Reflections on Scripture with Dr. Leins
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:00 | [Music] |
| 0:07 | it was |
| 0:08 | [Music] |
| 0:16 | hello |
| 0:18 | today |
| 0:19 | let’s talk about when God hears our cry |
| 0:24 | I want to begin with a glorious Psalm |
| 0:27 | one that I suspect you already know it’s |
| 0:30 | Psalm number 61 and it begins with these |
| 0:33 | words |
| 0:35 | Hear My Cry o God attend unto my prayer |
| 0:40 | from the end of the Earth I cry out to |
| 0:44 | thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead |
| 0:47 | me to the rock that is higher than I |
| 0:50 | for thou has been of Refuge for me a |
| 0:53 | tower of strength against the enemy |
| 0:56 | let me dwell in thy tent forever let me |
| 0:59 | take refuge in the shelter of thy wings |
| 1:03 | please keep this Psalm in mind as we |
| 1:06 | talk today about Matthew chapter 15. |
| 1:11 | introduction |
| 1:12 | true spirituality |
| 1:15 | after a difficult conversation with the |
| 1:18 | Pharisees and scribes Jesus and his |
| 1:20 | disciples Departed |
| 1:22 | Jesus had been teaching his disciples |
| 1:24 | that food that goes into the mouth does |
| 1:27 | not defile a person but the words that |
| 1:30 | come out of the mouth |
| 1:32 | defile a person |
| 1:33 | because the words come out of the heart |
| 1:36 | Jesus teaches out of the heart |
| 1:39 | come evil thoughts murders adultery and |
| 1:43 | immoral acts false testimonies and |
| 1:46 | slanderous statements |
| 1:48 | this is a lesson about true spirituality |
| 1:51 | it’s not a matter of dietary laws or |
| 1:54 | cleanliness |
| 1:55 | but it is a matter of the heart of faith |
| 1:59 | now point one |
| 2:01 | a woman cried out |
| 2:03 | it’s very interesting that immediately |
| 2:05 | Jesus heads Due West for some time of |
| 2:08 | rest but why does he head to Due West |
| 2:11 | because West takes him toward tire and |
| 2:14 | sidon Two Towns noted for Pagan |
| 2:17 | immorality Jezebel you remember was a |
| 2:20 | daughter of the priest of tire and sidon |
| 2:23 | this was a land noted for its idolatry |
| 2:26 | and immorality |
| 2:29 | good Jews did not go there would not |
| 2:31 | enter a house there and would not talk |
| 2:33 | with any people there |
| 2:36 | the Bible does not tell us if Jesus |
| 2:38 | actually entered the land but he surely |
| 2:40 | got to the Border territory |
| 2:43 | this was the land between two Nations |
| 2:45 | the land between the two races and two |
| 2:48 | religions |
| 2:50 | would he actually associate with the |
| 2:51 | Phoenicians who were once called |
| 2:54 | Canaanites |
| 2:55 | here’s where our gospel begins Matthew |
| 2:58 | 15 verses 22 and 23 |
| 3:02 | and when a Canaanite woman came out from |
| 3:05 | that region and began to cry out saying |
| 3:08 | have mercy on me O Lord son of David my |
| 3:12 | daughter is cruelly demon-possessed |
| 3:16 | but he did not answer her a word and his |
| 3:19 | disciples came to him and kept asking |
| 3:21 | him saying send her away for she is |
| 3:24 | shouting out after us |
| 3:27 | the woman came out out of a house out of |
| 3:31 | the region we don’t know |
| 3:32 | what we do know is that the woman knew |
| 3:35 | Jesus how about that |
| 3:37 | and she addressed him the same way that |
| 3:40 | you addressed Jesus every Sunday morning |
| 3:42 | in Greek it is |
| 3:46 | perhaps you have heard these words in a |
| 3:48 | different order and a bit anglicized |
| 3:50 | Kyrie eleison that is Lord have mercy |
| 3:55 | she came out as she began to cry out now |
| 3:59 | began to cry out is a Greek verb form |
| 4:01 | that indicates a continuous action |
| 4:04 | that is to say she kept on crying out |
| 4:07 | have mercy Lord have mercy Lord |
| 4:11 | have mercy Lord she was relentless and |
| 4:14 | continuous |
| 4:15 | but Jesus uncharacteristically did not |
| 4:18 | respond he did not even say a word |
| 4:21 | she was crying he was silent |
| 4:25 | now Jesus knows what he’s going to do |
| 4:27 | and he knows everything that’s going to |
| 4:29 | happen |
| 4:30 | so the Lord is being purposeful about |
