First Baptist Church Litchfield
March 8, 2026

      • Isaiah 60:1–4aESV

  • Your Grace Is Enough
  • His Mercy Is More

      • 1 Peter 1:3–9ESV

  • Be Unto Your Name
  • Christ Our Hope In Life And Death

  • Great faith rests in a great Savior.

    In the nineteenth century there was a young preacher in London named Charles Spurgeon who once met a woman crushed under the weight of guilt. She was convinced that her sin was too great and that Christ could never receive someone like her. She had listened to sermons about grace, but every time she heard them she thought, “That cannot be for me.”
    Spurgeon listened patiently and then pointed her to a simple scene from the Gospels. He said, “Do you remember the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment?” The woman nodded. Spurgeon then said something that stayed with her.
    He said, “Your faith may be small, but it is not the greatness of your faith that saves you. It is the greatness of the Savior in whom your faith rests.”
    That insight captures something vital about the Christian life. We often think that strong Christians must possess strong faith. We imagine that faith must be heroic, bold, and impressive. But the Bible repeatedly teaches us something different.
    Faith is not powerful because of its size. Faith is powerful because of its object.
    A trembling hand that reaches for a strong Savior is still a saving faith.
    That is exactly what we see in Matthew 15. A desperate Gentile woman approaches Jesus with nothing to offer Him. She has no religious credentials. She has no standing among the people of Israel. All she has is desperation and confidence that Jesus can help her.
    And Jesus responds with a statement that is almost shocking.
    He says, “O woman, great is your faith.”
    This passage teaches us that great faith is not about great people. Great faith rests in a great Savior. Matthew shows us,

    Great faith humbly cries out to Jesus, perseveres in desperate dependence upon Him, and receives the saving mercy that only a great Savior can give.

    In verse 21, Jesus withdraws from the area to the district of Tyre and Sidon. It would have been about a fifty mile journey (Matthew 15:21). It is a Gentile dominant region known as the Decapolis. The last time we read about the Decapolis, Jesus had delivered a man full of a legion of demons.
    Jesus would’ve likely been gone for approximately six months. This would give the area he left time to settle down from the messianic frenzy we saw in the first twenty verses of chapter fifteen. When he arrives, he encounters a Gentile woman whose desperation reveals the road we must all walk to great faith.

    The Woman’s Great Faith: Five Marks of Great Faith

    Great Faith Cries Out to a Great Savior Matthew 15:22

    Matthew begins the scene with a single word that should cause is to briefly pause. He writes, “Behold.” That word functions like a spotlight. Matthew is telling the reader to stop and notice what is about to happen because something unexpected is unfolding before our eyes.
    And what we see would be surprising to Matthews audience. A Canaanite woman approaches Jesus. The Canaanites were ancient enemies of Israel. They were Gentiles, outsiders to the covenant promises. Yet here she is approaching a Jewish rabbi and addressing Him directly. That alone would have startled Matthew’s original readers.
    Matthew wants us to see her because she is about to demonstrate something remarkable. She, the enemy of Israel, cries out to Israel’s Messiah, Jesus.
    Matthew tells us she was crying out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David.” The language indicates a continual cry. She is not politely requesting an audience with Jesus. She is pleading. Her words are desperate.
    She asks Jesus for mercy.
    The word mercy means to show compassion toward someone in misery. It means to pity someone and extend kindness in their moment of greatest need. She is begging Him to respond to her suffering. And the suffering in her home is severe.
    She says, “My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
    The word Matthew uses communicates torment. This young girl is not merely troubled. She is under the crushing influence of the kingdom of darkness (Matthew 15:22; Luke 11:20).
    When the Gospels describe demonic oppression, they show us a terrifying picture of what Satan’s kingdom does to people made in the image of God. One man lived among the tombs, crying out day and night and cutting himself with stones (Mark 5:2–5; Luke 8:27). Another boy was seized by a demon that threw him into violent convulsions so that he foamed at the mouth, ground his teeth, and was repeatedly cast into fire and water in an attempt to destroy him (Mark 9:17–22; Matthew 17:15). Some victims were rendered mute or blind, their bodies held captive by dark powers (Matthew 9:32–33; Matthew 12:22). Others displayed terrifying strength, breaking chains and shackles as they raged among the dead (Mark 5:3–4; Luke 8:29).
    This is the misery of Satan’s kingdom. It dehumanizes. It enslaves. It destroys. Demons delight in tormenting the bodies and souls of those made in God’s image. And this little girl in Matthew’s account is suffering under that same cruel tyranny.
    ou might introduce it like this:
    The misery of Satan’s kingdom is not freedom but torment. Dante captured something of this reality in Inferno when he imagined the inscription over the gate of hell:
    “Through me you enter the city of woe. Through me you enter eternal pain. Through me you enter the people of despair.” “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”— Dante, Inferno, Canto III
    That is the nature of the kingdom of darkness. It is a realm of woe, torment, and despair. Satan promises power and pleasure, but what he delivers is misery and bondage. The demons that torment this little girl are citizens of that dreadful kingdom.
    Demonic possession in Scripture is not simply mental illness. It is the horrifying reality of fallen angels taking control of a person’s mind and body, inflicting suffering that the victim cannot escape.
    Now imagine watching your child endure that.
    This mother has tried everything. She has exhausted every resource. Nothing has worked. Her daughter remains trapped in the grip of darkness.
    So she runs to Jesus. And in that moment we begin to see the nature of great faith. Great faith begins with desperation.
    Great faith does not come to Christ boasting in personal worth. Great faith comes to Christ pleading for mercy. This woman is not negotiating with Jesus. She is not presenting credentials. She is confessing her helplessness.
    In essence she is saying, “I have nothing left. I cannot fix this. I cannot rescue my daughter. I cannot overcome the darkness that has invaded my home. All I can do is come to You and beg for mercy.”
    And that is exactly where great faith begins. It begins when a sinner comes to the end of himself.
    When every attempt at self-salvation collapses, when every strategy for fixing your life fails, when every source of human help proves powerless, you finally discover the only place left to go.
    You cry out to Christ. Great faith always cries out to the great Savior.

