The Lutheran Hour
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"What A Way To Talk"
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Text: Matthew 15:25-28
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Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! For us the Son of God left heaven’s high throne and became one of us. Through His undeserved sacrifice we are forgiven; by His resurrection all who believe are given and guaranteed heaven.
His name was Mr. Rotermund. That was, for decades, the only name by which I knew him: Mr. Rotermund. Mr. Rotermund was my fifth and sixth grade teacher at Zion Lutheran Church on the south side of Chicago. Along with teaching at the church’s parochial school, Mr. Rotermund was also the church organist and choir director. Now, I want to tell you, when Mr. Rotermund sat down at the keyboard, he didn’t play around a tune in a general sort of way. When he played, the congregation knew they were on the highway and they weren’t going to be taking any detours. As a choir director, he had his young students singing four-part harmonies. For the congregation’s Christmas service his children’s choir would sing upwards of 15 selections … all of them memorized.
When I was a fifth grader, Mr. Rotermund seemed to be about eleven feet tall, although he was probably only a few inches over six-foot. I know that, as a child, people and things seem larger than they really are, but the passing of almost half a century has made Mr. Rotermund seem larger, rather than smaller. When I talked to some church organists, and later with some choir directors, they told me that Mr. Rotermund was not just a player of music; he was a composer as well. My father told me that when the family had been going through some hard times financially and it was necessary for me to drop my trumpet lessons, Mr. Rotermund, out of a meager parochial school teacher’s salary, had anonymously made up the difference.
If this sounds like hero worship, it is; although that is probably too poor a term for it. Mr. Rotermund taught me penmanship, one of the few failures of his life. He instructed me on the basics of math, and although my wife is the keeper of the checkbook, I can still, when pressed, manage to figure out how to leave a proper tip in the restaurant. If I can remember a Bible verse, it is because Mr. Rotermund expected his students to be able, on the last day of school, to recite the verse they learned on the first day of school. To many of us, a pat on the shoulder, or a smile from Mr. Rotermund accompanied by the words, “That’s a job well done,” could leave a glow that would last for days.
At the age of 12, I left home and didn’t see Mr. Rotermund for over thirty years. The funeral of my father brought us together one more time. Mr. Rotermund came to the wake. As a Christian teacher, he talked to my mother about their loss, and the victory Christ had given to my dad. Then, Mr. Rotermund turned to me. “Hello, Mr. Rotermund,” I said. And he replied, “Pastor, good to see you; call me Mel.” There was a pause. It was a long and painful pause. Finally, I managed to sputter, “Thank you very much, sir, but I don’t think I can do that.” You see, at least to me, the classes I had taken, the clergy collar I was wearing, didn’t change anything. Mr. Rotermund was still the teacher, and I was still the student. Neither time, circumstance, nor situation would ever change that. He would always be “Mr. Rotermund.” I would always say, “Yes, sir” and “No, sir” to his questions. As my teacher, he deserved my respect. As a man, he had earned it.
Respect, that’s a word and a concept that has fallen out of favor. Respect. Watch the evening news and keep tabs on how much of what you see begins with a lack of respect. There’s the video footage of a mangled car where someone decided to disrespect the railroad crossing flashing lights, ringing bells, and descending crossbuck barriers. There is also the story of the latest terrorist bombing where some religious fanatic has decided that his point of view is so important that he has a mandate to disrespect and destroy the lives of innocent men, women, and children. You will hardly avoid the report of a police raid on a drug dealer whose desire to turn a profit causes him to disrespect the school children whose lives he destroys.
Respect is in serious short supply. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was crippled by polio. No matter what you think of him as a leader, it must be conceded that he waged a heroic fight against that disease. The media of his day respected that battle. Although Roosevelt served as President longer than any other man, and was unable to walk unaided, during that entire time, (http://www.teachspace.org/lauren/polio/roosevelt.html) there are only two known pictures of him in a wheelchair. Today, let a leader fall, become sick, or stumble in a speech, and a disrespectful press will gleefully gloat and splash the story across its front pages. We demand our heroes be perfect but society dances in delight when they show that they’re not.
Ours is a world in which anyone in authority is attacked, not necessarily because he or she has been proven wrong, but merely because he is an authority.
