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For a short time as we are able we may consider words in the chapter read. The gospel according to Matthew chapter 15 and reading again at verse 25. Matthew's gospel chapter 15 reading again at verse 25. Then came she and worshipped him saying, Lord help me. especially these three words, Lord help me. As someone was saying concerning these three words, that they should always, for the true messengers of the gospel, be the three steps leading up to the pulpit. And surely every true servant of God is conscious of the fact that they need the help of the Lord. Now when we are praying for the Lord's help, it means we are asking for a divine help, and that can only come from God himself. And it also means we are seeking almighty help from God. And because He is divine, He is also almighty. And because He is almighty, He is divine. Now the Lord cares for His own, and He helps them with our loving help. We may help people often, but without any love being in the help which we give. We hear a lot about charity nowadays, and we mustn't think that's going to save us at the end of the journey, or that it is a substitute for grace. Yet it is true that we are able to help our fellow beings in this world. But I'm sure you can't think in your own experience of help you have given and yet love was absent although you did help that person. Now that is not true concerning the Lord. He gives loving help. He has loved us all with an everlasting love, and many waters cannot quench that love, neither can the floods throne it. And also the Lord gives suitable help and seasonable help. There are such occasions in the life of the children of God when they need special help at special times. And the Lord knows when to give suitable help and when to give seasonable help. My God shall supply all you need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now we read of many who came to the Lord with a hard kiss, and not one was sent away disappointed. When they were praying in spirit and in truth, when they were truly worshipping God, who appeared, then came she, and worshipped him same. Now if you would ask many people, what worship of God is in old days, I'm sure you would get many different answers. But God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Now, strictly speaking, it is not true to say that there weren't those who went away disappointed. You remember the rich young ruler. He went away disappointed. But there was a reason for that. He wasn't worshipping in spirit and in truth. You remember the scribe who came with such a false seal. And he said, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. and he went away disappointed. But it is true that no one ever came with a hard case, wanting the Lord to do something for him, went away disappointed. Now of course, our Lord has many ways of answering our prayers. This is a prayer which we had I am sure, at the beginning of our life of grace. We realized that we could not help ourselves when we were convicted of sin. And we realized that no one else in the world could help us when we made a discovery of ourselves and of our own sins. So that this is a prayer which the child of God has at the beginning of a life of grace. And as he or she journeys on in the world, they know from day to day that they need the help of the Lord. And as we get older and realise that many of our friends are in eternity, and that we will soon follow, then we must realise that this is our prayer which we need when we approach the dwellings of Jordan. Now there are so many varied experiences in the life of the children of God and they know that they need this prayer. We must never think that we are on such a high plane that we do not need this prayer What a prayer it is, just three words, Lord, help me. But it is a prayer we need while we are in this world, and a prayer we need when we draw our last breath, and a prayer when we look back, which we did need when we made a discovery of ourselves and of our sins. Well, the rich young ruler and the scribe They did not need a Savior, and that's why they went away a disappointment. But what an encouragement in Scripture for those who feel their great need. And I'm sure the children of God here today are conscious of their need. Our circumstances vary in providence and in grace. And so thankful we should be for the Book of Psalms, that it was not always the same language which the Psalmist uttered, but that from day to day his circumstances and his experiences changed. Lord, help me. Now there is a trial of faith in the case before us, because First of all, there she cried to the Lord, and then he answered, not a word. And then there was another trial coming, for the disciples were going to misunderstand her. We are not long on life's journey when we have this experience, the people of God, misunderstandings. Eli misunderstands Hannah. And we will have these experiences when our brethren and sisters in Christ will misunderstand the situation. But child of God, the Lord will never misunderstand your situation. Now consider what the silence meant here for this woman, and then what the words of the disciples meant here. Surely it was a trial of her faith. Send her away, for she cries after us. He answered her, not a word. Now this doesn't mean that the Lord is not hearing us. The Lord may delay the answer to our prayer. When the sisters sent the message to our Lord, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Because our Lord delayed, that did not mean that he did not hear their prayer. And there may be occasions in the experience of the people of God and you will not recognise the answer to the prayer which you