Genesis 32:22-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7; St Matthew 15:21-28
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
He is not nice. Jesus. He’s not nice. And this is hard for us to understand in a culture where we have confused being nice with being good. He ignores this poor women crying for help for her demon possessed daughter. Initially he doesn’t even acknowledge her presence, but simply walks away. Then He rejects her, says she’s out of bounds of His mission because she’s of the wrong ethnicity. Finally, when He at last addresses her, He insults her and calls her names. He is not nice.
Perhaps what troubles us even more is that this woman is praying correctly; in humility and faith. And she is ignored. She sings the Kyrie, Lord, have mercy, that most ancient, simplest, and yet deepest of prayers emanating from the very depths of the soul longing for relief from the Lord Christ, Son of David. She’s even praying for the well-being and life of another - her daughter - and not herself! If this woman’s proper, self-less prayer is not answered by Jesus, what hope is there for us? We want to know. We want to know how to pray and for what to pray. We want to know the proper way to petition our Lord that we may be certain our prayers are heard and answered.
And that’s the difficulty with this reading. Uncertainty. We don’t know. We don’t know why Jesus initially ignores, then chastises, then insults this poor woman. We don’t know why He, the only One who can help, seems to be against her too. The text doesn’t tell us.
I don’t know about you, but if I am this poor, Canaanite woman, and Jesus treats me this way, I’d give up. I’d turn away in anger and frustration and sheer despair. He helped others. Drove out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead. Why not me? Why won’t He help me?
We don’t know why we suffer in body and soul, languishing in temptation and plagued with trials, all the while pleading and crying for mercy, seemingly without relief. Why don’t know why our spouses distance themselves from us, why our children walk away from the faith, why our friends grow impatient with us. We don’t know why our prayers for reconciliation and peace seem to fall on God’s deaf ears.
We could get into all sorts of philosophical discussions about theodicy, why God allows evil to occur, but in the midst of such anfechtung, philosophy is empty. Weeping tarries for night after night with no end in sight (Ps 30:5). When our world is falling apart around us, when all other helpers have failed, when it seems as if even God is against us, to whom do we turn?
“When in the hour of deepest need we know not where to look for aid; when days and nights of anxious thought no help or counsel yet have brought. Then is our comfort this alone that we may
meet before Your throne; to You, O faithful God, we cry for rescue from our misery” (LSB 615:1-2). Here, beloved, you have the blessed examples of this Canaanite woman, of Jacob, or even of Polycarp, second century bishop, who was commemorated on Friday for his courageous martyrdom. In these and countless other saints you have, dear children, a beautiful picture of the tenacity of faith, to believe against hope, and to hold God to His Word and promises, even when it seems as though you were wrestling and struggling against the Lord Himself.
See how she will not be deterred. She will be dismayed. She will not allow embarrassment, rejection, or ridicule to separate her from the Word and promises of her Lord Jesus. I was sent only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. She is not of Israel by blood, but she is a lost sheep. Lonely and afraid, broken and battered, desperately in need of her Good Shepherd. Lord, help me. It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs. “Yes, Lord, but I’ll settle for crumbs. I would rather be a dog, licking up crumbs under the Master’s table, than have the hollow feasts of the world. I would rather a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord, than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
Like Jacob she holds Him to His Word. Like Polycarp and Abraham, David and Joseph, she grabs onto His promise and won’t let go. Not until He blesses her. He may not always be nice, this Jesus. But He is good. And that’s what she pleads: His goodness and mercy, His steadfast love and patient endurance. Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old (Ps 25:6).
She, beloved, is of the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds you; their lives of faith encouraging and astounding you. They are gathered with you here, together with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, the one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church, encircled around the throne of the Lamb who was slain, yet behold He lives.
For this is the heart and center of faith, the One who, though He is the Son of David, was cast out and ignored like an illegitimate son. Jesus, the Shepherd of Israel, who like a lost sheep was led to slaughter, rejected by men, insulted by thieves, despised and forsaken by God Himself. In dereliction and agony He cried for help, plead for mercy, but His Father would not hear Him. He was ignored and cast down. He, the very Bread of Life, was thrown from the table like salt that has lost its saltiness; trampled and useless.
