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Pastor Henecke's Sermon and Devotional Outlines

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Pastor Henecke's Sermon Outline

The Woodland Street Pulpit

Gary Allen Henecke DD

June 11, 2006 am

Scraps from God

  1. Jesus Away from home

    1. This story occurs in the time of our Lord’s great crises

      1. The Jews are rejecting him

      2. John the Baptist has been executed

    2. Jesus has been "getting-away" but always there were needs

      1. So he flees to pagan lands

      2. Into ancient Lebanon – the land of the Canaanites

    3. The Syro-Phoenician woman pericope is found in Mark 7:25-30 and paralleled in Matthew 15:21-28

    4. Mark gives us a brief description

      1. Matthew will enhance Mark’s story

      2. Matthew was present (Mark was not). Mark's writes:

      Mark 7:24-30

      "All evil that defiles a person comes from within." Saying this, Jesus departed Capernaum, in Galilee, and moved to the territory of Tyre and Sidon, in Phoenicia. He entered a house, desiring to remain unrecognized, but he was not able to do so. Almost at once, a woman, whose small daughter possessed an evil spirit, heard of his presence and came and fell down at his feet. [The woman was Greek in culture and Syro-Phoenician by birth]. She begged him to drive the evil spirit out of her daughter. He said to her, "The children must be fed first; it is not right to take the children's bread and give it to puppies." Her response was, "Lord, even the little dogs under the table get the scraps the children drop." He said to her, "For saying this, go! You will find that the devil has gone from your daughter." When she returned home she found her daughter well.

    5. The four important amplifications in Matthew's version are:

      1. The woman calls Jesus by the Messianic title "Son of David" (15:22)
      2. At first, Jesus ignores the woman's request and the disciples complain that she is badgering them (15:23)
      3. Jesus responds to the disciples saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (15:24)
      4. Jesus responds by saying that her faith (trust) is enormous and informs her that her need is heard (15:28)

    6. The woman, like Ruth of old, comes from pagans

      1. She was desperate, but tales of him raised hope

        2. She heard of him, a woman did, a woman with a daughter . . . and she came to him and furthermore she was a Greek woman, a Syro-Phoenicianess.

      2. In the Jewish ancient world, it was improper for a woman to directly address a man, but in this story (the only such one in Mark) the woman is Gentile so she initiates the conversation

    7. This story emphasizes the Jewishness of Jesus

      1. The Gentile woman as unclean

      2. Despite this, the wisdom of the Lord was not above appreciating her cleverness (even a woman)

        1. His mission is to the children of Israel alone, not to the unclean Gentile "dogs"

        2. However, Gentiles can participate in grace

    8. The moral of the story is bigger, for the result of the woman's humble faith makes participation in God's kingdom possible for her

      1. She comes screaming – pleading

      2. The disciples see "their need" of time away frustrated

  2. The Tender Jesus

    1. In 7:27, Mark uses the diminutive "puppies" (kynaria) in place of the primitive noun "dogs" (kynos)

      1. A diminutive is meant to denote the need of care

        1. As in English, we say that duckling is the diminutive form of duck

        2. Jesus intentionally meant puppies rather than "dogs" to soften the insult

      2. The image Jesus uses is an image of endearment, not insult

    2. We know from OT precedence that dog was a pejorative insult (1 Sam. 17:43 and 2 Kings 8:13

      1. Also Matthew uses the word "dogs" to contrast those who do not appreciate what is holy from those who do (7:6)
      2. We know that to first-century Jews were called "the children," while pagans were "dogs" for their failure to observe ritual purity laws

        1. Their diets and habits were filthy

        2. Also, Jesus, as Messiah, came first to Israel

      Romans 15:8

      I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to maintain God's faithfulness, by making good the promises given to the patriarchs, and giving the Gentiles cause to glorify God for His mercy. It is written, "I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing hymns to your name."

    3. Jesus’ first mission must be to Israel
      1. Mark 7:27 – "Let the children first be filled." The Jews were to be the first to be redeemed - in the third tour of Galilee Jesus commands the 12 to avoid the Gentiles and the Samaritans (Mt 10:5). Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, but he went first to Jews (Ro 2:9)
    4. Instead of resenting Christ's words about giving the children's bread to the pups, this woman instantly turns it to her advantage and pleads for her daughter

  3. The Heart God Honors

    1. Remember the steps of her coming

      1. She heard

      2. She hoped

      3. She sought

      4. She believed

      5. She was undeterred

    2. But the real core of the miracle is what the Master saw in her

    3. Together let’s review Matthew’s insight:

      4. Jesus answered her, "Woman, your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you." Her daughter was healed instantly!

    4. Great Faith:

  • Great Faith is Focused

  • Great faith is Earnest

  • Great Faith is Persistent

  • Great Faith is Humble

    1. Great faith is focused

      1. In its discernment of evil

        1. It was not simply unfortunate

        2. The problem was more than a disease

          1. Her daughter had an evil spirit

          2. Sin must be sin for us to find healing

      2. In its insight into the cure

        1. Her daughter’s need was beyond a doctor

        2. Her cry was "Have mercy"

          1. She never doubted Jesus’ mercy

          2. She appealed to his mercy

      The Greek word is: Pisteuô

      pisteu,w means "to believe in" - be convinced of, give credence – "I believe there is a God"

      The Hebrew word means: "to trust" ~yDIÞn:m.h;(Wnymi’a]t;w>

      Genesis 15:6

      Abram believed (trusted) in Yahweh and the LORD considered his faith to be righteousness.

