Savior, this Jesus is mine. Loving He loves me. Dying, he saved me. Buried, he carried my sins far
away. Rising, he justified freely forever. One day he's coming, O glorious
day. I hope he comes today. Amen. Before I even start. Thank you, John. John and Jeanette,
I may again remind you that we will not have services on Wednesday
this week. And once again, our pastor, Paul
and Mindy, are in Sylacauga, Alabama. Paul's preaching at
the Larry Crisp there this morning, as I'm sure most everyone knows. Larry is improving. He is home. But he's still weak. And we need to keep him in our
prayers as we have been in the past. And get him back in the
pulpit, declaring the Lord's Word. And in our pastor's absence
this morning, we're pleased once again to welcome our brother
Walter Pendleton, his wife Penny, and Paul, And Paula Pendleton
as well from Sovereign Grace Chapel. I get that backwards
all the time. Sovereign Grace Chapel at Crow
West, Virginia. And based on what we heard in
the first message this morning, we're all going to be blessed
in this second message today. So Walter, come and teach us. It is good to be here this morning. It's kind of like that bittersweet
thing that you do not like to see a brother or sister, anyone
in Christ, pastor or otherwise, having rough times, being sick. So it's kind of like that bittersweet
thing, but yet we know God has His sovereign purpose at hand
and it is good to be here. We enjoy coming here to be with
you folks. So then, turn with me to Matthew
chapter 15. Matthew chapter 15. Before I read my text for this
morning, and Brother John who read, where you at Saul? Where
you at? There you are. Thank you for reading that. Before
I read, let me say that generally speaking and most of the time
when I mention this passage and this woman who's in this passage
and this man who is in this passage, I sometimes lose it and start
crying. Maybe not uncontrollably, but I sometimes shed a few tears.
So that's why I'm laying this out here. Now, maybe that won't
happen this morning, but no guarantees. This passage just I don't know
that we should have a favorite passage in the Bible, but this
is one of my favorites, whether, if we're supposed to have one
or not. Matthew chapter 15, let's begin reading in verse 21. Same
subject as brother John read to us, only it was Mark's account.
This is Matthew. This is what Matthew writes.
Matthew 15 in verse 21. Then Jesus went thence and departed
into the coast of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan
came out of the same coast and cried unto him, saying, Have
mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. What an amazing thing
for a Canaanite woman to cry out. Thou son of David, my daughter
is grievously vexed with a devil, and I do not doubt that woman
at all. But he answered her, not a word. And his disciples came and besought
him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. That's okay,
but she cries after us. She was crying after Christ.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep
of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped
Him, saying, Lord, help me. But He answered and said, it
is not meat, or that it is not proper to take the children's
bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said, truth, Lord. Yet the dogs eat the crumbs which
fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered and said
to her, O woman, great is thy face. Be it unto thee even as
thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole
from that very hour. And Jesus departed from thence,
and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee, and went up into a high
mountain, and sat down there. The charismatic religion reads
this passage. You know what I mean by the charismatic
religion? We'll try to sum it up and be honest in doing so.
The charismatic religion is one that loves to see signs, religious
signs, healings, tongues, all of those things. The charismatic
reads this passage and it sees exorcism by faith. They like
that exorcism stuff. Devil's coming out. Okay, it's here. Yeah, it's here. But I want you to notice that
this passage, though, ain't about a devil being cast out. Very
little is given about that happening, is it? Is that not the truth
or what? Yes, a devil was, a demon was
cast out, but that's not the message, is it? The health and
wealth folk. You all don't have any of those
around here, do you? The health and wealth folk. What do I mean
by that? Those who believe that Faith is about you being able
to get and grab everything you can have in this world. The health
and wealth folk read this, they hear, great is thy faith. They
like that. Huh? Oh, but let me tell you,
that's here. Great is thy faith. But listen
to me. This woman was given that faith
and she possessed it as hers because God Almighty gave it
to her. It did not arise from within her. How do I know that? Just read
this book. The Free Willers. I don't have
any of those around here either, do you? The Free Willers reads
this and they see faith and as thou wilt. They like that part. See it? Isn't that what he said?
