Lord, Help Me

Q: What does the Bible say about God's mercy?

God's mercy is a fundamental aspect of His character, demonstrating compassion toward sinners. The Scriptures frequently affirm God's mercy, highlighting His willingness to forgive, help, and save those in desperate need. In Matthew 15:22, the Syrophoenician woman cries out for mercy from Jesus, recognizing Him as the only one who can provide what she desperately needs for her daughter. This act illustrates the beautiful truth that God comes to those who cannot approach Him on their own, revealing the depth of His sovereign grace and the necessity of divine mercy in salvation.

Q: Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

Election is crucial as it underscores God's sovereign choice in salvation, providing assurance of grace. The doctrine of election is foundational in Reformed theology, emphasizing that salvation is initiated and accomplished by God's sovereign grace without human merit. Jesus states in Matthew 15:24 that He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, indicating that there are specific people whom God has chosen to savingly draw to Himself. This truth offers comfort and assurance to believers, knowing that their faith and acceptance by God are not based on their own actions but are fully rooted in His electing grace. Knowing we are chosen encourages confidence in God's commitment to us, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 1:26-27.

Q: How do we know that Jesus is the Messiah?

Jesus' identity as the Messiah is confirmed through His fulfillment of prophecies and His divine nature. The identification of Jesus as the Messiah is rooted in the witness of Scripture and His own claims. In Matthew 15:22, the Syrophoenician woman acknowledges Him as 'Lord, thou son of David,' recognizing His messianic identity. This confession is significant as it denotes her understanding that Jesus is not merely a prophet or healer but the promised Savior. Furthermore, the New Testament constantly reaffirms Jesus' divine nature through His miracles, teaching, and ultimately His resurrection, validating the claims made about Him throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, establishing Him firmly as the Messiah.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to cry out to God for help?

Crying out to God reflects our recognition of our need for His mercy and intervention in our lives. Crying out to God, as demonstrated by the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15:25, exemplifies humility and dependence on His mercy. It is a recognition that humans are unable to save themselves and need divine intervention. This desperate appeal is not just a plea but an acknowledgment of His sovereignty and power over our circumstances. When we cry out, we are expressing faith in His ability to help us and recognizing His gracious willingness to respond to our needs. As Christians, this act cultivates a deeper relationship with God, affirming our trust in Him to act according to His perfect will.

Q: What does the silence of Jesus in the Bible signify?

Jesus' silence often serves to deepen our faith and reveal our true dependence on Him. In the passage from Matthew 15:23, Jesus remains silent in response to the woman's pleas, which may initially seem perplexing. However, His silence is purposeful, designed to lead her (and us) to a deeper understanding of her own need and the nature of faith. This waiting period often results in a more profound reliance on God, showcasing that true faith persists even in the absence of immediate answers. The silence does not signify disinterest but encourages a more intense pursuit of Him, fostering a relationship grounded in trust and dependence rather than mere transactional requests for help.

Well, it's good to be home. I appreciate so much Neil preaching. Thank the Lord for his mercy to provide. I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter 15. Matthew 15. I'd like to look at verses 21, 28. And I've entitled this message, Lord, Help Me.

You know, that's the cry of one that's in trouble, one that is in need of help from one who alone can help. And I'd like to consider this passage of scripture. And I know we've heard this before. This is the story of a Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was grievously vexed with the devil.

But of all the times that I've heard this passage read, preached on, considered, it never ceases to grow more and more precious. the more we consider it. Verse 21. Now, as I began to read, the Lord has been dealing with some Pharisees that has come to Him and reprimanded Him for allowing His disciples to eat some bread with hands that weren't washed He's heard these Pharisees, that's what they are, the Pharisees, finders of thought, looking for some reason to lift up themselves is what they're wanting to do. They want to reprimand the Lord, but they want to show him how spiritual they are. But all that does is just make the unloveliness of a person appear. Almighty God is coming to this world to save needy sinners. The scripture says in verse 21, after these people had tried to put the Lord in his place, verse 21 says, then Jesus went thence and departed into the coast of Tyre Now, the spirit reveals the place.

And here again, as I read these things, I was so thankful to just see those words. He went to a certain place. He went to Tyre and Sidon. He came into this world to seek and save that which was lost, but he was also, the scripture says, he was here going about doing the father's business. And the father obviously had a people that was in this place. And there was a certain woman in this place who must have her path crossed by the Lord Jesus Christ. He must. He must come to this woman. She couldn't come to him. She wouldn't come to him. And here he is coming to her. Gonna draw her by sovereign grace.

And the scripture says in verse 22, and behold, I love that word. Look at this. This is what the Spirit of God is saying. You take a look at this. You watch. You perceive. I want you to notice. That's what the word behold means. And behold. discern what God Almighty is about to do. And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the coast and cried unto him, saying, have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. Behold, the time of love had come for this woman, Ezekiel 16, 8. Now, when I passed by thee and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love. I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness.

