 10 years in prison and a pit, Abraham spend years and years before seeing his promise, David spent years serving and waiting before he was king…Moses spent years and years in the wildnerness, they even wanted to kill Him! Be patient..keep going, do not give up!

Notice, other’s criticism: What do the disciples say? What happens when you are following God and it seems like everybody else starts criticizing you? Is your faith deterred by the words of people? Notice her desperation..she was so desperate for her daughter…that she didn’t care what they thought about her, she didn’t care what they said..she knew what she needed, where she had to go..and nothing could turn her around!

If you live your life in fear of what others think of you, you will never be able to follow God! You have to be ok, if for the sake of Jesus..you stand alone, because critisism and obstacles will try and detour you!

Some of us live for the approval of people than God!

Beggar: Anyone ever met a begger? When a beggar comes to you, how do you feel? She keeps at it, and at it, she is too desperate to quit!

Luke 18:1–8 ESV

1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Keep praying! Keep at it! Jesus wasn’t trying to demean or devalue her, he was testing her!

Jesus reminds us that if we who are wicked will answer the request of someone we don’t like because they keep asking and asking, how much more will God answer the prayer of those who persist!!

Galatians 6:9 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Encourage!!

Some things we face in life, we can’t let it go!

Father: Drugs.

Listen With Humble Acceptance

Matthew 15:26–27 ESV

26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Now how would you feel if you heard something like that? She had the humility to listen, to acknowledge her weakness..God is trying to get take her eyes off her self..and look to Him!

Call of Gideon…

Jesus essentially reveals to her not only the importance of his time and purpose for his investment in the Israelite people, but essentially reveals to her her unworthiness. The Jews had been chosen by God, he says essentially, how do you expect to enter in, to come to the table.

And though Jesus uses this term “dog” here for her, which was not the derogitory term for her that Jews used..she had the humility to acknowledge and accept Jesus humble assessment of her and listen!

Romans 1:16 ESV

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

I don’t care how I look..I don’t care what they say..Lord I am coming simply appealing to your grace and Mercy!

God did not say he could not or would not help her…he simply reveled her unworthiness and was testing her. He was testing to see if her pride was going to get in the way.

Many time..it is our pride that gets in the way of us hearing and responding God. We can’t forgive because of how that will make us look, we can’t do outreach because of how it will make me feel, we don’t tell people about Jesus because we are afriad we ma not know the answer!

We have to listen, humble ourselves..and rspond.

God says, you are not worthy, essentially! And she doesn’t argue, or fight him..she listens, and accepts.

Imagine the humility to listen to this, she was looked down on by the disciples, Jesus essentially says…I was sent these people first.

When you pray, we have to be ok with listening to Jesus’ humble assessment of us. He reveals to her a deeper need..she comes for her daughter..

What we need isn’t the hand of God..but God himself.

Pray the Right Way!

Accept that you are not worthy..don’t appeal to your own goodness, but simply look to His goodness. She's not appealing to her goodness..she appeals to his grace!

Receive With Thankful Reverence

Matthew 15:27–28 ESV

27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

She said this, Lord you are right, I am unworthy..I don’t deserve to sit at the table, but I know who you are and if I can just get a crumb that falls from the table. She essentially says, what I need is so insignificantly small compared to how powerful you are, that I believe I can get it just by being close!

Luke 8:43–48 ESV

43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

There were many people around Jesus, touching and crowding around Him..but many walked away unhealed. She came to Jesus, with faith that if she could just get close to Him and touch the hem of his grament..she could get what she needed.

Listen, it was her persitance, her faith, her desperation, and her humility that put her in position to recieve what she needed!

What if I told you that receiving what God offers has less to do with his willingness, but more about your faith. It isn’t that God can’t heal your addiction, restore your family, save…grant peace, life, love…you just have to trust Him! You have to keep praying, don’t give up! You have to be humble enough to say “I don’t deserve it” and trust that He is far more powerful and faithful than we know!!

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Pray for the right things!

Keep Praying!

Pray the Right Way!

Trust That He is Faithful and Able!

Does your heart break for the lost around you? And not just I’d like to see them saved..but I will do anything, Whatever they say, whatever they do..I don’t care.

Because God had this burden for you!!

He looked on us..in our spiritual brokenness and had such a burden for us, that he left heaven!

A Faithful Life is

Fueled by a Spiritual Burden

Prays with Desperate Persistance

Listens with Humble Acceptance

Receives with Thankful Reverance