He said that, did he not? Yes, he said that. But let me
tell you, when you have true faith, your will will be bent
toward God's will. Jesus Christ healed this young
woman. The mother is asking for her
daughter. Jesus Christ healed, that is cast out this demon to
manifest his messy and claims. If that is not true, then everyone
who is sick doesn't have faith and everyone who is well has
faith. Is that not true? It has nothing to do with anything
like that. Everything Jesus Christ did when He condescended and
came to this world, when it came to miracles and healings and
all of those things, was to manifest His messianic claims, His right. Sadly, one thing that all religion
except for one misses when it comes to this passage, they all
miss the great object and subject of mercy. Jesus Christ. That's the sad thing is they,
everybody, they zero in on this little point or that little point,
which is a good point. It's a valid point, but it's
all meant to point us toward the very central object of faith
itself. That's God's beloved son. God's
beloved son. That faith, which God honors,
is pride. from the get-go. You hear what
I said? When I was a lot younger, and
of course I started preaching when I was quite young, 22, 23,
whatever it was, I thought I knew a lot. One thing I've learned
after about 35 years is how much I don't know. And I used to think about faith being
tried. But little did I realize that the faith that God had given
me was tried just like this woman's was right from the get-go. I
was raised up in a family church, if you know what I mean. What
I mean by that is many of the people in that church, probably
100, 120, 130 people, half of them were probably my kinfolk.
And when God Almighty revealed His Son in me, my kinfolk said,
get out. Get out. He even had a few of
these raised and it hurt. It was tough. Some people that I cared about
and still care about, Kelly, they still go to that place and
they still hate God's Christ just as much as they ever did.
And that saddens me. But you think about What this
woman went through right from the get-go, right from the start. Religion, and you especially
see it, or maybe you don't see it now, he's not doing it anymore,
but, and I forgot, Billy Graham, the big crusades, and people
coming down the aisle, being saved, and they're chewing their
chewing gum and happy. That ain't the way it works,
folks. That is not salvation. Salvation is God Almighty's will
put your face in the dirt and cause you to confess who you
are and who Jesus Christ is. It's always that way. Maybe some
in a little more difficult trying circumstances than others, but
it's always all that way. If God hadn't stuck your face
in the dirt to fall down before Jesus Christ's feet, you know
what you read John? She fell at his feet. If you've
never been conquered by Jesus Christ to where you fall down
at his feet, you're not saved. And I don't say that to you to
preach down to you. I'm trying to warn you just maybe
God might show you something. That faith which God honors is
tried from the get-go. Peter wrote this, that the trial
of our faith is precious. He didn't just say, now faith
is precious. Yes. Oh yes, but he didn't just
say faith. He said the trial of your faith
being more precious than of gold that perisheth. And I'd like
to have a pocket full of gold this morning. I really would. Me and my wife always talking
about, you know, we'd come out in the evening and check the
mail and there'd be a million dollars in there for me. But that's all flesh. You know that. We say it tongue
in cheek, it's all flesh. The trial of your faith. And
trial, by its very word, means it's something that's not pleasant,
but it's absolutely necessary and beneficial. That's what I
want to try to talk to you about for the next 30, 35, 40, 45,
50, 60, 70 minutes. I'm not going to let that stop me. Faith tried and true. Oh God, I want that kind of faith.
Because if I don't have that kind of faith, no matter what
I've done all these years, standing behind podiums like this, if
I don't have that kind of faith, I will perish in hell justly. Justly. Two things. First of all, two
things. Those given faith will be put
to the test. Their faith will be tried. They
will be put under pressure to confess Christ's glory. To confess Christ's glory. Yes, this has to do with a woman
seeking of her daughter having a devil cast out of that child.
But notice the faith she had is no different than the very
faith that men and women have when God brings them to a saving,
understanding, knowledge, and love for Jesus Christ. Because
it's all the same faith. It's all the same faith. Those
given faith will be put to the test. They will be tried. They
will be pressured from the get-go to confess Christ's glory. Secondly, physical circumstances. Think about this now. Physical
circumstances never determine God's eternal intent. Keep that
in mind for a moment. You know what I'm saying? Physical
circumstances never determine God's eternal intent. Hear the word about this faith
that's tried and true. Faith's first order is to honor
its object. Right? Verse 22. And behold,
and I could just see Mark, he's thinking about this now probably
in a different light of what he thought about Canaanite women
before when he wrote this. And that's evident from what
the disciples did. But be that as it may, they say, and behold,
he's still amazed by this. And behold, a woman of Canaan
came out of the same coast and cried unto him saying, have mercy
on me, what's the first thing? Oh Lord. You see it? Here is this woman that is of
a group of people that were some of the worst idolaters that ever
walked God's green earth and some of the most ungodly, filthy
practices that cannot and should not probably even be mentioned
in open public. And yet she's crying out to this
Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, O Lord, Thou Son of David. Faith's first order is that it
will always honor its object. If Christ is not the object of
my faith, my faith is vain. It's vain. And so is yours. And so is yours. That's simple
enough, is it not? Second, faith cannot relent even
amid silence and cruelty. True faith will not relent even
amid silence and cruelty. She said, Oh Lord, thou son of
David, my daughter. She wasn't even asking anything
really even for herself. My daughter is grievously vexed
with the devil and there's no need for me to try to speculate
on it, but evidently it was bad. But he answered her, not a word. He, folks, objectively speaking,
he ignored her. Did he not? Now apply that to
the religion you hear preached all around. Let a preacher ignore somebody
today and see what happens. Huh? Well, the preacher didn't
shake my hand. Well, maybe because you didn't
deserve to have your hand shook. Huh? I remember one brother one
time, I forgot his name now, he was down in Texas. He's gone
on to be with Christ now. Some folks come in on Christmas
or Thanksgiving, you know, a lot of folks come in to the, you
know, the assembly on those religious days or holidays. And you know
how we usually, you know, folks come in and we just all so glad
to have all of our visitors here. You know what that brother did?
