Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of perseverance in faith through the story of the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus for help. Despite being initially ignored and rebuffed, she humbly persisted, acknowledging her unworthiness and seeking even the crumbs from the Master's table. Her unwavering faith and determination led to her daughter's healing, illustrating that true faith often requires enduring trials and disappointments. Stegen challenges listeners to reflect on their own faith journey and the need to remain steadfast in seeking Jesus, regardless of obstacles. Ultimately, the sermon highlights that recognizing one's lost state is crucial for receiving God's grace.

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. (Matthew 15:21-28). 1) We read here when Jesus was in that region, "behold a Canaanite woman came to Him". God wants us to take note. The Canaanites practised fortune telling, sacrificed their children as burnt offerings to their gods etc. They sinned exceedingly in the sight of God. God warned His people not to do like the Canaanites or mingle with them. God wanted His people to be holy and separated unto Him. It was one of these Canaanite woman who came to Jesus, saying, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me. My daughter is terribly vexed by an evil spirit". People who dabble in the occult are under a curse and afflicted by evil spirits. It's amazing how this woman escaped from that curse and came to Jesus. Wise is the person who comes to Jesus even though he grew up in a godless home. 2) She came to the Lord Jesus crying for mercy, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David". When a person calls the Lord Jesus the Son of David it implies he acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah. The Lord must have rejoiced when He heard her crying for help, but He did not answer her a word and went on His way. Eventually the disciples urged the Lord to send her away. How would you have reacted after being treated in this way? To make it worse, when Jesus eventually spoke, He said to her that He wasn't sent for her, but only for the lost sheep of Israel. If Jesus would say this to you how would you react? Would you become totally despondent and depressed, feeling sorry for yourself that even heaven rejected you? But this woman humbled herself even further, knelt before Him and begged for help. Still Jesus rebuked her for asking what didn't belong to her, saying, "It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs". She humbled herself still further, asking only for the crumbs falling from the table. This woman had one goal to meet with Jesus and nothing would distract her from her goal. If you do not have the same goal as this woman you will fall by the wayside. You might last for awhile but will eventually go astray. In stead of getting upset and going away deeply offended, she goes deeper and deeper until she received what she came for. All her disappointment only drew her closer to the Lord. How do you compare to this Canaanite woman? Maybe you claim to come to meet with the Lord Jesus but the first disappointment puts you off and you go away offended and disappointed and even go and slander. Have you ever come to the realisation that you're only a dog? Have you realised that you're not worthy of God's grace? She acknowledged that she wasn't worthy of God's grace, but she received mercy. 3) The Lord loved her from the outset. As she persevered the Lord said to her, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt". The Lord dealt with her in a deeper and a deeper way until He obtained His goal in her life. So too if you pray and the Lord doesn't answer your prayer maybe it's because there is something the Lord is aiming at in your life. 4) The Lord said to the woman, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel". Who was Israel? He was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac and in line for the blessing God promised to Abraham and Isaac. Israel also wrestled with man and God and overcame. Even though the Israelites had such a wonderful heritage, it didn't help them. They were still lost, but they didn't realise it. Jesus was sent to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel". Unless you realise your lost estate, despite your heritage, you're damned.