Sermons from St. John the Divine
Aug 16, 2026 · 12 min · 7 segments
What does God’s mercy look like when it crosses the boundaries we create? Through Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman, this sermon explores humility, faith, and the abundant mercy of God. As we…
Louise SamuelsonGuest
He traveled there right after a confrontation with the leaders of his people, the Jews, and they were upset because Jesus' followers were not washing their hands properly.
Jesus then tells his followers that it's not what we eat or how we eat that matters, but it's what comes out of our hearts.
Sometimes the needs of people can feel overwhelming, and I don't think we have the capacity to help them all.
But this woman had obviously heard the stories about Jesus' ability to heal and cast out demons.
Was her use of this messianic title, Son of David, to ensure him that she was perfectly aware of the divisions between them? When Jesus finally speaks, he tells her that he's come only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This boundary that Jesus puts up is not going to keep this mother from doing all she can to save her daughter.
So she comes and she kneels before him and simply says one of the most powerful prayers we can pray.
And he began to interact with someone who his culture prevented him from even acknowledging.
He traveled there right after a confrontation with the leaders of his people, the Jews, and they were upset because Jesus' followers were not washing their hands properly.
Jesus then tells his followers that it's not what we eat or how we eat that matters, but it's what comes out of our hearts.
Sometimes the needs of people can feel overwhelming, and I don't think we have the capacity to help them all.
But this woman had obviously heard the stories about Jesus' ability to heal and cast out demons.
Was her use of this messianic title, Son of David, to ensure him that she was perfectly aware of the divisions between them? When Jesus finally speaks, he tells her that he's come only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This boundary that Jesus puts up is not going to keep this mother from doing all she can to save her daughter.
So she comes and she kneels before him and simply says one of the most powerful prayers we can pray.
And he began to interact with someone who his culture prevented him from even acknowledging.
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