He said, each one of you visitors here, when you leave this, before
you leave this building today, you need to thank every believer
in this building that you had a place to go worship that was
warm when it's cold and hot. And when it's hot outside, it's
cool inside and nice, soft seats to sit in. And that they're supporting
a pastor that's preaching the gospel. And you ought to thank
every one of them for it. Now that's what the visitors ought
to be told. Huh? Yeah. That was a rabbit track,
wasn't it? No. Faith cannot relent, even
amid silence. And look at what the disciples
did. They took His silence as an opportunity
to lash out. And His disciples came and besought
Him, saying, send her away, for she crieth after us. I don't
know all the circumstances, and I'm sure we're not told everything
here, but we're told exactly what God knows we need to hear.
That's the whole point. Now you think about this. They
were saying, send her away empty. Who cares about that little daughter
down there? Huh? Huh? Think of that. Yeah, these. Oh God, help me. And that's all I'm going to say
about that. Oh God, help me. Help me to be gracious. It ain't
about me determining who deserves grace. It ain't about me determining
who should have mercy. None of us should have mercy.
And thank God, I'm not the one that's determined. You best thank
God for that. If you get on my bad side, you'd
never have it. Disciples came and besought him
saying, send her away for she cries after us. Think of it,
the physical circumstances seem to be totally against this woman.
Right? The Lord Himself ignored her.
Isn't that what happened? If somebody did that to you,
what would you say? They ignored me. But He answered her not. Not a word. And then the disciples
said, get her out of here. Oh, but bless God, she had a
God-given face that could not relent. But let me tell you, as I said,
Physical circumstances never determine God's eternal intent.
Brother, I asked you to read that passage, and I read this
one, and I asked you to read one verse at the end that actually
starts the next thing. Think about this. Everything
that she could see was against her, right? But our Lord had
left Genesaret, that's right at the northern top of the Sea
of Galilee. And there's a little town there,
but it's also an area called Genesaret. He walked, or whatever,
but he went from Genesaret all the way to Tyre and Sidon. That's
35 miles. It's 25.3, according to one of
the internet things, from here to Roanoke. So it was further
than going from here to Roanoke, and he did not have a car. And
he left Genesaret. In the midst of a revival, he
just departed. Then Jesus went thence and departed
into the coast of Tyre and Sidon, went 35 miles, went into a house. And we just want to stay there
for a while. But His fame could not be hid. And this woman hears
about Him and she comes over and He blesses her in the end.
She's blessed. And He turns around and walks
and goes right straight back to Calvary. Huh? Was he really ignoring her, John?
No. He had her in his heart and mind
when he left Jenezeret. He was thinking about this woman
and her daughter before he had ever left the Sea of Galilee.
Because he came there, performed this great mercy, and then turns
right around and walks all the way back. That's a lot. Start out this morning in Toronto.
