Intro: When Robert Ingersoll, the notorious skeptic, was in his heyday, two college students went to hear him lecture. As they walked down the street after the lecture, one said to the other, “Well, I guess he knocked the props out from under Christianity, didn’t he?” The other said, “No, I don’t think he did. Ingersoll did not explain my mother’s life, and until he can explain my mother’s life I will stand by my mother’s God.”
James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, Tyndale, 1972, p. 381.
Mother’s day is not an easy day to prepare a message for. Some people have fond and fun memories of their mother and others have painful or only partial memories. Either way we honor you today moms. If not for you we wouldn’t be here.
We see in the gospel of Matthew today the faith of a nameless mother. We know very little about here but what we know should be an encouragement to all mothers. This is not designed to be a message to make you feel bad because you don’t measure up. It is also not one to puff your head up because you think you are the world’s greatest mom.
In a time when technology and gadgets make it easier to do daily tasks. The pressures of daily life are not getting easier.
I. She overcame great obstacles by faith
A) She was a woman
B) She was a foreigner
1) A gentile -- she had no right to approach Jesus.
2) A Canaanite – enemies descendants
How did she overcome the obstacles in her life and to her the need of her children?
1) She recognized who Jesus was. – Jesus Son of David
2) She saw the obstacles in front of her as nothing more than opportunities to press in to Jesus
Mom when you stand in front of obstacles remember that God uses them as opportunities to grow your trust in Him!
There is a great pressure today for our children to look a certain way, dress a certain way, and do what everyone else is doing. Mom there are obstacles in the life of your children that only you can see as opportunities. You have the ability to by faith become the peer pressure relief valve for your children. They may seem at times as obstacles so large that you nor your children will never get beyond them. Keep calling to Jesus!
(Peer pressure relief valve)
II. She overpowered the disciple’s objections by faith
She is noisy and annoying Jesus please send her away. They couldn’t stand her persistence. Jesus was allowing her persistence as an object lesson of faith.
A) A lesson for his disciples
God wants the disciples to understand that it is the inner character of a person that determines acceptability before God. A gentile woman is show greater faith than the chosen Jews. Is it that you took you children to a Baptist church that makes you a marvelous mom? No! It is that you brought them before Jesus in your prayers for their salvation.
B) A lesson for the Canaanite woman
Was Jesus being rude?
1) There is no formula that will force Jesus to do what you want
Three times she called Him Lord and 1 Time Son of David. It is not about the words you say as much as the person you talk to.
2) There is a plan and a timing which are known to God alone Matt 15.28
Don’t give up on your dreams! Don’t give up on your children coming home. Don’t give up on your family getting together. Don’t give up on your husband becoming a spiritual leader. The Canaanite mother would not give up on Jesus hearing about her daughters need.
III. She obtained Jesus’ favor by faith
No matter the obstacles or the objections from the disciples she trusted Jesus.
How should we respond to these mothers, our wives, sisters, grandmas, etc?
1) Honor them (5th commandment first with a promise of long life)
If we love God we honor even parents that don’t deserve honor. Remember you don’t deserve God’s grace, His favor freely given to you.
Proverbs makes it clear that listening and obeying our mothers is the way to honor them.
2) Rise up and call her blessed
Two ways to call her blessed
a) Recognize God’s life in her
b) Respond by living a Godly life
Conclusion:
The word blessed means to be established. Her children rise up and call her stable in God. Blessing or happiness is found in the stability we have in following God’s pattern and standards.
The word rise up means guess what? Rise! So to honor our mothers we get up and go straight!