Oh, isn't it a blessing? thing to consider that the Lord knows not only his sheep, but he knows the time of their calling, the time of his arriving unto them. I kind of wonder sometimes how is it that the Lord may be pleased to call a young one out of darkness, but sometimes it may be one that's in well in age. before he calls.

Why does he do that? Because his times, our times, are in his hands. His time for us is in his hands. He knows. And he's going to keep us. How thankful I am. And you that know him, how thankful you are that the Lord didn't take you. Now you can just reflect back. on your life coming up and realize, oh, if the Lord had not kept me, I would have been gone. But by His grace, by His power, mercy, He kept me until the time of His kindness, sovereign grace, mercy to me. When it arrived, then He came. He came to me. Here was the seeking Lord. Here was one that the Lord caused to seek Him. She was in dire strait. And obviously, she had heard something. I don't know. The Scripture doesn't say when she first heard Him, but I know this.

I know when she came to this conclusion, this blessed conclusion, that this was the Lord. And not only did the Scripture revealed himself to be the Lord, who he is, the Lord, sovereign Lord, God Almighty. It says in the middle of verse 22, have mercy on me, Lord, thou son of David. You know what she just confessed? You are the Messiah. I know who you are. You're the Messiah, you're God in human flesh.

This is not just a miracle worker or one that claims to be a miracle worker, but this is God. Lord, Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 12, 3, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, by the Holy Spirit. Nobody can say that. You got to have a heart to know that. Man by nature thinks you can work miracles like Nicodemus said. We know that, you know, you work miracles. Nobody can do the miracles you do except God be with him. This is God. This is the Lord.

And this woman obviously was drawn by the spirit of God to come to the Lord. Psalm 65, verse 4 says, blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causeth to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. If the Lord has given any man, any woman a heart to come to him and cast themselves upon him for mercy. Now that's a blessed man. That's a blessed person, blessed. that they would have a heart to come and cry out to the Lord. Oh, what a glorious display. This is sovereign, saving grace. This is how the Lord saves his people.

This woman was a woman out of Tyre and Sidon that she was a Canaanite. Cain and I, this is what the scripture says about as a general rule, can I say it that way? This woman was, naturally speaking, out of a group of people that were rejected in Deuteronomy 7, 1 and 2.

I'll read this to you. When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it and hath cast out Many nations before thee, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou. When the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them. Thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them.

Now this is the family, this is the nation that this woman's from. This is who she has been born into. A rejected nation. But God. Somebody said, this woman, this woman right here, she was a Canaanite. She didn't deserve for the Lord to show her mercy. Do we? We're all Canaanites by birth, by nature. We're all Perizzites and Hivites and Jebusites and all the other sites that by nature have rejected the Lord.

But how merciful was the Lord to call this one to be his own, the one that had been given him in electing, saving grace. Here is one has come out of a cursed nation, standing before him. And with all of us born in Adam, in Adam all die. I mean, if we're going to talk about being fair, humanly speaking, fair, we all deserve to die. Our mothers conceived us in sin. We all came forth as rebels against God. Let us grow up a little bit, and we'll prove it by our actions, by our mouth.

But scripture says in 1 Corinthians 1, 26, 27, for you see your calling, brethren, how that not many, in my notes I underline many, not many, Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound things which are mighty. The base things of the world and things that are despised has God chosen, yea, things which are not to bring to naught the things that are. that no flesh should glory in his presence. Let me ask you this, who maketh any of us to differ?

This woman, here she was, she was born into a nation that was rejected of God. She was guilty, I said, in herself, but here's one that God has been pleased to show mercy. This woman's daughter, scripture says, is grievously vexed with the devil. But this is God's devil. This is God's devil.

This is the one that Almighty God rules over. He does as he will. The Lord does as he will in the army of heaven among the inhabitants And no man can stay his hand. If God is pleased to show mercy to one like me or you, or this Canaanite woman, who are we to question the Lord?

Here's this woman, she comes to the Lord, and she tells him, our son of David, my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. My daughter's sick. My daughter is sick. She's got a devil that's vexing her. I've got one that I love, and she's in trouble, and now she's in trouble, I'm in trouble, because it's my daughter. Daughter that I love. All things. Whatever any of us are going through, whatever any of us are going through, all things work together for good. Almighty God was pleased to allow Satan.

You remember when Job, you know, come and the Lord's talking to Job, have you considered my servant Job? Oh, yeah. I've considered him, but you've got a hedge around him. I can't get to him unless you allow me to. That's what he's saying. The Lord said, you can touch his body. You can't kill him, but you can touch his body. That's all you can do.

