Sermon Index
January 1, 2018
Happy New Year! I pray that it will be a good year for all of you. The Year of Our Lord, A.D. 2018 is the Year of the Dog, so I wanted to see what the Bible says about dogs. In the Old Testament I could not find a single good thing said about dogs, but in the New Testament there is a delightful story that I think would be a good way to live 2018. GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 15:21–28 [Even the dogs eat the crumbs...]
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word.
And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27
She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
It would be good if we could all be like that woman this year. We should pray for others like she did. We should have confidence that Jesus will help us.
It would be good if we could be like her dog this year. We know that everything comes from our Master. We know that our Lord God loves us and gives us what we need. We need forgiveness, we need help, we need faith, and even the crumbs of God’s mercy are all-powerful for this year and even for eternity.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church