    Great Faith Recognizes the Authority of a Great Savior Matthew 15:22

    She addresses Jesus with remarkable clarity. She cries out, “Lord, Son of David.”
    The Canaanite woman does not simply call Jesus “Lord.” She calls Him “Lord, Son of David” (Matthew 15:22), openly confessing Him as the Messiah, the promised King from David’s line. The title “Son of David” is a distinctly Jewish messianic title referring to the king God promised would come from David’s line to rule His people and deliver them from their enemies.
    Matthew’s Gospel is carefully structured around this identity. It begins with the announcement, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). Earlier in the Gospel, after witnessing Jesus’ power, the crowds begin asking the question, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:23).
    Here in Matthew 15, that question receives a surprising answer. The confession does not come from Israel’s religious leaders or even from the crowds. It comes from a Gentile woman. By calling Jesus the Son of David, she acknowledges that He is the fulfillment of God’s promise of an eternal king (2 Samuel 7:12–13) and the one through whom the nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). In Jesus, all the promises of God find their Yes (2 Corinthians 1:20).
    What makes this even more striking is that many Israelites struggle to see this truth. The religious leaders question Jesus. The crowds misunderstand Him. Even the disciples are sometimes slow to understand who He is. Yet this outsider sees something they miss.
    She also calls Him “Lord.”
    This term expresses reverence, submission, and honor. It is the language of respect and worship and reflects the way the disciples themselves address Jesus throughout the Gospel. In this context it carries its fullest sense, recognizing His authority and Lordship.
    Now it is possible that the woman did not yet grasp the full depth of what she was saying. She may not have understood every implication of Jesus’ identity. But Matthew’s readers certainly would have. They would recognize that her words point directly to the messianic identity of Christ.
    And this reveals another mark of great faith.
    Great faith recognizes who Jesus truly is.
    Before she asks for anything, she acknowledges His authority. She comes before Him not just as a desperate mother, but as a humble worshiper. She understands, at least in part, that the one standing before her is the promised King, the Lord who possesses authority even over the powers of darkness.
    This woman is our teacher if you will have her. Her confession teaches you and I that great faith does not begin by treating Jesus like a vending machine. Great faith begins with recognizing Jesus is Lord, God almighty, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah King.
    Jesus is not merely a helper or a great teacher. He is not your personal miracle worker or a political champion. He is the Lord, the Son of David, the promised King who has authority over the kingdom of darkness. And great faith bows before that King.

