Subject Seventy-six

THE SAVING FAITH (THE CANAANITE WOMAN)

Scripture: Matt. 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
(The record in Mark is not as detailed as that in Matthew.)

1. Jesus came to the Gentiles
   1. Tyre and Sidon are cities of the Gentiles. When Jesus came to these places, He came to the Gentiles.
   2. Today the gospel of Jesus is being preached here. This is Jesus coming to this place.
2. Man possessed by demons
   1. When Jesus came to Tyre and Sidon, there came a woman crying to Him, “My daughter is badly demon-possessed.” The asking one was a woman, and the demon-possessed one was also a woman.
   2. Woman represents the position of man before God. Man before God is a woman.
   3. The fact that the daughter of a woman was possessed by a demon symbolizes the fact that all the ones born of women are possessed by demons.
   4. Use some examples to show the meaning of being demon-possessed: some are possessed by the demons of movies, some of dancing, fornication, gambling, drinking, etc. Speak about the situation of man being possessed by demons.
3. Man’s position before God
   1. After the woman’s request, the Lord said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Do not interpret this portion of the scripture to say that the Jews are the children, and that the Gentiles are the dogs; that Jesus came as the bread to the Jews, and that we are the dogs, having no part in the bread. Don’t talk about these things, or else it will be complicated.
   2. Today the condition of men before God is like that of the dogs.
   3. Why in the eyes of God are we like the dogs? Dog is a descriptive term, speaking of the filthiness of our condition. Dogs like to feed on dirty things, such as dung. The condition of man before God is just like that of the dogs. Man will not come to the meeting hall where there are plenty of empty seats; instead, he would rather sell the shirt off his back to buy a ticket to some evil event, even waiting in a long line where people are standing shoulder to shoulder. Let me ask you: are you a sheep or a dog? Are you dirty or are you clean?
4. God’s portion for man
   1. Although man is like a dog before God, God still gives man a portion, which is the crumbs fallen from the table.
   2. Although you cannot quite see Jesus today, the gospel, nevertheless, is put before you. When you receive this gospel, which is like the crumbs, it is good enough to cause you to be saved. You do not have to see Jesus completely. You do not have to climb up to the table because you have already fallen under the table. Yes, the bread is on the table, but there are also the crumbs underneath. Although man in his fallen condition is not worthy to come up to the table as the children, nevertheless you can be saved just by receiving the crumbs under the table.
5. How to be saved
   1. Confess your condition. When that woman heard the Lord calling her a dog, she did not deny it. She acknowledged that her position was that of a dog.
   2. Lay hold on the Lord according to the Lord’s word. The word dog came out of the mouth of the Lord, and the woman laid hold of that word, dog, and she was saved. Today, out of the mouth of the Lord comes not the word dog, but, “He that believes has eternal life.” If you would only lay hold of the word of the Lord, you will be saved.
   3. The faith that saves comes from laying hold of the word of the Lord. To believe is not only to agree or to understand, but to lay hold of the words spoken by the Lord. If you lay hold of a check for a thousand dollars, you get a thousand dollars. Today the Lord is spreading the gospel before you by means of His words, and these words are the check. Lay hold of His words, and you will be saved.