have made, because God moves in a mysterious way and he answers our prayer in such a way that we did not expect that kind of answer. So very often the patience of our hope must be in exercise, waiting for answer to prayer and wait in fulfillment of a promise which God has given us. Now consider what it meant here. He answered her, not a word. Surely that was a trial for her faith, that he answered her, not a word. I remember when I was young in Ness, there was one of the elders who was always When he prayed in Galilee, he was speaking about toss of plague on the hill, and that was a burden to him. And perhaps as we journey on, we realize more what he meant by these words. But it was a trial for her, and then the trial again came from the disciples. Send her away, for she cries after us. Now who taught this poor gentile woman that Jesus was the son of David? Here was a clear work of God. And here was one who was worshipping in spirit and in truth. And here was one who was really praying. And the Lord gives faith. Now, but the Lord, when he gives faith, He will try that faith. A silent God, the heavens like brass. And consider what that meant in the experience of this woman. Now consider what she laid stress on when she came to the Lord. She laid stress on Mary. Of course she had a problem. Of course she was describing the way her daughter was. My daughter is grievously vexed with her devil, but she cried, have mercy on me. And this is what we also must lay stress on, on mercy. On mercy, after thy lovingkindness, Lord, have mercy upon me, the sprinkled mercy seat. So when you consider, there she was, Her faith was being tried, and yet then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. Now she proved she was one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel in a gospel sense, and considered when she heard the words of the Lord. But she wasn't going to be picked off, supposing she would be described as a dog. There she was humbled in the presence of God, truthful Lord, yet the dark seat of the crumbs which fall from the Master's table. Now, however the Lord may delay, living faith will cleave to the Lord, and living faith will cling to the Lord. And that is the example which we have here. She had faith, and she was in a short time going to hear from the lips of the Lord himself concerning the faith which she had. What a privilege it was for those in the Word of God who heard from the lips of the Lord himself concerning the portion which they had. She was reminded that they could go in peace, that their sins had been forgiven, and so on. How wonderful it was to hear from the lips of the Lord concerning the faith which they had and the portion which they had. And there was no room there for doubt because they heard it from the Lord himself. But there she was, this woman had great faith and yet finally she got all that she wanted. and surely then that we need this prayer. Whatever your situation today, as a denomination we need this prayer, as individuals we need this prayer, as the church of God we need this prayer. Lord help me, from day to day, whatever our situation, whatever our circumstances, we need this prayer, we need the help of the Lord. And how blessed are those who can experimentally say and sing, God is our refuge and our strength in straits of pleasant aid. And I'm sure every child of God here present today, you will remember many occasions when you uttered these words, Lord has And as preachers of the Gospel, it is the help of the Lord we need. As individuals and as Christians, we need the help of the Lord. There are those who are not conscious that they need the help of the Lord. They forget that their times are in God's hands. They forget that their breath is in God's hands. And they journey on in the broad way that leads us unto destruction. and they know not what it is to worship God in spirit and in truth and to cry with this woman, Lord help me. Well, what wonderful help this is. The government is upon his shoulders and what loving help it is when we consider the precious promises in the word of God. and that the consolation of these promises belong to the children of God. It is a prayer suitable for every true minister of the gospel. Every time he enters the pulpit and these words in his heart, Lord help me, for without him we can do nothing. And hitherto the Lord has helped us. The Lord's help is always suitable. The Lord's help is always seasonable. Consider then what true worship is. We must have the fear of God if we are going to worship God in spirit and in truth. We must have the spirit of prayer if we are going to worship God in spirit and in truth. We must have humility like this woman had, if we are going to worship God in spirit and in truth. We must have reverence for God, holiness forever, Lord. Thine host becometh well. We must have dependence upon God, coming up from the wilderness, leaning on our beloved. Lord, help me. And whatever trials or afflictions we may experience, to whom shall we go? The Lord is able to help us amidst all the trials and afflictions we experience in this world. The Lord is able to help us in the midst of sorrow. It is sad for those who dwell on memories of days that have been. Even coming to the house of God alone is not easy. for those who used to come side by side with their loved ones. But soon we will all enter eternity. Lord, help me then. Well, surely you can look back, child of God, when you realized no one in the world could help you, and when you realized that you could not help yourself, and when you realized when you prayed this prayer in spirit and in truth, a prayer of few words, of consider what it meant in your experience, and how