A Place for Everyone

August 23rd, 2026

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8 & Matthew 15:21-28 (you definitely need to read this in order for the sermon to make sense)

For those of you who’ve known me for awhile, you know how much I LOVE dogs. I, myself, have two dogs which are part of my family. They’re more like children to me than mere pets. They’re mostly freeloaders, but they do help out around the house sometimes. Their only chore is vacuuming; they’re very good at sucking up any food that I’ve dropped (either on accident or on purpose). For centuries, dogs have had a place in the family. Other dogs had additional duties, such as guarding property, protecting people, or hunting for food. No matter how much they did or didn’t do, they had a place in the household.

The place we give dogs struck me in the words we hear in today’s gospel from the Canaanite woman begging for mercy on her daughter. When Jesus delivers a cold, compassionless response to her plea, she doesn’t miss a beat in her reply, “yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.” Surprisingly, she is not offended by being called a dog. Rather, she embraces that even the dog has a place in the household. She is claiming her place. She is proclaiming that she has a place at the Lord’s supper, even if it’s only to catch the crumbs with the dogs. A single crumb would be enough.

This Canaanite woman, while nameless, is extremely significant to the gospel message. You see, when Moses led the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt, through the desert, to the promised land, we must not forget that the ‘promised land’ was already occupied. The Hebrew people had to wage war and conquer this land, the land of Canaan. Israel and Canaan have history; they have bad blood. At the time this would have been written, Canaan no longer even existed. So, to define this woman as a Canaanite was symbolic of how Israel would have felt about her. She would have been seen as the unclean, unholy enemy.

However, this woman, despite being a Canaanite, declares that Jesus is the Son of David, the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. She is more confident about Jesus’ identity than the disciples themselves! She is also more bold and brave than most of the characters we meet in the Bible. She’s a woman, which already puts her at low status. She is a Canaanite trying to plead with an Israelite healer. She is loud and persistent in her approach to this healer and his crowd of men. She states her need on behalf of her daughter and she will not take no for an answer. She is a fierce and unforgettable character in our scriptures and yet we never even get to learn her name; a shame really.

Jesus’ initial response to her is that first and foremost he came to minister to Israel. Yet.. isn’t he the one who traveled outside Israel’s territory, into her hometown in the first place? What exactly was he doing there if not taking the gospel message to the Gentiles? But this does fall in line with Matthew’s narrative beautifully. Matthew wrote to a specific audience, the Jews. Matthew wrote in a precise way to convince Jews that Jesus was not an outside source; he was not someone trying to create a new religion; he was the Messiah, a continuation of the God of Abraham, Moses, and David. That is why Jesus had to start his ministry with the Israelites. Not because he came only for the Israelites, but because of the promises made throughout millennia to God’s ‘chosen people.’

But remember, they aren’t God’s chosen people because God only cared about THEM. Israel was God’s chosen people in the same way that you need good fire starting logs in order to start the fire that will warm an entire room. Jesus goes first to Israel to kindle the fire that will grow large enough to provide loving warmth to all the nations, but he has a heck of a time getting the fire started.

It’s important to remember this story comes just after Jesus argues with the Pharisees, the very people who are supposed to be leading Israel in their faith. Jesus’ hometown rejects him, the Pharisees and Sadducees argue with him left and right, and the council plots to silence him. Perhaps he fled briefly to Tyre in order to gain a little perspective on what he is actually doing here, because nothing seems to be working in Israel. I can imagine the frustration that might of caused a bit of tunnel vision for him; disappointed enough to forget the bigger picture for a moment.. to turn away a member of his household, feeling like he doesn’t have any thing left to give.

This woman doesn’t ask him to abandon his ministry to Israel. Rather, she believes that he has SO much to give that even a crumb would contain enough power to expel evil and restore wholeness to her daughter. She of outstanding faith stands in contrast to Peter’s little faith as he walked out to Jesus on the stormy sea. She, a so-called unclean Canaanite, puts the cherry on top of Jesus’ argument with the Pharisees that came just before this, as we heard last week. Jesus argues with the Pharisees about what is unclean, telling them that they are focused on the wrong things. Jesus proclaims it’s not what goes into the body that contaminates, but what comes out of the mouth from an unclean heart is what contaminates. Jesus tells everyone WHAT is unclean, now this woman stands before him, challenging him to tell everyone WHO is unclean.

She of outstanding faith, strength, and courage perhaps snaps Jesus out of his disappointment. Demands he pick his gaze back up to confront the world he has come to change. Reminds him that the fire will burn, regardless what logs he starts with. And he grants her her wish, healing her daughter. Showing the crowd of followers who begged to have her silenced and sent away what the gospel truly does.. it heals.. it breaks new ground, knows no borders or boundaries, discriminates between no one.. welcomes everyone into the household of God.

In the end of Matthew’s gospel, he makes a point that the gospel is for everyone, Jew and Gentiles alike, reiterating what this woman already knew within her bones – that God welcomes all to the kin-dom feast. Because, as Paul writes to the Romans, we must not forget that we all make up ONE body of Christ, each with our own wisdom and gifts. We belong to each other. When we write off an entire group of people because of what they look like, where they come from, who they love, or god-forbid an ancient rivalry.. we might as well be cutting off our own bodies at the knees.

Sometimes God shows up in the places and in the people we least expect.. but those are likely the instances that make the biggest impact; that are jarring enough to transform our hearts and minds, make us see differently and therefore live differently. This was a jarring transformative experience for the followers of Jesus; a wake up call that expanded and transformed their ministry. Jesus uses this woman as a bridge, to heal the ancient wounds between Israel and Canaan. To declare that God has no enemies, that in fact, we are all God’s beloved peoples with a place in God’s household.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

*parts of sermon inspired by reflection from Carla Works