Season 4 Podcast 130 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 15, 21-39, Pt 2, “Miracles.”

Season 4 Podcast 130 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 15, 21-39, Pt 2, “Miracles.”In Matthew Chapter 15 Part 1, verses 1-20, we examined False Traditions. In this the second half of Matthew 15 we shall address miracles.Matthew 15: 21-2621 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.25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.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.If the words of the Savior appear harsh, we must remember that Christ can do no miracle except by the faith of the people who receive the miracle. He was testing her faith. Now if you put yourself in the woman of Canaan’s shoes, see if it doesn’t appear very familiar.There are three levels of faith tested here:First Level. Christ ignores the woman: “He answered her not a word.” How many of you have felt ignored when you asked for a miracle. A long period of time may happen, and heaven appears completely silent. Many quit. Some get angry and turn against God. Some lose their faith. The woman of Canaan persisted. How long the silence lasts varies for everyone. Persistence is critical.Second Level. Christ appears to insult the woman of Canaan. Christ said, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” How many of us have felt insulted, as if we were inferior, unworthy, looked down upon, invisible to God. It is a temptation to either get angry and quit or batter ourselves into believing we are unworthy. Third Level. The woman of Canaan looks beyond the apparent affront. Her answer is the right answer. We are all beggars before God. We all, no matter who we are, eat the crumbs which fall from the master’s table. Humility is primary. Christ does not see anyone as a dog. He died for everyone equally. This Canaanite woman represents every one of us. She rose to heroic stature, and therefore her miracle is publicized for the entire world to see and learn from.  More of us identify with the woman of Canaan than we do with Peter walking on water. It is because of the woman of Canaan that all of us can expect miracles from God.The Savior, of course, already knew the power of the woman’s faith. He already knew that he would heal her daughter, and he knew her answer. Christ is the great teacher. He is teaching his disciples one of the greatest lessons they can learn. They too, when he is gone, will have to go among the gentiles and teach the gospel and perform miracles. Christ is also flying in the face of the Sadducees and Pharisees who see all non-Jews as unworthy and unclean. He puts them in their place by healing the Canaanite’s daughter. Christ is also teaching the gentiles that like the Jews they must humble themselves and come unto him to be saved.