The Great Faith Of A Mother

Standing before him, outraged and indignant, Monica told Augustine plainly that if he spoke in such a way she could no longer receive him at her table or in her house.

Not long after, Monica went to see a certain holy bishop, that she might beg him to use his influence with Augustine to bring him back to the truth. The wise old man listened attentively to her story. “Let him alone for the present, but pray much,” was his advice, “for as yet he is obstinate and puffed up with these new ideas. If what you tell me of your son is true, he will read for himself and will find out his error.”

Then, as Monica wept for disappointment—for she had counted greatly on the Bishop’s help—a sudden pity seized him. “Go thy way, and God bless thee!” he cried. “It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish!”

Augustine goes to pagan Carthage

Augustine goes to the height of paganism to Rome-

Monica’s heart sank when she read the letter. To the Christians of the fourth century, Rome was another Babylon. She had poured out the blood of the saints like water; she was the home of every abomination. What would become of Augustine in Rome? Without faith, without ideals, he was a disabled ship, drifting with every wind.

No sooner had he arrived in Milan than he presented himself before the Bishop, who received him with a cordial courtesy that attracted Augustine at once. The only way to judge of his eloquence was to attend the sermons at the cathedral. This Augustine began to do regularly. He found that Ambrose had not been over-praised. Augustine listened to him at first with the pleasure it always gave him to hear an eloquent speaker; then, gradually, with a shock of surprise, he began to attend to what the Bishop said as well as to his manner of saying it.

Transition To Body- Context of passage

Jesus defining what defiles a person

In 15:21–28 Jesus left Galilee for Syrophoenicia (the regions of Tyre and Sidon) and met a woman Matthew deliberately referred to as Caananite—an archiving label designed to conjure up horrors of Israel’s enemies of old. This woman admitted her secondary place in salvation history (Jesus was sent to the Jews first, v. 24). But she nevertheless exemplifies “great faith” (v. 28), reminiscent of the Gentile centurion (whose faith Jesus said surpassed that of all He had found in Israel, 8:10). So Jesus granted her request for her daughter’s healing.

Body- The Mother Exemplifies Great Faith Because Her

Desperation Does Not Drive Her Determination

Matthew 15:22 ESV

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.”

Hannah A Determined Mother

1 Samuel 1:10–11 ESV

10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

1 Samuel 1:12–13 ESV

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.

Perplexed But Not Driven To Despair

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 ESV

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Despair is loss of hope

Desperation = a state of despair

typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior & loss of hope and surrender to despair

Whereas determination= firmness of purpose; resoluteness.

Note: she is a Canaanite woman- from the clan of people who were enemies of the LORD God & His people

Rebekah’s Tenacity

Genesis 27:13–15 ESV

13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son.

Tamar Was More Righteous Than Judah

Genesis 38:25–26 ESV

25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

Esther Mothers

Esther 4:16–17 ESV

16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

#MeTooMovement Mothers

{

So this mother’s

Desperation Does Not Drive Her Determination

but also this mo

ther is

}

Undeterred By Divine Delays & The Disciples’ Indignation

Undeterred= not discouraged or prevented from acting : not deterred

Divine delay is due to Jesus’ primary mission to the house of Israel

Disciples

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.”

Mark 10:46–48 ESV

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Indignation- anger aroused by something unjust, unworthy, or mean

{

So this mother’s

Desperation Does Not Drive Her Determination

this mother is

Undeterred By Divine Delays & The Disciples’ Indignation

but finally

this mother exemplifies Great Faith because she

}

Possesses An “Anyway You Bless Me LORD” Disposition

Matthew 15:25–28 ESV

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.

Disposition

prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination

: temperamental makeup

: the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances

Faithful Over a Little

Matthew 25:21 ESV

21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Persistent Faith

Luke 18:3–8 ESV

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?”

Transition To Close- Mother’s Of Great Faith

Rahab

Ruth

Hannah Samuel’s mother

Elijah & Widow in Zarephath

1 Kings 17:10–13 ESV

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.

1 Kings 17:15–16 ESV

15 And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

Elisha & Widows Oil 2 Kings 4:1-7

Shunammite Woman 2 Kings 4:8-37

Elizabeth- John The Baptist Mother

Mothers with faith like Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice

2 Timothy 1:5–7 ESV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Mary the Mother Of Jesus

Matthew 1:18 ESV

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:38 ESV

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Isaiah 9:6–7 ESV

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

But....

Close: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee,

Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not,

As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Close- Don’t Grow Weary Waiting on the LORD!

Isaiah 40:27–31 ESV

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

For Those Who Love God, All Things...

Romans 8:28–30 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

So I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who...

Philippians 4:12–13 ESV

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Now to Him Who Is Able To Do Exceedingly...

Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I Have Been Young, And Now Am Old

Psalm 37:25 ESV

25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.

My God Shall Supply All Your Needs

Philippians 4:19 ESV

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Let Us Not Grow Weary In Doing Good...

Galatians 6:7–11 ESV

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

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