    Great Faith Perseveres Before a Silent Savior Matthew 15:23-24

    In previous encounters with desperate people, Jesus typically responds immediately. Sometimes He gives instructions. Sometimes He heals on the spot. But in this case something unusual happens.
    Matthew records in verse 23, “But he did not answer her a word.”
    Jesus is silent.
    The woman has cried out for mercy. She has confessed Him as the Son of David. Yet there is no response. No healing. No reassurance. Only silence.
    The disciples quickly grow annoyed. They turn to Jesus and plead, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” In other words, “Lord, do something. Grant her request or get rid of her so we can move on. She is shouting and making a scene.”
    Jesus responds to them, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
    Jesus is not rejecting the woman. He is clarifying the priority of His earthly mission. God had promised that salvation would come first to Israel. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus had already instructed the disciples in this very way.
    In Matthew 10:5–6, He told them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
    But don’t take your eye of the woman. While Jesus and the disciples are speaking, the woman is left outside the conversation. From her perspective, the Lord she called upon has said nothing. The Son of David she hoped would answer her appears silent to her desperation. And that experience is not unfamiliar in the life of faith.
    Throughout Scripture we see God’s people wrestling with seasons of divine silence. The Psalms and the book of Job contain some of the most powerful expressions of this struggle. Job searches for God but cannot find Him.
    “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him.” Job 23:8–9
    The psalmist cries out,
    “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” Psalm 13:1–2
    And again,
    “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1–2
    At times it seems as if God stands far away during trouble.
    “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?” Psalm 10:1
    Even King Saul once sought the Lord but received no answer.
    “And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him.” 1 Samuel 28:6
    So what are we to make of such silence?
    The Bible shows us that God’s silence does not destroy faith. It often deepens it. The psalmists wrestle honestly with the silence of God, yet they continue to seek Him. Their cries reveal not shallow faith, but mature faith that refuses to let go of God even when His voice is not immediately heard.
    God’s silence often tests faith. It drives believers to more earnest prayer. It strips away dependence on circumstances and teaches us to trust the character and promises of God instead.
    And that is exactly what happens here.
    Though Jesus appears silent, the woman does not walk away.
    Matthew tells us in verse 25, “But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’”
    Her faith presses forward. She kneels in humility and pleads again for mercy; Lord, help me! She keeps running hard after Jesus. Great faith continues seeking Christ even when heaven seems quiet.
    Great faith does not walk away when God appears silent. Great faith presses closer surrendering to God’s wise sovereignty, and she is rewarded for such persistence in her faith.

    Great Faith Humbly Submits to a Sovereign Savior Matthew 15:25–27

    Jesus answers her, 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
    The word Jesus uses refers to a household dog or pet, not the wild scavenger dogs that roamed the streets. The Greek word kunarion is a diminutive form, meaning a little dog, the kind that lived in the home and ate from the household.
    Even so, the illustration still carries a sharp point. It reflects the priority Israel had in receiving God’s covenant blessings. The children in the household represent Israel, while the little dogs represent the Gentiles who were outside the covenant promises. Her response is just as remarkable as Jesus’ sharp illustration. She does not argue or protest. Instead, she humbly submits to His sovereign authority as the Son of David. In essence she says, “Yes, Lord. Even if I am like a dog, you are still the Master, and I know you can help me.”
    This is the posture of great faith. It does not demand its rights before Christ. It submits to the sovereign Savior and trusts that even the smallest portion of His mercy is more than enough.

    Great Faith Trusts that a Great Savior Welcomes the Nations Matthew 15:27

    Keep in mind, this woman is a Canaanite woman. By referring to the woman as a Canaanite (see Mk 7:26), Matthew links her to the most well-known pagan adversary of Israel. She is not just a Gentile, she is an enemy. She is outside the kingdom, and yet she comes wanting a space by the table.
    The woman does not challenge Jesus’ priority toward Israel. Instead, she humbly accepts it and replies that meeting the needs of Gentiles would not deprive Israel any more than children go hungry because the household pets eat the crumbs that fall from the table.
    Her response points forward to a truth that becomes clear throughout the New Testament. Gentiles are not permanently excluded from God’s kingdom. Jesus Himself hinted at this when He said that “many will come from east and west and recline at table (not by the table like a dog, but at the table as sons and daughters) with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). That statement shocked His Jewish audience because it placed believing Gentiles alongside the patriarchs of Israel.
    The apostles later made this truth unmistakably clear. Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Those who were once outsiders have now been brought near, because Christ “has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14; cf. 2:11–22).
    What was once hidden has now been revealed. “The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6).
    In other words, those who once stood outside the covenant promises are now welcomed to the table of the Messiah. Through faith in Christ, Gentiles share the same inheritance, the same salvation, and the same access to God as believing Jews. Great faith trusts that the Great Savior welcomes the nations into His kingdom.
    That is why Jesus has given us the Great Commission, to go and preach to the gospel to all nations, Jew and Gentile. The gospel is not bound, says Herman Bavinck, to one nation or people but it destined for all peoples. In Christ the wall between Israel and the nations is removed and a new humanity is created.
    “The gospel is not bound to one nation or people but is destined for all peoples. In Christ the wall between Israel and the nations is removed and a new humanity is created.” Herman Bavinck — Reformed Dogmatics, Vol. 3
    Great faith believes the gospel is free for every nation, tribe, and tongue; that Jesus welcomes the faith of the Jew and the Gentile. The story does not end with her faith, however. It climaxes with the greatness of the Savior who responds to it.

