Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

In this passage, Jesus was going into gentile territory.

Tyre and Sidon were important port cities by the Mediterranean, but the Jews considered their habitants “dogs”, completely excluded from the favor of God because of their idolatry, immorality and religious syncretism.

Normally, Jesus would travel from Galilee to Judea (Jerusalem), but this time He chose to do different.

The distance from Galilee to Tyre was about 35 miles and 50 miles until Sidon.

It was quite a journey!

The distance from Galilee to Tyre was about 35 miles and 50 miles until Sidon.

It was quite a journey!

Map of Tyre and Sidon

When the Israelites took possession of the Land of Canaan, 1400 years before Jesus Christ was even born, through the general Joshua, they didn’t conquer the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which were supposed to be allotted to the tribe of Asher.

Today, those cities still exist and are part of the modern Lebanon.

When the Israelites took possession of the Land of Canaan, 1400 years before Jesus Christ was even born, through the general Joshua, they didn’t conquer the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which were supposed to be allotted to the tribe of Asher.

Today, those cities still exist and are part of the modern Lebanon.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus commuted frequently from Galilee to Judea (Jerusalem), but this time He chose a different route.

The distance from Galilee - where Jesus lived, to Tyre was about 35 miles and 15 more miles until Sidon.

50 miles total was quite a journey!

Tyre and Sidon were large Jewish Communities.

Tyre was, for example, was the birthplace of Jezabel, princess that later became a horrible queen in Israel, who killed hundreds of prophets of the Lord.

v. 21 - Jesus “went out” - The greek root of the word “exerchomai” here is the same “went out” used when the Israelites “came out of Egypt”, redeemed.

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That means that Jesus was going To Tyre and Sidon on a mission of Redemption!

So the Theme for today will be:

This is a story of persistence, tenacity, and faith, Jesus tested the woman several times, and each time, she passed the test.

Jesus tested the woman several times, and each time, she passed the test.

Those tests are the theme of our message today.

THE EFFICACY OF THE CRUMBS

Context:

As seen on the text, this woman had a daughter who was demon-possessed, and she was desperate for help.

“Severely demon-possessed” here means a very unusual, cruel and evil form of demon manifestation.

(The Gospels tell us how those manifestations could be terrifying sometimes, as in , when a boy, after delivered by Jesus of a deaf and dumb spirit (right after His transfiguration), was so badly injured that was considered dead.

Note:

“a woman” - never allowed to talk to a Rabi, therefore her approach was culturally unacceptable and historically inappropriate.

“of Canaan” (Caananite) - the worst of the worse for the Jews.

The Canaanites were descendants of Ham, son of Noah.

This is a story of persistence, tenacity, and faith, Jesus tested the woman several times, and each time, she passed the test.

Those tests are the theme of our message today, and she went through 4 of them:

1.

The test of Silence

matt 15.22

matt 15.

Request:

The use of the expression “Son of David” expressed her respect and the recognition that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel.

“Have mercy” - not as we use casually all the time, for any reason, but with a profound respect and hopeful reverence.

While His nation did not understand His mission (), here we have a foreigner confessing publicly her recognition and deity of the Anointed One.

Later on the text, that would be translated into worship.

In fact, Jesus quoted Tyre and Sidon in comparison to the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida in Israel:

matt 11.21

The answer: Silence.

matt 15.

The test of silence is a very difficult test.

It’s when Jesus decides to keep silent about our needs; not indifferent, not far away, but silent.

Charles Spurgeon once said this, when preaching about this woman:

“What if no gleams of joy should visit your spirit?

Still believe Him who cannot lie!”

Job had this experience, Jesus also had it, at the cross.

In Jesus’ case, David had his shout prophesied 1000 years before:

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The prophet Habakkuk, who lived in Jerusalem about 600 years before Jesus, also experienced that feeling:

Many times God has chosen the silence.

The book of 1 Samuel states that “the Word of the Lord was rare in those days”, that is, when the prophet Samuel was just about to be called as a prophet.

Also, from the end of the Old Testament to the beginning of the New Testament, God kept a silence of about 400 years!

psalm 22:1-2,2

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God kept a silence of 400 years!

God can and will use the silent to deal with His people.

And talking about silence...

HUMOR ILLUSTRATION: THE SILENT TREATMENT

A married couple had a quarrel and ended up giving each other the silent treatment.

Two days into their mute argument, the man realized he needed his wife’s help.

In order to catch a flight to Chicago for a business meeting, he had to get up at 5 a.m.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he wrote on a piece of paper, “Please wake me at 5 a.m.”

The next morning the man woke up only to discover his wife was already out of bed, it was 9 a.m., and his flight had long since departed.

He was about to find his wife and demand an answer for her failings when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.

He read, “It’s 5 a.m.

Wake up.”

Now, coming back to God’s silence...

When Lazarus was sick, Jesus seemed to wait forever to go and help him!

He seemed late… He didn’t explain a lot to Mary and Martha, but He knew the why and the time He needed to be silent.

While in silent, Jesus is still working!

When Lazarus died, Jesus seemed to wait forever!

He always has a plan!!

john 11

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Nevertheless, As soon as the time was right, Jesus brought his friend Lazarus back to life!

But… We might have some delay in our answer because of spiritual opposition, as well.

daniel 10:12,13

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But the Canaanite woman was tireless... and so she passed to the second test...

Illustration

But the woman insisted... and went to her second test.

2. The test of Exclusivity/Priority

Request: This time, the disciples got disturbed by her request, and decided to talk to Jesus.

matt 15.23

It’s important to notice here that the answer of the disciples implied in HELPING her, not dismissing her without compassion.

Jesus’ answer: I was not sent to you.

matt 15.24

In , Jesus had sent disciples before and the instructions were to preach in Israel:

matt 10tested .....

So many times we hear: This is not for you, it’s for someone else… and we get frustrated.

Yes, the gentiles would be visited for salvation by the Holy Spirit later, after the resurrection of the Lord.

So many times we hear: This is not for you, it’s for someone else… and we get frustrated.

In Jesus explains to another woman, the Samaritan, that salvation came indeed from the Jews!

Now, we have to understand ORDER.

God knows everything, and sometimes things will not follow our plan of events.

That woman understood that!

She understood that even though she was not exclusive, she wasn’t as well being excluded, she was just in a different order in God’s plan.