m (4) THE SATISFYING PORTION. "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt." In Mark it is " F o r this saying, go thy way, " T he demon is east out of thy daughter." Grace flows from His kingly heart and her prayer is an- swered. Her faith stood the test. She got a good report through faith. The disciples upon the sea were classes with the little-faith family, but upon the head of this woman rests the benedic- tion of great faith. She took her place at His feet, the Lord raised her to a place : of great distinction and the Church rises to call her blessed among women. Faith pleases the Lord (Matt. 8:10). Unbelief limits Him. " Ye have not, because you do not really a s k " Jas. 4:2 (Rotherham). Faith makes possi- ble an abounding supply. Have faith in God. POINTS PRACTICAL. 1. The light of the Lord could not be hid neither should the life of His disciples. 2. The close of every age is marked by. Satanic manifestation. Keep your weather eye open. 3. Conscious need compels the cry for help. 4. The silence of the Saviour is a testimony to the truth of the Scripture. 5. A confession of our unworthiness is the acknowledgement of His worth. 6. Once afar oif, now made nigh. 7. By grace through faith, the demon was cast out and that not of herself, it was the gift of God. • ' LESSON XII. Sunday, June 19, 1910. The Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13: 1-9; 18-23). Golden Text, James 1:1. INTRODUCTION. The next three lessons are all found in the 13th Chapter of Matthew, and furnish us with the most comprehensive and complete teaching relative to the present aspect of the Kingdom ( " The Kingdom in Mystery") to be found in the Bible. The Kingdom is presented in Matthew in a three-fold aspect. 1. The Kingdom at Hand (Chaps. 1 to 12). 2. The Kingdom in Mystery) (Chap. 3. The Kingdom in Power and Glory (Chaps. 24 and 25). (1) THE KINGDOM AT HAND. The King was at hand ready to es-
Jewish ground and to steal the bread which belongs to Israel. Jesus closes the door in her face. There is a chasm between Jew and Gentilezas there is a gulf between saint and sinner. The Lord taught this same lesson to the wronian at the well (John 4). God is a Spirit, and those who approach in wor- ship must do so in spirit and in accord- ance with truth. Men seek to obtain favor from God on the basis of their morality or their goodness, but it is useless. As Son of David, He is King of Israel, and His mission is limited to them. She came on Jewish ground for a Gentile blessing and was turned away. Again the woman cries, ' ' Lord help me ." She comes to the right person now and is on the right ground. She worships Him as Lord. He is accessible to all who call upon Him in faith. The Lord tests her faith. He says the bread belongs to the children and not to dogs. This seems cruel, but it is lov- ing. Spurgeon well says, "We have no more faith at any time than we have in time of trial. All that will not bear testing is carnal." (3) THE SINNER'S PLACE. "Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs." The woman is not baffled. She is in- tent on getting the needed help. Like Jacob, she will not let Him go until He blesses her (Gen. 32:26). She acknowl- edges the truth of His statement. She has no right to the bread. She is not an Israelite in covenant relation, but even the promises to Israel had a larger promise of blessing to the Gentiles through them and she takes her place as a Gentile dog. The Lord used a word for dogs, familiar to her as a Greek. Jewish dogs were scavengers and ran wild, but the Greeks had house dogs. She confessed her unworthiness, but she craves the dog's portion. She is an alien from the commonwealth of Israel. A stranger to the covenant of promise (Eph. 2:12), yet she is so needy and lying at His feet she casts herself upon His mercy (Matt. 9:27; Luke 17: 13). The Lord is debtor to the Jews through the Covenant but He does not owe the Gentile world anything. Law shut the woman out but when she takes her place as an unworthy dog, Grace and Truth is ready to manifest itself through Jesus Christ (Jno. 1:17). Here is a great lesson for us all. We would have larger measures of blessing if we were more continually in our place.
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