    The Great Savior

    The Great Savior Delights in Great Faith Matthew 15:28

    Jesus publicly commends her great humble faith! Jesus responds to her, “O woman, great is your faith!” Jesus’ response is emphatic. He is moved by her faith. This is not the first time Jesus is moved by such faith. He is moved to this kind of faith with other Gentiles.
    A Roman centurion, a Gentile officer, asks Jesus to heal his servant. When Jesus offers to come, the centurion replies that Jesus only needs to speak a word.
    “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Matthew 8:10
    Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to give thanks.
    “And he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.” Luke 17:16
    Jesus responds:
    “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:19
    Great faith is not about religious privilege or spiritual pedigree; it is about humble trust in Christ. These Gentiles had no covenant status, no religious reputation, and no claim upon God’s promises. Yet they came to Jesus with desperation and confidence in His mercy, and He gladly received them. He received them because he delighted in their great humble faith.

    The Great Savior Demonstrates His Power Over the Kingdom of Darkness Matthew 15:28

    As a response to her great faith, Jesus speaks a word and the demon is defeated. He says, “Let it be done for you as you desire.” And Matthew tells us that her daughter was healed instantly (Matthew 15:28). With nothing more than His command, Christ rescues the girl from the kingdom of darkness.
    This reminds us that only the word of Christ has the power to deliver the tormented soul. When Jesus speaks, darkness submits. Demons obey. Evil retreats. The Son of David reigns as Lord over every power of the unseen world.
    And what Jesus does for this girl is a picture of what He does for all who come to Him by faith. Through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ delivers His people from the kingdom of darkness and transfers them into His kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13–14). He seals us with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14), so that no demon could ever possess those who belong to Him.
    Even though believers still experience affliction in this present age, the final victory is certain. A day is coming when Christ will return. Death, Satan, and every demonic power will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10, 14). The enemies of God will be defeated forever, and Christ’s people will live in perfect peace under His righteous rule.
    On that day, our faith will become sight. And what a sight it will be—the King Himself, the Son of David, reigning forever, and His people dwelling safely in His kingdom of light.

    Trembling faith is great faith in a Great Savior.

    The woman who came to Charles Spurgeon was convinced that her faith was too small and her sin too great. She feared that Christ would never receive someone like her. Spurgeon reminded her of the simple truth. It is not the greatness of your faith that saves you. It is the greatness of the Savior in whom your faith rests.
    Matthew 15 shows us that very truth.
    This Canaanite woman could not bring any religious credentials to Jesus, she could not come with a list of accomplishments-no spiritual trophies. She came trembling with desperation. Her daughter was suffering under the kingdom of darkness and she had no power to rescue her.
    So she cried out to Christ.
    She called Him Lord. She believed He was the Son of David. When He seemed silent she kept coming. When she was tested she remained humble. She knew that even the smallest portion of mercy from Jesus would be enough.
    And Jesus looked at her and said, “O woman, great is your faith.”
    Why was her faith great?
    Because she was impressive? No. Was it because her faith was flawless? Absolutely not. Her faith was great because she had eyes to see Jesus as Lord.
    She saw that He is a great Savior.
    He is the Lord who hears the cries of desperate sinners. He is the King who welcomes outsiders into His mercy. He is the conqueror who defeats the kingdom of darkness with a word.
    And that means something very important for you and me this morning.
    Some of you may feel like that woman Spurgeon counseled. You may look at your life and think your faith is weak. Your prayers stumble. Your obedience is inconsistent. Your past feels heavy.
    But listen carefully to the lesson Jesus has taught us this morning.
    The power of faith does not come from the strength of the believer. The power of faith comes from the greatness of the Savior. A trembling faith in a great Christ is still saving faith.
    So cry out to Him. Call Him Lord. Persevere even when heaven seems silent. Humble yourself before His mercy.
    The Amazing Grace hymn writer, John Newton, once said,
    “Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.”— John Newton
    Like the Canaanite woman, John Newton was a desperate sinner clinging to a great Savior. And like the Canaanite woman, John Newton knew of the Great Savior’s grace, and so can you. Jesus is a Great Savior who delights in your trembling great faith. Rest in your great Savior, today. Amen

      • Matthew 15:21–28ESV

      • Matthew 15:22ESV

      • Matthew 15:25–27ESV

      • Matthew 15:27ESV

      • Matthew 15:28ESV

      • Matthew 8:10ESV

      • Luke 17:16ESV

      • Luke 17:19ESV

  • Empty Hallelujahs
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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