Despite all of this, consider the faithfulness of Christ Jesus, who tenaciously holds to His Father’s Word and promise. To You, O Lord, I lift up My soul. O My God, in You I trust; let Me not be put to shame (Ps 25:1). Jesus prays the psalms. He pleads for mercy, holds the Father to His Word, and will not let go until He blesses Him by raising Him from the dead.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews puts it this way:
Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by Him.
For the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and chastises every son whom He receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb 12:3-7a, 11).
This, dear children, is your comfort and hope as well. In the midst of trial and tribulation, when the world is against you, and you are wrestling with the Word and promises of God Himself, you have this certainty: your Lord loves to hear and answer prayer. “For You have promised, Lord, to heed Your children’s cries in time of need through Him whose name alone is great, our Savior and our Advocate” (LSB 615:3).
The Canaanite woman is praised and blessed on account of her faith. Her daughter is healed. And Jesus’ kind and gracious word to her is picked up and spoken to you as well, Let it be done for you as you believe. When you come misery, with the devil severely oppressing you on account of your sin, you kneel before Christ Jesus, crying, Lord, have mercy upon me. You come in repentance and faith, confessing your sins, not embarrassed by your lack of heritage, recognizing that you are lost and in need of a shepherd. And the under shepherd whom our Lord has sent asks, “Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness.” “Yes,” you say. “I’ll take the crumbs.” “Let it be done for you as you believe.”
And you are forgiven instantly. Raised from death to life. The Name of the Lord traced upon you once more. The demons are sent packing by the almighty Word of Christ, and you are welcomed once more. Not as a little pet, but as a beloved child, into the House of the Lord, up to His Table, where He feeds you in mercy and love, not with scraps and crumbs, but with His holy Body and precious Blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins, received by faith in His Word and promise.
Of ourselves we have no strength. But by His mighty power, in His great love for you, Christ, who is not always kind, but is always good, defends you from every danger of body and soul, possessions and reputation. And finally, when our last hour comes, He will give us a blessed end and take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven. “So we with all our hearts each day to You our glad thanksgiving pay, then walk obedient to Your Word, and now and ever praise You, Lord” (LSB 615:6).
In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
He is not nice. Jesus. He’s not nice. And this is hard for us to understand in a culture where we have confused being nice with being good. He ignores this poor women crying for help for her demon possessed daughter. Initially he doesn’t even acknowledge her presence, but simply walks away. Then He rejects her, says she’s out of bounds of His mission because she’s of the wrong ethnicity. Finally, when He at last addresses her, He insults her and calls her names. He is not nice.
Perhaps what troubles us even more is that this woman is praying correctly; in humility and faith. And she is ignored. She sings the Kyrie, Lord, have mercy, that most ancient, simplest, and yet deepest of prayers emanating from the very depths of the soul longing for relief from the Lord Christ, Son of David. She’s even praying for the well-being and life of another - her daughter - and not herself! If this woman’s proper, self-less prayer is not answered by Jesus, what hope is there for us? We want to know. We want to know how to pray and for what to pray. We want to know the proper way to petition our Lord that we may be certain our prayers are heard and answered.
And that’s the difficulty with this reading. Uncertainty. We don’t know. We don’t know why Jesus initially ignores, then chastises, then insults this poor woman. We don’t know why He, the only One who can help, seems to be against her too. The text doesn’t tell us.
I don’t know about you, but if I am this poor, Canaanite woman, and Jesus treats me this way, I’d give up. I’d turn away in anger and frustration and sheer despair. He helped others. Drove out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead. Why not me? Why won’t He help me?
We don’t know why we suffer in body and soul, languishing in temptation and plagued with trials, all the while pleading and crying for mercy, seemingly without relief. Why don’t know why our spouses distance themselves from us, why our children walk away from the faith, why our friends grow impatient with us. We don’t know why our prayers for reconciliation and peace seem to fall on God’s deaf ears.
We could get into all sorts of philosophical discussions about theodicy, why God allows evil to occur, but in the midst of such anfechtung, philosophy is empty. Weeping tarries for night after night with no end in sight (Ps 30:5). When our world is falling apart around us, when all other helpers have failed, when it seems as if even God is against us, to whom do we turn?