| 4:33 | his silence he’s watching this woman and |
| 4:37 | he’s watching his disciples |
| 4:40 | do you remember in the last chapter when |
| 4:42 | the five thousand needed food they were |
| 4:45 | hungry and many of them were sick but |
| 4:46 | the disciples were overwhelmed by the |
| 4:48 | people and they asked Jesus to send them |
| 4:51 | all away |
| 4:52 | send a multitude away they said |
| 4:55 | did you notice that they said the same |
| 4:57 | thing again here |
| 4:59 | they asked Jesus to send the woman away |
| 5:02 | who was crying out |
| 5:05 | the disciples complained that she was |
| 5:07 | shouting out at them |
| 5:09 | was she |
| 5:10 | the scripture doesn’t say so |
| 5:13 | the Bible only says that she was crying |
| 5:15 | out to the Lord for mercy |
| 5:17 | that’s interesting isn’t it |
| 5:20 | so what’s going on here |
| 5:22 | please remember this is the Borderland |
| 5:24 | of interracial conflict the Jews were a |
| 5:28 | separate and different race from the |
| 5:30 | Phoenicians the Jews had no association |
| 5:33 | with with them |
| 5:36 | This Woman’s contact was making them |
| 5:39 | unclean and they thought Jesus should |
| 5:41 | not have anything to do with her |
| 5:44 | truly to the disciples it was not very |
| 5:47 | important that her child was sick it was |
| 5:49 | much more important that they were in a |
| 5:52 | Borderland territory and they did not |
| 5:55 | know what was going to happen there or |
| 5:57 | what violence was already Brewing |
| 6:01 | now point two |
| 6:03 | Jesus answered her |
| 6:06 | after a few moments the Lord broke his |
| 6:09 | silence |
| 6:10 | I was sent only to the lost sheep of the |
| 6:13 | House of Israel said Jesus |
| 6:15 | but that was all she needed |
| 6:17 | we are told that she came forward and |
| 6:20 | began to bow down before him saying Lord |
| 6:24 | help me now the word bow down Pros ekune |
| 6:29 | is a form of the word that’s used for |
| 6:32 | worship |
| 6:34 | we cannot help but understand that |
| 6:36 | Matthew is describing a woman who has |
| 6:38 | just called Jesus her Lord and now has |
| 6:41 | bowed down before him in worship that’s |
| 6:44 | very significant |
| 6:45 | Matthew’s wording indicates that this |
| 6:48 | too is a continuous action that is to |
| 6:50 | say she was Bowing in worship and crying |
| 6:53 | out Bowing in worship and crying out |
| 6:55 | Lord help me Lord help me Lord help me |
| 7:00 | the word help is boetha |
| 7:04 | it’s made up of two words Boe meaning to |
| 7:07 | cry and Theo to run |
| 7:10 | it is translated literally to run to the |
| 7:13 | cry |
| 7:14 | so imagine someone crying out and the |
| 7:16 | cry is so heart-wrenching and urgent |
| 7:18 | that it begs anyone who hears to run and |
| 7:21 | help |
| 7:22 | that is boetha and that was exactly what |
| 7:26 | she cried run to help me Lord |
| 7:30 | Jesus answered the woman |
| 7:33 | it’s not good to take the children’s |
| 7:34 | bread and throw it to the dogs |
| 7:37 | now that’s an uncharacteristic and |
| 7:39 | somewhat shocking thing to hear from the |
| 7:41 | mouth of Jesus |
| 7:43 | and I wonder |
| 7:44 | who’s he really addressing here |
| 7:47 | he already knows the nature of the woman |
| 7:49 | and the depth of her faith so is he |
| 7:52 | speaking to her |
| 7:53 | or is this a device in order to speak to |
| 7:56 | his disciples is this a continuation of |
| 7:59 | the message about true spirituality and |
| 8:03 | if not being a matter of food |
| 8:04 | regulations or cleanliness but truly |
| 8:07 | being a matter of the heart |
| 8:10 | is Jesus teaching his disciples that the |
| 8:12 | heart of faith in God can reside inside |
| 8:15 | people of different races and Nations |
| 8:19 | and is Jesus teaching his disciples that |
| 8:22 | the heart of Faith moves one to have |
| 8:24 | mercy on those who cry out in genuine |
| 8:27 | need well to tell the truth the Bible |
| 8:30 | does not tell us exactly what it is that |
| 8:33 | Jesus is thinking |
| 8:34 | but this desperate and faithful woman is |
| 8:39 | not dissuaded by the Lord’s response |
