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The Second Sunday in Lent
Crumbs of the Word to the Dogs
February 28, 2010

TEXT:  (Matthew 15:21-28 NKJ)  Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
 
During this Lenten Season we try to understand the things of Jesus—and the suffering of Jesus as He approached persecution and death on the cross—in this lesson Jesus teaches His disciples –and us—about faith—as we approach today’s text—let’s consider some background
 
In the beginning of this chapter—Jesus engages in a doctrinal discussion with the Pharisees and Biblical scholars—they condemned Jesus because His disciples ate food without the ceremonial washing of their hands—the Pharisees tell Jesus that He and His disciples are breaking the traditions of the elders—in return Jesus instructs the Pharisees
 
"Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 `These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" 10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11 "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." (Matthew 15:7-20 NKJ)
 
—just prior to that Jesus fed those who followed Him to learn more about His teachings
 
They brought many sick and lame to be touched by Jesus—and thus be healed—Jesus walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee—after dismissing the 5,000—and sending off the disciples ahead of Him—and He rejoined His disciples and traveled to Bethsaida—then on to the region of Tyre and Sidon—which is toward the Mediterranean Sea
 
The significant part of this for us—is that Jesus was moving away from the populated areas—and into an area where He could find quiet and rest—now we find Jesus in a house—seeking privacy—and avoiding His enemies for a short while—we find evidence of this in Mark’s account
 
NKJ Mark 7:24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
 
Now we compare our text
 
TEXT:  21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed."
 
It is interesting to note that here Mark refers to the woman as a Greek—while Matthew finds it important to mention that she is a Canaanite—Mark is writing to a Gentile audience—while Matthew is writing to Jewish readers
 
So this Greek-Canaanite woman had heard of Jesus—and believed He could cast the demons out of her daughter—she had undoubtedly heard that He cast similar demons out of others—apparently that word had spread even to her heathen land
 
NKJ Mark 7:25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.
 
When the woman addresses Jesus—she uses both Lord and Son of David in her address—so we know that she must have heard that Jesus was the Messiah
 
She reveals the fact that she understood the Messianic Promise—and that she believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of that Promise—the heathens located—40—50—100 miles and more from the area where Jesus is teaching—have heard of His gifts and powers—they know He is of God
 
Yet those of Jerusalem—who studied all their lives of the coming of the Messiah—can’t recognize Him—the heathens recognized Jesus’ authority over the devil—the Jews denied Jesus as the Christ because He didn’t fit their image of what a Messiah should be
 
Things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years—those who could walk down the street to hear the Word of God preached—stay in bed as if taking Sunday as a day of rest in the name of God—while there are those living in suppressed countries that are being killed because they dare attend Christian gatherings
 
We return to the text
 
TEXT:  23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."
 
This was something new for the disciples—Jesus had never failed to help someone who came to Him—the Greek verb used by the disciples shows that they were respectfully asking Jesus to send the woman away soon—not urging Him to grant or to deny her request—but stop her from attracting so much attention to them
 
Picture in your minds these 12 men and Jesus walking along—and a frantic woman behind them screaming at them—a little more of this and Jesus would attract attention and lose the solitude He was seeking in this remote region
 
Picture also this woman—she is shouting and getting frantic to speak to the Lord—she doesn’t care who hears or sees what she is asking—she has faith that He can help—and she wants help
 
Isn’t this a picture of a spiritual situation that we might all personally relate to?—this woman cries out to Jesus—He does not answer—those who know Jesus take up her cry and call out to the Savior on behalf
 
How many times have I dealt with those who do not know the Savior—they come to those who they believe know Jesus—and they seek help from the spiritual or religious people in their lives—isn’t that what is happening in this situation?
 
TEXT:  24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
 
Jesus came to fulfill the Promise made to Abraham—and to the nation of the Hebrews—God’s people—He makes that clear immediately—so there are no misunderstandings—He doesn’t wait for the woman to be gone to explain His ministry here on earth
 
Once God’s people were redeemed—Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to tend to the 11 remaining disciples to carry the message to the world—but Jesus’ ministry was to the Jews—who were rejecting Him
 
NKJ Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
 
TEXT:  25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
 
Our text says she came and worshipped Him—Mark says she threw herself at His feet
 
NKJ Mark 7:24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.
 
In all humility she begged for Jesus’ healing power to help her daughter—this is not the action of a doubter—this woman had unwavering faith in this Jewish Messiah
 
TEXT:  26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs."
 
This verse is often misunderstood—the word used to express the thought of the dog is not the same as is usually used to describe the Gentiles as dogs—dogs in the orient of Jesus’ day were large and ran wild—they ate garbage and were dirty and unkept
 
These dogs were never let into a house—much less fed food from the table—the word Jesus uses that is translated “dogs” is a word meaning a little dog that is kept in the house as a pet—it is fed table scraps given by the owner—any food dropped by the children would be quickly eaten by such a little pet dog
 
Jesus uses the scraps of bread as the bread of the Word in this example to the woman
 
The little dog represents the Gentiles—only those Gentiles near the Jews could possibly benefit from Jesus’ ministry—they might receive the scraps of bread (the Word) because they are near the Jews
 
TEXT:  27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."
 
The woman understood Jesus’ picture language—as only a believer could—she admits she is a dog—and she desires no more than a dog would be entitled to
 
She responded with a continuation of the theme—she would be perfectly happy with the crumbs of the Word—she knew that’s all it would take to rid her daughter of the demons—one little Word from Jesus—and the demon would be gone—what faith this woman had
 
The only other example of such faith that immediately comes to mind is that of the Roman Centurion—another Gentile with exemplary faith
 
TEXT:  28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
 
Jesus answered her prayer—He granted her daughter healing from the demon within her
 
It is that way with our Lord today—He will heal our sinful hearts—we only need to call out to Him and ask—and just as the disciples called out on behalf of the woman—we too can pray for someone who needs help
 
Jesus came to save us—and we need only remind Him of the promises in God’s Word—Paul told Timothy that Jesus came to save sinners
 
NKJ 1 Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
 
Jesus healed this woman’s daughter—because she cried out to Him—He will also give us what we need—if only we will cry out to Him
 
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!