A Remarkable Mother

A REMARKABLE MOTHER

INTRODUCTION:

– AN EXCELLENT WIFE IS THE CROWN OF HER HUSBAND, BUT SHE WHO BRINGS SHAME IS LIKE ROTTENNESS IN HIS BONES.

– HOUSE AND WEALTH ARE INHERITED FROM FATHERS, BUT A PRUDENT WIFE IS FROM THE LORD.

– CHARM IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS VAIN, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED.

SCRIPTURE IS PEPPERED WITH ACCOUNTS OF REMARKABLE WOMEN.

WE THINK OF WOMEN LIKE ESTHER, WHOM GOD USED TO SAVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM BEING WIPED OUT AT THE HANDS OF HAMAN.

OR WOMEN LIKE PRISCILLA WHO, ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND AQUILA, TAUGHT APOLLOS ABOUT CHRIST.

OR LYDIA, WHO BECAME A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AND OPENED UP HER HOME FOR CHURCH MEETINGS.

AND OF COURSE, NO LIST OF BIBLE WOMEN WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT MARY, WHO WAS CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE THE MOTHER OF JESUS.

BUT TODAY IS MOTHER’S DAY, AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MARY, SCRIPTURE DOES NOT INFORM US AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ANY OF THESE OTHER WOMEN HAD CHILDREN.

SO WHILE THEY ARE EXAMPLES OF GODLY WOMEN, THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY GREAT EXAMPLES OF GODLY MOTHERS, AGAIN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MARY.

SO WHAT I WANT US TO DO THIS MORNING IS TO LOOK AT A MOTHER IN SCRIPTURE WHO IS A LITTLE BIT OBSCURE, BUT IS CERTAINLY WORTH TAKING A LOOK AT AS AN EXAMPLE OF A GODLY MOTHER.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WOULD REFER TO HER AS A REMARKABLE MOTHER, BECAUSE JESUS MADE A REMARKABLE STATEMENT ABOUT HER.

1. A REMARKABLE MOTHER CRIES OUT TO GOD ON BEHALF OF HER CHILDREN. (VERSES 21-22)

a. THIS WOMAN KNEW THAT HER CHILD’S WELL-BEING DEPENDED ON GOD’S INTERVENTION.

i. SOME OF YOU MAY BE IN THE SAME PLACE RIGHT NOW.

ii. ACTUALLY, WE ARE ALL IN THAT PLACE RIGHT NOW.

iii. THE TRUTH IS THAT IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE RESTRAINING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THIS WORLD WOULD BE IN A SHAPE THAT WOULD MAKE THE CHAOS OF TODAY SEEM LIKE UTOPIA.

iv. THIS WOMAN KNEW THAT JESUS COULD DO SOMETHING FOR HER FAMILY.

v. IT IS MY DESIRE THAT WE WHO CALL OURSELVES CHRIST-FOLLOWERS WOULD RETURN TO THIS ATTITUDE ABOUT THE CAPABILITY OF JESUS.

b. SHE WAS WILLING TO BREAK THE SOCIAL NORMS IN ORDER TO SAVE HER CHILD.

i. IT WAS NOT SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FOR A WOMAN TO APPROACH A MAN IN THAT CULTURE.

1. IT WAS EVEN LESS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE FOR A CANAANITE WOMAN TO APPROACH A JEWISH MAN.

ii. BUT THIS WOMAN HAD ONE GOAL IN MIND, TO SEE HER CHILD DELIVERED FROM THE CHAINS OF DEMONIC POSSESSION.

iii. NUMEROUS FAMILIES IN OUR AREA ARE EXPERIENCING ISSUES THAT CAN ONLY BE MADE RIGHT BY THE DELIVERING HAND OF GOD.

c. WE, MOTHERS AND FATHERS, NEED TO BE CRYING OUT TO GOD ON BEHALF OF OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.

d. A REMARKABLE MOTHER CRIES OUT TO GOD ON BEHALF OF HER CHILDREN.

2. A REMARKABLE MOTHER PERSISTS IN HER PURSUIT OF THE LORD. (VERSES 23-24)

a. EVEN AFTER JESUS IGNORED HER, SHE PERSISTED.

i. VERSE 23 - 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.”

ii. THIS WOMAN WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF HER CHILD THAT SHE SOUGHT OUT THOSE CLOSEST TO THE LORD FOR HELP.

iii. SO MUCH SO THAT THE DISCIPLES CAME AND ASKED JESUS TO SEND HER AWAY.