You've still got ten miles at least to go. Physical circumstances never
determine God's eternal intent. And I have a tough time with
that. Because I think I'm figuring out what God's doing by what
I see in front of me. Huh? But aren't you glad, though,
that a God-given faith will not relent, no matter what? Even
when I would. Even when I would. Again, faith's
first order is to honor its object. You are the Lord, and you're
the Son of David. You know what she said? You're
the Messiah. And you've got a right to the throne. That's right. You rule. You are over God's
people. All blessings to God's people
come from you. She knew that. How? It had to
come from this book somewhere, but I don't know where. I don't
know the immediate tool, Kelly, that God used, but somewhere
He taught this Gentile dog. There's a man coming and he'll
be called the son of David. This was hundreds of years after
David was gone. Secondly, faith cannot relent
even amidst all of that cruelty. Our Lord was not indifferent
to this woman. Oh no. Oh no. Faith is always
put to the test. And it's not just about, okay,
well, you would think after this, I would think, here's the way
I do things. Well, I've not said a word to her, the disciple's
now trying to get me to send her away, it's time to start
giving some mercy out here, right? Right? That's not what he did,
did he? But he answered and said, verse
24, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep, the elect, he confronted
this woman, and his disciples now with this one great fact,
God Almighty is absolutely sovereign in salvation. He didn't say, I'm not sent but
into the house of Israel. That's not what he said, is it?
He said, I am not sent but into the lost sheep of the house of
Israel, the elect, God's true Israel. I can imagine. Notice the disciples don't give
another peep. That's it. All's it took was
sovereign election. Those who were believers before,
just shut up. All right, just shut up now. God's in charge
of this thing. Shut up. That's what they did,
evidently, right? We don't hear another peep from
them. They're just tagging along. Then the next thing you know,
turns around, got to walk another 35 miles all the way back again
following. I can see it now. For one Gentile, baby, period.
One Gentile and his wife and daughter. And still didn't know
something was coming down the pike, even when the Old Testament
prophesied it was going to happen. God help us. That's all I said
on God help us. He answered and said, I am not
sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But look,
true, tried faith will not and cannot relent. Then came she
and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. Now's the time to show mercy,
right? But he's not done testing his
faith yet, is he? Now is the time. Give the woman
her desire. Show her mercy. Show her daughter
mercy. Right? Look. But he's not done
with her yet. Why? Because he doesn't like
her. Oh, he loved this woman before the foundation of the
world. He was going and had his face set like a flint to Jerusalem
to die for this woman. But he answered and said, it
is not proper, it's not meet, to take the children's bread
and to cast it to dogs. Now he insults her. Now, you
know that's what a lot of people think, that Grace Preacher, well
you're just always up there insulting people. No, we're just telling
you the truth about yourself. You're a dirty, dead dog. You're
an unclean animal. And so am I. I'm not preaching
down to you. Other than geographically, I'm up here and you're down on
that level. I'm not preaching down to you. You're an unclean
dog. And if there's any time that
a person had the right, you know, we hear about all that and this
and that, to say, well, I'm done with this. I'm going back to
my house and just deal with my daughter as she is and maybe
call upon the gods of Cain. Huh? Could she not have done
that? She could have, other than this
one thing that was down in her that would not relent. It couldn't
quit. It wouldn't give up. Here's where
mercy comes from, and here only, and I must stay here no matter
what. She said, well, Lord, let's debate
this now. That's not the right words to
use. This is not really acceptable language, my Lord." Is that what
she said? And she said, truth, Lord. I'm a dog. That's right. That's where it's
at, folks. Truth, Lord. Yet, the dogs eat the crumbs
which fall from their master's table, she said, you're right,
Lord, I'm nothing but a dog, but I'm your dog. You see that? Folks, that's free
sovereign grace. That's what we men try to preach
every Sunday, Sunday night, Wednesday, whenever it is. This is the gospel
that we're talking about here. You see the glory of Christ.
You see the dirtiness and despicableness of mankind. And she said, that's
true, Lord, I'm a dog, but I'm your dog. I'm your dog. And even a crumb is better than
all the steaks and the onions and the leeks and the goat's
meat, milk of all the gods of Canaan. Just a crumb at your
table. So she was confessing, I'm under
your table. Huh? Do you see that? Oh, what
a glory. Faith is always put to the test
with sovereign, distinguishing grace. God's going to reveal
to you when He gives you true faith that He's truly sovereign
over everything, especially salvation, and you will deal with it. And
you will eventually bow before it. And He's going to reveal
to you how despicable you are. how dirty you are, how unclean
you are, and you will deal with it, and confess it as truth,
but be grateful that even the dogs get to eat the crumbs that
fall from their master's table. A faith that's tried and true
will not relent, even in the face of sovereign grace and election."
You see, that's what he Perforce, right down her gullet, didn't
it? Right down her gullet. And then he said, you're a dog.
