In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Demons are real. But we don’t talk about them very much anymore. Sometimes we say, “That man has some demons.” But we mean that metaphorically. He’s an alcoholic, or he has anger problems. That’s not what the Canaanite woman meant. Her little girl had a real demon literally possessing her body. No metaphor, no fairy tale, no joke.
And we are kidding ourselves if we think the devil and his demons are not behind all the evils that still plague us, including alcoholism. Or pornography. Drug use. Mental illness. And we also still have to watch out for the straight-up paganism, spiritism, witchcraft. You might think it sounds crazy but it’s on the rise. As many as 1 million or 1.4 million people in the U.S. claim to believe or practice some kind of paganism or Wicca. Just to give you an idea, that’s bigger than the United Church of Christ, about the same as the Presbyterian Church USA, and just a little smaller than the Missouri Synod. So, I also warn you, absolutely stay away from psychics and fortune tellers, palm readings and tarot cards. No playing with seances or Ouija boards. It’s no joke. Demons are real and touching their stuff can do damage to your soul. The idea behind real magic is that you control the spirits to do your bidding. But you mess with that stuff, and sooner or later the demons are controlling you.
We don’t need to get afraid, but we do need to take this stuff seriously. We are blind if we think there is no spiritual warfare raging all around us.
However, recognizing the reality of demons does not make us less culpable. Eve didn’t get away with telling God, “The devil made me do it.” And while demons are deceitful and lure us into temptation, we are the ones who give into our desires and let them rule us. We are the ones who run away from God and His Law, looking for what we think would be a good life, and then throw ourselves at the mercy of the devil. The demons may entice us into the house of sin, but we walk in, shut the door, and throw away the key. Anyone who commits sin is a slave to sin (John 8:34). And the devil is only too glad to help us along into this slavery.
But now we come to the other problem the Canaanite woman had. What happens when you realize you’ve locked yourself in with demons and you want to get out? And what happens when you cry for help but no one answers? What happens when it seems like God is one of the demons? What do you do when God shows up and attacks you, like He did to Jacob? The natural response is to be terrified, and we should fear God, because it’s not a demon that will come for you in the end—it’s the almighty God.
So, what do you do when God comes at you, like He did to Jacob; or when He ignores you and calls you a dog, like He did to the Canaanite woman? The natural response is to despair, to hate God, and to go looking for a nicer god. But Jacob wrestled with God and wouldn’t let Him go without a blessing. And the Canaanite woman wrestled with Jesus’ Words, and she wouldn’t let Him go without keeping His promise. What’s the only thing you can do in this life, with demons on the one side, and a God who doesn’t seem to care on the other? The Canaanite woman clings to God’s Word.
Now, what's really amazing is that this Canaanite woman should not exist. If you go to the Book of Joshua, you see that God had commanded Israel to wipe out the people of Canaan. You also find out that they did not completely obey, so there were still Canaanite people living. Really, if anyone should think this God of Israel was a demon, it was a Canaanite.
But our Canaanite lady still calls to Jesus. Evidently she has heard God’s Word and trusted His promise for a Savior, and so she cries out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” She calls Him the Messiah—the descendant of King David who would rule over Israel forever, even though she’s not an Israelite. That’s why Jesus then says that He came only for the lost sheep of the House of Israel.
Even though it seems like Jesus doesn’t care, this woman keeps on calling: “Lord, help me.” She calls Him Lord—the name He told to Moses and His people, Israel. She calls Him Yahweh—I AM, even though she’s not an Israelite. And then that’s why Jesus says, “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She has no right to make claims on Him, to use His name. She is not a child of Israel. He calls her a dog. He all but tells her to go back to her poor daughter and live with the demons.
Wrestling with God was painful for Jacob. And wrestling with Jesus is just as painful for this mother. God is dangerous. He should be feared. No Canaanite, and no sinner, can make demands on God or argue for their rights. But still, she believes God is faithful. She has heard His promises for mercy in His Holy Word and she will not let go of that. She says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table—Yes, Lord. I’m no child of Israel. But let me be Your dog. Yes, Lord. I’m not worthy and I don’t deserve anything good. But be my Master and let me eat Your crumbs.”
When God seems to ignore us or appears cruel, when His answer for us or for a loved one is suffering or death, our response cannot be to give up and walk away. And it also won’t really help to just pray more or pray harder. We won't get anywhere by throwing a fit and telling Him we deserve His help. Instead we confess our sin. We need to empty ourselves of ourselves. “Yes Lord, I am a dog.” We agree with Him. We are not worthy. We have no rights. We have consorted with demons and given into temptation. That Canaanite woman should not have been alive. And neither should we.
But God has made promises and we can hold Him to that. Only when our hands are empty can we hold onto Him. So even when He appears silent or hateful, that cannot change the fact that He speaks to us in His Word. And in His Word He promises forgiveness, salvation, and freedom from the devil and death. He promises to answer when we call upon His name. He promises to give life everlasting.
If all you have is God’s Word, even just a crumb, then you have Him. And this God that you have in His Word is the God who kept His promises, and came in mercy, and died in your place. And this God that you have in His Word is no demon, and He’s not going to leave you trapped with them. This God is not silent and He does answer your prayers. He will either give you what you ask for, or He’ll give you something better. His final answer is always the same: the crucified Jesus lives and He sets you free.
Your God wrestles with you, and it will hurt, but it’s for your good. Because He is good. He disciplines you like a good Father disciplines His children, so that they stay away from the stuff that can really hurt them. We firmly believe that any hardship you bear, so long as you bear it in faith, it is for the glory of God, and the Lord will hear your prayer and He will work for you according to His good and gracious will (PCC, 34).
And even while He wrestles with you, He crushes the demons. They cannot have you. Don’t be afraid. Cry out to Him with confidence. Prayer discourages the devil—meaning, it takes the courage out of him. And it encourages you—prayer puts the courage of God into you. You have God’s ear. You can call on Him and hold Him to His promises.
Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love (Ps. 25). And He answers, “Great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.”
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
Preached at Trinity, Clinton, IA & Immanuel, Charlotte, IA
