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And so we've been looking at the book of Matthew, and today is no different. We continue with Matthew chapter 15, and we're looking at verses 21 to 28 as you have read just now. This introduces us to a new series in the book of Matthew, it's called “Behold your King”.

This is really the midpoint, or somewhere around the midpoint mark of the book of Matthew, and I thought it would be good for us to recap, to be reminded that it is all about Jesus.

And it's about Jesus as our King. Not a king that is like that of the world, but a King that is supreme, and far better than all the world can afford.

Our story today, we're going to look at it in a while, but let me introduce by means of this sport. Many of you will know, this is sumo wrestling. Now can you tell me - which country has produced world champions, the most number of world champions for the past 20 over years?

Answer is? Jap - answer is? Japan. Most of us would say Japan, but let me tell you, for the past 20 years, there's only been one champion from Japan. In fact, for close to 20 years, they had none, until 2017. That is not a country that produced the most number of champions in recent years. The honor goes to the country of? Singapore - if you eat more, maybe. Not Singapore, but? Mongolia! You guys are well informed! That's right. Mongolia has produced the most number of world champions recently.

Now that's strange, because you would have thought that the Japanese, who came up with Sumo, would be the experts and champions at Sumo. But they are not. It's the outsiders who are better at it now.

And it is the same when it comes to faith. During the times of Jesus, there are people with great faith, champions of faith, and you would have thought that they would have come from the nation of Israel, because that's the nation chosen of God.

But the champions of faith did not come from Israel, but they are from the outsiders, the Gentiles, the non-Jews. You will recall Jesus said in Matthew chapter 8, that, that the centurion was a man with great faith. In fact, the Bible, Bible says He marveled at his faith. He was a champion of faith, not from Israel.

And then there is a second person who is said to have great faith, and that is what we're going to look at this morning. She is the woman from Canaan, a region outside of Israel. She's from the cities or the region of Tyre and Sidon. She's a Canaanite, and she is a champion of faith. So, Jesus would say this, of this lady, “Great is thy faith. O woman, great is your faith.”

The story takes us to Tyre and Sidon. Mark tells us Jesus arose and went away out of Israel [Mark 7:24]. This is, as far as we know, the only time He got out of Israel. And He went to this region of Tyre and Sidon.

I underlined Tyre and Sidon because these cities are well known or notorious to be wicked, sinful cities. They are terrible cities that the Jews have always said, or thought, they are the ones who deserve the hottest parts in hell; they are the ones who deserve the greatest and most severe of judgments.

And that's why Jesus later on, or earlier on, actually said to these cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, this Capernaum, these cities that Jesus did great miracles in, He said to them, “It will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.” [Matthew 11:22] You say why? Because you Bethsaida, Chorazin, Capernaum, you saw all these miracles, you saw all these evidences that I am the Son of God, yet you refuse to believe. So, your sin is more severe than even the wicked people in Tyre and Sidon. So Jesus even alludes to these two cities, this region, to emphasize the wickedness of this place.

Now I suppose that the lifestyle, the worship, the religion of Tyre and Sidon is filled with idolatry. It is terrible, it is sinful, it is wicked. But that's where this woman came. So, we are told that this women, this woman, has a little daughter who is stricken with demon possession; she had an unclean spirit. [Mark 7:25] Desperate problem.

And when she heard that Jesus is here, she came and fell down at the feet of Jesus, obviously asking for help. So she is from Tyre and Sidon, Jesus came, she came out to meet Him, Mark continues to tell us, just to be clear, she's not a Jew, she's a Gentile, she was not born a Jew, she's a Syrophoenician by birth, a Greek by birth. [Mark 7:26] And this is the background Mark gives us.

Then we rejoin Matthew. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, they are writers to tell us about the life and times of Jesus. So there's a lot of duplicity, there's a lot of supplementation. And so after looking at Mark, we can look at Matthew, which is the main text for our consideration. And Matthew tells us that this lady is a Canaanite from the region of Tyre and Sidon. [Matthew 15:22] She's not a Jew by birth, she is a Syrophoenician by birth, a Gentile by birth.

So she came out because she was asking Jesus, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” [Matthew 15:22] Her problem is not a minor one at all. Her problem was a big one; her daughter is severely oppressed by the demon.

I don't think there is any mother here, who, if it was in her same position, would not say, “Let me be possessed, but set my daughter free.” She must be tormented to see her daughter tormented. She must be miserable to see her daughter miserable.

Now, the Bible doesn't tell us how the little one got possessed by the demon. The Bible doesn't tell us whether it is the sin of the woman, the mom, or anything else. We're not told how she got it. Neither are we told what symptoms she's manifesting. It’s just without that data in Scripture.

But we also, however, are not left without clues as to the suffering and the misery of demon possession because elsewhere in the Bible, there are other accounts of demon possession. I read about someone who is possessed by the demon and he becomes blind. Another one becomes mute. Another lady was bent over backwards - forwards and she could not straighten herself up.

I read about someone who gives, who was thrown into fits and throws himself into the fire and into the water. I read about the demoniac in the land of Gadarenes where he would slash himself, he will howl in the night, he would strip himself naked, he would stay alone in tombs and graveyards, and he would have no human contact. He will be miserable.

Now, is that exactly what's happening to this daughter? I have no clue. Except Matthew tells us, she said, “My daughter is severely oppressed.” [Matthew 15:22]. Please have mercy on me, help me.

If you had the ability to help, and you know that there's a genuine case like this, I have no question, you would be happy to help. And indeed, when I read the Bible, oftentimes when people come to Jesus with real issues, real struggles, real miseries, Jesus is always gracious to help.

So I would have thought the next verse in 23 would be Jesus said, “Woman, let it be done for you, go in peace.” That would be natural. However, verse 23, we are told: “But he did not answer her a word”. [Matthew 15:23] He said nothing.

I hope this does not cast a bad shadow on what Jesus did, but in a Hokkien [local dialect] word we say He “bo chap” [colloquial expression for someone who cannot be bothered]. This is, this is strange. This lady is coming to Him with a genuine need, with a real problem, and He simply did not answer her a word.

I don't think she asked only once, because the disciples in verse 23 came and begged Jesus saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” [Matthew 15:23] The implication is: “Lord, would you just do as she asked you to do, heal her little daughter, send her away, because she has been bugging us. She's been crying out, repeatedly; just get rid of her.”

I think they were, they were embarrassed. It was so persistent, she was so sticky, that it was to the point of their embarrassment and instead wanted to send her away.

I would have thought Jesus said, “Alright, since you asked on her behalf too, I will do that.” Yet Jesus replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24] In other words - I'm sent only to the Jews. She's not a Jew.

What? How can Jesus be so unkind, harsh, racist? How can He say that? What would the lady do? What would you do?

Mai la, mai la, mai suak la. [Colloquial expression used to say dismissively that if you don’t want to do it, then forget it.] Well, she didn't say that, because she really has a desperate problem. But she kept on pleading. She came and knelt before Him. [Matthew 15:25] Now imagine previously, she's just running after the disciples, after Jesus, saying, “Lord, help me please; Lord, help me, please.”

And when she saw Jesus did not answer, and when she heard Jesus said, “I'm sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”, she cast herself down on the floor, she lied prostrate, she knelt before Him, humbling herself before Jesus and said, “Lord, help me.” [Matthew 15:25] Oh, anyone would have melted in his heart. I would, wouldn't you?

And then Jesus said, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” [Matthew 15:26] I can imagine the whole place just turns silent. You can hear a pin drop. Their eyes were wide open, their mouths were wide open – “Did, did, did Jesus just say that? Did He really say that to this poor lady? It's so out of character, why would He say that? Oh no, the lady must be so stumbled.” I think that must be going through the thoughts of all the disciples -why would He do something like this?

Well, what would the woman do? She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” [Matthew 15:27]

Upon hearing those words, “O woman,” Jesus said, “great is your faith!” [Matthew 15:28] I can imagine - it is not stated in the Bible, but my mind tells me as Jesus heard those words and as He said, “O woman, great is your faith”, His previously stern face breaks out with a warm smile. “’O woman great is your faith!’ ‘Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.” [Matthew 15:28]

What do you think is this passage about? Well, I’d like to latch on to the key phrase I think Jesus mentioned, and it is this: “O woman, great is your faith!”

This morning, I'd like us to spend some time - this is a short sermon, alright, because we have baptism coming up and I’d love for you to watch that in good time, and so it's a short message, but very simple one, that focuses on faith, great faith to be exact.

And we're going to learn a little bit, dissect a little bit about the faith and understand what is the basis of her faith, what is so special about her faith, and what is Jesus doing when He seemed to be so difficult when she pleaded to Him for help.

1) Discernment of Great Faith

So few things to take note. Number one, I’d like us to note that her faith demonstrates great discernment. Real faith is not blind faith. Real faith is with understanding, with knowledge, it is based on truth. She knew who she believed.

There are many people in this world who believe people who they do not believe - who they do not understand or know about. But this lady had great faith because she understood great things about Jesus Christ.

Last night, I was studying the Bible with my kids, and we came to the story of David, and how David, a man after God's own heart, wanted to build a temple for God. He wanted to build a magnificent dwelling place for God.

And God said to David, “David, you do not need to build a house for me, but I will build a kingdom for you.” How’s that? God is so generous. And God said to David, in effect, “I'm going to build you an everlasting Kingdom. One of your descendants will be having this everlasting Kingdom.”

So I asked my sons - who is the one who will have this everlasting Kingdom? Would it be Solomon? They say, “No, Solomon died, won't be the one. And he failed in many ways.” Then I asked, “Who will be the King of this everlasting Kingdom?” They all said, both of them said, “Jesus.”

I asked them, “Who is Jesus?” Well, Shawn said, “He's the Son of God.” And then I asked, “What else?” Very good, He's the Son of God; He's God, the very God come as God Man.

What else? “Well, He is the Son of Man.” I say, that's really good. You remember the Son of Man. Yeah, that's a saying, that's a prophecy given in Daniel 7 about how He’s going to inherit the everlasting Kingdom. Great!

Then I asked them, “What else?” So I ask you today - what else? Son of God, Son of Man. Wah, you paiseh [colloquial expression for embarrassment], a little child answer for you all. He's absolutely right, Harrison. It’s Son of David.

Why Son of David? Because God promised to David that one of his descendants will be the everlasting King. Now not direct son, as in the one who is born by your wife, but the “son” here can refer to the descendants thereafter. So after many generations, David, his line would have, or Jesus would be born from David's line.

So the phrase “Son of David” is a very important term. It's a very important title. It's a loaded term that tells us He will be the everlasting King God has promised David. This everlasting King is the same one who was promised back in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3, the seed of the woman who will crush the serpent’s head. [Genesis 3:15]

This is the very King who God promised Abraham, “In your descendant, in your seed, shall all nations be blessed”. [Genesis 22:18] This is the very Son of David, who is also called the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace.

So when the Jew hears “Son of David”, they knew this will refer to the Savior King, to the Promised Messiah, to the One who would eradicate sin, who would defeat Satan and lead Israel, God's people, into everlasting bliss.

Therefore, it is remarkable that this Gentile woman who is not born a Jew, who did not have access to the religious worship, nor to the Word of God, like the Jews did, could come to Jesus and say, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David”. [Matthew 15:22]

I mean, even if you knew a little bit about Jesus, you may say, “Son of Mary and Joseph”. But no, I know what this term means. You are the Savior King. You are the Messiah. You are here, and are able to save us from our sins.

And I tell you, she knew more than the Jews did. Because the Jews knew about the concept, but they didn't know that He’s already here in the person of Jesus Christ. But this lady recognized, knew that Jesus is the Son of David.

So she calls him “O Lord”. The word here can simply mean “master” or “Lord”, or it is often used in the Bible to be a title for God. Regardless, it is unusual that a Canaanitish woman would be willing to humble herself and call another Jew, “Lord”. But that's all because she had great understanding of who Jesus is.

Our baptism candidates today are going into the waters of baptism. Because they are telling the world they belong to Jesus, they believe in Jesus. They have a certain understanding, and it's based on their understanding that they believe.

So they are not getting to be Christians, or they're not becoming Christians, or they have not become Christians because of something blind or something ignorant. They have understanding, they know who Jesus is, that He is the Savior King who gave His life to save His people from their sins. And that's what we believe.

And so that's why we are glad that maybe friends and guests you're here today to hear God's Word, and we hope that as you hear God's Word, you understand it, and you will believe upon Jesus for yourself as well, that He will save you from your sins.

So, I see great faith in this lady because she had great discernment. She understood who Jesus was. Remarkable, considering her background.

2) Determination of Great Faith

But the second thing that is remarkable about her faith is - oh, I have already shown it - is the determination of her faith. I think that is so clear from the story; she just won't let go, right? She's so persistent. Really like a dog, she just bite on it and won't let go.

I mean, the disciples were so embarrassed that they will say, “Send her away, please; she's bugging us.” And when Jesus said nothing to her, she did not give up. And when Jesus said, “I'm not sent to Gentiles, I'm sent only to Israel”, she did not give up. But she will come and kneel before him saying, “Lord, help me.” [Matthew 15:25]

Now this lady knew that Jesus is merciful. I believe she probably won't dare to do this with another Jewish rabbi. Because in those days, the Jews hate the Canaanites, just like the Canaanites will hate the Jews, and women in those days are also very despised.

So a Canaanite woman would have no chance, I think, with a Jewish rabbi. But she knew she could come to Jesus and cry for mercy because Jesus is entirely different from the Jewish rabbis; He’s full of mercy.

So she said, “Lord, help me”. And then Jesus drops that bombshell - “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” [Matthew 15:26] How am I going to explain that?

You see, there are people who feel very uncomfortable with this verse; preachers, commentators, scholars alike, and so they try to soften the blow.

They say to you, they say to us, that in the Greek, you know the Bible, the New Testament, a lot of it is written in the Greek. So in the Greek, they use two words for the word “dog”, for the English word “dog”. For us, “dog” is dog; you can’t have another “dog”, it’s just “dog”.

But for the Greeks, they have two words for the word “dog”. One is referring to those vicious mongrels who attack, and the other is for cute little pets at home. So they say Jesus did not call her a vicious dog, but Jesus called her a cute little puppy.

Now, I don't think that works very well too, as a kind of explanation, because imagine going home and you tell your wife, “You look like a bull dog.” She's not going to be very happy with you, no matter how nice you say it, right?

So I think no matter how I slice this, Jesus, if I may say, is really making things difficult for her. You can’t explain it away; He is. But even though it is so difficult for her, she never gave up. She turned it around and says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” [Matthew 15:27] I'm a dog, I don't deserve anything, but I'm just asking for a little bit of a crumbs. I don't ask for the whole meal, just crumbs.

I have a dog at home, and he's quite an expert at looking for crumbs. When he is allowed at our dining area, he would always camp around Matthias, because Matthias eats in a messy way, and all the crumbs drop all over the place. And he will be just waiting for crumbs that fall off master Matthias’ table.

So she said, “Yeah, I don't deserve anything.” I, she's absolutely humbled and broken. She comes with no ego, no pride. This is a lady of great humility, but Jesus tells us this is a lady of great faith. He will not - or she will not let go.

Reminds me of a saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Real faith - knowing who Jesus really is, knowing His power and ability, knowing His mercy and compassion - does not give up easily.

The Bible tells us not to give up easily in our prayer, isn't it? The Bible says: “pray without ceasing”. [1 Thessalonians 5:17] Man ought to always pray and not faint, not give up.

Jesus teaches us: “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” [Matthew 7:7] It's a kind of increasing intensity - ask, then seek, then knock. In fact, in the Greek, it is: keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking; don't give up.

And how we need to learn that faith is like that of Jacob, wrestling with God at the river Jabbok and saying, “Lord, I will not let You go until You bless me.” [Genesis 32:26] Why? Because we believe God is able and God is good, God is merciful.

Now, I don't want you to walk away thinking that prayer is getting God to what I want, all the time. I don't want you to think that God is a genie in a bottle, who will do our bidding, and do our whims and fancies.

Because we need to acknowledge that God is wiser than we are. His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. [Isaiah 55:9] And so sometimes God doesn't answer us the way we expect it to be.

But by and large, God wants us to persist in prayer, to persist in faith, to be determined in hanging on to Him, and not give up.

Perhaps today you're suffering from some kind of problems in life; you need mercy. You're not asking for whims and fancies. You're not asking for Ferraris or bungalows. You really struggle because your child is rebellious. Your, your family members, they are outside the kingdom. You are struggling with sin and you long to break free. You're struggling with same sex attractions; you want to break free from it. You're struggling with lust and you're asking God, “Deliver me.” You are struggling maybe with mental issues and you are saying, “God help me.”

It's easy for us to give up. But it's not easy for you to give up when you recognize that Jesus is able, and Jesus is merciful. Like this lady. She knew who she is coming to, she knows who she is bowing before, and she will not let go. So I learned determination of great faith from this Canaanite woman.

3) Development of Great Faith

And finally, I want to ask the question then - why did Jesus make things so hard for her? I can only think of one reason. I think Jesus, all along, by the way, I believe all along, from the beginning when she came, he already decided and wanted to help her. I have no question about that.

But he was setting things up to be more and more difficult for her, because I think Jesus is developing her faith. Jesus is drawing out her faith; Jesus is manifesting the deep wells from within. Jesus is letting everyone see this woman's amazing faith.

Now, if I were to ask you guys, “Hey, let's have a competition on high jump. See how high you can jump.” If I were to just ask you to jump, you're not going to jump very high actually, because you do not know how high is “high”. You jump a bit, ok, this very high.

But if you go to the Olympics or any athletic competition, you will realize high jump, requires a? High jump requires a? A bar. Why do you need a bar? So that people know how high you jump.

And after you jump this height, they raise the bar. And when you clear that height, they raise the bar. And they raise the bar, until they see – “Wah, you really can jump ah? Can jump so high!” How you know how high? Because the bar was raised all the time.

How do we know this woman has great faith? Jesus used a bar, and He raised the bar, He raised the bar. The first bar of silence. The second bar – “I'm only sent to Israel”. The third bar – “You're like a dog.”

Oh my, that's so hard to clear. But she cleared it, and we say, “Amazing faith!” Thereby, the disciples could see for themselves that faith in Jesus is not reserved only for Israel. Great faith, this wonderful gift of God, this exercise of man's choice is equally seen amongst the Gentiles. The sumo wrestling champion does not always come from Japan. Wow!

Wow, that will be a mind-blowing experience for the disciples, because they must have been disappointed with how Israel treated Jesus. Even the religious leaders rejected Jesus. But look at this Canaanite, look at this woman living in idolatrous, sinful Tyre and Sidon. She had great faith, amazing. And Jesus brought that forth.

Jesus, I think stretched this lady's faith as well, and it was for that very good reason that He delayed His response, even though right from the beginning, I believe, He had already wanted to heal her.

I think this is what Samuel Rutherford said, quite insightfully - “It is said he answered her not a word; but it is not said, he heard not one word: these two differ much.” He heard her cry, and He always wanted to heal her. But He did not answer her because He's raising the bar, that's all.

You remember the story in John, when there was a man who was very sick, his sisters called for Jesus to heal their brother, but Jesus didn't come immediately and tragically, he died; it was too late.

Then when Jesus came, Jesus said, “I'm glad that he died. I'm glad I didn't come.” Huh? “What kind of a Savior are you? My kor kor [colloquial expression for elder brother] died already, and you say this, come on!” Now Jesus says, “I'm glad, I did not come earlier.” Why? “I'm glad he died.” Why?

“Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” [John 11:14-15] Believe what? So that you may see, and learn, and understand, and believe that I am not just a healer, I am the resurrection and the life. Wow. That would not be a lesson if Jesus had come earlier. So He delayed for a very good reason.

And I think He delayed in His encounter with the Canaanite woman for this very good reason, that you may believe, and that the rest may also see and believe.

So friends, the delay in God's answer is a common experience in the Christian life; it is. God doesn't work like those vending machines. You put 50 cents or 1 dollar now, you put 1 dollar and you press, you expect the can to tok, tok, tok, tok, tok, tok [sound effect of the can falling out of the machine], come out. And if it does not come out, what do you do? “Wah lau eh [colloquial expression for exasperation].” Piak, piak, piak. [Sound effect of kicking the vending machine.] That’s maybe our response – “Wow, how can it be so slow!”

But God is not a vending machine! You put in your prayers, you say, “Lord, help me”, no answer. You don't go [Pastor imitates action of shaking the vending machine]. You don't do that. Because perhaps He’s going to answer you in a way you did not expect. And number two, He’s going to answer you in a timing you do not expect, because He wants to stretch your faith.

So the psalmists, the writer of the book of Psalms, the song book of the Bible, they regularly have this refrain, “Lord, why, why, why? When, when, when?”
They ask those questions. A bit like Habakkuk, who says “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save?” [Habakkuk 1:2]

That's the quandary they are in, that's the difficulty they are in, that's the puzzle they are in. But let's remember - God has a great purpose. In pains, in sufferings, in trials, in difficulties, there is great purpose.

