Posted on Sunday, March 8, 2009
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REMINISCERE

8 March Anno + Domini 2009

"Even the Dogs Eat the Crumbs”

Matthew 15:21-28

NOTE:  This sermon is based, in large part, upon a homily written by Rev. William Weedon of St. Paul Lutheran, Hamel, IL

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

When do you ever recall Jesus treating anyone the way he treated that woman? Where is the One who answered the leper: "I will, be clean”? Where is the One who embraced the children and held them in his arms, blessing them? Where is the One who gently conversed with the woman at the well and brought her to faith? It's almost as though this Jesus in today's Gospel is some stranger.

Put yourself in the place of that poor woman. There she is, not knowing where to turn, what to do.  Her daughter is grievously afflicted by the evil spirit - so that she would have cried out: "What has taken hold of you, my child?” And just when the mother was to the point of despairing, unbelievable news reached her. News that Jesus is nearby. Jesus, the great healer and prophet from Galilee, the man rumored to be the Jewish Messiah, and most importantly the man to whom no one ever cried for help in vain. And so off she runs to find him and seek the help that can come only from His hand.

And how does He greet her? How does He welcome her? As if she herself was a demon. He ignores her! He strides right on up the road as if she'd never even spoken to Him.

Have you ever been ignored? I mean intentionally ignored? Then you know the feelings that battled in her heart. For Satan was right there whispering: "See, you've got it all wrong. He doesn't care about you. You might as well go on home.” But the woman persists.

Jesus and the disciples walk along and they've got a hound yapping at their heels: "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! Have mercy!” She won't shut up and she won't go away.

You can see the disciples begin to look at each other in discomfort and finally they steel up the nerve to speak to the Lord Jesus, who is acting like He's not in a mood to be disturbed. "Lord, please” they say, "send her away. She's crying out after us.” In other words, "she's making a scene and if You just give her what she wants, she'll go away and we'll have some peace.”

Jesus' reply cuts deeper in her heart than His silence ever did. "I am the shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep. I'm not sent to deal with groveling goats.  I'm Israel's savior.”

And she, she was not of Israel. She was not a Jew, but a Canaanite, a descendant from that race that God told the children of Israel were accursed and to be wiped out. And so what right does she have to be there begging Jesus - Israel's Savior - for mercy? Satan again whispers in her heart: "Give it up, woman. He's not for you. He's not your Savior or helper. He doesn't care about you in the least. Just go home.”

We can only guess what kind of a struggle went on in her mind as she dealt with Jesus' harsh words. But we know the outcome of the struggle. It's as though she said to herself: "Look, Master, you can pretend to be as hard and cold and callous as you want, but I know You better than that. I know what I've heard and I know it's true, and I will not give up on You, because I know You will not give up on me.” And so she plants her face in the dust at His feet and simply begs, "Help me!”

And as if all His harsh words were not harsh enough, think of how He answers now: "It would not be right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus calls her a dog, unworthy of bread He had come to bring to His own people, the Jews.  The Blessed Reformer, Dr. Luther himself wrote: "If he spoke like that to me, I'd have gone away sad, thinking he hated me.”

But not this woman. Look at the miracle of faith. He calls her a dog. Fine, then. A dog she will be. And as a dog she will demand her due. For even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table, and she will be perfectly satisfied to eat those crumbs.

Can you see the stony, hard face of Jesus melt into a smile of joy? Can you see Him reach out His hand and lay it gently on her head and say to her: "Oh, woman. Great is your faith. Let it be done for you as you desire.” And, of course, it was. Instantly. You see, it's how the Lord exercises our faith, puts muscle on it. She walked away strengthened and confirmed in what she had held to be true throughout Jesus' rough handling of her.

Now, what about you; have you ever been there? Have you ever been where this woman was? In great need and when you prayed, you felt like all you got was the stony silence of heaven for an answer? If you've ever had Satan whisper in your heart at such a time: "He doesn't care about you. He doesn't love you. You're not one of His” - then you know what she was going through.

But, oh, my friends, learn from her, too. Learn from her that faith does not give up on God. That faith closes itself off from feelings and appearances and wraps itself up in the Word of promise. Learn from her that that Word of promise - that the Incarnate Word Himself, Jesus Christ, is for you and loves you - is the unshakable rock upon which faith rests.  

To strengthen you in such faith against all appearances to the contrary, Jesus gives you His Body and Blood, the very ransom price He once offered for your body and soul. He gives it to you and says: "for you.” And that "for you” means beyond all else that He IS for you, that He is on your side and wants you to share in His life forever.  He's "for you” no matter what your feelings suggest; no matter what Satan whispers in your ear; no matter how sinful you've been.  He's for you - for your forgiveness, life, and salvation. That's why He went to the cross and shed His holy and innocent Blood. That's why He left the door of the grave shattered behind Him. That's why He baptized you into Himself and promised you an eternity of communion with Him.

And so, strengthened by His promise, you can go back and wrestle with Him like Jacob and like this Canaanite woman. You too can say: "Treat me however you will. I know that Your love for me is unshakable and on that I rest secure and at peace. And no, dear Lord, I will not let You go until You bless me.”

Lent is a time for us not only to wrestle against Satan, not only a season for us to struggle against our sinful flesh, but also a time to go to the mat with God.  We, like Jacob, demand that God bless us, through His very promises found in His holy Word.  We, like the sainted Canaanite woman, demand that the Lord show us mercy and heal us from the ravages of the devil through the Sacramental Crumbs that fall like Manna from the Master's table.

Dear friends in Christ, let us learn the lesson our Lord teaches us this morning.  Let us approach our Lord in the same manner as the Canaanite woman, pleading:  "Lord, have mercy!  It is true, Lord, that we don't deserve to dine at Your Table.  We are dogs, mangy mutts full of sin and corruption.  Yet, even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their Master's table.  Therefore, remember Your mercy, O Lord, and let us be dogs at Your Table, eating the crumbs of Your amazing grace by which we have forgiveness, life and salvation.”  Approaching the Lord in this manner, crying out in persistent faith, "Lord, have mercy,” even demanding of Him that He keep His Word to us, we have the sure and certain guarantee that He keeps His promise to remember His mercy and to not remember our sins, always answering us, finally, the way He answered the Canaanite woman, "Let it be to you as you desire.”  Amen to that, dear friends!  In Jesus' Holy and Precious Name.  Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, unto life everlasting.  Amen.