Here’s what a wise observer of civilization and society once said: “… Our youths love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, they show disrespect for their elders and love to chatter in place of exercise … Children are now tyrants, and not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up food, and tyrannize teachers.” Now, that’s a guy who understands. His name is Socrates and the Athenian philosopher spoke those words almost 2,500 years ago. Lack of respect is nothing new.
Which is why I wonder how you’re going to react when I tell you a story from the life of the Savior. It is written in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. It begins with a woman coming to Jesus for help. No problem with that. Many people, both men and women, came to Jesus for assistance. The lepers, the lonely, the lost, and the unloved all came to Him. The deaf, the dumb, the distraught, all appealed to Him. Chapter after chapter tells of how Jesus listened and answered their needs. But this story is different. Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, cities in the territory of Israel’s traditional Canaanite enemies. While He was there, a woman, hearing about His arrival, immediately sought Him out, fell at His feet, and said, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”
Many of you who are parents can understand the heartfelt lament of this lady. I have to believe that this woman had been to the local doctors; perhaps she had traveled to visit some specialists. When no remedy from the traditional medical community had proven to be productive, possibly she had seen some of the quacks who, back then, even as they do now, hide out on the periphery of the medical field, preying upon people with their pain.
It is enough to say that this Canaanite lady had exhausted her abilities and now, knowing she had nowhere else to go, came to Jesus. Kneeling before the Christ, as so many millions have done, she acknowledges that if Jesus does not help, there will be, there can be, no help. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” And what happens? Jesus doesn’t say a word to her and the disciples ask Him to send this lady away, this non-Jewish lady, this lady to whom scripture gives no name. Over the centuries, Christ’s critics have assigned to Him the same prejudices that were held by many of the Jews in His day. They think, “He didn’t speak to her because she was an unbeliever. He didn’t talk to her because she was one of the hated Canaanites. He didn’t want to deal with her because she was of an inferior sex.”
Such charges need hardly be answered. Scripture is clear: Jesus had come to seek and save the lost, to reach out to all of humanity. According to His Father’s plan, Jesus lived His entire life for the single purpose of calling people from their sin and by the Holy Spirit’s power, bestowing upon them a new life of forgiveness. Jesus did not see races, and sexes, and social caste. Jesus saw only the orphaned children of humanity and did that which was necessary so they could be adopted into a new family, a forgiven family of faith. At other places and at other times, Jesus spoke to a lady who had been caught in, and condemned for, her adultery; He visited with, and changed the eternity of, an equally hated Samaritan woman. He called Matthew away from his despised tax collector’s table and made him an apostle; He reached out to a murderer by the name of Saul and made him the great missionary, Paul. Jesus, in His love for all the lost, would suffer and die and, (give thanks to God for His gracious love), rise on the third day, so that all who believe on Him as their Savior are ransomed from the unholy kidnappers of souls: sin, death, and devil.
No, Jesus’ lack of reply to this lady cannot be based on the fact He didn’t care. Nor is His eventual reply to this woman, “I was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel,” founded on a desire to put her down or send her away. Jesus, as God’s all-knowing, all-powerful Son, knew how this day would play out. He says what He says so the disciples may see what it means to trust Him. He does what He does to encourage this lady to greater faith. With a powerful trust, ignoring Jesus’ supposed rejection, the lady begs: “Lord, help me.” To which Jesus says: ‘It’s not right to take food that is for the children and give it to the family pets.”
What a way for Jesus to talk! Calling this woman and her sick daughter, a dog. Does He have to lend insult to her injury? Anyone who has read the Bible is surprised by the fact that Jesus, God’s caring Son would talk in such a seemingly callous way. Here this lady is, begging, groveling, persisting, pleading, and Jesus seems so condescending. If I had been that lady, I don’t know if I would have had her patience. Having been called a “dog,” this woman agrees and says, “Jesus, you are absolutely right. But, Jesus, you know, the dogs do manage to get the scraps that fall from the table.” She was saying, “Jesus, if that’s all there is, we’ll take it. Crumbs from You is better than a full meal deal from anybody else. Lord, my daughter and I will be glad for any gift You will let us have.”
