The Third Sunday in Lent in the Year of Luke features Isaiah 55:1-9 as its First Reading. This passage speaks to exiles, to those who have had no home for a long time. Walter Brueggemann, the well-known OT scholar, likened our present sense of cultural dislocation to that of folks in exile. He said that we long for a home, but seem unable to either find a new one or return to the one from which we came. (Christian Century, July 2-9, 1997). Because of this, Isaiah's words are words of Gospel to those who hunger and thirst for home. The preacher's task will be to announce this to the world.
(The following questions follow a method which has been developed to raise up the function of the Word in the text. This is crucial for the preacher to understand since the way the Word functions in the text is, in large part, the way the sermon should 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 no doubt that the first five verses are water to thirsty souls and abundance to those who live in poverty. As such they are pure Gospel, culminating in God's promise to glorify those who call on Yahweh. Verses 6-7 are an invitation to forsake wickedness, a classic Call to Obedience. The final two verses are ambiguous; their function depends on how you hear them. "My thoughts are not your thoughts" could be pure Gospel, freeing us from our self-condemnation. Or this same phrase could be Law, exposing our failure to design our lives in God-pleasing ways.
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? As stated above, there is only a hint of Law in this text. While the final verses could be heard as Law, there is no direct call to repentance here, no Word which functions to lift up our need of a Savior.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We have a number of choices here. We could identify with those who are thirsting and poor. We could identify with those who are caught in the endless cycle of spending money on those things that do not satisfy. Or we could identify with those who know their thoughts to be anything but God's thoughts. The preacher will do well to identify with those who seem nearest to his or her experience, not necessarily those of his or her listeners.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? As already stated we have a Call to Obedience in verses 6-7. In these verses the Word functions to exhort us to follow a different path, one that reflects the thoughts and ways of Jesus.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? There are a host of ideas one could draw from in this text. A few suggestions: thirsty/sated; poor/well-supplied; not bread/Bread of Life; not satisfied/eternally satisfied.
6. Exegetical work: Claus Westermann, in his classic commentary, quotes J. Begrich in giving insight into the opening verses: "In respect of form, 55:1-5 is an invitation on the part of Wisdom to be guests at her table... Notice that, as in Prov. 9:11, this invitation culminates in a promise of life." (The OT Library series, Isaiah 40-66, p.281). Westermann goes on to explain that these opening verses are "in imitation of street vendors." The meaning of this invitation is, "Life in its fullness is awaiting you!" (Ibid., p.282). Westermann also has some important insights regarding the final verses: "'Thoughts' does not have the meaning of 'reflections', but...of plan or design. The ways are appropriate to the execution of these plans or designs." God's plans and design then are "to procure Israel's salvation." (Ibid., p. 288). Luther, as might be expected, was quick to identify 'that which does not satisfy' with works righteousness: "Thus you see that the prophet is calling us away from our own righteousness in highly forceful and dramatic words and is directing us to the free righteousness of God." (Luther's Works, vol. XVII, p. 251). God says, "Before this you had no food. Now I will fill you with the choicest marrow." (Ibid.).
7. How does the Crossings community model work with this text? In his 2016 analysis, Steven Kuhl does an extensive law/gospel analysis of this text. Kuhl calls upon the insights of a number of scholars in bringing out the difference between living by God's promises, or by the Law. Go to crossings.org/text-study for the entire analysis archived under its reference.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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