“When in the hour of deepest need we know not where to look for aid; when days and nights of anxious thought no help or counsel yet have brought. Then is our comfort this alone that we may
meet before Your throne; to You, O faithful God, we cry for rescue from our misery” (LSB 615:1-2). Here, beloved, you have the blessed examples of this Canaanite woman, of Jacob, or even of Polycarp, second century bishop, who was commemorated on Friday for his courageous martyrdom. In these and countless other saints you have, dear children, a beautiful picture of the tenacity of faith, to believe against hope, and to hold God to His Word and promises, even when it seems as though you were wrestling and struggling against the Lord Himself.
See how she will not be deterred. She will be dismayed. She will not allow embarrassment, rejection, or ridicule to separate her from the Word and promises of her Lord Jesus. I was sent only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. She is not of Israel by blood, but she is a lost sheep. Lonely and afraid, broken and battered, desperately in need of her Good Shepherd. Lord, help me. It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs. “Yes, Lord, but I’ll settle for crumbs. I would rather be a dog, licking up crumbs under the Master’s table, than have the hollow feasts of the world. I would rather a doorkeeper in the house of my Lord, than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
Like Jacob she holds Him to His Word. Like Polycarp and Abraham, David and Joseph, she grabs onto His promise and won’t let go. Not until He blesses her. He may not always be nice, this Jesus. But He is good. And that’s what she pleads: His goodness and mercy, His steadfast love and patient endurance. Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old (Ps 25:6).
She, beloved, is of the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds you; their lives of faith encouraging and astounding you. They are gathered with you here, together with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, the one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church, encircled around the throne of the Lamb who was slain, yet behold He lives.
For this is the heart and center of faith, the One who, though He is the Son of David, was cast out and ignored like an illegitimate son. Jesus, the Shepherd of Israel, who like a lost sheep was led to slaughter, rejected by men, insulted by thieves, despised and forsaken by God Himself. In dereliction and agony He cried for help, plead for mercy, but His Father would not hear Him. He was ignored and cast down. He, the very Bread of Life, was thrown from the table like salt that has lost its saltiness; trampled and useless.
Despite all of this, consider the faithfulness of Christ Jesus, who tenaciously holds to His Father’s Word and promise. To You, O Lord, I lift up My soul. O My God, in You I trust; let Me not be put to shame (Ps 25:1). Jesus prays the psalms. He pleads for mercy, holds the Father to His Word, and will not let go until He blesses Him by raising Him from the dead.
The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews puts it this way:
Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by Him.
For the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and chastises every son whom He receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Heb 12:3-7a, 11).
This, dear children, is your comfort and hope as well. In the midst of trial and tribulation, when the world is against you, and you are wrestling with the Word and promises of God Himself, you have this certainty: your Lord loves to hear and answer prayer. “For You have promised, Lord, to heed Your children’s cries in time of need through Him whose name alone is great, our Savior and our Advocate” (LSB 615:3).
The Canaanite woman is praised and blessed on account of her faith. Her daughter is healed. And Jesus’ kind and gracious word to her is picked up and spoken to you as well, Let it be done for you as you believe. When you come misery, with the devil severely oppressing you on account of your sin, you kneel before Christ Jesus, crying, Lord, have mercy upon me. You come in repentance and faith, confessing your sins, not embarrassed by your lack of heritage, recognizing that you are lost and in need of a shepherd. And the under shepherd whom our Lord has sent asks, “Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness.” “Yes,” you say. “I’ll take the crumbs.” “Let it be done for you as you believe.”
And you are forgiven instantly. Raised from death to life. The Name of the Lord traced upon you once more. The demons are sent packing by the almighty Word of Christ, and you are welcomed once more. Not as a little pet, but as a beloved child, into the House of the Lord, up to His Table, where He feeds you in mercy and love, not with scraps and crumbs, but with His holy Body and precious Blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins, received by faith in His Word and promise.
Of ourselves we have no strength. But by His mighty power, in His great love for you, Christ, who is not always kind, but is always good, defends you from every danger of body and soul, possessions and reputation. And finally, when our last hour comes, He will give us a blessed end and take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven. “So we with all our hearts each day to You our glad thanksgiving pay, then walk obedient to Your Word, and now and ever praise You, Lord” (LSB 615:6).
In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
RSS Feed