NO IS NOT AN OPTION
Matt 15:21-28
CRY FOR HELP
V:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 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."
A. This lady was not part of the Nation of Israel. She was an outsider
1. Her daughter was ill. Her daughter was uncontrollable. Maybe
destructive.
2. This woman needed help.
3. She came to Jesus
B. How did she come to hear about Jesus?
1. Why would she think that Jesus, a Jew, would help the enemy of
Israel.
2. This indicates that the word of mouth was a powerful tool of
communication.
3. When it comes to the health of our children we take what measure
we need to get help.
C. She knew more than His name.
1. She knew more that His reputation for healing.
2. She knew more than His family line.
3. She knew Him as Lord.
4. She knew Him as her help.
D, She came asking for mercy.
1. She knew Jesus as a doctor.
2. She knew Jesus as one of compassion.
3. She knew Him as the source of love.
E. She came to Jesus expecting Him to solve her problem.
1. She came with a simple urgent prayer.
2. She came humbly before Her Lord.
SLICENE FROM JESUS
NO IS NOT AN OPTION
V:23. 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."
A. This mother had a problem.
1. Her child was ill. She couldn’t take NO for an answer.
2. When we need Jesus we can’t accept NO.
3. Jesus said what ever we ask the Father in His name
would be done for us.
4. Jesus expects us to believe Him for our needs.
B. Because we don’t have an answer to our prayer,
don’t means Jesus has not heard our prayer.
1. The first thing she ran into was silence from Jesus.
2. Since NO is not an option, we have learn to wait on the Lord.
a. His thoughts are not our thoughts; His ways are not our ways.
b. Jesus is not on our time clock, but we are on His.
Ps 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord .
Ps 33:20-21
We wait in hope for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
3. The second thing she ran into was rejection by the Church.
a. The disciples wanted her to go away.
b. Since NO is not an option, you can’t listen to negative folk.
Ps 17:14
O Lord , by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
4. You can’t listen to thoughts of doubt.
a. James said if you doubt, don’t expect anything from the Lord.
b. Since NO is not an option you have to reassure yourself
with God’s promises.
Ps 119:140
Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
and your servant loves them.
NEED FOR A RELATIONSHIP
V:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
A. Watch this; Jesus made a distinction between Jews and Gentiles.
Christians and none Christians
1. Since NO is not an option, you can’t get upset with the Word
because it doesn’t say what you want it to say.
2. From the sound of the text it appeared that Jesus was excluding
this woman because of her race.
3. When we don’t understand God’s Word, we have to seek clarification.
4. Since NO is not an option we have to find the purpose of
the Word.
B. Jesus drew the woman into a relationship with Him
1. God does not answer the prayers of sinners.
2. Jesus became her intercessor for His glory.
a. He let the Word be spread about Him so she would hear.
b. Jesus caused the problem with her child be so servere that
she was drawn to Him.
3. He knows our needs, so Jesus drew her to him to establish her faith.
WORSHIP THE LORD
V:25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
A. Sometimes worship begins when we recognize our problems are beyond
our ability and the abilities of those around us.
1. When we are forced to call on the true and living God we have heard
about, our journey with Jesus begins.
2. Your testimony about Jesus affects others around you who are
going through trouble.
3. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
4. When someone don’t know Jesus, your testimony opens
the door to them.
B. She humble herself before Him.
1. This is the second time she called Jesus Lord
2. She used the Greek word “kurios” for Lord which
means supreme authority.
3. She considered Jesus above all others,
4. She put her trust in Jesus
5. The Canaanites worshiped idol gods.
6. She recognized that no idol god could do what she
heard Jesus did.
7. She put her faith in Jesus.
THE TEST OF FAITH
V:26. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
A. Jesus answer seems to drive her away.
1. When NO is not an option, you don’t let anything
stop you from getting to Jesus.
2. Jesus draws us into continuous communication with Him.
3. When we question the Word, we are drawn to investigate the
Word.
4. The more we study, the more the Holy Spirit enlightens us.
B. Notice, Jesus identifies, the children with the household pet.
1. We love and care for our pets.
2. We are not going to let a pet starve.
3. The bread of life is the Word.
4. Jesus identifies the application of the Word with our desires.
C. The Word is a vertical communication with the Lord.
1. We have to apply the Word in a horizontal communication
with our circumstances and those around us.
2. Jesus gave us five senses; sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
a. Two more senses should be added, movement and balance.
b. Along with the senses is His wisdom
3. When studying the Word, we use our given senses, in applying
the Word.
4. The household pet taps into all of our senses,
5. God draws us into a deeper practical way of knowing Him.
6. Every living thing has to be fed.
7. Jesus identified the application of His ministry.
a. Feed Israel then the Gentiles, His adopted people.
FAITH TESTED AND DEVELOPED
V:27 "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
A. When we know the Lord, we know His mission.
1. The nation of Israel was first chosen through Abraham,
but the Gentiles were included in the promise to Abraham
to be revealed at a later time.
2. When one is hungry, the crumbs fulfill the promise of the
Lord.
3. In the crumbs are all the ingredients, of the full meal.
4. There are 66 books in the Bible containing 31102 verses.
5. All we need is a few verses to know the Lord.
B. We come to know the Lord through our trials and tribulations.
1. Any small thing from the masters table is more than all
wisdom of the world.
2. The word master is the Greek Word kurios which
is the supreme authority.
3. Jesus calls himself the supreme authority.
4. Jesus echoes the woman’s developing faith in Him.
5. The more interaction we have with the Lord, the more
our faith grows
PRAYERS ANSWERED BY GREAT FAITH
V:28 Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
A. Jesus takes us through trials and tribulations to develop and
strengthen our faith.
1. In all our life, NO should not be an option.
2. We belong to the Lord and all the world belongs to Him.
3. Jesus said; whatever we ask the Father in His name would be
done for us.
B. Our problems are God’s way of bringing us to the conclusion
That He is the supreme authority.
1. God wants us to develop great faith in Him.
2. A faith that want take NO for an answer.
3. A faith that always see the favor of God in our lives.
4. A faith that takes us to God first.
5. A faith that questions the Word of God to learn more.
6. A faith that calls on God in the hour of trouble.
7. A. faith that sees the best in God when facing difficult
situations.
8. A faith that worships God continuously.
9. A. faith that praises God all the time.
THE REASON FOR OUR TROUBLES
Watch this:
1. The reason God allowed the devil to possess the woman’s
daughter was to draw her to Him.
2. Jesus allow her to develop and confess her faith in Him
in the practical study of the Word.
3. Jesus drew her into a confession of faith.
4. Jesus healed her daughter for His glory.
The woman took her testimony of Jesus back to her community
Tyre and Sidon .
Her testimony probably influenced others in an idol worshipping community
To believe in the one true and living God.
Rev. M. Mitchell
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