wonderful it was when the Lord answered your prayer. In that day thou shalt say, though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation. How wonderful then to have that experience. We need the help of the Lord when we are fed with the bread of tears and adversity. We need the help of the Lord when we drink the wine of astonishment. We need the help of the Lord from day to day. Lord help me. So this is the experience of the children of God. Now there may be delay in God answering and there may be a purpose for that. but he answered her, not a word. That was a great trial for this woman in the midst of her affliction, and in the midst of what she was after, and then what a trial! And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. And here were the disciples, misunderstanding the situation. And that was their experience quite often. They were misunderstanding the situation. When our Lord cried, who touched me? The disciples could not understand such a question. The crowds are thronging you. But you see, this touch was different. It was a healing touch. And there were the disciples again, misunderstanding the situation. just as they were in this case, send her away, for she crieth after us. So, child of God, when you are misunderstood in this way, even by the church of Christ, you should remember that this was the experience of those who went before you, that they misunderstood the situation. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the host. of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, This was true worship. It is when prayer comes from the heart that it is true worship, and we must worship him in spirit and in truth. Do you ever go home from the house of God, and are you burdened by the fact and saying to yourself, Perhaps I didn't worship God today in spirit and in truth. We must examine the kind of worship which we have. Lord, help me to worship thee in spirit and in truth. Help me in every situation. And then when I come to the dark valley of the shadow of death, who can help me there? Who can accompany me there? Only the Lord can do this. Lord, help me in the swellings of Jordan. Well, I'm sure the child of God here today has experienced delay in God answering prayer. And perhaps also delay in God saying no. When you decide, it would be yes. You remember the apostle, you remember the soul in the flesh. My grace is sufficient for thee. I heard about two girls who were praying for a nice day for the Sabbath school afternoon. But when the day came, it was pouring rain and gale and everything. And one little girl turned to the other. and said, God didn't answer our prayer. And the other little girl said, yes, God answered our prayer by saying no. And this will very often perhaps be the experience of God's children. God knows what is best for us, but Lord help me. And as a denomination, we need the help of the Lord. We need to be faithful We mustn't compromise. We must continue to be faithful to the Lord. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. And the Lord will help us all to be faithful to you. Lord, help me. Well, you know better than I what your situation is today. And I'm sure there are many in this gathering who are so conscious that they need the help of the Lord. Perhaps you are afraid of the coming week. Perhaps you are afraid of the future. Perhaps you are looking back. Perhaps you are looking forward. Things present, things to come. Remember how Romans chapter 8 told begins, There is therefore no, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, until it concludes, No separation. And you remember the questions, what a glorious chapter, Romans chapter 8 is. And I'm sure many are surrounding the throne today and find Romans chapter 8 a comfort for them. No separation from the portion which they have. Well, God help me to be faithful. Help me to journey on. in thine own strength, help me to look unto thee, the author and finisher of our faith. O woman, greatest thy faith be done to thee even as thou wilt, and her daughter was made whole from that very hour. What a wonderful answer she got to her prayer, and what a privilege it was for her to hear from the lips of the Lord concerning the faith which she had. Of course, the power of the Lord was not always present to heal, but it was present to heal at this time. And the power of the Lord had to be manifested in a special way. And our Lord could say, My power has healed your daughter. But He was addressing this woman. is thy faith. Despite my silence at the beginning when I answered you not a word, and despite of the fact that the disciples were asking me to send you away, and yet in the midst of it all, great is thy faith. We will never have true faith without the faith being tried. Well, here is help whatever your situation, whatever you need, whatever your burden, this day, here is the help which you need, help from the Lord. Because there are so many situations when we must say with the psalmist, vain is the help of man. Give us help from trouble, but vain is the help of man. And when we realize that, then we shall say, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. Lord, help me. We live in a dark and cloudy day, and surely we need the help of the Lord. That we need revivers. Revive thy work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years, make note. Remember, Mary, how we need the power of the Lord to accompany the preaching of the Word, and there is no substitute for the power of God's Holy Spirit. We live in a day of substitutes, but substitutes will not stand at the judgment seat of Christ. Well, Lord, help me. Help me to pray for revival. Help me to remember those who are without Christ and