Table Crumbs

Joke:  A man’s car breaks down next to a monastery. . .The monks offer to help him fix his car but tell him it’ll take at least a day, so he’s offered a place to stay for the night with a good warm bed and enjoys a good warm meal as well.

During the night, he can hear strange noises coming from nearby caves, they were loud enough to wake him up. He asks the monks what those noises are, but he’s only told “sorry, can’t tell you. You’re not a monk”.

The night passes and his car is ready to go. He thanks the monks for their generosity, and he goes back to his journey. Still, he’s intrigued and confused by the sounds he heard.

Years and years pass, and one day the man returns to the monastery, and his car dies once again.

The monks offer their hospitality for the night, since it’ll take a day to repair the car.

During the night, he can hear strange noises coming from the caves, again loud enough to wake him up. He asks the monks what those noises are, but he’s only told “sorry, can’t tell you. You’re not a monk”.

Enough is enough, he decides to become a monk. He goes to the oldest monk of the monastery, and asks him how to become one. “In order to become one of our own, you must first travel all the lands of this world and count every blade of grass, every pebble and every grain of sand”.
The man goes on the journey, to count every blade of grass, every pebble and every grain of sand in all of the lands of this world.

Decades and decades pass, and the man makes his way back to the monastery. He goes to the oldest monk and tells him how many blades of grass, pebbles and grains of sand there are in all the lands of this world.

Pleased, that at least he had tried so hard he was able to become a monk.

During the night he can hear the strange noises once again. He ask the  monks what those noises are, and this time he is told “Go to the cave, open the three large doors, and you will discover all the secrets of the monastery”.

He makes his way to the cave, and is faced by a heavy large wooden door. After some time he succeeds in opening the door, only to be faced with an even larger wooden door. This one takes even more effort, but he still manages to open it, only to be faced by an even larger metal door.

He tries again and again to no avail, he simply can’t open the last door.

In a last ditch effort, he spends all of his energy and miraculously manages to open the third door. The strange noises are louder than ever, he can tell he is close.

Only a tunnel remains, so the man gathers all his courage and finally reaches the source of the noises.

Would you like to know what they were?

Sorry, can’t tell you, you’re not a monk.

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Have you ever been in a position where you’ve needed a miracle?  Maybe your in that place right now.  Here’s some good news.  Table crumbs from the Master’s table can satisfy the hungriest of hearts.

Where do you go or who do you ask for that miraculous help you’re longing for?   Your overnight shipping with Amazon prime won’t help you with this one.

If you need a miracle, you have to take that need to God. He’s the only one in the miracle business, and here’s some more good news He’s still in the miracle business.  And I want to share today about a character in Scripture that did just that.   She found her way to the miracle worker.

She needed a miracle and she knew that Jesus is the one who can help with her situation.

Her story is one of perseverance and faith.   Her story reminds us; Don’t give up, trust the provision of God, and receive the blessing of His abundance and provision.

Let’s look at it from Matthew’s gospel Chapter 15 we will begin with verse 21.

Matthew 15:21–28 (NIV): 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 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.”  24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Church, what you need to understand is that the Canaanite woman was considered to be a foreigner an outsider to the Israelites.   Someone many would have just ignored or through aside.

And she approaches Jesus, a Jewish teacher, with a boldness that is born out of desperation. She believes that Jesus can heal her daughter, she has most likely heard of some of the miracles He had already performed.    Maybe even watched from a distance, but now she needs a miracle for herself, and that drives her to break societal norms and she approaches Jesus, despite the potential for rejection.

Her hope for a miracle is more important than any thing and everyone else.

Even when Jesus initially ignores her, does she give up?   No.  She continues to plead with Him?   She understands that faith is not a one-time act, it’s about holding on, even when the situation seems hopeless or doesn’t change in an instant.    It’s about trusting in God’s timing, even when it doesn’t align with ours.

Much like the blind man who was told to be quite as he yelled Jesus, Som of a David of mercy on me, and he just yelled all the louder.  This woman’s faith was not deterred by silence; she knew who Jesus was and what He was capable of, and she held onto that belief with a tenacity that is inspiring.

Maybe you are at a place like that right now.   Don’t give up, don’t give in, stay persistent and tenacious in your faith.   Trust me when I say God hears and He knows.

This Canaanite woman overcame what can only be described as derogatory; comparing the Gentiles to dogs, most of us would be so offended if we heard that from someone we would pack our bags, leave the church, call them in tolerant, and insensitive.  Get on Facebook and post about our experience so all can know just how insensitive that person was.

Not this woman, she doesn’t seem to take offense at all.    Instead she uses the same metaphor to express her faith, agreeing that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.

And what does Jesus do, He commends her faith, saying, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that very moment.

