We are His Children Now!
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 15:25-28 Then she came and worshipped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs. And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 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.
Once upon a time, Gentiles were called “dogs” by the Jews, and it wasn’t Jesus’ priority to minister to us. However, God’s will was always for the Gentiles to be saved and be part of His family. Therefore, He established the Abrahamic Covenant, which is an unconditional covenant to send forth the Messiah to redeem mankind from their sins. Today, if we confess with our mouths and believe that Jesus’s blood has redeemed us from our sins, we are God’s people and the children of the living God.
John 1:12-13 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Therefore, we needn’t be like the Syro-Phoenician woman in the passage who thought she could only eat the crumbs falling from the table. Instead, we can rightfully help ourselves to the loaves of bread from the table because we are the rightful children of the living God, even though we are Gentiles. God has always been faithful to His covenant with the Jews, His chosen people. Therefore, how much more will God be faithful to and care for His born-again children in this church age?
Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan, with whom David had a covenant relationship, but Mephibosheth was also King Saul’s descendant. King David was supposed to have him killed to eliminate the risk of future rebellion.
Nevertheless, King David wanted to show God’s kindness to Mephibosheth because of his covenant with Jonathan. Therefore, King David sought Mephibosheth out and had everything that belonged to King Saul restored to him. King David went the extra mile to treat Mephibosheth as one of his sons by having him dine at the table with all the princes.
We were like Mephibosheth, living in sin without God and hope in this world, undeserving of His love. Nevertheless, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to search for us because of the Abrahamic Covenant, which included all Gentiles in His plan (Genesis 12:3). The heart of God, the Heavenly Father, is portrayed in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, where the father restored to the son his sonship, the signet ring that gave him access to everything and placed on him the best robe. Therefore, we must be bold to enjoy whatever is entitled to us as the children of the living God.
Sermon Series： We are entitled to Our Bread