without hope in the world. Help me to pray for the servants of the gospel, for the ministers of the gospel. I remember being with Professor Collins at a communion. I think it must have been his last in the bones of this presbytery. He was very frail. But we were walking together from the church to the monastery. the minister having stayed behind at the church session and he said there's one thing I'm thankful for today that my ministry is coming to an end and he said the reason for that is that the day in which I began my ministry was so different from the present day which we have now and he said I feel for those who are beginning their ministry in this present day. There he was, getting near to the dwellings of Jordan and rejoicing that his ministry was at an end, and seeing the great difference between the day in which he was ordained to the ministry and the present day, and that is some years ago. And surely then we should realize that it is not easy proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ in our day. And yet we must remember that God can come. Our God can surely come. Deep silence shall not he. And how glorious it would be if days of revival would come. And I'm sure the Lord's people are praying for that. Revive thy work in my own soul. Revive thy work in the church. Revive thy work in the midst of the years, that it may be registered in the heavens that there are those who were born here. And that is our prayer for this place of worship, that it may be registered in the heavens when we are in eternity. that many were born again in this place of worship. Lord, tell me that. Well, have you a problem today? I'm sure you have. There were never so many problems in the world as we see it. Individual problems, problems in the family, problems in the nation, problems everywhere. And what we need is the help of the Lord. This is the only remedy. This woman had a special case and this woman's faith was tried. But it is the help of the Lord which we need in our day and which can make such a difference. And it is only by divine help that We shall experience a day of power from on high. We have the gospel, but do we need the power to accompany the preaching of the word? Then came she and worshipped him. Well, what a privilege it was that scripture was saying concerning this woman that she worshipped him. saying, Lord help me. She was conscious that he was Lord. She was conscious the government was upon his shoulder. She was conscious that he alone was able to help. And then, when the Lord helps his people, there is love in this help. And it is because he loves them that he helps them in this way. The love of Christ to sinners, thy love to me was wonderful. Well, we know not what a day may bring forth. Consider all the knowledge which people have in our day in the world, in this age, and yet no one is able to tell any of us when the morrow is so near. how the day is going to begin for you, or how the day is going to progress for you, or how the day is going to conclude. And we have many warnings in our islands concerning the suddenness of people being translated from time to eternity. But for the children of God, sudden death is sudden glory. Well, whatever the future may hold, for the children of God, the best is yet to come. And you may be here today so lonely, thinking of your brethren and sisters you knew, journeying on with you in this world. They that fear the Lord, they speak often one to another, and they are no longer here now. And you realize that you will soon follow. And this is the prayer which we will need when we follow them. Lord, help me. And for those who are without Christ and without hope in the world, have you ever asked for the help of the Lord? God be merciful to me a sinner. She laid stress on mercy. Have mercy on me. And you remember the publicans. how he laid stress on mercy, a prayer of few words. And again, we mustn't think we'll be on such a high plane that we won't need the prayer of the publica. While we are in this world, we need the prayer of the publica. And while we are in this world, we need the prayer of this woman. And come, part me, for the people of God, the best is yet to come. And how wonderful to remember that. What a comfort that is for the people of God. Well, Lord, help me to worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Help me to be faithful to Thee during the short time I am in this world. Lord, help us as a denomination and as a church. Oh, we need then the help of the Lord. God is our refuge and our strength, and in midst of all the trials and afflictions which may come our way, this is the only source of divine help, and of almighty help, and of loving help, and of seasonable and suitable help. Let us pray. Gracious God, do thou help us. After thy lovingkindness, Lord, have mercy upon us. Do thou remember us with the love which thou to thine dost bear. Remember thy children who may be tried in the furnace of affliction, and yet who have that faith which will forever cling to their Lord and Saviour, and cleave to their Lord, and to our saint today as they look back on life's journey. Hitherto the Lord hath helped us. What a blessing it would be if we would all make our way to our homes, asking the Lord to help us. Dismiss us with thy blessing. Be with us during this thine own day. and be with us in the evening, and bring us safely to our respective places of abode, and abide with us there, and pardon sin for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Lord, help me
Sermon ID | 81504101723 |
Duration | 38:16 |
Date | |
Category | Sunday Service |
Bible Text | Matthew 15:25 |
Language | English |
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