St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 25, The Lost Children of God: Their Worship of God.

Our paragraph topic is: (The Canaanite woman) Part 4.

We have to ask ourselves today, "What is it about this Canaanite woman that applies to us?"  Her daughter was beset of demons and she loved her daughter.   For she watched as her daughter did unspeakable things and she was tormented by the actions of the demon inside.  So she sought solutions.  She went to all the known scholars of the time.  She sought all the physicians.  She may have even sought the sorcerers of the time for help.  But none could help her in her quest to rid her daughter of the demon that possessed her.

Then she heard the word.  She heard about the words of Christ.  She heard of his miracles.  She heard of his preachings.  And then she knew.  She knew that he was the one.  She knew that he was the solution because his words carried the power.  His words carried in it the seed of hope.  His words carried in it the truth that filled her heart with the belief that her problem would be solved.  And she knew without a doubt that Christ would save her daughter.

So she came out of her town.  She came out of her village.  She resolved within herself that she would find Christ and she would petition him with her pleas to help her daughter.  She would not be turned, she would not be moved.  And when she found him, she cried out.  She followed him and begged to be heard.  She called to the disciples and asked for their intercession.  She cried out in a loud voice so that she would be heard and they wanted to send her away.  They wanted to turn her around because she made such a noise that no one wanted to hear. 

Christ heard but did not answer.  He understood her need but did not respond.  He listened to her pleas but did not say a word.  He listened to her faith.  He listened to her hope.  He listened for her belief in him as the solution to her problems but did not respond.  And then she was allowed to come before him and she worshipped him.   But she came and worshipped him, saying! "Lord, help me!"

What does this Canaanite woman have to do with us today?  She came to Christ and she pleaded for her daughter.  She would not be moved and she would not be deterred.  She knew that he was the answer.  She knew that her solution was with Christ.  And she believed that he would heal her daughter.  She had resolution.  She had determination.  She had faith.  She had hope that was solid as a rock and would not be changed, for she knew.  Do we know today?  Do we believe today that Christ is our answer?  Do we have the faith that will not be moved?  The Canaanite woman had no answers.  She had no proof.  She had no evidence that would convince her that he would be the one.  After trying all other solutions she heard his words.  And the word filled her with hope.  The word filled her with faith.  The word filled her heart with the truth that Christ was the answer and she came in search of that answer.

The world puts answers before us.  The world tells us that it has the solution to all our problems.  All we have to do is believe that the solution is in the world.  All we have to do is resign ourselves to the world and go to sleep in its solutions.  It tells us that our problems will be solved.  Resolve yourself to the world and you will find the peace of the world.  But you will not find the eternal peace of Christ.  You will not find eternal solutions.  You will not find the faith that tells you of the eternal joy and the eternal peace that comes from Christ.  The Canaanite woman knew.  The Canaanite woman believed.  The Canaanite woman took action and sought him out.  Will you do the same today?  Will you seek him out?  Will you know that he is the solution?  Will you believe?

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verse: 4, The Transgression.

Our Paragraph topic is:  ( Christ refutes the Scribes and Pharisees)
Part 3.

The Pharisees questioned Christ.  Within themselves they believed that they had the authority to question him.  They believed that they were the enforcers of the law and that it was their duty to demand correction where they saw wrong.  For the disciples of Christ had taken food without washing.  The disciples had made an error and did not follow the laws and tradition laid down by the Pharisees.  So in their arrogance they questioned Christ about the behavior of his disciples.

Christ saw into their hearts.  Christ saw into their minds.  Christ saw the evil within them that they did not know.  Christ knew who they were and he knew the evil that was in them.  He knew the evil that persuaded them to come and speak about the behavior of the disciples.  For this evil had transgressed the commandments of God before. The evil within them decided that they were to rule mankind.  This evil decided that they were to control man and decide his destiny.  The evil inside decided that mankind would worship them and not the one true God.  The evil within the Pharisees decided that they would turn mankind away from God.  So they persuaded the Pharisees to question Christ.  But Christ saw their evil and he knew who they were.  His question to them was:   "And why do you transgress the commandment of God?"

The Pharisees were only vehicles through which the evil worked.  The Pharisees were only instruments through which the goals of evil were accomplished.  For evil was suggested to them.  Evil worked within them.  Evil made their plans with the Pharisees and the goals of evil were completed through the workings of men.  The Pharisees did not know why they transgressed the commandment of God, but evil knew.  The Pharisees did not know why they believed that they had authority to change the laws of God but evil knew.  For evil wanted to turn man away from God.  Evil hated the commandments of God and evil wanted to deceive mankind so that they could control his behavior and not God.   For God said, 'Honor thy father and thy mother '; and, 'Let him who curses father or mother be put to death.'

And so it is today.  Loving and godly parents lay down the law to their children.  Parents provide for their children.  Parents protect their children, care for them, educate them, give the love and nurturing that the body and soul needs to come forth and be a witness to the will of God.  But then the world takes over.  The world gets into the children.  The world draws the children into the darkness and without hesitation they become lost in the world.  For as the children grow and become older they rebel from the ways of the parents.  The children want the desires and the passions that the world has to offer and regard parents and being old and outdated not in tune with modern times.  And the world calls them to their death.

What makes us transgress the commandments of God?  How do we decide to go against his will?  Do we instantly make the decision to do so?  Do we see a lie and decide to lie?  Do we know dishonor and decide to dishonor?  Do we feel adultery and decide to be adulterous?  Or are we the pawns of the evil that is within us?  Are we whispered to, talked to, have visions from the evil that comes to turn us away?  Are we drawn into the transgression through the simple daily prodding of the world around us?  For evil is in the world.  Evil is through the world.  Evil is the heart of the world and it will not let us go until death comes. 

Do not be taken by evil!  Do not live in the evil of the world believing that it is the reality of life.  For the world is inclined towards death and has no life.  The world is darkness and leads to destruction.  Christ came into the world to bring life.  Christ came into the world that there may be light and not darkness.  But we must choose.  We must be aware of the darkness.  We must awaken from the deceit of the world and open our hearts to the light of Christ.  We are not of this world but of the kingdom of heaven.  For our treasure is in heaven and not in the world.  There lies our home.  There, in heaven, will we find eternal peace and the eternal joy that the world cannot give.  There in heaven will we see ourselves as we are in Christ.

COME!  Find your peace.  Find your truth.  Find your eternal joy and know the truth of the commandments.  For they were given to us to keep us on the path of life, the path that leads us to our eternal home.  Be not persuaded by the urgings of the world to transgress the commandments of God.  For God is our father, our creator, our protector, our provider.  He has prepared great and wondrous things for those who love him.  But for those who transgress, the wrath of the justice of God awaits.  Turn away from the suggestions of the evil that is in the world and live by the commandments of God.  Come!  Have eternal life in Christ!