07/03/2024
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Advantage of Being His Sheep
Date: 4th of March 2024
Text: Matt 15:21-28
The woman in today's bible reading was so desperate to receive help from Jesus because her daughter was demon-possessed, but Jesus didn't pay any attention to all her pleas, even His disciples had to tell Him that at least if you're not going to answer her you can do well to chase her away (V.23). The reason Jesus didn't answer her was not that He could not meet the need of the woman, but rather it was because Jesus was not sent to her. (V.24).
Jesus made it known to her that he was only sent to the "Lost Sheep". Now the question is who are His sheep?
His Sheep are does who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, those who have already identified with Him, while the lost sheep are the backsliders or the people who got their attention away from God. *Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”* (Lk 19:9-19). The moment Jesus said this the bible records that the woman worshiped Him *"Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”* This means that the woman came to submit to Jesus and said Lord help me. Then Jesus still replies to her by saying *“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”*
But the woman responded by referring to Him as master “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their MASTERS' table.”
The woman agreed that her salvation might still be very new and she might not have yet gained the Masters' trust, but nonetheless, there is a grace for identifying with Jesus and the rest is history.
The Sheep according to that bible passage are the children of God who are constantly in a relationship with him *"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"* (Jh10:27)
While the lost sheep are the ones who grew up in faith
as children of God but backslide along the line. *"Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty."*
The dog is those still living a dirty life, a sinful life, a life without any reference for God *"Formerly when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods."* (Gal 4:8)
If you belong to the Lost Sheep, God is calling you back today and you need to rededicate your life back to him, if you consider yourself not having any relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, why don't you say this simple prayer Lord Jesus come into my life and be my personal Lord and Savior, accept me as your own from now on and forever. Amen 🙌.
I pray God will continue to hold us till the end and we will not fall by the way, His grace will be sufficient for us in Jesus' Name Amen 🙏🏾.
Oluwafemi Olatunji