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| Jean Germain Drouais: The Woman of Canaan at the Feet of Christ |
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
Collect
O God, who seest that of ourselves we have no strength, keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
Sermon Hymn #508 Thou Whose Almighty Word
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
Hymn # 50 Lord Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing
- Medical care - Sarah Buck, Pastor Jim Shrader, Chris Shrader, Doc Lito family.
- Tornado damage in St. Louis, not in NW Arkansas but in NE Arkansas.
- Tuesday and Thursday, 10 AM Reformation Seminary lectures, John. Zoom.
- Wednesday, 7 PM - Midweek Lenten service, Zoom.
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| Lutheran Library - Gerhardt's Biography |
Second Sunday In Lent
This Gospel presents to us a true example of firm and perfect faith. For this woman endures and overcomes in three great and hard battles, and teaches us in a beautiful manner the true way and virtue of faith, namely, that it is a hearty trust in the grace and goodness of God as experienced and revealed through his Word. For St. Mark says, she heard some news about Jesus, Mark 7:25. What kind of news? Without doubt good news, and the good report that Christ was a pious man and cheerfully helped everybody. Such news about God is a true Gospel and a word of grace, out of which sprang the faith of this woman; for had she not believed, she would not have thus run after Christ etc. In like manner we have often heard how St. Paul in Romans 10:17 says that faith cometh by hearing, that the Word must go in advance and be the beginning of our salvation. Luther's Sermons, Lenker, Reminiscere.
Luther said about the Reformation - candidly - "I did not do anything. I just preached and wrote." That statement is true and yet baffles all the great denomination leaders today. Those so-called leaders do not have a clue about this lesson on trusting in Jesus Christ.
And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
One way to look at this is the disciples ordering Jesus to give her the miracle and send her away. Yes, she was a pagan - but Jesus could quiet her and give the distant daughter the blessing of a healing. The disciples wanted some peace!
Face a serious, painful, threatening illness - and people will offer a variety of solutions. What about year after year with a host of therapies? The insta-therapy may not work at all or only work a short time.
One of the great benefits of the Christian Faith is having a group of believers who comfort and encourage others. And that faith moves to others through the Word. Healing is not always physical. There are also blessings of peace, courage, etc.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But, oh, how painful it is to nature and reason, that this woman should strip herself of self and forsake all that she experienced, and cling alone to God’s bare Word, until she experienced the contrary. May God help us in time of need and of death to possess like courage and faith! Luther, Reminiscere, Lenker.
We are all weak at times. We cannot pick up courage or humor or patience at once. That is why so many have dust-covered dreadmills, or weights, or promises to walk a mile every day, or read a book. The focus of this miracle is trust in Jesus Christ, and that too requires endurance, strength, patience, calm, and the love of the Good Shepherd. She said in midst of turmoil and thinking about her daughter, "Lord, help me."
It is a great wonder to see that take place, moving from the darkest dark to the light. My wife and I knew what was coming and we talked about it all the time.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
There is some confusion about dogs in the Gospels. The roaming dogs licking the wounds of Lazarus were scavengers, and that was the best he could get for his starving. In this interchange between Jesus and the Canaanite woman, the dogs are the household pets who vacuum the crumbs that fall from the master's table. This is a miracle where we go over the details in a few words and watch the Word develop those simple words across the centuries.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Unbelievers, rationalists, dabblers, and people who "lost their faith" are going to miss this miracle for various reasons.
Your faith can only belong to you. It transfers and spreads from one heart to another. It is off-course to say "I wish I had your faith." Wishes seem to be a bit fortune cookie talk. Faith in Jesus is generated only by the Gospel given through Him, which gives us access to God.
Your faith is generated by the Gospel Word
- hearing,
- reading,
- remembering.
Lacking those three will diminish faith in Jesus Christ, but using them will increase faith in the Good Shepherd.
Jesus was tempted by Satan and faced His own religious leaders with the truth (John 8).
Luther's great genius in teaching about the Savior is the Reformer's emphasis on the primary theme of the Old and New Testaments - the Creation (John 1:1ff), His Two Natures (Isaiah), His Gospel ministry of forgiveness and peace, and His compassion for each and every one of us.