As James will tell us: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” [James 1:2-3] Why doesn't God deliver me out of trials immediately? Because He has a greater purpose, to develop steadfastness, to grow your character, to grow your patience.

And so it is, in 1 Peter, who says, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials”. [1 Peter 1:6-7] You rejoice, even though you are grieved in trials. Why? Because, this is the reason why – “the tested genuineness of your faith”. God is proving your faith.

God is putting your life in a furnace of affliction, so that as everything melts away, what remains, what is clear, to you and to all, is that there is real golden faith. And this real golden faith results in praise and glory and honor, when Jesus comes. God has blessed you with a divine gift, with real deal faith.

Oftentimes, people claim to be Christians, when they really are not. And oftentimes, real Christians can be seen in the midst of trials.

I've known brethren in this church, and I can see the golden faith in you when you go through trials. In extreme difficulty, you never gave up. You kept clinging on to God, you kept trusting Him. At no point did you doubt His faithfulness, His power, His love towards you. You are grieved by your sorrows, but you keep rejoicing in the Lord.

And in those times, I see real, solid faith, and I praise God for that. My friends, that's what God doing in our lives, oftentimes.

And so, after God raised the bar a few times, after God puts her through this little furnace for a while, he was satisfied. He has drawn out the deep reserves within her and says, “O woman, great is your faith!” [Matthew 15:28] And once that is done, He said, “Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly; no issue at all, lesson over.

Just in case we walk away thinking Jesus is harsh, or purposely makes things difficult, God is uncaring to not hear us, let us remember in the book of Psalms, the Bible describes God this way: “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” [Psalms 34:15] “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” [Psalms 34:17-18] This is our God.

So, this morning - O woman, great is your faith! Why is it great? She had great understanding. She knew Jesus was no ordinary man, but He’s the Messiah, Savior King, the Son of David.

She had great faith because she demonstrated great determination, perseverance. She never gave up, even when it was so difficult.

She was a lady of great faith because Jesus, in this encounter with her, drew that out and showed us the development of her faith. And maybe that's what God is doing in your life, putting you through the trials, that that might be shown forth.

But before we leave, before we end, I’d like to say, whilst this story shows us a lot about the woman, let's not forget Matthew is really about our King. Behold your King.

What an amazing Savior! He came, yes, first to Israel, but He also came for the Gentiles.

Maybe today you feel like an outsider. You are like this lady who has lived your life in sin. You lived in a region of Tyre and Sidon; you have been living in idolatry, you worship other gods, you never heard the Bible, you have never been to church, you have never done anything in the name of God. You feel like you're outside of God's reach and mercy.

I say to you today - Jesus is a King, not just for Israel, but for all who will believe in Him, even amongst the Gentiles, even amongst us, even amongst the outsiders.

And if you are willing to be like this lady - coming in humility, lying prostrate in your heart before God, saying I'm like a dog because I'm a sinner before you, because I failed You, because I have rebelled against You, I ask for nothing except for mercy - Jesus is willing to save.

After all, didn't the Bible say that Jesus is the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world [John 1:29] - not just for Israel, but for the world? Didn't Jesus tell us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”. [John 3:16]

This is our King. He's not here to save you from poverty or sickness alone. He's here to save us most of all, from sin, and from separation from God. He wants to bring you into a loving relationship with your Creator. And He paid it all on the cross, He rose again the third day, and the Bible says, whosoever believes will have this everlasting life.

Will you come to this King?

Let's bow for word of a prayer together. Father, thank You so much for this day that we could hear Your Word. And I pray again for friends and guests who may be here, and they do not know Jesus as yet.

I pray that the simple teaching of Your Word would help them realize their sin, their helplessness by themselves, and see that You in Your mercy have sent the Savior King, the Son of David, Jesus Christ. And I pray You will grant to them repentance and faith; may many turn from sin and believe in Your Son today.

I pray for friends today who are struggling, and going through the hardships of life. Lord, keep their eyes fixed on You, Your character, Your faithfulness, Your love, that they will not give up, but they'll keep pressing on trusting You, and may You manifest that gold faith in their lives.

Thank You again for this morning, we can celebrate the baptism of our brethren. Father, I pray that they will glorify You with their faith, with their lives.

So bless this day, Your Word to all our hearts. Teach us to wait upon the Lord. We pray all this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

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