Three Paths to Deliverance
Mathew 15:21-39
Preached Sunday Morning January 4, 2009
Introduction:
We need the touch of God! We need His mighty deliverance! We need His deliverance from the bondage of sin, from the curse of sin, physical problems, and from the affect of sin, corrupted society. If you languish today in despair and hopelessness, this message has been providentially prepared for you. Our passage this morning tells us of three kinds of deliverance that Jesus provides. We read about Jesus providing deliverance from satanic bondage, from a physical and financial problem, and from a lack of faith. Each deliverance here comes through a different path. This morning, let us gain hope as we discover three paths to deliverance.
I. Pleading with the Master
A. There is no claim of merit
Matthew 15:21-24
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
1. Her daughter was demon possessed
2. This woman was a Canaanite
3. She had no personal claim on the Son of David
4. She had not earned His favor
B. Jesus is her only hope of deliverance
1. Have mercy
a. She needed mercy
b. Mercy is not getting what you deserve
c. She acknowledged her lack and insufficiency
2. Lord
a. She acknowledged Jesus’ absolute authority
b. She acknowledged His kingship
3. Son of God – acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah
C. Do not be deterred by an apparent lack of response.
Luke 11:7-10
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
1. Silence from Jesus – She kept pleading
Matthew 15:23
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
2. She was identified as outside physical Israel
Matthew 15:24
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Romans 15:8
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
3. She responded with worship- Acknowledging Jesus’ righteous judgment.
Matthew 15:25
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
4. He remained distant referring to her as a Gentile dog.
Matthew 15:26
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Matthew 7:6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
5. She humbly asked for the crumbs of deliverance and received them!
Matthew 15:27-28
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
D. Take lessons from this story to heart
Lamentations 3:8-26
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. 9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked. 10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. 11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. 13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. 14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. 16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
1. God is always right
2. God is merciful and will respond, when we come to Him based on His mercy, not our merit.
3. God will sometimes withdraw Himself to see if we will keep coming.
II. Seeking the Master
Matthew 15:29-31
29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
A. Jesus went to be alone
B. Thousands of people followed Him.
1. They sought deliverance
2. They changed their schedule to be in His presence
3. They exerted a great deal of physical energy to go so far out into the wilderness.
4. They were willing to go without fool in order to be in the presence of the Master.
C. Jesus met their needs as a reward for seeking Him
1. Healed them
2. Miraculously healed them
D. What will you be willing to do to be in the presence of the Master?
1. His special presence is manifested in the assembly of the believers.
2. Do you need the presence of Jesus?
3. Is there anything that keeps you from Him?
III. Obeying the Master.
Matthew 15:32-39
32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
A. He acts out of compassion
B. He could have made food out of nothing
C. He required the surrender of what little food was there
D. Upon complete surrender and obedience, Jesus met every need.
Three Paths to Deliverance
Mathew 15:21-39
Preached Sunday Morning January 4, 2009
Introduction:
We need the touch of God! We need His mighty deliverance! We need His deliverance from the bondage of sin, from the curse of sin, physical problems, and from the affect of sin, corrupted society. If you languish today in despair and hopelessness, this message has been providentially prepared for you. Our passage this morning tells us of three kinds of deliverance that Jesus provides. We read about Jesus providing deliverance from satanic bondage, from a physical and financial problem, and from a lack of faith. Each deliverance here comes through a different path. This morning, let us gain hope as we discover three paths to deliverance.
I. Pleading with the Master
A. There is no claim of merit
Matthew 15:21-24
21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
1. Her daughter was demon possessed
2. This woman was a Canaanite
3. She had no personal claim on the Son of David
4. She had not earned His favor
B. Jesus is her only hope of deliverance
1. Have mercy
a. She needed mercy
b. Mercy is not getting what you deserve
c. She acknowledged her lack and insufficiency
2. Lord
a. She acknowledged Jesus’ absolute authority
b. She acknowledged His kingship
3. Son of God – acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah
C. Do not be deterred by an apparent lack of response.
Luke 11:7-10
7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
1. Silence from Jesus – She kept pleading
Matthew 15:23
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
2. She was identified as outside physical Israel
Matthew 15:24
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Romans 15:8
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
3. She responded with worship- Acknowledging Jesus’ righteous judgment.
Matthew 15:25
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
4. He remained distant referring to her as a Gentile dog.
Matthew 15:26
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Matthew 7:6
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
5. She humbly asked for the crumbs of deliverance and received them!
Matthew 15:27-28
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
D. Take lessons from this story to heart
Lamentations 3:8-26
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. 9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked. 10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. 11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. 13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. 14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. 15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. 16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
1. God is always right
2. God is merciful and will respond, when we come to Him based on His mercy, not our merit.
3. God will sometimes withdraw Himself to see if we will keep coming.
II. Seeking the Master
Matthew 15:29-31
29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them: 31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
A. Jesus went to be alone
B. Thousands of people followed Him.
1. They sought deliverance
2. They changed their schedule to be in His presence
3. They exerted a great deal of physical energy to go so far out into the wilderness.
4. They were willing to go without fool in order to be in the presence of the Master.
C. Jesus met their needs as a reward for seeking Him
1. Healed them
2. Miraculously healed them
D. What will you be willing to do to be in the presence of the Master?
1. His special presence is manifested in the assembly of the believers.
2. Do you need the presence of Jesus?
3. Is there anything that keeps you from Him?
III. Obeying the Master.
Matthew 15:32-39
32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
A. He acts out of compassion
B. He could have made food out of nothing
C. He required the surrender of what little food was there
D. Upon complete surrender and obedience, Jesus met every need.