The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their little dogs.” “Yes Lord,” she said, “but even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

The media has been filled this past week with stories of a mother, Cindy Sheehan, who has pitched a tent along side the road that leads to President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas. She is grieving the lost of her son who died in Iraq. She vows to stay there all month if necessary until he talks to her. Our Gospel lesson has a woman who is also crying out. She hasn’t lost her daughter yet, but will soon if she doesn’t get some help. Just as the woman in Texas is proving to be awkward for the President, so too is this gentile woman, worse than that this Canaanite woman, seems to be a problem for Jesus.

She has found out that Jesus and His disciples are in town in the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon up on the seacoast northwest of Galilee. Mark’s Gospel records they had withdrawn to there, and entered a house not wanting anyone to know they were there. (Mark 7.24) She has come seeking this Jesus because her little daughter is suffering terribly from, of all things, demon possession. When she can’t get in to see Jesus, she stands outside and cries out unceasingly, so much for a time of peace and reflection. If she keeps this up everyone will know that we are here.

One thing that is important to know is why she was standing out there. She has heard of this Jesus. More than just hearing she has been brought to believe that He is more than just another holy man, some self-proclaimed prophet, or would be healer. Listen to how she addresses Him, listen to who she has been brought to believe that He is: Lord, Son of David. This address reveals who she has come to believe that He is: the Messiah, the Promised One, the Lion of Judah, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty King. (Isaiah 28.29)

Left to her own devices, to her own reasoning, she could not have discovered who this Jesus was, for like all of us she was born in sin and had a sinful heart that was closed to the things of God. (1 Cor 2.14 & Mark 7.6) But someone had told her of this Jesus.

Someone had cared enough to tell her the stories of this One who calms storms and heals with a touch or by His Word. By the telling of the stories she’d been brought to believe that Jesus must be God incarnate. By the hearing of God’s Word, she’d been brought to faith, so it is today. People are brought to believe when someone tells them of this Jesus. This is why I plead with you to go and tell - for apart from Jesus they and their children will perish.

Her child, we are told, was suffering greatly, and suffering from something no earthly physician could help with- she was demon possessed. People all around us, like us, are suffering greatly most likely not from demon possession, but suffering none the less.

In their suffering some cry out because of depression or despair. Some are suffering and cry out because they had a hand in an abortion or ending another’s life. Others weep because of abuse. Some cry out as they struggle against unfairness, disease, loneliness, or hate. We cry out for ourselves and for those we love.

These are terrible but even as bad as these are they are no match for the demon that seeks to overwhelm us all- sin. Sin is the demon that seeks to possess our mind, body and soul. Sin, which left unaccounted for, leads to hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth that will not end. (Matt 8.12)

Sin has a head start, for in sin were we conceived and born, truly we were sinful from birth. (Psalm 51.5) Apart from the intervention of Jesus we’d all perish. Apart from the working of the Holy Spirit we could not have faith to cry out to the One true Lord and there would be no one to cry out for us….And the mother of the little girl came crying out after Jesus, Lord, Son of David! Lord, Help me! There is no one else to whom I can go. Only You have the Words of eternal life. (John 6.68)

Of this One, this Jesus to whom she cried out for help, He too cried out as well, but it was His crying out that brought us deliverance.

When Jesus stood in the Temple courts in Jerusalem and saw that the buyers and sellers had turned His Father’s House into a marketplace, He was filled with anguish: a place which should have brought the people hope and comfort had been reduced to a marketplace. He cried out as He drove the buyers and sellers from the Temple. My Father’s house shall be a house of prayer. (John2.12-18)…. (said as our prayer) Lord, help us if and when we lose the majesty and purpose for being in Your House.

Jesus felt the deepest of compassion when He saw the people coming to Him from all over. They were bringing their sick and their hurting. They were harassed like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9.36) He sighed, He cried out from the depths of His being that they would be healed and comforted. …(said as our prayer) Lord, help us to come to You with our cares and burdens of each day. Remind us that Your compassion, comfort, and care are as great today as it was then, for You are a God who is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13.8)

Jesus cried out against the Teachers of Law, those who were supposed to be offering to the people hope, comfort, and forgiveness, but instead they offered only burdensome traditions and empty ceremonies. …(said as our prayer) Help us Lord, if and when we reduce our worship, study, and prayer times to empty prattle, meaningless traditions, or empty plays on our emotions.

Jesus cried out in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before he was crucified, His soul overcome by what loomed before Him. Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me. If they can be saved by good works or good intentions then take this cup from Me. But not My will but Yours be done.(Luke 22.42) He cried out because He knew the sacrifice that must be made to rescue us from our sins- He knew that He must suffer, die and rise again, that we might be delivered. He cried out that He would not falter.

Jesus cried out as they drove the nails into His hands and feet, Father forgive them they know not what they do. He cried out from the cross with His last breaths. He cried out having made full payment to rescue us from sin, death, and hell. He cried out, It is finished! He died that we would be delivered from our sins. He died and rose again that we would be forgiven. That forgiveness, that deliverance, that help is available to all of us who like the woman in our lesson, cry out Lord, Help me!

Ah, but Pastor, why does the lesson say even when the woman persisted in her cries for help, Jesus did not answer a word. When He did answer He answered, I’ve been sent only the lost sheep of Israel and it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the little dogs. Many would be tempted to say the message of forgiveness and salvation was not apparently for the likes of her or even the likes of them (those around us today), maybe not even for the likes of me, but that is not true. Jesus allows this woman, who many would dismiss, to “wrestle” with Him.

“Yes Lord, it is true in the eyes of the world I am not much, but Lord even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Yes, Lord it is true, I am a sinner and not worthy of grace, but you have promised forgiveness to all who would believe in You, follow after You, and did You not come into the world to save sinners, even sinners like me. (1st Tim 1.15)… It is done. Jesus has allowed her faith to conquer Him as a father allows his young child to pin his shoulders to the ground. To this woman of faith, Jesus said, Woman you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very moment. Can you imagine the cries of joy when this mother reached home?

That victory and those shouts are there for us, as well, when even the worst of us sinners come to Him with a repentant heart and beg His forgiveness. That forgiveness comes to us in the simple words of absolution, in the drops of water of baptism and within the blood of communion. That great faith comes to us by the hearing of His Word. With that faith we can rejoice crying out, “We are forgiven! We have been delivered from sin and death. Halleluiah! And Amen.”

All around are people in need of real deliverance, lasting hope, and enduring peace. Apart from Christ they can only receive at best temporal help. They need to hear of this Jesus who offers it all and in eternal measure. They need to hear so that their cries will not be the weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell but cries of joy as they enter heaven. Now we have been sent to tell them, might it serve them well if we are persistent? Amen.