Scripture is meager in the details which follow the woman’s reply. In my mind’s eye, I cannot help but see Jesus reach down, help her up from her place and position of pleading, give her the biggest smile this sad and sorry world has ever seen, pat her on the shoulder and say, “Well, done.” That is how it works in my imagination. What did happen was this: Jesus said, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” I also know this lady’s daughter was made well from that very hour. And that is the end of the story.
How do you feel about it? How do you feel about Jesus? What do you think of this woman who groveled and pleaded, and prayed and groaned for help? What do you think?
I can tell you what most people think. Most people think that this story is terrible. They think Jesus shouldn’t have talked the way He did, and they are absolutely positive that lady shouldn’t have begged and belittled herself. They think that nameless lady should have approached Jesus as an equal. Well, if you are one of the many who think that; I think you are wrong. This lady worshiped Jesus, and begged of Jesus, and pleaded with Jesus, and remained confident in Jesus, because she knew they were not equals. I think that lady did what she did because she had something that this world has lost: she had respect for God. She respected the one who had made her; who would save her; who would preserve her. She respected God.
Respect for God. That is the attitude of Abraham as he begged for the souls of the folks who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. Respect was the attitude of Moses as he pleaded for the Children of Israel in their disobedience. David may have been a king, but in his psalms, he approaches God as a spiritual pauper. Respect is what marks the prayers of the Apostles. They do not consider it demeaning or undignified to show respect for the God of grace who, through the sacrifice of His Son, calls sinners out of darkness into the marvelous light of forgiveness. They know what many have forgotten: respect is not undignified or unbecoming when it is given to God who, steps down from heaven’s high throne so sinners might be lifted up from distress and damnation of their sins. Respect.
Which leads me to ask, “Do you respect God?” So much of the world doesn’t, you know. The atheist, who says that he doesn’t believe in God, but still uses Christ’s name as a curse, doesn’t show respect. The preacher, who says that you can control God if you speak the right words, or make the right pledge to the minister’s ministry, doesn’t show respect. The skeptical clergyman, who shreds God’s holy Word rather than sharing it as God’s inerrant, inspired plan of salvation for the world, doesn’t respect Him. The philosopher, who says all ways of belief are equally acceptable to some divine unknown, doesn’t respect God. The scholar, who wishes to reduce Christ’s sacrifice to an imaginary myth and God’s love to a foolish and feeble hope, doesn’t respect Him. The world that thinks God will set aside His Son’s sacrifice as being unnecessary and gladly accept their imperfect best as being good enough to attain entrance into heaven, doesn’t respect Him.
The truth is: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are God, and we are not. If we are to be saved, it will be because God makes it possible. If we are going to be forgiven, it is only because Christ has paid the price that our sins have deserved. If we are to have entry into paradise, it will be only because Christ had, through His perfect life, death, and resurrection opened that door for all who believe. Like the unnamed lady of our story, every human being ought to humbly say, “Lord help me.” We ought to join her in pleading, “Have mercy on me.” We ought to be begging, “Lord, give us a crumb.” And then, because we are loved by God, and heard by God, and helped by God, we ought to rejoice. Undeserving, we have the crumbs and more than the crumbs which have fallen from the Master’s table. We have a Savior, a Brother, a Friend. We have Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Centuries ago, Martin Luther’s puppy sat at the side of the family’s dinner table. With unswerving attention, the dog followed his master’s hands move up and down. He was longing, hoping, waiting for a morsel from his master. To those who sat at dinner with him, Luther commented, “Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.” Luther had it right. To respect the Lord in such a way that you come to Him, watch Him, wait for Him, and believe on Him is not demeaning, it is the proper attitude for those who have been saved by the Son of God. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) For August 14, 2005
Topic: What Can God Make?ANNOUCER: Now, Pastor Ken Klaus answers questions from listeners. I’m Mark Eischer. Today, we have two different questions, on two different topics. But they do have something in common.
KLAUS: Like you said not so long ago, sometimes those short questions end up with the longest answers.
ANNOUNCER: Both questions start out the same way.
KLAUS: Now that is interesting. Please continue.
