The Mercy of God

 

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

TWENTIETH (20^TH) SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME/TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

16^TH AUGUST, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: The Mercy of God

(Anu Olorun)

TEXT: Matthew 15:22a & 28

"A Gentile woman who lived there came to him pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! "Dear woman," Jesus said to her," your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed."

"Si wo o, obinrin Kan ara Kenaani ti ekun naa wa, o si kigbe pe e, wipe, Oluwa, Iwo omo Dafidi, saanu fun mi; Nigba naa ni Jesu dahun o si wi fun un pe, Obinrin yii, igbagbo nla ni tire: ki o ri fun o gege bi iwo ti n fe A si mu omobinrin re larada ni wakati Kan naa."

Mercy is simply compassion, pity, benevolence or kindly forbearance shown toward other person in one's capacity or power. God's mercy, therefore, means his pity, compassion, and kindness toward people around us. The mercy of God is seen in believer's life at salvation, and he continues to show mercy to all his creation in forgiveness, healing, restoration just to mention a few. Surely, his mercy triumphs over judgement (James 2:13) God's mercy also, shows his patience, because it is something which extends in grace and kindness to the work of his hand (human beings) who never deserve it. The mercy of God which is our focus today is something beyond human understanding. It is an unmerited kindness shown by the Creator to his creatures, especially in his positive response to the needs of the Gentiles (unclean set of people).

In our text today (Matthew 15:10-28), Jesus Christ did not only teach what defiles human beings, but he practiced his teaching by moving his ministry into Gentile territory, where he had an encounter with a woman of faith from the area of Tyre and Sidon. Note that the Gentiles were uncircumcised people regarded as unclean (sinners) in the eyes of the Jews. In fact, the Gentiles were regarded as dogs by the Jews. It is however not surprising to find Jesus ministering to people in the Gentile region. This he did to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah the Prophet who says, "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise his voice, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench; he will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till he has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for his law. (Isa. 42:1-4 CF Matt. 12:17-21). The fulfillment of the prophecy notwithstanding, the fact still remains that the emphasis of Jesus' ministry was on ministering to the Jews (Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24), it was just his mercy that located the Syrophoenician woman and her demon possessed daughter in the gospel passage appointed for this 10th Sunday after Trinity (Matt. 15: (10-20), 21-28).

In our text, Jesus Christ was trying to remove himself from the sight of the crowd because he did not want anyone to know that he was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, but he could not be hidden (Mark 7:24). Secretly or openly, the Syrophoenician (Canaanite) woman heard where he was and came to him for help. Jesus' response, though not palatable to the woman, was not to destroy her faith, but to make her strong in her faith. The woman had faith in Jesus Christ's power to heal her daughter and as well show them mercy. So her own replies or response to Jesus showed that she believed so much in Jesus Christ and unwilling to let go without getting what she wanted. Such faith was described by Godly Samuel Rutherford as "faith's work to claim and challenge loving-kindness out of all the roughest strokes of God." Truly, this Gentile woman saw Jesus Christ as the Messiah (Matt. 15:22), whose mercy and loving kindness have no boundary. Though Jesus Christ remained silent initially, definitely he knew the woman's heart, and thus his silence encouraged her to continue to cry all the more, requesting for her need. She was indeed patient and persistent. She moved to the next level of her clarion call for mercy when she jettisoned the Messianic title of Jesus Christ and came as a sinner who needed help. She offered no argument but simply said; "Lord, help me!" (Matt. 15:25).

The next level of the woman's faith provoked a shocking and unexpected answer from the Saviour who said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." Here, the Greek word used means a little pet dog or puppy and not the wild one which ran the streets and ate the garbage. Whereas the Children mentioned here only referred to the Israelites. This woman of faith and great wisdom quickly seized on the illustration of Jesus Christ about the children's bread and dog to show her acceptance of whatever she is called and her determination to receive mercy. She confessed that the Gentiles do not sit at table as Children and eat bread, but she knew that pet dogs (puppy) under the table can eat some of the crumbs and be satisfied. What a great confession of faith! Seeing the woman's high level of faith and her determination to obtain mercy, Jesus then had mercy on her and immediately healed her daughter. Men and brethren, no matter how far you have been from Christ as a result of sin, I want to announce to you today that Calvert has bridged the gap, when Jesus Christ died for the whole world and made reconciliation possible (Eph. 2:11cf). You can also access the mercy of God today, just believe in Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31) Remember the message of Paul to the Romans, when he said, "For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy, For God has committed them all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all" (Rom. 11:30-32).

Do you know that all human beings are at the mercy of God? He once told Moses, "...I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion" (Ex. 33:19b). In his letter to the Romans, Paul also raised an important question which he as well answered thus: "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For he (God) says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomsoever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomsoever I will have compassion." So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs but of God who shows mercy." (Rom. 9:14-16). Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in Christ, do you know that we all need the mercy of God to escape the ongoing attack of COVID-19 pandemic? We have to come to him in faith and accept his mercy without which we can do nothing. Our success, victory, healing, blessing, progress, deliverance, breakthrough, protection, and what have you depend solely on the mercy of God. Don't be discouraged by all your unanswered prayers or by what you see around you, just keep on calling on God through Jesus Christ, be resolute and trust him, very soon he will have mercy on you. Be patient but persistent at making your request known to him like the Syrophoenician woman and you will be amazed at his merciful disposition. Our God is a merciful God, trust him and always seek his mercy, for it is your turn to enjoy his mercy.

Let us pray.

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

OS-CAN Chairman.