Lent 2 (2024)
Lent 2024 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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It is hard for me to preach on prayer this morning as prayer has never been my strongest Spiritual Endeavor. We can walk through the histories of great saints of the church and see among them men and women of prayer who God used mightily for his purposes. And in that moment you might even recommit to some lifestyle of prayer only to find yourself dissapointed later you were not able to sustain it.
I share my own struggles in prayer and hope to encourage other who struggle that they are not alone, at the same time I am I want to celebrate you in the congregation today who are people of prayer. Those of you who are in constant contact with God, and in that warmth and intimacy are seeking his will and bringing to the needs of the world around you. This church and the church universal needs you. God bless you this morning.
My hope by the end of our sermon time is to, learn the lessons of this section of scripture, encourage us to try again to be people of prayer, and then to give you a few extra tools in that Journey.
Main Point: Fervent prayer is a sign of soul captured by God’s mercy.
Our main text...
[21] And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. [22] And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
Why location matters
Why ethnicity matters
Why her plea matters
[23] But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” [24] He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
First Jesus ignores her and then he comments: Jesus has come for those whom God has set apart, Israel…but we are about to see the boarders of Israel explode!
[25] But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” [26] And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [27] She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
The food of God that leads to eternal life is for God’s people alone (quick word about the eucharist.
Her admission: even the Dogs…The sinners plea to a Holy God.
[28] Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (ESV)
Jesus did not lower his standard, he did decide, okay the ancient way no longer works, He instead shows us that a true Israelite is he that comes by faith, and faith will show its self in fervent prayer.
Israel is no longer an Ethnic distinction for the Ethnic children of Abraham. The new Israel established by the New Adam, Jesus Christ, is for those who call upon the name of Jesus.
And in showing us the expanding boundaries of God’s people we see the fulfillment of what we read in the Old Testament this morning.
[41] “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake [42] (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, [43] hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name. (ESV)
Almost 1000 years before the birth of Christ Solomon prays what is fulfilled in Christ. That the family of God would expand to include all people.
Prayer is the theme of this morning, prayer as a marker of God’s holy people.
Well if as the Pastor I am going to implore the flock to pray, what resources can I offer. The most important resource is the BCP. It is the Bible set to prayer as we say. Most of the prayers in it are based on Psalms and other scripture, and the others are mostly ancient prayers of the church.
We have a prayer service to start the day and one to end the day, and then we have shortened versions for families.
We have a phrase Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi…The Law of Prayer is the Lay of Belief.
You are what you eat, you are what you love…you are what you pray...
Brothers and sisters pray…some of you already do and you have a warm intimacy with God and you do not need my advice. But for those of us who need something extra. We have these. Come get one, let me show you how to use it. Today we see a person go from being a “dog” on the outside of God’s people to a daughter…how? Prayer.
And because her prayer shows up inspire my favorite prayer in our prayer book I wanted to show you this…(Humble Access)
Now I always finish with a reminder, that ancient people understood a need for a priest to connect to the sacred. Jesus is that great high priest and now that we are in Christ we are all priests with him. Collect of Purity.
But this did not just happen by magic, but through the work of Christ on the Cross…in our natural state we are separated from God, unable for his presence. We have sinned and are worthy only of God’s judgement. But Jesus on the cross takes God’s judgement onto himself. In dying he dies our death so we can have his life, once again connected to the sacred. We can pray and ask God for his intervention because Jesus dies on the cross in our place. We are friends of God. Welcome at his table to eat with him and of him. Let us always remember that good news.