Sermon Tone Analysis
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Division is a fact of life.
D’s and R’s, evangelical’s and Christian’s who aren’t; men or women (or now, at least in our world any letter of the alphabet), children or adults, mature or immature; white, or black, or brown, or yellow or....
There is no end to the ways we are divided.
The divisions seem to grow deeper every day.
In our arrogance we believe that no other people group has struggled like us with divisions among us.
We can actually trace back some of this sense of difference to Cain, after he killed his brother -
“But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear!
Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.””
(Genesis 4:13–14, HCSB)
Today we still experience the fear and anxiety that divisions create.
Fortunately for us the writers of the gospels did not shy away from portraying how the existing divisions among the people of Jesus’ day created anxiety, and yes, even fear
As Jesus travelled north, which was predominately Gentile, and to the south east side of the Sea of Galillee, a region known for anti-Jewish bullying and behavior.
Several observations:
Everyone Has Needs
Jesus is still trying to get some away time after the death of John the Baptist (see Matt 14:1-ff.)
Having been pursued by Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, Jesus heads north.
the cities of Tyre and Sidon aren’t just inhabited by non-Jewish people, they are synonomous for Jews with the Canaanites that their ancestors failed to eliminate from the land.
The divisions between Israelites and Canaanites go back thousands of years.
Yet, as we see in vs 21-31, these people - enemies as far as Jews were concerned - had the same needs as did the Jews.
A Desperate Mother’s Plea
This mother has been driven to despair by her daughter - who is being severely tormented by a demon.
The mother’s approach to Jesus is striking: “Son of David” is a Jewish designation for the Messiah.
How would a woman - a Canaanite - have the ability to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah who would rule on David’s throne?
There is no answer given.
As a matter of record, Jesus ignores her.
The mother refuses to give up.
The disciples are so annoyed by the persistence of the woman they challenge Jesus: Send her away!
It’s impossible to rest with this woman constantly calling out to Jesus about her daughter.
Finally Jesus replies: Matthew 15:24
This statement is filled with significance.
First, Jesus affirms His connection with David - who was a shepherd.
Next, Jesus reminds the woman that His primary task was to go after the people of God, the nation of Israel, who like sheep that have lost their way, needed one to guide them to safety and security.
The woman’s desperation knows no bounds.
“Lord, help me.”
There are fewer prayers recorded in Scripture that are more powerful than those three words: Lord, Help Me!
Again, Jesus reminds her of His role - one she has clearly acknolwedged.
Her response, perhaps tempered by an unspoken knowledge of God’s purposes as expressed to Abraham :- Genesis 12:3
She recognizes that when children - that is the people of God are satisfied - there is enough left over to meet the needs of all!
Multitudes of Needs
Jesus heads south.
Jesus is still seeking some time away from the crowds, some time to mourn the passing of John, some time to help His disciples make sense of all that is happening.
When Jesus sits in order to teach, crowds gathered.
These crowds brought their family members who were desperate.
He healed them.
These Gentiles, those people by accident of birth, had no claim on Jesus, recieved healing.
Healing is not just something Jesus does.
Healing is who He is.
Isaiah, sho spoke often of a promised Messiah centuries prior to Jesus’ birth, often reminded God’s people that when the Messiah came ...
This crowd, 4,000 men and their families, had been with Jesus and the disciples for several days.
If they had brought supplies, they had run short.
They were hungry.
Not only did they seek Jesus for the healing, now they needed food so they could take their families back home!
The Need of the Disciples
Remember, these disciples had experienced Jesus feeding 5,000 men and their families with just a handful of supplies.
They have watched Jesus confront demons - Legions of them; they have assisted crowds of lame, blind, maimed, mute, and many others to received healing.
And they were totally overwhelmed with the need to find food for this crowd.
They finally scraped up a few loaves and fish, and once again were astounded as Jesus, in whose presence all needs will be met, did as Jesus does: meet the needs of the crowd.
CONCLUSION
A few weeks ago an opinion writer in the New York Times offered an opinion piece titled,”How Much Does How Much We Hate Each Other Matter?” (Thomas Edsall, Sept 29, 2021).
The title captures the current climate in our country.
Edsall concluded his column with this observation: “Figuring out what is driving us apart and what we can do about it was never going to be easy.”
The divisions we are experiencing are not new.
The divisiveness that threatens our community and our society are not religious or political in nature.
The divisiveness which threatens to destroy us is embedded in each and everyone of us here today.
Like the disciples, we are often less aware of the needs of others than the needs of our own.
“Send he away.”
“She is annoying us.”
Yes, she was a Canaanite, part of ancient enemies.
Yes, she was not of the ‘lost sheep of Israel.’
But the life of her daughter and her own life were threatened by the torment of an adversary only Jesus could confront.
Just like those whom Jesus had already set free (Matthew 4:24-25
this daughter could be set free.
Her past was not the obstacle.
Her mother’s faith was the key.
It was the faith of all those who brought their ill and maimed and demon possessed family members to Jesus that moved Jesus to respond.
Those closest to Jesus were the ones who were annoyed by this mothers persistent faith.
Multitudes of Needs
Those closest to Jesus were the ones unable to see the needs of the crowd for food after several days.
All they could see was their inability, their lack of resources.
Like those disciples, how often have we missed the very simple truth: Jesus is sufficient?
Stuart Weber shares the following incident from the life of Hudson Taylor, a man powerfully used by God to open the interior of China to the gospel:
In the Biography of James Hudson Taylor by Dr. & Mrs.
Howard Taylor (London: China Inland Mission.
1965), we find a story about a man who truly trusted God for provision.
As a young man Taylor was preparing to go to China to be a missionary, but he had determined to learn to live by faith alone while he was still in England.
His resolve was to use prayer alone.
At the time he worked for a doctor and was paid a wage quarterly.
As the time to receive his salary drew near, Taylor was disturbed that his employer said nothing about it.
Taylor was nearly broke, but would not break his resolution and ask for the salary.
While visiting a needy home on the Lord’s Day.
Taylor felt led of God to give his last coin to the needy family.
The next day he received an anonymous gift through the mail, four times what he had given to the poor!
The following Saturday, the doctor finished up his work and said, “Taylor, is not your salary due again?”
Taylor confirmed that it was and became disappointed when he learned that the doctor had completely forgotten about Taylor’s salary and sent all his funds to the bank!
He prayed about the matter (for he had bills of his own to pay) and left it with the Lord.
That evening, the doctor visited him and said that one of his richest patients came over after hours to pay his bill!
He gave the money to Taylor, who rejoiced.
He had learned he could trust God for the provision of his needs, both in England and China.
Weber, S. K. (2000).
Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 235).
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