She said, you're right. But I'm yours. And I just need
a crumb. And I want the crumbs that come
from your table. No other table. That's what it's
about. True faith will have the screws
tightened down even tighter till finally you confess these two
great tenets. God's up there. And He's above
all things, and all men, even devils. And I'm down here in
the dirt, and I will take my place in that dirt. Oh God, by
Your grace, at His feet. And if I can but just wet His
feet with my tears, because He's my Master. See faith's confession? See? Tried and true? Truth. Truth. Truth. And don't be like Pilate.
Well, what is truth? Right here is the truth. Who
God is and who you are. Confess that. God's moving you
somewhere. If you can confess that, God's
moving you somewhere. Look at it. Think of it. Truth.
Lord. Dog. Eat. Crumbs. Table. Master. Right? And in the end, before he departs,
Think about it. In the end, before he departs
at his 35 miles plus probably, all the way back down to Genesaret,
actually over into Decapolis, a little further than the first
trip, where did the mother find her daughter? Resting. Did you read it, brother? Where
did she find her daughter when she went back to the house? Resting. John, don't you figure she was
resting too? Don't you figure Mama was resting too? And I figure
four days. Oh no, no, wait a minute. I figure
for weeks. Oh no, no, wait a minute. I figure
for months. Yeah, but even more, I figure
for years. Yeah, but I figure until the
day she died. She never forgot that man. Did
she? She may and probably ever never
met him ever again physically. Oh, but she never got over this
one encounter. when he left and he started this
whole thing. Did he not? He could have stayed
down there in Genesaret. Now, couldn't he? He went right
back there after this was over. Went all the way up there, 35
miles, trudging along. Shows this woman and her daughter
mercy by showing them who he really is and who they really
are, and calls in the mama to confess it. And then he just
turns around and walks Now hear our Lord's words. Then
Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith. What do you want? Mercy. That's
what she cried. I need some mercy for my daughter. That's what I need. Mercy. That's the whole point.
Mercy. Mercy. Do you know about mercy? I need
mercy. Why? Because I don't deserve
anything but wrath. I'm a dog. And you remember,
not all dogs are okay. Turn to the book of the Revelation,
and it speaks about a city, and without that city are what? On
the outside are what? Dogs. You're going to have to
be his dog. You're going to have to be his
dog that's eating his crumbs at his table, not just any dog. I know some folks, I don't say
this lighthearted, I know some folks, they believe in total
depravity with all their heart. And they live it too. You look at them, you
know they're just an old dirty dog sinner. But they don't want
to bow down and eat the crumbs at the master's table. They want
to be a dog running free. And do what they want to do.
No, it's being a dog where? At the master's table. Bowing
down there at his feet. Eating the crumb, whatever crumb
he'll give me, that's good enough. That's good enough. See something
there? Then he just, what does he do? He just, he gets up and
just hightails it right out of town. But when that woman goes
home, where's her daughter at? Look at it. Now turn to Mark.
Now, her brother read it to us. Mark chapter 7. And when she was, verse 20, verse
30 of Mark 7, and when she was come to her house, she found
the devil gone out and her daughter laid upon the bed. And again, departing. He said,
hmm, folks, if he went all the way, no, if he went through all
that for her, and you said, but I don't deserve anything like
that, she didn't either. She didn't either. That's part of
the process, is God showing you you don't deserve it. He's just
pleased to give it to you. Now, if it's within your grasp,
you hear what I'm saying? If it's within your grasp, oh,
lay hold of it by faith with all your might and pull it in
and say with Jacob, I will not let you go until you bless me. That's not free willism. That's
what God does when he conquers your heart. In my will, I wouldn't
do that. I'd have gotten mad at him and
left it to get go. Wouldn't you, by nature? Oh,
but that faith, you can't relent. Can't give up. Can't quit. Just
possibly imagine, oh, Walter. Greatest, I think. Oh, God. Oh, God. Give me that faith. If I don't
have it today, give it to me today. That's all I can say. I'm not going to look back at
yesterday and rest on that because it says concerning faith in the
book of Hebrews, these all died in faith. I guarantee you this
woman never got over that day, did she? She never could forget
that man. I bet you, she didn't think about
devils whenever she'd be reminded of this. Who do you think she
was thinking about when she was reminded of this one day up there
at the coast of Tyre and Sidon, a man called Jesus of Nazareth,
the Lord, the son of David. Father, oh God, teach us these
things. Bow us to your son in a faith,
a God-given faith that will not relent. In Christ's name, amen. I think we should just quit on
that. Well, I will go back to your
back door. Thank you, brother. That's a good place to stop.
Good place to stop.