    2. Great faith is earnest

      1. It faces and tells the truth

        1. His importunity was her opportunity

        2. He was in the vicinity – she grabbed it

      2. She made her daughter’s need her need

      3. She did not wait for Jesus

        1. Her daughter’s hurts were too real

        2. She endured the rejection to get her need

    3. Great faith is persistent

      1. It refuses discouragement

      2. It finds a way to turn obstacles into encouragement

      3. Never for a moment did she lose sight of her need

        1. She Believed

        2. There is more than one meaning to faith

    4. Great faith is humble

      1. She did not get insulted

      2. She did not demand her rights

        1. She came not demanding her rights

        2. In her unworthiness – she was worthy

Proverbs 21:2 -4

Everyone’s ways seem right in their own opinion, but the LORD evaluates the motives (heart). To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the harvest of the wicked, is sin.




Pastor Henecke's PM Sermon Outline

The Woodland Street Pulpit

Nashville’s First Church of the Nazarene

Gary Allen Henecke DD

June 11, 2006 PM

Our Secret Sin

Reading I Samuel 12:

1 Samuel 12:23

Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

Psalm 90:8

You have set our sins before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

  1. A Pivotal Moment In History

    1. Our story is set in ancient Israel
      1. Samuel, the last of the judges represents the direct leadership of God over/to Israel
        1. In this Chapter he makes his retirement speech
        2. Saul has been elevated to king [v. 2]
          1. In spite of the protesting of Samuel
          2. King in the place of God
      2. Samuel asks them if he has been faithful
        1. Has he taken a bribe?
        2. Has he defrauded anyone?
      3. The people affirm Samuel’s integrity

      1 Samuel 12:4

      They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand."

    2. Then comes the reversal of judgment – Israel has not been true
      1. Samuel rehearses Israel’s history
        1. He tells of their backslidings
        2. He then gives the sign of thunder in harvest

        1 Samuel 12:18

        So Samuel called upon the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

      2. A devastating occurrence
      3. The people call out for intercession [v.19]
    3. This brings us to our text
      1. God and Samuel have been faithful in spite of Israel
      2. They had sinned - yet, they must not depart from God

1 Samuel 12:22

The LORD will not cast away His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for Himself.

  1. The Request
    1. It began in an admonition
      1. Fear not! [ v. 20]
        1. You have done evil
        2. Do not depart from God – he is faithful
        3. Do not turn aside to empty things
      2. The Lord will make you his people
    2. In this setting Samuel says,

      3. 1 Samuel 12:23

      As for me, God forbid that I should sin against Him by ceasing to pray for you.

    3. First – the nature of the sin
      1. Unintentional sin or sin of neglect
        1. Too often this is seen as not serious
        2. Not really needing to be confessed
        3. Not sin at all
      2. In ancient Israel these were real sins
        1. Sins needing atonement – with repentance
        2. This was sin to former generations
        3. It was more than a mistake

      Numbers 15:22-24

      When you sin unintentionally by failing to carry out all the commandments that God has commanded you, and it was done unintentionally, the whole congregation shall offer a burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma to the LORD, together with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for your sin.

      Hebrews 9:7

      The second veil is entered by the high priest alone but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.

    4. Second – the particular of the sin – failure in prayer
      1. The most unspoken sin of believers
        1. A subject that is much abused
        2. It has become so accepted it is ignored
      2. Sins of omission are almost never discussed
    5. The nature of prayer
      1. An assumed activity for us who profess
      2. A contact with our God
        1. The sense of prayer in our spirit is the most sure indicator – sign of our faith in God’s reality
        2. The richness of our life
        3. Without prayer we are powerless!

    Mark 9:29

    Jesus said, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."

  2. The Nature of Prayer
    1. It was always and remains a command for us – the first order

      2. 1 Timothy 2:1

      First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men.

      Ephesians 6:18

      Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

    2. Prayer is to replace fretting

      3. Philippians 4:6

      Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

      1. I confess that worrying is a sin
      2. This is a great issue in my own life
        1. The cure-all is prayer
        2. Life in a God-focus
          1. In Union with the creator of cosmos
          2. Centered in our life in him

      Colossians 4:2

      Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

    3. Prayer is a life pursuit – a lifestyle
      1. Here is there heart of worship
        1. That for which we are to be known
        2. Just think what all identifies churches
      2. If we don’t pray – do we believe?

      Matthew 21:13

      My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.

    4. Let’s not lose focus in this vast subject
      1. Samuel confessed that it was more than duty to pray
      2. He saw the need – but he called it sin
        1. This is the role of the holy in an evil age
        2. That which distracts us from prayer

          3. James 5:14-18

          Is any among you ill (weak)? Let him send for the church’s elders to pray over him, and anoint him with oil in the Lord’s name. The prayer of faith in the Lord will restore him to health – and if he has been sinful, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is very powerful in its effects. Elijah was a man just like us and he prayed fervently that it might not rain. For three years and six months it did not rain on the land. When he prayed again heaven gave rain, and the land bore fruit.

          1. May not be wrong
          2. And yet in your life it is sin
  3. The Unspoken Sin
    1. We who have received the Lord
      1. Have received the world’s need and cure
      2. What if we had the cure for cancer but did not give it
        1. What if we just were preoccupied
        2. Or just busy
    2. Worse sin of all is the hypocrisy: "I’ll pray for you."
    3. We do not emphasize enough the sin of omission

      4. James 4:17

      Anyone who knows what is right and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

      1 Samuel 12:23

      As for me, God forbid that I should sin against Him by ceasing to pray for you.

      1. Our religion is about being right with God
      2. We are to be right for God
    4. What healing went inexperienced – what sin unhealed – what evil unstopped – because we had great services without prayer?
    5. Remember our Lord’s anger with religious Jerusalem when he said

Luke 19:46

"It is written, 'My house will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of robbers!"

 








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