God would choose His Son to be born to an unwed mother in harsh conditions. To live this life.
When Christmas is not the Happiest Season of All.
We look in the Bible to find God walking the realities of this life. Jesus tells us life is Joy and gives us situations to know and remember when life is in difficulty.
The King of Kings has seen trouble and lived to overcome.
Matthew 12:14-21
14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.
15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all 16 and ordered them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah [42:1-3]:
18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;
20 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;
21 and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”
Let's open our Bibles and find the time Jesus said, "Not today - you don't count - come back tomorrow - not Youuu, oh gosh, no."
Jesus wasn't a sidewalk hack or a temperamental star.
And Jesus could be relied upon to be unique. God's Exact Nature. Yes, He healed them all.
And yet. And yet. And yet. One day.
Jesus said - you don't really count.
Another day - Jesus was too busy to go to a friend.
I remember a lot of miracles, the ones written about in more than a few sentences. Yet that small phrase "healed them all". Sometimes Scripture says they sought to touch Him & not just Jesus reaching out. Sometimes He physically touched them, and it also says merely, "He healed them all."
The age: slavery, war, destruction, highway robbery, people born blind & the parable of the Good Samaritan - this was a difficult time.
Not just the people who were deaf, blind, ill, but the sorrow of the people who had seen difficult things happen to loved ones. Children who died, loved ones who died in child birth, people who were well and suddenly died of fever. There are a lot of stipulations in the Bible for the fatherless and the widow.
The hopeless, the fearful, the lonely & the cut to the quick.
These people who found Jesus had put aside the every day of life, they sought Him. Jesus didn't stay to quarrel, debate the Pharisees, shock, anger, and create a stir - - -
Jesus - from time to time - said, "No."
No? Surely Jesus repaired the bruised reed. Jesus rekindled the flickering flame, the light became a torch. Jesus gave hope & mercy to the word - justice. Jesus didn't select a few, the light of Jesus Christ is for all.
Jesus stood and was asked by the disciples to get rid of the woman to whom He said, "No."
Matthew 15
22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
God being God says what God would understand the best.
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
The disciples came from, largely, Capernaum. A city created rather recently due to the need for food and goods by the Roman Empire. The Disciples knew gentiles and had argued for the Capernaum Centurion. NO WONDER why the disciples wanted the Canaanite woman swept past.
Aren't we glad the Holy Spirit never swept past us and left us wondering.
Nasty ol Goy. Om. That's us.
Shabbas goy. Gentile — goy·ish adjective, sometimes disparaging.
Funny of God when HIS mission statement is to save the World.
What is Jesus doing saying "NO." God doesn't need to prove all the time that He is good. He is a Monarch.
The woman Expected Jesus to do Good. She expected Him to be the "Helper."
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
This is justice to the Gentiles - who never did help Israel. Jesus does Not owe her.
She does not retreat from seeing Jesus as merciful.
“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
This Canaanite woman might have read about David. David routinely got into trouble. And the less loving prophets like Gad would come in to predict something Terrible. David would say, "Let me fall into the hands of God. He is merciful."
Mostly no parent in the world, wants their children to have to beg them. Unless, That Parent knows a valuable lesson will be learned. He expects their heart to teach others. Jesus is returning the favor of her trust.
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28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”
And her daughter was healed at that moment.
We learn. Jesus intended us to.
1. Jesus does not owe us.
2. He feels free to say, "No.".
3. Jesus trusts people.
4. Jesus especially trusts people who trust Him for solutions and miracles.
5, Jesus, just like His Father, wants His People to Expect Good from Him.
6. Jesus once told us the story of the persistent woman with the Judge. Jesus expects to answer those who keep asking. Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
7. Jesus doesn't expect us to treat Him as a waiter. The woman of faith knew Him to be Sovereign.
Thank You, Jesus Christ Lord. For answering our prayers. We will Trust in You. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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