Text: Matthew 15:21-28   

“Hold to the Promise”

Today’s Gospel reading tells us the following information: our Lord is walking around in a pagan land, even though He himself says that He’s only “sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;” our Lord refuses to even speak to a woman who begs for mercy, even though so far He seems to be full of compassion; our Lord seems to “lose” an argument with an unclean Gentile, even though He usually has the perfect answer for anyone who approaches Him; and, to top it off, our Lord seems to imply that this woman in our text is nothing but a dog.  With that, nothing says “welcome to vicarage” like having this list of details in your first sermon :)

Things don’t always happen as you would expect when you read through the Gospels.  Just when you think you know a thing or two about Jesus, he sends a curve ball.  If the book of Matthew were on DVD, I would expect to find an account like this in the deleted scenes.

To be sure, the Canaanite woman in our text certainly didn’t expect this episode in her life either.  Her daughter was severely demon-possessed.  Nowhere in the “contract of motherhood” states anything about having a child who is demonized.  Can you imagine?  This was severe.  When mothers tell me that they can “sense” when one of their children are hurting, this must be the clearest expression.  It encompassed her whole life...indeed, her entire being was affected.  The solution to her problem had to come from the outside.

It is certainly true that life itself doesn’t always pan out how we would like.  Think back into the last few days and I’m sure you can list several examples.  It’s not hard.  Life’s roller coaster doesn’t allow for any pauses or rewinds; it keeps moving at it’s own pace.  We are not in control, and we never will be.

The Canaanite woman knew this.  Her very first words were “have mercy.”  Not “hey Jesus” or “look, it’s been a long week” and not even “what should I do to have my best life now?” but simply the words, “have mercy.”

Indeed, the life of the Christian is a life of mercy.  Our sinfulness doesn’t bring anything to the equation.  On our own, we are nothing before God and have nothing to offer him.  You can see this reflected in our liturgy every week.  The first thing we do after singing that opening hymn in our communion service is a confession of sin.  We’ve come short of who we should be - we’ve gone against our very identity as baptized children of God.

And so we continually say, Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.  Your reason will try to take the driver seat and tell you that God doesn’t always answer prayer.  You might feel it just isn’t doing anything...like you’re getting the same silent treatment of which we heard in the Gospel.  “Where is God now?” we think.  But we must not base our prayers on our feelings.  Rather, we look to his Word.  “Ask, seek, and knock” - it still applies today.  Answers to prayers come at His time and in His way.  In his time - for our good.  Grace may seem hidden, but it is certainly present.  Our Lord has commanded us to pray, and has promised to hear us.  He can never go against His Word.

And I think that’s the point of the text.  Not only is our Lord upholding the perseverance of faith.  Not only is he teaching his anger-prone disciples about salvation for all people.  Not only is he showing the centrality of mercy in one’s life.  He is also teaching us this: FAITH HOLDS CHRIST TO HIS WORD.

To get back on the Lutheran track, what does this mean?  We cling to the promise of Christ.  Where He has promised to be, there He is.  God cannot lie or go against His own nature.

This is just what the woman did.  She persisted in her request, always remaining faithful to whatever our Lord had to say.  When our Lord said, “it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” this was the Word she needed.  Our Lord made Himself available to her in calling her this.  In a way, this was her ticket.  This was exactly what she needed, more than anything else.  Our Lord could have said, “depart from me” or “I already told you, I’m only sent to Israel, so you’re just out of luck.”  But, by calling her a dog, He included her into the house of God.  Granted, it’s not the nicest thing in the world.  And by all means, I wouldn’t call it a compliment.  But don’t dwell on this harsh implication.  Rather, focus on God’s grace and recall what the Psalmist writes, “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

You can summarize the woman’s response in one word - “Amen.”  When she said, “yes Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table,” she agreed with our Lord’s pronouncement.  She didn’t fight back, demanding a more favorable answer.  She already had more than she could ask for.  Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, is both the bread and the crumbs that fall.  “Yes, Lord,” she says, “Your Word is Truth.”  If I am a dog, then I get exactly what dogs get - the gracious crumbs that fall from the master’s table - the Bread of Life.  She held him to his word.  Again, this very prerogative Jesus himself gave to her.  He was happy to be caught in his own word - that is just what he wants.

I’m not a big fan of being called a sinner.  I must say I kinda like “good guy” or “nice person” or “decent golfer” instead, even though I hardly get that last one...ok, never.  But if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  So when the law looks at us and says “sinner,” there’s only one reply for us, and that is “amen.”  But Paul writes that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, so that’s good news for any sinner out there.  We get what has been promised to sinners who believe in Christ - forgiveness and life.  Those who waste their time trying to earn heaven by their own works or reputation are missing the point.  It is good to be humble - our Lord has promised to exalt those who are.

Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, is not just for the Jew but for all people.  He has promised this.  Two weeks ago when we heard about the feeding of the 5000, there were 12 baskets left over - one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Through this, the Bread of Life is to go out to the ends of the earth.  Even to a pagan nation - even to a Canaanite woman.  It was a valuable lesson for the disciples, who were to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and into the whole world.  This Bread of Life continues today in the Lord’s Supper.

We hold to the promise of Christ.  We trust in that sure foundation, for He is the Word of Truth.  He promises to be with us through every unexpected twist and turn of life - every step of the way.  He promises to hear prayer.  He promises to seek and save - to forgive and restore.  Through baptism, he has promised you a place in heaven - the water and the Word that came upon you recorded your name in the Book of Life.  When our Lord says this IS my body and blood given for you, He has promised to be with us bodily for forgiveness and life - to which we reply, “amen.”  And He has promised to grant us peace, peace that will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen!

Vicar Brian German