Two Pictures Of Salvation

2-12-11

And from thence He arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon,

and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: 

But He could not be hid.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  If you are in Christ, you have become light in this dark world, it is not you but Christ who liveth in you and it will be evident to everyone that He is in you.  He doesn't allow Himself to be hid but to be seen that they might see your works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit,

heard of Him, and came and *fell at His feet:

 Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. We will all bow before the Living God, we will either now humble ourselves before even a crowd as this woman did, she didn't care, she only saw Christ!, or when He comes in glory and our knees will bow before Him but not in reverence or desperation or willing worship of Him but ashamed and guilty having never bowed before Him in our life on earth, paying for eternity.  And her belief, her faith compelled her to fall on her face before Him.  She heard and believed Him.  Believing and knowing Him will constrain us to fall on our face before Him, in our homes, privately, even in public.  Have you become this desperate?

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation:

and *she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

She knew He was the only place she could go.  She could not help but pursue Him.  She knew He was the only One with power to heal, to save.

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled:

The children being the house of Israel (Matthew 15)

for it is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it unto the dogs.

She was a Greek, she was a dog in that culture, a Gentile.

And she answered and said unto Him, *Yes, Lord: 

yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

She didn't see herself as worthy.  She agreed when the Lord said, Dog, she said Amen, Sir!!  She didn't argue and think she was something when she was nothing.  She was in utter brokenness, and had faith in the midst of it, What the Jews don't receive from You Lord, I will receive, I will be as the dogs eating the crumbs the children leave behind.  This is a humble heart.  Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. She had childlike faith as the Lord requires.  Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.   How unworthy we are as Gentiles, even as Jews, to be looked on by God, to be given salvation!  We have been grafted in, praise the Lord!  How merciful and gracious is He!!!

And He said unto her, For this saying go thy way;

the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

And when she was come to her house,

she found the devil gone out and her daughter laid upon the bed.

(Mark 7:25-30)

And they came to Jericho:

and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people,

blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,

he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, *have mercy on me.

And many charged him that he should hold his peace:

Many will say peace, peace, where there is none.  Jeremiah 6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.  This was speaking of false prophets, which there are many today, wolves in sheeps clothing, leading people even believers astray, quieting the conscience, but this blind man would have none of it, he needed to be heard by the LORD!!  He was just as the man in Luke 11, because of his importunity, his persistence he was given what he wanted.  This is how the Lord wants us!  Desperate for Him!!

but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, *have mercy on me.

And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called.  

And they called the blind man, saying unto him,

Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee.

Romans 1:1; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:26, God is the One who calls, not man, He calls those that are not noble, wise, or mighty, but the weak things.

And he, casting away his garment; rose and came to Jesus.

He cast away all he owned, his garments of the flesh, to come to Jesus and receive what He would give to him.  He wanted to see Jesus, He desired to come after Him, and he was willing to deny himself, humiliate himself for Him.

And Jesus answered and said unto him,

What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?  

The blind man said unto Him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.  

And immediately he received his sight, and *followed Jesus in the way.

He then followed Jesus.  Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  This man held nothing back.  If we do not forsake all and follow Him we cannot be His disciples. 

(Mark 10:46-52)