Pure Gospel

Much like the First Lesson last week, this week's First Lesson appointed for the 3rd Sunday in Advent, Isaiah 35:1-10, is a picture of the reign of God.  Last week we saw that the reign of God begins with the shoot coming out of the stump of Jesse.  This week we see that, in similar fashion, the reign of God begins in the wilderness as the desert begins to blossom.  Last week we saw how the reign of God is manifest in a Righteous Ruler and in a peace-filled creation where the whole earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord.  This week the reign of God is manifest in the healing of the afflicted and waters breaking forth in the desert.  Once again, it will be the task of the preacher to celebrate this good news.

(The following questions are from the method I develop in my brief guide to Law and Gospel preaching, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted.  These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but may be helpful in unlocking the way the Word functions.  For more about this and other aspects of Law and Gospel preaching, my book may be gotten through wipfandstock, com, the Luther College bookstore, or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This text is pure Gospel, functioning to bring courage to "weak hands," "feeble knees," and "fearful hearts".  Into all of our conditions of weakness and doubt, we hear this announcement that we can have courage because God is coming to rescue us.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is really no word of Law here, no word that exposes our need for a Savior.  As noted above, the condition of fear is admitted, but there is no judgement here, no call to repentance.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  It is not a stretch to say that we have all been those with weak hands, trembling in fear at what might befall us; those with feeble knees, knocking against one another as we confront the bullies in our life; those with fearful hearts, running away from all that threatens us.  It is to us, in these states of being, that this word comes.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There are only a few imperatives in this text, in verses 3 and 4:  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear!"  These imperatives are not calls to obedience, however, but calls to faith. The call to obedience is always the Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to God's grace.  A good example of a call to obedience is the Second Reading appointed for this Sunday, James 5:7-10, which begins, "Be patient, beloved."

5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since the Law is little evident here, we must make use of some of the language present in order to come up with couplets for this text.  Some possibilities:  weak/strong; dead/alive; desolate/blooming.

6.  Exegetical work:  According to the footnotes in The Lutheran Study Bible, Isaiah 34-35 "are seen by most scholars as stemming from the exile or post-exile periods.  They are placed here to begin a transition to the second part of the book of Isaiah. God's coming transformation will involve both total judgment of the wicked (chapter 34) and final salvation for the redeemed (chapter 35)."  This observation, that judgment is found in chapter 34 and redemption in chapter 35 is helpful, and one can not help but note the stark contrast between the two.  One chapter is a polar opposite of the other:  "The streams of Edom shall be turned to pitch, and her soil into sulfur; her land shall become burning pitch." (34:9), as opposed to "the waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert." (35:6b).  "Their slain shall be cast out, and the stench of their corpses shall rise;" (34:3a), as opposed to "the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped." (35:5).  "It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode of ostriches." (34:13b), as opposed to "No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it." (35:9a)  It is fair to say that all the judgment, i.e. the Word functioning as Law, is in chapter 34, and all the good news of redemption , i.e. the Word functioning as Gospel, is in chapter 35.

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  Henry Mitchell loved to celebrate, and he encouraged preachers to be the first to do so in a text.  This text of rejoicing is a natural vehicle for celebration.  It is the preacher's task to raise the roof!

Blessings on your proclamation!