Sermon: The Canaanite Dog

3/29/20 [live streamed]

In Matthew 15:21-28 we read of the Canaanite woman’s strong faith. But the strength of her faith was in its object, not in her. She understood her need, she had heard of this great savior, and so she ran to him in faith. 

Her daughter was suffering, and out of this trial the woman threw all caution and etiquette and convention out the window. She came out to Jesus and would not let him go. She says, “Have mercy on me.” Her daughter’s sickness is her own pain. Sickness is the soul’s advisor. It drives us to look outside of ourselves.  

The woman knew where to go and whom she needed. She calls him Lord and Son of David. Even as a gentile she had heard enough of who this Jesus was, and she knew that he was not like other saviors. She would follow this belief and persist, and in doing so her faith would be tested and refined. Four times she goes to him, but it is not until the last that he says, “O woman, great is your faith!” and heals her daughter.

In her persistence we see that the woman recognizes her unclean condition. She recognizes that Messiah was to be a light to the gentiles, and so she responds to Jesus’ calling her a dog with a quick, faith-filled answer: the crumbs of Jesus’ grace are more than sufficient for the dogs. Here is the gospel in a nutshell. She knows that she is sinful, and she knows that Jesus’ mercy is more. This is faith. 

Jesus’ mercy is more than sufficient to cover all of our sins – past, present, and future. Are you weighed down with sin? Do you have trials? Be like the Canaanite woman, throw aside flimsy saviors, and run to Him.