| 8:41 | about not throwing the children’s dog |
| 8:44 | bread to the dogs |
| 8:46 | she’s quite willing to admit that she’s |
| 8:47 | not a Jew and she’s not one of God’s |
| 8:50 | chosen people also she’s willing to |
| 8:52 | admit her unworthiness before God she |
| 8:55 | will acknowledge that she is a dog if |
| 8:57 | that’s what it takes to bring God’s |
| 8:59 | mercy to her daughter |
| 9:00 | but perhaps she also knows that God |
| 9:03 | chose the Jews not only to be his own |
| 9:06 | separate set apart people for himself |
| 9:09 | but also to be a people who will be used |
| 9:11 | by God to share his message with the |
| 9:14 | people of every race and ton of every |
| 9:16 | tribe and Nation perhaps that was |
| 9:19 | something that the Pharisees and scribes |
| 9:22 | had forgotten and perhaps that was also |
| 9:25 | something that the Disciples of Jesus |
| 9:26 | had forgotten |
| 9:28 | the woman replied yes Lord |
| 9:32 | but please help |
| 9:33 | for even dogs feed on the crumbs that |
| 9:37 | fall from their master’s table |
| 9:40 | did she just acknowledge Jesus Christ as |
| 9:43 | her master |
| 9:45 | even as she asked him for some crumbs |
| 9:48 | for the sake of her demonized daughter |
| 9:51 | Jesus determined that she would not be |
| 9:54 | put through any more distress today |
| 9:57 | hopefully the disciples had begun to |
| 9:59 | understand something of the breadth and |
| 10:01 | depth of the love of God for people of |
| 10:04 | all Races and Nations |
| 10:06 | hopefully they had begun to understand |
| 10:08 | that they had as much in common with the |
| 10:11 | woman who called out to Jesus Lord have |
| 10:14 | mercy |
| 10:15 | as you and I do |
| 10:18 | the Lord Jesus then said o woman your |
| 10:21 | faith is great it shall be done for you |
| 10:24 | as you desire |
| 10:25 | and at once |
| 10:27 | her daughter was healed |
| 10:30 | conclusion |
| 10:32 | hear my prayer o God |
| 10:35 | today we’ve seen again the response of |
| 10:39 | our loving Lord Jesus to the cries of |
| 10:42 | his people |
| 10:44 | Jesus will travel to the most unexpected |
| 10:47 | places and the most undeserving people |
| 10:50 | in order to respond to the cries of his |
| 10:52 | children in need |
| 10:55 | Jesus teaches his disciples and Jesus |
| 10:57 | teaches us that though we may feel |
| 11:00 | overwhelmed and just wish the cries for |
| 11:03 | help would stop our Lord wants us to |
| 11:05 | share in his heart of mercy so Jesus |
| 11:09 | will use the cries of those around us to |
| 11:12 | teach us |
| 11:13 | to share his care and his love |
| 11:16 | and finally |
| 11:17 | you will face times when your heart is |
| 11:20 | overwhelmed |
| 11:21 | and there will be more times in your |
| 11:23 | life when you cry out to Jesus Lord have |
| 11:28 | mercy |
| 11:30 | in those times you can know that your |
| 11:32 | lord does indeed run to your cry |
| 11:35 | he loves you and is especially |
| 11:37 | responsive when you are in need he’s |
| 11:40 | glad to hear your call for help because |
| 11:43 | it is a statement of your faith and your |
| 11:46 | trust in him and he is faithful |
| 11:49 | more than you can possibly know |
| 11:52 | to provide his mercy and his love |
| 11:54 | whenever you call upon him |
| 11:57 | thank you Lord |
| 11:59 | Psalm 61 expresses the heart cry to the |
| 12:03 | Lord whether a Jew or a gentile |
| 12:06 | whether from the first century or from |
| 12:08 | the 21st century |
| 12:10 | these words of Faith speak for all of us |
| 12:14 | Hear My Cry o God |
| 12:17 | attend unto my prayer |
| 12:20 | from the end of the Earth I cry out to |
| 12:23 | thee |
| 12:24 | when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to |
| 12:27 | the rock that is higher than I |
| 12:30 | for thou has been a refuge unto me a |
| 12:32 | tower of strength against the enemy let |
| 12:35 | me dwell in thy tent forever |
| 12:38 | let me take refuge |
| 12:40 | in the shelter of thy wings |
| 12:44 | Lord have mercy |
| 12:46 | amen |
| 12:54 | [Music] |
| 13:05 | [Applause] |
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