There is perhaps no greater preacher of good news than the prophet known by scholars as Deutero-Isaiah. The First Reading for the Second Sunday in Advent in the Year of Mark is the opening of this preacher's great work: Isaiah 40:1-11. Some have called this section the prologue to all that follows through chapter 55. In any case, this is a majestic piece of proclamation, that will challenge the preacher to bring it to life once again.
(The following questions have been developed in order to ferret out a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers, i.e. how does the Word function in this text? This is a central concern because the manner in which the Word functions very much informs how the sermon will function. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? There is much gospel in this text. Indeed the message of the whole of Second Isaiah is encapsulated in the second verse: "Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins." But there are other promises as well: in verses 4-5 where the leveling of the world is announced; in verse 8b where we hear that "the word of our God will stand forever"; and in the last two verses where we hear of a mighty God who comes with power, but also comes as a shepherd who gently cares for the sheep.
2. How does the Word not function in the text? There is little in terms of Law here, even though we can catch a few glimpses. Certainly verses 6b-8a which highlight the mortal nature of human beings come closest to announcing our need for a Savior, without coming right out and saying it. There is no call to repentance here, but only a reminder that all things human will pass away, while the Word of our God will endure.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? This text is unusual in that there are different voices addressing differing audiences, so one must simply choose which audience we will identify with. We could identify with the ones being called to bring the good news of comfort to those in exile. Or we could identify with those who are receiving this good news. A third choice is that we identify with those who are called to prepare the way of the Lord.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? This text could be read as a call to God's people to bring the good news of God's deliverance to those in the exile of despair. The context for this prophetic writing is the people of God exiled in Babylon, so a preacher would be well within the intent of this text to preach this as a call to evangelism.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? Using the language provided in the text, we can imagine a number of appropriate couplets. Some suggestions: in prison/penalty is paid; uneven/level; dying/standing forever.
6. Exegetical work: It is important to realize that the opening verbs in the announcement of the good news in verse 2 are all perfect tense: "she has served her term...her penalty is paid...she has received double for all her sins." This perfect tense has the sense that something has been accomplished and the effect of that is not only on the present, but continuing on infinitum into the future. In other words, God is not going to change God's mind on this subject! Abraham Heschel, in describing the effect of these words, says, "The message of Second Isaiah... is of no age. It is prophecy tempered with human tears, mixed with joy that heals all scars, clearing a way for understanding the future in spite of the present. No words have ever gone further in offering comfort when the sick world cries."(The Prophets, p. 145). Claus Westermann, in his commentary, ties these words of good news to the Exodus story: "The first Exodus, too, began with a cry to depart from bondage; then, too, there was the voice of one crying, with the function of proclaiming release on which God had resolved; then, too, the decisive move towards this was the making of the way through the wilderness." (The OT Library series, Isaiah 40-66, p. 33). Westermann also identifies three characteristics of the preaching of Second Isaiah that are important to note: 1) This preaching announces "an event regarded as already come about;... the great change of judgment to salvation was already accomplished fact." 2) "His gospel spontaneously evokes joy." and 3) This is "an oracle of salvation addressed to an individual." (Ibid., pp. 11-12). This last characteristic is most interesting given the communal nature of much proclamation.
7. How does the Crossings Community model work with this text? Ronald Neustadt picks up on the central piece of Gospel in this text, that "the word of our God stands forever," and imagines, as its counterpart, "a withering word." This withering word is one which cannot save, yet one which we are often seduced by. Neustadt's entire analysis is archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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