JESUS AND THE WOMAN

 

21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”

 

1.      Jesus had left Galilee and was in the area of Tyre and Sidon.  He s up there doing a ministry tour.  His fame had obvious preceded him.  Now I want to draw your attention to attention to two people and one group in this message.  First, we are going to talk about the Canaanite woman. 

2.      We know she was a mother who live in that place, and she had a daughter possessed by a demon who was tormenting her severely. 

3.      As any good mother she was going to go and do anything to help her daughter

4.      There were three things she stated about Jesus.  She needed mercy and she knew there was a possibility she would get it from Jesus.  She obviously had heard of his reputation of love kindness, grace, compassion, and mercy.  She knew she was not a covenant person and had no right to ask but she was seeking relief for her child and she was going to do whatever it took to get the help this daughter needed.

5.      She called Him Lord, master, and Rabbi.  She acknowledges His authority over her.  She also called God.  She acknowledges his deity.  She also knew He had the power to drive out demons and that is why she asked 

6.      She acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of David.  She saw Him as the Messiah, of the line and lineage of David.  Now this may have been a ploy to get His attention, or it may have been what she believed.  Either way she was not going to give up.

 

23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.”

 

1.      Jesus gave her no reply.  Not even a word.  It was like He was ignoring her.  A strange event for Him.  Why did Jesus do this?  This is an example of when God is silent.  Also, it is like the time God does not give an explanation.  Job never got an explanation from God just the exhortation to trust Him during the silence.  It was then His disciples urged Him to send her away. 

2.      She was refusing to give up asking.  She absolutely refused to give up and making a scene.  . 

3.      A powerful lesson is don’t give up.  Keep asking till you have an answer. 

4.      The disciples are like all outsiders.  They have an opinion without knowing all the circumstances.  Don’t listen to the crowd they are rarely right.  Keep your eyes on the Lord and don’t give up even when He is silent.

 

24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”  25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

 

1.      Jesus then answers that His primary goal is to help God’s lost sheep.  He was there was the people of Israel.  He was there to be the Messiah of Israel. 

2.      She gives a threefold response.  She comes and worships Him, acknowledges that He is God and the object of worship in her world.  Next, she pleads with Him now she has an audience and His attention.  She sincerely asks.  Lord, master, savior, messiah please help me.  A sincere request.  There is no way Jesus would turn her away.

 

26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”  27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

 

1.       Jesus gives her a strange and some would say a politically incorrect answer.  “Isn’t it right to take food from the children to throw it to the dogs.”  Did Jesus just call her a dog?  Jesus, I believe was testing her. 

2.      Here response is blunt, beautiful, and lined with faith. “Yes, but the dogs will eat the crumbs that fall from the table.”  Her response was wise.  She had passed Jesus’ test.  She knew who she was, and she still asked.  She understood mercy, grace, and love.  She knew that love was the foundation of faith and hope.  She was not going to leave until she had got what she came for.  This wasn’t for herself it was on behalf of another.  Did you know that this is a form of intercessor prayer?  You are coming on behalf of another.

 

28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

 

1.      Jesus responded in four ways.  He changed His tone and called a dear woman.  He gave her love, assurance, affirmation, and gentleness.  She needed relief from this horrible situation. 

2.      He told her she had great faith.  She was like the centurion.  Remember faith is the substance of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.  It is taking God at His word and never giving up or in.  You don’t backdown, back out, backslide or back off.  You hold on even when there seems no hope. 

3.      Her request was granted.  God always responds to persistent relentless, fierce faith.  Remember He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

4.      Her daughter was instantly healed.  No more demonic influence.  That demon was gone.  Remember Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil