This Sunday: The Great Thing about Little Dogs!

It seems remarkable to read a Gospel account that actually depicts our Savior and Lord as seemingly: 1) ignoring someone asking for help; 2) avoiding someone asking for help; and 3) insulting that person asking for help by calling them a dog! Surely, every description we have ever heard of Jesus Christ as merciful and compassionate has just been thrown out the window! Not so fast. First of all, there was a reason for the Lord’s hesitancy and it wasn’t to be cruel to anyone. Secondly, the Lord wasn’t playing a game so as to provoke the woman. Christ’s hesitancy was legitimized by virtue of His clear mission to prioritize “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” She was a Canaanite and frankly, Jesus is found here juggling two projects at once: 1) He had to remind his disciples of His perfect obedience to the Heavenly Father and the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Messiah “first to the Jew” (Rom. 1); and 2) He had to also be completely consistent with the heart of God. Luther said that this woman caught Jesus at His own words and that further, Jesus “loves to be caught this way.” Jesus had automatically made provision for mercy to be given to the Canaanite woman. How so? By calling her a dog. Words are always crucial to consider. This particular word was not the word for a “wild dog” despised and considered unclean, but the word was the word for a house dog, a little dog, a beloved pet; the word was one of affection and endearment. The little dogs are always provided for. What child will not hesitate to share their food with their little dog? My dog Henry is a pug and we don’t call him “Henry” (“Master of the House”) for nothing. In fact, he enjoys the house that I pay for more than I do (he’s in it more than I am). He’s got it made-in-the-shade. Jesus knew what He was doing. In the end, the woman grabbed on to what Jesus said and would not let go until Jesus blessed her. This is faith! Jesus said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs (Matthew 15:26).” The woman answered, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table (Matthew 15:27).” Confess like the woman did. Confess that you are a sinner, just a little dog desperate for the crumbs of God’s blessings and then know that to such a one as this — a confessing sinner — Jesus will grant you blessings that overflow, life and salvation, and a change in status from a little dog to a forgiven child of God.

Update on “Table Talk” at CUI. We are taking a three-week break as the students at CUI get settled in for a new school year. We will let you know very soon when we will be starting up our on-campus Bible Study at Concordia University Irvine.

Also for this Sunday: The Holy Baptism of Alyssa Orozco! We look for to Alyssa’s reception of the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)!

Come to Church so that through His Word and Sacrament Christ will shine on you (Ephesians 5:14).

Pastor Espinosa

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