Posted by: john in Sermons
Have you ever thought what a mum’s mission is?
Well if mum’s wrote a purpose statement maybe it would sound like this”
My purpose is to provide for my kids an environment so they can reach their potential, be totally well and be totally safe.
I don’t know how each mum would write it but mum’s do that. Provide the environment for all those things and much more.
We see the particular mum type care in the New Testament too. To a point where we sees that mum’s have a mission and often their mission field is their kids. Dad’s do too but it is mums day not dad’s day!!
Let’s look at one mum in the bible.
a. The Canaanite woman (15:21-28)
MT 15:21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and
Sidon.
22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
21-22 Jesus now entered pagan territory, Jesus didn’t often go out of His countries domain, but he goes to where this woman comes to him. Matthew’s use of the old term “Canaanite” shows that he cannot forget her ancestry: a descendant of
Israel’s ancient enemies comes to the Jewish Messiah for blessing. Matthew is writing from a Jewish perspective and in some ways this shows an element of ingrained prejudice.The woman calling Jesus “Son of David” shows some recognition of Jesus as the Messiah who would heal the people, but her concern is her child. She never would have thought of approaching a Jew unless she had a major reason like this. “ MT 15:23 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.” MT 15:24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of
Israel.”
23-24 Matthew’s Jewish readers would be intensely interested in Jesus’ doing a miracle to aid a Gentile, on Gentile territory. Jesus’ silence does not quiet the woman; so his disciples beg him to stop her persistent cries, probably by meeting her request. Indeed only this interpretation makes sense, because v. 24 gives a reason for Jesus’ not helping her rather than for not sending her away.
The phrase “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” means “the lost sheep who are the house of Israel“–i.e., all
Israel, regarded as lost sheep. It appears, then, that Jesus wanted his disciples and the Canaanite woman to recognize that he was limiting his activities during his life on earth. The kingdom must first be offered to Jews. It is as if Jesus set up the mission base of
Israel, then left the rest of the world for His disciples to continue.MT 15:25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. MT 15:26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”25-26 The woman knelt before Jesus and cried, as only the mother of an afflicted child could, “Lord, help me!” Jesus made certain that she grasped the historic distinction between Jew and Gentile. Jesus’ short aphorism supposes that the “children” are the people of
Israel and the “dogs” are Gentiles. His concern is one of precedence: the children get fed first. MT 15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” MT 15:28 Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
27-28 The woman’s answer is masterly. Those two words “but even” reveal immense wisdom and faith. She does not argue that her needs make her an exception, or that she has a right to
Israel’s covenanted mercies, or that the mysterious ways of divine election and justice are unfair. She simply asks for help, hopeful that she may be allowed to receive a crumb from the kindness of the Lord. As Paul does in Ro 9-11, the woman preserves
Israel’s historical privilege over against all radical spiritualization of Christ’s work; yet she perceives that grace is freely given to the Gentiles. A faith that simply seeks mercy is honored (v. 28). Again Jesus speaks, this time with emotion; and the woman’s daughter is healed “from that very hour.”
Now, what do we get out of this for our mission month and for mum’s day.
- Jesus wouldn’t be distracted from His mission. He had a job to do while on earth and He here emphasizes that. Just as we have responsibilities and we need to be focused on those. Mum’s, focus on your kids, they are a priority mission.
- Who gets fed first? You do, as the church – you do why? So your crumbs get shared with others. SO make a lot of crumbs. This is your centre for learning, feeding. The gathering we call church, this time together on Sunday, this organisation. All of this is designed to feed you so your crumbs can do their thing.
- Jesus responds. Not to her persistence but to her faith. Faith that Jesus can do something. Mum’s put your faith in a Jesus that can do something. For you, for your spouses, for your kids, for your grandkids.
- It wasn’t Jesus job to work with the gentiles – it is ours.
This Canaanite woman completed her mission – to do the best for her child. What’s our mission?
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