Kyrie Eleison, Even Dogs Have Their Day!
14th Sunday after Pentecost (August 17, 2008)
The Reverend Steven D. Spencer – Pastor Messiah Lutheran Church, Salem, Oregon
Matthew 15:21-28
Matthew 15:21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us." 24 But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" 26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." 27 And she said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." 28 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.
Not long after I got here I shared a story with you. I want to share that story again because it’s so applicable to our text today.
Today’s Gospel lesson is about commitment. But what is it and how does it work? When I was growing up little league baseball was enormous. Everybody’s child, grandchild or neighbor’s kid was in it. As for my family I was one of four boys and all of us were in little league. My mother and father were even coaches. It was huge. Our family went to the All-State playoff one year ---, not as a competitor but as spectators, we just sat in the bleachers. To say the least it was often a topic at our dinner table.
Today’s lesson reminds me of those days of little league. There is a story of a team that was doing very well. They made it to the play-offs. But one of the player’s on the team was habitually late to practice and occasionally didn’t even bother to show up. He was talented, very talented, a phenomenon even. So his absence was typically over-looked, that is until the team reached the play-offs. The other players became disgruntled and began to complain about the practices and each commitment. The coach knew that unless something changed they had already lost the playoffs.
So on the day of the last practice before the big game the coach called the players together and asked them this question; “Are you committed or just contributing?” As he looked into each of the player eyes no one answered. Finally he gazed into the eyes of the young man who had been late so many times. After, what seemed to be an eternity of gazing, in reality just seconds, the young man asked the coach; “What do you mean committed versus contributing?” The coach went on to explain that he had been raised on a farm. Every morning the day was started with a big breakfast consisting of ham and eggs. He said, a hen contributes but a pig is committed. In other words the hen gives eggs; but the pig gives its life if you eat bacon, ham or sausage.
Our passage today is about commitment. It is the third year of Jesus ministry. He is preparing the disciples to become totally committed. A lot’s happened to in a short period of time. John the Baptist has died; he was committed to sharing the news of the Messiah. There was the feeding of the 5000, Jesus was committed the care and well being of the people. But the disciples were just contributors. They wanted to send the 5000 away, but Jesus showed compassion and fed the masses. This was one of many lessons of compassion that the disciples needed to learn before Jesus would leave. Then there was the boating incident. The disciples needed to learn not to lean to their own understanding. Not to have contingencies. In other words not to think they could go back and be the same men they once were. Commitment means going all the way, not surrendering but always moving toward the goal regardless of the cost. The disciples were learning how to be committed. That brings us up to our text today.
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." The disciples no doubt were trying to maintain a low profile. They didn’t want to draw attention to themselves. They knew where they were and the dangers that surrounded them. So how did the disciples respond to the woman’s actions? The next verse tells us But Jesus answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us".
I imagine that the urging went something like this. “Lord, she is drawing attention to us; send her away before it’s too late. She’s just a Canaanite, we shouldn’t associate with her, tell her to leave. Lord why should we tolerate her, she is loud and boisterous.” You see, in their society a Jew would never associate with a Canaanite and a woman would never approach a man to make conversation. She was breaking all the rules. The disciples responded like they did in the wilderness. Remember what they said, “Lord, send away the crowds for it is getting late.” Now they are saying, “send away this woman before it’s too late.” Were they committed or just contributors by their actions? Jesus saw something more. This woman was committed. She was committed to the spiritual well being of her daughter. She recognized who Jesus is. Her words proclaim it; “O Lord, Son of David.” She knew the Prophets and hope for the Messiah. In this place of sin, wickedness and idolatry her faith must have been like a light in the darkness.
When I was in high school we were required to read a book called The Scarlet Letter. Perhaps you too have read it. It is about a woman name Hester and the fact that she had a child out of wedlock. The scene is set in the Puritan times of our country. It was a hard time. When someone would sin they would end up in the purifying stocks – you know, the contraption that would bind your wrist and neck. A sign would be put above your head, stating your sin, and you would spend as much time as the elders deemed necessary to purify you. Afterwards you might have to tolerate public shunning for a goodly length of time. As bad as this seemed it could be worse, you could be burned at the stake as a witch. It was a harsh and gloomy living in those communities.
