Mathew 15: 21-28 “Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
He replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."
"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table."
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
The above parable about the Canaanite woman really touched me. Even though the response was not favourable in the beginning, she did not give up her faith. Her faith was very strong that it even moved Jesus. It teaches us a great lesson. We should not be discouraged in any circumstances. Believe in Jesus and continue our prayer till we get the answer.
She was very much worried about her daughter. She may have met many specialist doctors. She may have visited different holy places for the deliverance. May have done different kinds of worship suggested by the religious priests. May have spent lot of money for the medicine and worship. She considered all the suggestions made by peoples surrounded her. There may be lot of suggestions from different people as we also have a suggestion for anything.
Then she heard another suggestion that there is one who is healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, Curing the leper and feeding 5000 etc. etc. But the problems was that she has to go to another religion.
As per her knowledge, she was belonged to a prominent and ancient cast which was not associated with the Jews in any way. Come forward to pray to a God other than her own religion, that is also in front of her own religious people, is the first bold step she took. She left the god of her forefathers. She left the traditional worship of her religion which was followed by her forefathers for many generations. She left the traditional worship place (building) which is meant for worshiping her god. Different gods are there to worship on different purpose and occasions. Her own religious people may be accusing her for praying to a foreign God. Her family members also may not be happy with her newfound God. The people who belongs to her religion were eagerly waiting for the outcome of her prayer as they have kept enmity with the Jews for generations. There is no one there to support her. Family, neighbors, religious community, all are against her. Still she took her first step. To pray to a foreign God. With great hope for the deliverance from the evil spirit. Unfortunately there was no response at the first.
“Jesus did not answer a word.”
She was not discouraged by Jesus silence. She continued her pleading for deliverance. Now the people around her may be accusing her for going to a foreign God. She could have think that why should I pray any more as He is not responding. It is better to stop here than to ridiculed by the family members, neighbors and religious people latter. She did not stop at there. She continued her pleading all the more with a great hope.
So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
Jesus disciples got disturbed by the pleading of this woman. They brought the matter to Jesus, so that she may leave them. His disciples were also not so concerned about the woman or her daughter. They were only concerned about the disturbance. Her cry made them frustrated and they brought the matter to Jesus for the deliverance from her cry.
We also tempt to do the same thing. As disciples, we also tempt to pray for others just because of the repeated prayer requests, but not because of our concern or care for that particular person.
This Canaanite woman, even though not understanding the attitude of the disciples, thought that at last there is some one who would stands with her in her trouble to take up the matter with Jesus.
She allowed his disciples to take up the matter on behalf of her to Jesus. She thought that the disciples are very close to Jesus and Jesus would listen his disciples.
Sometimes we expect others to pray for us. We entrust our prayer request to some one who seems more spiritual than us. We think they are close to God and the God will listen them more than us. But we don’t know what will be the attitude of that spiritual person. Our God expect a personal relationship from us. He don’t like a mediator in between me and my God. He love to have a direct relationship with me and you.
Jesus was aware of his disciples attitude. May be that is why he said that:-
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
To her surprise she understood that even the prayer of righteous, holy and dearest ones are not heard. The second response from the god was negative. A negative answer was received because there was no relationship existed between the two. She might have the temptation to stop there. Jesus is saying that the he came to this world for the lost sheep of Israel. And the blessings and deliverance are meant only for Israel not for the gentiles. She could have go back to her won religion or people. Instead of returning to her home with a disappointed heart she decided to take up the matter personally.
The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
First she got no answer. Secondly she went through his disciples, the response was negative. And Jesus expressed that there is no relationship existed between them. The third time she decided to go directly to his feet with a request. She decided to start a personal relationship with God. By kneeling down she started to worship Jesus. A relationship start with worship. By worshiping she was acknowledging that Jesus is the true Lord and Saviour. At the same time she was denying all other so called gods, gods of her traditional religion. Now a new relationship is established...........
When she made the request, she thought Jesus would not turn her away as he is so compassionate to every one. She knelt before him and said Lord, help me! She wants the deliverance all the more. She loved her daughter and wants her daughter back as a normal child. The love towards her daughter made her to take the bold steps to go ahead with the pleading. That love made her to disown all other gods of her religion. The love of her daughter was more important than the people and her religion.
