"A Light That Shatters The Darkness”

In Jesus Holy Name August 20, 2023

Text: Matthew 15:28/Isaiah 9:1b-2 Pentecost XV - Redeemer

“A Light That Shatters the Darkness”

I have seen many beautiful stained glass windows displaying various aspects of the life of Jesus. But I don’t think I have ever seen a stained glass window of Jesus laughing. But, can you imagine Jesus smiling as He bounces children on His lap? I can. Do you think He smiled when Moses took a double look at a burning bush? He must have laughed at a stubborn Jonah when he landed on the beach dripping gastric juices and smelling like whale breath?

Was there a twinkle in His eye when He watched the disciples feed 5000 from a little boy’s lunch? At the wedding which ran out of wine, do you think there was a smile on the face of Jesus when the wedding party tasted the best wine ever?

I think there is going to be a smile on his face in his discussion with a Canaanite woman in our Gospel lesson.

There were times when Jesus ventured outside the confines of Israel and entered the Gentile region, but even here the stories of a prophet named Jesus were not a secret. Word had spread far and wide that Jesus had supernatural power to heal the sick and raise the dead. Even in this Gentile territory, people knew about His ministry, and that’s why one particular woman came to see Him.

In this story the words of Jesus seem harsh to our ears. Yet it is classic Jesus. He should not be talking with her…but He engages in conversation. He speaks in parables to Jews, which must be explained even to His disciples. (Matthew 15:16) His conversation with a non-Jewish woman is verbal banter, a little sarcasm…but does He have a smile on His face? I don’t know, I was not there but I think it is possible. There is a reason Matthew includes this miracle, so we must think about it a little more.

Matthew called her a Canaanite woman, meaning she descended from the Canaanites in the Old Testament who were mortal enemies of the Jewish people. She had many things going against her that day. She was not Jewish. She was a woman. An outsider. A foreigner. Might as well have been a junkyard dog. She lived in a culture that had little respect for women outside the bedroom and kitchen. But her daughter was very sick.

Every parent can understand this. If you have a sick child, how far will you go to help your son or daughter? To ask the question is to answer it. It’s not a matter of time or distance or money. When your son is sick or your daughter is ill, nothing matters except getting them well again. When your child is sick, you don’t care about test results, x-rays, percentages, new medicines, research protocols, or anything like that. “People just want to know one thing: ‘Is my child going to be all right?’” Nothing else matters. (from a sermon by Ray Pritchard Matthew 15)

She is clearly desperate. Her daughter is demon possessed. She knows she has no right to ask anything of Jesus. She is not a Jew. She is not a disciple. She offers no money for the ministry. She makes no promise to devote herself to missionary service. Yet she is asking for a miracle. Maybe Matthew includes the story is to answer the question: “Is God’s grace available to all?”

It was a lesson Peter had to learn when invited to the home of the Gentile Centurian named Cornelius. (Acts 10)

We don’t know a thing about this woman. We don’t know her name. All we

know is her background and her hometown. She disappeared the same way that she appeared. Like a puff of smoke. Jesus had an usual conversation, spice with banter and sarcasm.

1) She begged for mercy…. But Jesus did not answer a word….

2) That did not stop her. She kept crying out and begging for His attention. She is confronted by 12 disciples who keep pushing her away. The scene was like any secret service agent who has the responsibility to stand between the President and the crowd. Don’t get too close!

3) The disciples are frustrated… “Jesus, she keeps crying out after us.” Just send her away…. She is not Jewish…. She doesn’t deserve your kindness.

4) Now Jesus speaks but they are words meant to distract.

a. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

b. She is not distracted by words of refusal… she gets in His path and kneels in front of Jesus, grabbing His attention.

Again, Jesus provides a distraction. “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” Pretty sarcastic! In other words…. It is not right to give God’s grace which is meant for His chosen people, Israel, to non-Jewish people. That is what His offensive words mean. This is not a compliment. No one wants to be called a “dog”. Most people would be filled with anger and turn away. Not this woman. She is not distracted.