In the story there was a jail. It was a small stone building dark and gray. But in the front of that symbol of sin and civil disobedience thrived a single wild rose. In the midst of all the darkness lived this element of beauty. A wild rose is very thorny, but the flower is soft and fragrant. It's hardy, you can cut it to the ground and it will return the following year. They grow in just about any type of soil and climate. --- When I think of the woman in our text I see her as that wild rose. She is committed. She is tenacious, willing to overcome all obstacles. That is what’s being committed is. You overcome the first, second, third, one-hundredth – as many obstacles as are thrown at you – to fulfill your commitment. She violated what her society thought was the standard by talking to men. She put herself at risk with her own people by talking to Israelites. And now she is facing the words and statements that to us might seem abusive and harsh.
Jesus answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
At this point the average person would put their tail between their legs and walked away. The disciples were probably in the background thinking – if not saying – “boy He stuck it her, bye-bye, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” But remember she was committed. So she came and worshiped Jesus, saying, "Lord, help me!" She worshipped him! Jesus didn’t rebuke her for worshipping Him, verification again of who Jesus really is. Remember “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” (Matt 4:10). Jesus Himself is the Living God. She knew who Jesus is and what he could do with a single word. So Jesus answers and says, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. Perhaps the disciples at this point thought, “boy she really is gone now, that’ll do it.” But she was committed and wasn’t going to falter. Being committed isn’t looking inward at the pain or sorrow. It means looks outward at the object of your commitment. So without hesitation she says: Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table
It's common for people to read this text and see harshness rather than compassion, judgment rather than grace. But this is one of the greatest testimonies of grace in all of Scripture. For 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. This woman doesn’t deny that she belongs to a culture of dogs. Maybe she even knew the passage in Proverbs 26 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly. She knew that sin surrounded her. She knew that nothing good was in her. The disciples were children of the promise. They would have expected to receive the Kingdom of God and the entire blessing that went with it. But she was a Canaanite from a people at war with the God of the Israelites. The only hope she had was that someone completely outside her culture, her world, her countries religion would save her daughter. She understood what grace was all about.
So why did Jesus bring the disciples to this place? Was it to just save the un-named, unknown Canaanite’s daughter? Perhaps! Maybe it was to teach them again the lesson of compassion. In the wilderness they so quickly wanted to send the people away. Here they wanted to send the unknown woman away. This woman with great faith, committed to that faith. Perhaps this was helping them to be committed not just contributors. For the day would come that they would carry the Gospel, at great peril to themselves, to people in many and various places.
For us this passage gives us great hope. For we see that we too are nothing more than dogs. In 2nd Peter (2:22) it says:… according to the true proverb , "A dog returns to its own vomit," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire." Sin is addictive. It puts us into bondage and takes away our freedom. It makes us desire it all the more. Only by recognizing that we are sinful do we understand our need for a savior. We like the Canaanite woman, yelling out Lord have mercy Kyrie Elision, need someone outside our culture, our world, and the religion of self to save us. And once we realize that, then we too become committed – committed to the Kingdom of God – committed to the Family of God by adoption. God makes us heirs of His grace though the bloodline of Jesus Christ by grace through faith, faith imparted through Holy Baptism by the Holy Spirit – not because of what you’ve done, but because of what He has done for you.
For God has committed faith and grace to you, therefore you can overcome all obstacles, even death itself, through Jesus Christ your Lord. You too like the Canaanite woman are more than victorious because of God’s great commitment and mercy to you.
Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Kyrie Elision. And He has had mercy, for all your sins are forgiven, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Live now in His power and in His love, knowing He is committed to you. In Jesus Name, amen and amen!
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus, Amen.