We need such mothers, who cries for their sons and daughters. Who are so concerned about their children. We need mothers who cries for their children in front of God. Our children are turning away from God. They are addicted by so many things. Satan is taken control of our children and guiding them in the wrong direction. For their healing, for their deliverance we, fathers and mothers needs to kneel down in front of God. Plead with him till the deliverance. Let us check ourselves. Are we concerned about our children more than the surroundings or the religion or tradition or circumstances?
He replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."
First she got no answer. Secondly she went through his disciples, the response was negative. This time she hoped for a better response as she tried to establish a personal relationship with Jesus. But the third answer was not only negative but also provocative.
She could have misinterpret the words of Jesus and turn away from Him.
Enough is enough, I don’t want any healing, If you can’t respect me, I don’t want worship you. I don’t want healing from such a god who calls me Dog!!! That is also in front of believers and non believers. If you want to call names, you could have done it personally, instead of that you have done it publicly. How can I look at the people who prevented me from worshiping you?? You put me in a situation that believers and nonbelievers will laugh at me. She could have respond like this and turn away from Jesus without deliverance as some of us are doing in our daily life.
When we go through such terrible situations we tempt to turn away from God. Very often we hear people saying:
“I don’t want this God who bring disaster in my life”
“I don’t want such a cruel God”
“If there was a loving God, it would not happened to me”
We tempt to become negative and turn away from God when we face difficult situations. See what she said.
"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table."
But this woman was very positive! She acknowledged that she is not a decedent of Israel. Also she was trying to tell Jesus that there are different kinds of Dogs. Pet Dogs and Stray Dogs. She said that she is not a stray dog which wandering in the street. She expressed that she is a pet dog, which loves its master, that lives with its master, which eats the crumbs fall down from the masters table. She wants to establish her relationship with the master. She kept her faith in him.
Why she kept her faith in him? Because she understood that He is the right God to whom she could put her faith.
Blind faith in a wrong God will not yield its fruit as well as without faith it is impossible to please the right God.
Her steadfast faith not only yield its fruits but also her faith was commended by the God.
Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Her faith moved Jesus. We need to have faith like this woman. Which will move God. Also Jesus is commending her faith here. If you have steadfast faith like this woman, you will see many miracles in your life.
When she started her prayer there was no response. Then she got a negative response. After that she got not only negative but also provocative response. Still she did not give up. She went ahead with her faith and started worshiping. At last she got the positive and favourable answer. Her daughter was healed. Now she could look up to her own family members and neighbors and religious people and show them the answer of her prayer. A normal daughter.
Now she have something to show the religious fundamentalists, who were waiting there to laugh at her. Now the woman have a smile on her face.
Now the pure, holy and dearest disciples of Jesus, who wants to send her away, as soon as possible as her praise and worship disturbed them stood there with a “WOW” when Jesus commented the faith of this Gentile woman.
If you need salvation, prosperity, healing, deliverance, victory etc., you need to come out of your self and worship Jesus as this Canaanite woman did.
She had a smile at her face while she looking at the Jews/disciples who were standing there and not yet received the blessings. Now she can held up her head on high.
If you humble yourself, He will lift you up.
Sitting here you may think, why I am not getting blessings in my life?
Till now God was speaking to you. Let us check ourselves
Are we giving up our faith very easily?
Are we tired of waiting for the answers of prayer ?
Are we have faith like this Canaanite woman?
When we get negative answer, are we leaving God or accusing God?
Are we crying for the deliverance of our children?
Let us take a decision to follow Jesus with a steadfast faith.
May God Bless you.
(I would like to add the following thoughts which was not in the original sermon)
At last I want to tell you one more thing. The creator, who was with God from the beginning was aware of the outcome even before she came to him. But Jesus wants to teach his disciples or the people surrounded him a lesson. That is why he responded negatively in the beginning three times. Even now we also learn something from this parable.
Otherwise Mathew would have to write the parable like this.
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
He replied, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs."
At that moment the Canaanite women left Jesus very sadly just like the young rich man came to Jesus (Mathew 19:22) .................. like that or something.
And, it could have make a bad effect on Jesus ministry and His Gospel. Critics may try to prove with this incident that salvation is only meant for Jews and not for Gentiles etc. etc..
But Jesus was fully aware of what was going to happened at the end. He can control any and every situation. He would never allow this kind of things in his ministry. Otherwise he may have responded positively at her 1st/2nd/3rd request.
May God Bless you.