This woman right here was allowed of God to be vexed with the devil. That's God's devil. That girl right there, that's God's girl. That's God's daughter. God made her. And he made her for his glory and for the good of his people. And he allowed Satan to vex this girl. Whenever we get sick, whenever anything happens, remember this, the Lord has allowed it. The Lord has ordered it for His glory.

I'm telling you right now, that's great comfort to me. And I know it is to you too, you that know Him. If I'm made to realize that everything that happens in this world is ordered by God to glorify Christ for the good of his people, the instruction of his people, would settle down. My problem is that that old man that's in me, he doesn't know. He rebels against God. Why in the world did this happen to me? My daughter's grieving sick.

But when the Lord is pleased to reveal himself to one of the objects of his mercy, they're gonna say the very thing that David was moved to say in Psalm 119, 71. It's good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. This is gonna surprise you, I'm sure. I looked up that word, that I might learn thy statutes. Here's what it means. Prescribed due. This is what the Lord has prescribed for me. This is what the Lord has prescribed for you. Whatever you're going through, it's what the Lord has prescribed. This woman came, My daughter, verse 22, grievously vexed. Look at verse 23.

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. The Lord did not even answer her. She came and she cried unto him, Lord, My daughter is sick. She's grievously vexed with the devil. And the Lord didn't say anything to her. His silence was to draw this woman more closely to him. She knew that this was the Messiah. She knew that this is God. This is God.

Where else am I going to go? There's no other place. Lord, if you don't help me, if you don't heal my daughter, she's gone. Lord, if you don't do something, nothing is going to be done. There's no doctors to help. There's nothing. The Lord did not answer it, not out of a lack of concern for her. It wasn't that. But all the wisdom of God, to be silent, the wisdom of the Lord.

I know just a little bit. I know a little bit. And I'm serious. I'm not saying that just to sound spiritual, Neil. I mean it. I know a little bit about suffering. I really don't. There's people in this congregation that know a whole lot more about it than I do. But I'm telling you, as I'm made to wait, to wait, and things happen, and things, you know, and you go to a doctor, and a doctor tells you after you've been in the hospital for a few days, and you do that two or three times, and they said, we don't know what to do.

There's silence. You know what it makes me do? It makes me cry, Lord, if you don't do something. Lord, if you don't do something. This is it. This is it for me. You told me that it's appointed unto man wants to die. Lord, and if this is my time, Lord, I know this. I know that I'm going to ask. I'm going to ask. But Lord, unless you help me. He was silent. He didn't say a word to this woman. But then after a while, verse 24, but he answered and said, after he was silent, this was his first words to her, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

There was so much said in that verse right there. You know what, the first thing I noticed, you talk about the proof of election. I'm not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That tells me that there is an election unto salvation. I'm sent to a particular people. This is a particular Grace situation. I'm not sent to anybody except. I've heard people say, now I don't believe that election stuff. I don't believe this. Well, according to the word of the Lord, he said, I'm not sent to anybody except the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

That's the ones he came to seek and save. Spiritual Israel, you know that. Here is the will and the work of the father that set forth in electing grace. The lost sheep of the house of Israel. Oh, but could it be that this woman here is one of those sheep? One of the sheep that he eternally knew knew in grace, knew in mercy.

And she's standing before him now, and he alone knew who she was in relationship to him. He knew. I'm not sent except. And this woman knew, if you pass me by, if you leave me now, Where am I going to go? Remember the disciples, when the Lord asked them, you know, will you go away also? Peter said, where are we going to go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we're sure that you're the Christ. We're sure of that.

You that know him, you know what you know concerning him. You know that he's the Christ. You know that he's here right now. Two or three are gathered, I'm sure, in this place. He said, I'm in the presence of you. Just stop and just think. And thank him right now. He's here. He hears. He's hearing. He's hearing what's being said. He knows. He knows his sheep. He's comforting his sheep by his spirit.

Sent the word to him. Oh, but I want you to notice the effect when he at first said not a word to her. Then he said, but I'm not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Instead of this woman arguing with him and finding fault with what he said, well, I thought you were going to show. You know what she did? Look at verse 25. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.

I know, according to your word, you're sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. I know that you have a particular people. I know that election is unto a grace. I know that you have the power, Lord, to save or to damn. But I'm asking you. I'm asking you right now. Lord, I know what you've said. I know what you've said. Would you help me? Would you help me?

I've read so many times that thief on the cross. There is no telling how many times this has crossed my mind. That thief on the cross that was railing on the Lord, just like the other thief was for a while. The scripture just reveals that all of a sudden, there was a change of attitude, there was a change of speech.

And he said, you know, we deserve what we're getting. And I know it. I can tell you this for a fact, I know this, if the Lord put me in hell, Lord help me, please don't put me in hell. But I can tell you this, if he put me in hell, I know this, he's right. Because I deserve it. I deserve it. Somebody say, I deserve for God to show mercy.