3. A REMARKABLE MOTHER MODELS WORSHIP BEFORE HER FAMILY.

a. VERSE 25A – BUT SHE CAME AND KNELT BEFORE HIM…

b. SHE HUMBLED HERSELF BEFORE THE LORD.

i. THIS WOMAN WAS A GENTILE…A PAGAN…BUT SHE KNEW THAT JESUS WAS ONE TO BE WORSHIPPED.

ii. MATTHEW’S INCLUSION OF THIS ACT OF WORSHIP IS INTENTIONAL.

1. REMEMBER, MATTHEW WAS WRITING TO A JEWISH AUDIENCE, WITH THE GOAL OF CONVINCING THEM THAT JESUS TRULY WAS THE MESSIAH.

2. SO ANY ACT OF WORSHIP CAPTURED IN HIS GOSPEL IS DONE TO PROVE HIS POINT.

c. SHE CALLED OUT TO HIM AGAIN.

i. VERSE 25B – “SAYING, LORD, HELP ME.”

ii. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SIMPLY CRIED OUT TO THE LORD IN HUMILITY AND SAID, “LORD, HELP ME?”

4. A REMARKABLE MOTHER HAS UNWAVERING FAITH.

a. THIS WOMAN POINTS OUT THAT THE GENTILES SHOULD RECEIVE AT LEAST RESIDUAL BLESSINGS FROM GOD’S FAVOR ON THE JEWS.

b. AND SHE REVEALS A TENACIOUS FAITH EVEN AS A GENTILE.

c. HERE’S WHAT MAKES THIS WOMAN SO REMARKABLE.

i. JESUS, THE MESSIAH, REMARKED THAT SHE HAD “GREAT FAITH.”

ii. AND HER ACT OF FAITH WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT GOD SAW FIT TO INCLUDE IN MATTHEW’S GOSPEL.

5. JESUS REWARDED HER FAITH WITH THE HEALING OF HER DAUGHTER.

a. GOD HONORS REMARKABLE FAITH.

i. AND I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE KIND OF FAITH THAT’S BEING HOCKED ON TV.

1. THIS IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF “SEND YOUR SEED IN ORDER TO BE BLESSED” FAITH.

2. THIS IS THE TYPE OF FAITH THAT TRULY GETS THE ATTENTION OF THE LORD.

b. SEEKING, PERSISTENT, HUMBLE, WORSHIPFUL, UNWAVERING FAITH.

c. THIS WOMAN WAS A REMARKABLE MOTHER.

CONCLUSION:

BUT WHAT ARE WE TO DO WHEN JESUS DOES NOT ANSWER THE WAY HE DID IN THIS PASSAGE.

WHAT ABOUT PRAYERS THAT GO UNANSWERED?

WHAT ARE MOTHERS – OR FATHERS, OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER – TO DO WHEN GOD DOES NOT BRING HEALING, OR DELIVERANCE, OR RECONCILIATION, OR WHATEVER THE ISSUE MAY BE?

THIS IS A HARD QUESTION.

AND QUESTIONS LIKE THIS ARE ROCKS UPON WHICH THE FAITH OF MANY PEOPLE HAS BEEN DASHED TO BITS.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THE FAITH, TURNED THEIR BACKS ON GOD, BECAUSE GOD DID NOT “PERFORM” THE WAY THEY THOUGHT HE SHOULD.

BUT TRUTH BE TOLD, THIS TYPE OF PERSON NEVER WALKS AWAY FROM GOD BECAUSE IF HIS FAITHLESSNESS…

IT IS ALWAYS BECAUSE OF THE FAITHLESSNESS OF THE PERSON…

SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

- WE ARE TO CONTINUE TO TRUST GOD.

o EVEN WHEN WE DON’T SEE HIS HAND MOVING, TRUST THAT HE IS AT WORK.

- WE ARE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE LORD.

o REMEMBER THE WORDS OF JOB IN – THOUGH HE SLAY ME, I WILL HOPE IN HIM.

- WE ARE CONTINUE TO SPEAK OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD.

o BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS MAY SEEM RIGHT NOW, WERE IT NOT FOR THE GRACE AND PROVIDENTIAL PROTECTION OF GOD, THINGS COULD BE MUCH WORSE.