Text: Matthew 15:21–28
- Setting the Stage: What Leads Us to the Line
- Matthew 14 Recap:
- John the Baptist is beheaded.
- Jesus feeds 5,000.
- He walks on water.
- People are healed by touching the hem of His garment.
- Matthew 15:1–20 Recap:
- Pharisees and scribes travel 85–90 miles to challenge Jesus on handwashing traditions.
- Jesus rebukes their focus on tradition over truth.
- He teaches: “What defiles a man comes from the heart, not the hands.”
- Jesus leaves Capernaum—physically and symbolically crossing religious and cultural lines.
- Jesus Crosses the Line First (v. 21)
- Jesus departs to Tyre and Sidon—Gentile, pagan territory.
- He leaves the religious debate and moves into a region deemed unclean.
- Application: God is not afraid to cross your boundaries to reach you.
- The Canaanite Woman Crosses Every Line (v. 22)
- She crosses:
- Cultural line – Canaanite lineage, despised by Jews.
- Religious line – Syrophoenician pagan background.
- Gender line – Approaching men in public without permission.
- Social line – Approaching Jesus in private, uninvited.
- She cries out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!”
- When Silence Feels Like Rejection (v. 23)
- Jesus answered her not a word—but silence is not absence.
- He was testing depth of faith, not ignoring her need.
- Application: What do you do when heaven seems quiet?
- Religious Boundaries Reinforced by the Disciples (v. 23b)
- They say, “Send her away!”
- They assumed authority they didn’t have.
- Application: Be careful not to become the gatekeeper of someone else’s breakthrough.
- Jesus Responds with a Rule (v. 24–26)
- “I was not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel.”
- “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
- A hard truth: She had no covenant claim.
- Yet, she didn't walk away. She worshiped instead of argued.
- The Woman’s Radical Response (v. 27)
- “Yes, Lord…” – Two of the most powerful words in the life of faith.
- She agreed with Jesus and still believed for grace.
- “Even the little dogs eat the crumbs…”
- Application: Humility doesn’t deny your need—it positions you to receive your miracle.
- Faith That Crosses the Line (v. 28)
- Jesus praises her: “O woman, great is your faith!”
- Her daughter is healed in that very hour.
- Jesus crosses the line back—moved by faith, not rules.
- Application: What Line Are You Willing to Cross?
- What would you do if:
- God used someone you didn’t approve of?
- God moved in a denomination or country you didn't expect?
- He healed someone else before He healed you?
- Ask yourself:
- Will I cross the line from pride to humility?
- From fear to faith?
- From silence to worship?
- From “my will” to “Thy will be done”?
- Conclusion: When You’re Desperate Enough
- When life makes you desperate:
- Don’t cross the line toward sin, addiction, or toxic relationships.
- Cross the line into the loving, healing arms of Jesus.
- Jesus has already crossed every line to reach you:
- From heaven to earth.
- From holiness to humanity.
- From the cross to the grave—and back.
Scripture References:
- Matthew 14:1–36 – John’s beheading, feeding the 5,000, walking on water
- Matthew 15:1–20 – Religious debate over tradition vs. truth
- Matthew 15:21–28 – The Canaanite woman’s faith
- Mark 7:24–30 – Parallel account with details on her background
- James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
- Numbers 23:19 – “God is not a man, that He should lie…”
- Romans 10:12–13 – “Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
- Isaiah 29:13 – “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
- Matthew 26:39 – “Not my will, but Thine be done.”