Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from Matthew 15. We begin with prayer.Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Our text presents a very difficult description for us to contemplate. Jesus appears to be having a very bad day. His apparent lack of compassion for this poor woman who was only seeking help for her daughter even bothered the disciples.
- Apparently the disciples had little compassion for her either, for they begged Jesus to “send her away.” It was embarrassing for the disciples, and certainly bad publicity – for Jesus to be acting in this way.
- Further, Jesus’ answer to her plea seems prejudiced against “Gentiles,” as if God didn’t care about them. Further, when she persists in her request, Jesus essentially likens her to a “dog.” This is hardly the Jesus that we expect to see or hear about!
- So what is the point? What was Jesus doing, and why was He doing this? Well it certainly was an exercise of the woman’s faith – and she passed the test with flying colors! But it also provided a test for the disciples, and also for us. And I suspect that the test is equally difficult for us.
- But if we are willing to suffer this kind of exercise of faith, there is no doubt that our faith will also grow deeper and stronger! What Jesus emphasized in this interaction was that:
I. Whether Jew Or Gentile, Our Blessedness Begins With God’s Mercy
Text: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
Epistle Lesson: “Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy . . . so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.”
Statement: This is the one circumstance that we are loathe to ever find ourselves in – to be in need of help, and at another’s mercy! How essential it is to our inner being to be independent, able to take care of ourselves, not reliant or dependent upon anyone, including God.
Application: But God is our help. He insists upon being our Helper, in that “God is love” – and we desperately need what He provides for us – which is everything that is needed for physical life and for spiritual life. So, if we are to have God – to have Him as our God, we must acknowledge our need for His mercy, His goodness, and His blessings.
Transition: It is difficult to think of having to admit that we need mercy and help as being a good thing. But in reality:
II. Only Those Who Are Aware Of Their Desperate Need Will Turn To God For Mercy
Text: “Lord, help me. . . . Lord, even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Statement: There are times when God seems to be treating us in this manner, when our prayers don’t seem to be answered, when our situation remains dire and difficult. We grow tired of seeking God’s help, and we may even give up on God, concluding false and evil things about Him. It is at such times that we most need God’s help! And at such times we should demand all the more His help – and also that He would bolster our faith and trust in Him.
Application: So it is that God blesses us through such times of trying and testing – that we become more aware of how desperate our circumstances are, in regard to sin, in regard to survival, in regard to everything. And if we in fact become desperate enough to call out to God for mercy, this is a good and blessed thing! For God is eager to help us, and to have mercy upon us.
Transition: For as we see in our text:
III. Those With Faith Receive The Mercy God Wills For Them [But Unbelievers Reject God’s Mercy In Disobedience]
Text: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed instantly.”
Statement: It is not that God does not want to help unbelievers! It is a matter of them refusing His mercy and goodness. But that God wants to help us is seen in what Jesus did for this woman of great faith!
Application: It is no different for us today. We also are “Gentiles,” who come to God for mercy and help. And although there are times when it seems that God is treating us as Jesus did this Canaanite woman, we can be certain that He is only exercising our faith and trust in Him. And we can be certain – as we look to God expectantly and with faith – that He will indeed provide us with deliverance, mercy, love, and great help! For as the apostle Paul makes clear in the Epistle Lesson:
IV. God Still Desires To Have Mercy On All
Epistle: “God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all.”
1 Tim. 2:4 “God wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Statement: God earnestly wants to help us! It has been this way since the fall into sin. In the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah God says: “Soon My salvation will come, and My deliverance be revealed . . . My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
Application: So by all means we should turn to God and call upon Him for mercy, help, and deliverance – no matter the circumstances, and no matter how long we have to cry out to Him. He wills to have mercy upon us, and ultimately He will.
Conclusion: We know that God always acts in the best interests of His people – as Jesus did when this Canaanite woman came to Him for help. Let us never become discouraged and give up faith in God!
May we also take care not to behave as the disciples did – with lack of compassion for those in need, as if it were an embarrassment to have them around. Just the opposite is likely to be true – the faith of some poor people in need puts our faith to shame! We can learn from them, learn to persist more in our own faith.
And though we pray that we not be “tested,” we must remember that God chastens those whom He loves. It is likely that there will be times when we feel like God is treating us like second class citizens. But He is only exercising and strengthening our faith!
That’s the thing about Jesus. It is not appearances that matter to Him, but rather love, and He is always loving us no matter what our circumstances may be! Thanks and praise be to God! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.