“Keep Praying Momma”
Matthew 15:22-28
5-14-2023
We have an American tradition that we celebrate this Sunday of each year; Mothers Day.
Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrated in the United States on the second Sunday in May.
Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as their positive contributions to their families and society.
It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first official Mother's Day celebrated through a service of worship at St. Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908.
Mother's Day is the third largest holiday in the United States for sending cards. According to the greeting card industry, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of American households send greeting cards on this holiday.
Mother's Day had become so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a prominent opponent of what the holiday had become, spending all her inheritance and the rest of her life fighting what she saw as an abuse of the celebration. She was arrested in 1948 for disturbing the peace while protesting against the commercialization of Mother's Day, and she finally said that she "...wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control ..." She died later that year.
We do not need a day to remind us the importance of mothers.
We have the Bible to command us to honor our fathers and mothers.
We have great examples in the Bible and beyond to confirm the commitment of mothers.
Just this last couple weeks there was a shooting where 8 people were killed in a senseless shooting in Texas.
In the after math it was reported that 2 women had been killed while they covered their children with their own bodies.
That is a mother!
In our text we see much of the same dedication of a mother toward her child.
I. Notice Her Humility
Canaanites
They were a proud people with a hate for the Jewish people, yet she came to Jesus and addressed Him with his title of heritage.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David;
Lord - kurios (koo’-ree-os) the owner; one who has control of the person, this title is given to: God, the Messiah
This was the title that many Christians could not and would not declare to Cesar and they were killed.
The descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham.
Migrating from their original home, they seem to have reached the Persian Gulf, and to have there lived for some time.
This group was very numerous, and broken up into a great many peoples, as we can judge from the list of nations:
#Gen 10:1- the ‘sons of Canaan.’" Six different tribes are mentioned in #Ex 3:8,17 Ex 23:23 33:2 34:11
The "Girgashites" are mentioned in addition to the foregoing in #De 7:1 Jos 3:10
The "Canaanites," as distinguished from the Amalekites, the Anakim, and the Rephaim, were "dwellers in the lowlands" #Nu 13:29 the great plains and valleys, the richest and most important parts of Palestine.
Tyre and Sidon, their famous cities, were the centres of great commercial activity; and hence the name "Canaanite" came to signify a "trader" or "merchant".
The name "Canaanite" is also sometimes used to designate the non-Israelite inhabitants of the land in general.
The Israelites, when they were led to the Promised Land, were commanded utterly to destroy the descendants of Canaan then possessing it, but was never fully accomplished.
Even after the return from captivity survivors of five of the Canaanitish tribes were still found in the land.
The chief object of their worship was the sun-god, who was addressed by the general name of Baal, "lord."
Each locality had its special Baal, and the various local Baals were summed up under the name of Baalim, "lords."
With this deep history of conflict between the two people groups I can only say it was humility and desperation that caused this mother to come to Jesus.
II. Notice Her Dedication
Vs. 23 “But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.”
What could possibly cause this woman with a proud heritage to BEG?
Her cry was simple: have mercy on me; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Grievously – this is that she was not just having problems but it is overwhelming, miserable, troublesome, injurious, and destructive.
Vexed - participle passive teased; provoked; irritated; troubled; agitated; disquieted; afflicted.
I believe this mother was one who was standing in the place of her daughter crying for mercy.
III. Notice Her Importunity
Vss. 24-26
She would not give up.
How easy is it to just say “fine, I gave it my best shot and God cannot or will not answer me.”
But not this mother.
She remained with the desire to see her daughter healed.
Worshipped - to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence, in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make bent, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication.
IV. Notice Her Understanding Of Her Request
Vss. 26-27
This mother said, “I understand all you are and all you are called to do, but there are even crumbs that fall and that is enough for my daughter.”
“I am a dog, and unworthy of your consideration, but crumbs are still enough.”
V. Great Is Thy Faith
Vs. 28
I do not believe that Jesus was surprised at her faith, but made mention of her faith that others may know why he answered her request.
“Be it unto thee even as thou wilt” – because of your faith I will answer your request.
And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. – It is still an act of faith as she turns toward home.
We did not see her daughter in the area with her mother.
So the mother would need to walk by faith only to discover when she arrived home that indeed her daughter was made whole.
Conclusion:
We know nothing of “the rest of the story.”
What happened to the mother?
What happened to the daughter?
How did that affect the family and friends around them?
This I do know; while she was in the presents of Jesus she worshiped Him.
I have little doubt that this continued for the rest of her life.
All who entered her house was sure to get a testimony as to what the LORD had done.
Momma don’t quit praying for your children
Momma don’t quit reaching out for your children
Momma when you think Jesus is not listening, just keep worshipping our Lord and Saviour.
Salvation is still available to all who will call upon the Name Of The LORD.
And our children need to hear it from their momma!
