Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read Matthew 15:21-28. How do you think this section relates to the section preceding it?
• Where have you heard of Tyre and Sidon before in Scripture? What about the Canaanites? Are these places known for fidelity to the God of Israel?
• Why is it significant that this woman was a Canaanite? How would the disciples and Jews regard such a woman?
• Describe the initial cry of this woman to Jesus. What is she saying about him? What is she asking him to do? What is the basis for her plea?
• How did Jesus respond to her? Why would he respond this way? How did the disciples respond?
• How does she reply in v. 25? How does Jesus reply? What does her final reply in v. 27 convey? What is Jesus’ final response to her in v. 28?
• What did Jesus commend in the woman in v. 28? What does this unlock regarding how you understand her actions?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Describe what you see in the Canaanite woman. What was her perspective of herself? What was her perspective of Jesus? How did she approach Jesus? What drove her to him? How did she respond to him? What defined and drove all of her actions? Where in the text do you see these things?
• Is this how you approach Jesus? Why or why not? What difference is there between her and you? How should you view yourself? How should you view Jesus? What should you think about Jesus?
• Why do you think Jesus responded as he did? What point was he trying to make? Is this a relevant point for today?