ANNOUNCER: All right. The first question today: “Can God make mistakes?” And the second question: “Can God make miracles?”
KLAUS: Mark, those are what I would call loaded questions.
ANNOUNCER: What do you mean by “loaded questions”?
KLAUS: Well, those are the kinds of questions that come out of a discussion some people are having and they decide to submit them. Not much background, just two questions which have some pretty far-reaching implications. I can almost see our listener. Do we know if these questions are from different people?
ANNOUNCER: Yes, they are from different people.
KLAUS: I can almost see them, after I give my answer, turning to somebody else and saying, “See, I told you so.” Well, let’s give it a try. Let’s take the miracle one, first.
ANNOUNCER: All right. Can God make miracles?
KLAUS: Properly understood, the answer to that question is, “Yes. God can and does make miracles.”
ANNOUNCER: But I notice you kind of qualified your answer there. You said, “properly understood.”
KLAUS: I did do that, didn’t I? Well, there’s a reason. Today a great many people have some pretty strange ideas about miracles.
ANNOUNCER: Could you give us an example or two?
KLAUS: I can. There are people who believe that if they pray hard enough, and with enough faith, God is absolutely compelled, forced to perform any miracle they demand of Him.
ANNOUNCER: That’s not right?
KLAUS: No, it’s not. God is God, and we are the ones who bring our petitions to Him. He’s the boss and we are not. He is not going to do a miracle that is against His divine purpose. He is our Father, and He will do what is best for us, not what we demand.
ANNOUNCER: What other mistaken notions might there be when it comes to miracles?
KLAUS: Well, when people think they know better than God, that’s a mistake when it comes to miracles. When people’s faith becomes dependent upon receiving a miracle, that’s a mistake.
ANNOUNCER: Now, could you explain that one?
KLAUS: When people say, “God, if You don’t come through for me, I’m going to stop believing in You.”
ANNOUNCER: In other words, kind of holding a blackmail against God.
KLAUS: Exactly. All of those beliefs are mistakes when it comes to miracles. Having said that, we have to recognize that God, who created the universe with a word, has the power and ability to do whatever He wants. If He wishes to set aside one of His rules of nature and perform a miracle, He’s got that right and power.
ANNOUNCER: But like you said, “It’s God who has the right.”
KLAUS: It’s God. Exactly.
ANNOUNCER: All right. How about the next question, “Can God make a mistake?” Is that a loaded question, too?
KLAUS: It is, and probably worse than the first question. If I say, “No, God can’t make a mistake,” then that person might say, “Well, God made the devil and the devil brought sin into the world.” They could end up blaming God for all the wrongs that are in this world. But, if I were to say, “Yes, God can make a mistake,” that is obviously wrong.
ANNOUNCER: And, why is that obviously wrong?
KLAUS: Obviously wrong because God is holy. Everything about Him … what He does, what He thinks, what He says, is perfect. It is not possible for Him to make a mistake, an error, a sin.
ANNOUNCER: But doesn’t it say in somewhere in the Bible that God “repented Himself” that He had done something?
KLAUS: There are those kinds of passages. Genesis 6:6 says, “The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain.” Well, the King James version that a lot of us learned, uses the word, repented. It says God repented that He had made man.
ANNOUNCER: Now you could take this to mean that God messed up.
KLAUS: And some people do take it that way. But what it really means is that the perfect thing that God had created had gone wrong. And this hurt Him. It wasn’t God’s doing, it was ours.
ANNOUNCER: So the answer to whether God makes mistakes is “no.”
KLAUS: The answer is “no.” And if somebody is ready to blame God or trying to blame God for all the problems in this world, that’s a big mistake. God made the world perfect; He sent His Son to redeem us from imperfection, and on the final day He’s going to make all things perfect again.
ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music selections from this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Let All the People Praise You” by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“I Pray You, Dear Lord Jesus” arranged by Henry Gerike. Used by permission.
“O, dass ich tausend Zünge hätte” arranged by Chris Loemker. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC
“Finale from Partita on ‘Hyfrydol’” by Charles Callahan. From Love Divine, All Loves Excelling by Charles Callahan (© 1993 Concordia Publishing House) Concordia Publishing House/SESAC