No, I don't. I don't deserve it. What I deserve is I deserve to be cast out. This woman was born in a land that was rejected of God. Scriptures revealed that the Lord had told his prophets, men, You don't show mercy to any of them, Canaanites, Perizzites, all of them. Don't show mercy to them.

But here's this woman. I know where I've come. I know from whence I've come. I know where I've come from. I know that. I know that. I know I'm a Canaanite. I know I'm coming out of a land of rejected people. I know that. But Lord, help me. Help me. Lord, don't pass me by. Like when the Lord was walking on the water, his disciples out there rowing in a boat, and he made it appear as though he was going to pass them by. And he cried out, Lord, don't pass me by. You that know him, I guarantee you, if not outwardly, inwardly, you cry, Lord, don't pass me by. Lord, don't leave me to myself. Lord, if you leave me to myself, I know where I'm going to be the moment I take my last breath. I know where I'll be. Lord, help me. Lord, save me.

This woman, verse 25, scripture says, then came she and kissed his hand is what the definition is. She kissed his hand. She kicked, kissed his hand. Lord, She worshipped him. This was a woman in trouble, appealing to the Lord for mercy for her daughter. And she prostrated herself before him and adored him, the one who was her God, her master. Again, notice the wisdom of the Lord in verse 26. Here she is, this woman is literally at her wits end, verse 26. But he answered and said, it is not meet, it's not fit to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. It's not fit. It's not right. It's not right.

But, oh, hope that is deferred, oh, is hope that is blessed to cry out unto the Lord. This woman possessed the same heart that was given to Job, Job 13, 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Lord, if you kill me, If you kill me, if you take my life, Lord, being kept by your power and your grace, I'm going to trust you. If you kill me, it was for my good to take me into your presence.

And then the Lord taught this woman the value and the preciousness of the children's bread. You know what the children's bread is? Right here. Here's the children's bread right here. What this gospel reveals concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said, I'm the bread came down from heaven. Here's the children's bread. This is what you want. This is what you feast on. This is the life.

You said this, this is, this is basically, yeah, some by nature say, well, you basically say the same things over and over again. Let me ask you this, you that know him, would you want me to say something different? Tell me the same story over and over and over again. You tell me one more time, but I'm so prone to forget. Tell me again how the Lord has been pleased to show mercy to me for not thanking him as I should, for not being appreciative as I should. The Lord said, it's not meet, verse 26, not meet, not fit. Take children's bread, cast it to dogs, 27, 28. And she said, truth, Lord, I'm in total agreement with you. Yet the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the master's table.

You that know him, we assemble ourselves. try and pray and ask the Lord to give me a message. These men that preach, they seek the Lord's direction and guidance and make preparation, do all that we can, trying to look up the words and preach a message.

And out of that message, there might be one thing that's said, one statement, one thing that's said in a whole message that might just Speak to your heart. Just a statement, one sentence out of the whole message. But that one sentence, that one word just blessed your heart. You say, yeah, but that was just a crumb of what I prepared.

This woman said, truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. If it came from you, Lord, whatever you allowed me to hear, It was good. It was good. I'd take that home with me. I'd go to bed with that. I'd sleep with that thought. Rest in the Lord. Verse 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. The Lord taught this woman the value of the preciousness of the children of bread. How precious is this gospel? We're here tonight as we come together every time. Just tell me again, tell me one more time.

And Lord, if you'd be pleased to just bless a word to my heart and ignite my heart with joy and thankfulness and appreciation for what you've done. If I get one word blessed by you, to me, I am a blessed man, woman, blessed Lord. Oh, the blessed reason set forth by this woman and her appreciation. Lord, what you're saying is so, it's true. But Lord, I know I'm born into a nation that's been rejected by you. I know we deserve everything we get.

But Lord, if you'll just give me a word, just give me a word. I think about sometimes you've See somebody in there across the room, you just, you know, don't say anything to them, you just look, just this. That was a mouthful, wasn't it, Greg? Just a word, just, how you doing? Everything going all right? Good to see you. Just a little nod, you just give me a crumb. Lord, I'll go away a blessed woman. And the Lord was pleased to heal that daughter, that very hour. Oh, bless the Lord. that he has given us a heart to want to come and be satisfied with whatever he's pleased to give us for his glory and our good.

Lord, Help Me

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's mercy?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

How do we know that Jesus is the Messiah?

Why is it important for Christians to cry out to God for help?

What does the silence of Jesus in the Bible signify?

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About Marvin Stalnaker

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Lord, Help Me

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's mercy?

Why is the concept of election important for Christians?

How do we know that Jesus is the Messiah?

Why is it important for Christians to cry out to God for help?

What does the silence of Jesus in the Bible signify?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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