Faith really has the power to move mountains and to bring about miracles. It’s not about the size of our faith, but the size of the God in whom we place our faith.

And when we place our faith in Jesus, the Son of God, the healer, the provider, the miracle-worker, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

Paul said it this way in Philippians? . .

Philippians 4:13 (NIV): I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

God is not only the Savior but He is also our provider.

And that provision of God is a woven throughout the Scripture. It is a theme that is as old as the Garden of Eden, and as new as the Revelation given to John.

In this particular passage from Matthew, we see Jesus providing in a way that is both unexpected and profound. It’s actually shocking that Jesus uses this “outsider” as such an example of faith to the disciples and others that are following Jesus.

But that’s how God often works.   He provides often in the most unexpected ways.   Think about it, why would God use a virgin to give birth to a Messiah?  Why did He use a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman to bring a promise child named Issac into the world?  Who tells a blind man to go wash in a pool that He can’t see how to get to, to receive the miracle that he was looking for?

God’s provision, His miracles often happen in ways we would never expect.

As I’ve already mentioned, the woman was a Canaanite. That meant she was a foreigner to the Jews. It’s important to understand the cultural context.  Remember Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.   They were the focus, not the gentiles.  That’s why Jesus made that comment about casting food to the dogs in the first place.

Yet for some reason, this woman’s faith and persistence moved Jesus to act.    And it shows us just why Jesus came, which was not just to save Israel but each of us as well?   If we will put our faith and trust in Him.

Jesus’ provision is not limited by our human boundaries. It is not confined to a particular group of people, to a specific time, or a certain place.   Jesus’ provision is for all that will call on His name in faith and recognize Him to be “Lord.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “The secret of a blessed life, the secret of a happy death, the secret of a glorified eternity, all lie in this: knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul,said it this way. . .

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV): For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Jesus’ provision is found in knowing Christ, in having a relationship with Him, in trusting Him to provide for all your needs.

The mother in our story needed a miracle for her daughter and she knew that Christ could provide. He could deliver the one thing that she most desperately needed.

God knows, He sees, and He cares.

He does not ignore our cries for help.  He hears and answers them.

Psalm 56:8 (NLT): You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 121:8 (NLT): 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

The Canaanite woman came to Jesus hoping for her daughter’s healing, but she received so much more. She received affirmation of her faith, and a personal encounter with the Messiah.

The abundant provision of Jesus – it’s not just enough, it is more than we can ask or imagine.

The woman’s faith was rewarded with the immediate healing of her daughter even better the public recognition of her worthiness and right standing before God.   Jesus showed her, her value to him.

(Do bill illustration)

Her example shows that Jesus was open to the faith of outsiders, Canaanites, and others beyond the scope of Judaism.

There was a prophecy from Isaiah that talked about that. . .

Isaiah 42:6 (NIV): 6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,

Jesus came to shine a light into the darkness of the world.   And shine it He did and He encourages us to. . .

Matthew 5:16 (NIV): In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

He blesses you abundantly so that you can be an abundant blessing to others. He shines a light into your life so that you can shine a light for others.

Think about it, we are all recipients of God’s abundant blessings. Every day, we experience His love, His grace, and His provision. Even in times of hardship and struggle, His hand is at work in our lives, providing for our needs and sustaining us with His love.

This blessing of abundance comes from having faith in Jesus. . .If you have Jesus, you have more than enough; you have the miraculous provision of heaven.    Just crumbs dropped from His table can sustain us.

But the good news is He invites not just to the crumbs, but to actually sit at His table.

Luke 13:29 (NIV): People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Corrie Ten Boom famously said, “Faith is like a radar that sees through the fog.”

And I think we can all agree that life can feel pretty foggy and confusing sometimes. Where do we go when we’re lost? Where do we turn when we feel like there’s no answer or remedy for our problems?

What do we do, when like the mother in our passage, we need a miracle. . .

Learn from this story, this woman had an unwavering faith and a trust in God.

Not in her circumstances, not in what she could do, not in her finances, but in the one she heard was able to open deaf ears, and call the dead to come-forth.

She knew enough to know that He was the one that she needed at that moment.

What moment are you in need of today? What problem do you need to take to the feet of Jesus? What miracle are you looking and longing for?

Whatever it is, I’m sure that even the crumbs falling from Jesus’ table are more than enough.   Just a touch of His garment is able to heal the sickness, pain, and hurts.

If you have Jesus, you have more than enough; you have the miraculous provision of heaven.  He can take the seemingly insignificant and feed thousands.  He can use you no matter what you may think.  God can use what the world has discarded.  His word does not return to Him void.  It will accomplish what He set it out to do.

Ephesians 1:3–8 (NLT): All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.  5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.