Judgment and Mercy

 

Isaiah 65:1-9 is the First Reading appointed for the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Luke.  There seems to be little connection with the story of the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8 aside from the fact that dwelling in caves and places of the dead is present in both.  Nevertheless, it is a word of Law to any who would provoke God with secret practices that lead one away from the Living God.  It will be the preacher's challenge to preach this.

(The following questions attempt to get at the foundational question for Law and Gospel preachers, i.e. How is the Word functioning in the text?  These questions are best used with other fine sets of questions that have other concerns.  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?  Undoubtedly the Word is mainly Law here, lifting up the multiple ways in which a "rebellious people" are following "their own devices."  "I will repay; I will not keep silent," says the Lord.  There is, however, a brief word of gospel at the end of the passage.  The Lord makes a distinction between those who have been condemned and the "chosen" and "my servants."  To these come a gospel word about homecoming and an inheritance.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We could identify with either the faithful or the unfaithful, or both.  If we identify with the unfaithful, we shall need to ask in which ways have we followed our own devices and left the path the Lord has set out for us.  If we identify with the faithful, we will offer a sacrifice of praise for God's abundant mercy.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Much of this text could be understood as an implicit call to obedience.  We could understand this passage as speaking to us about forbidden practices as God's people.  While we may not be engaged in these kinds of cultic practices, we could all readily recall ways in which we, as God's people, do not always engage in practices which are life-giving.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Specific couplets can be identified using the terms in this text.  Some examples:  judged/forgiven; repaid for iniquities/redeemed; abandoned/embraced.

5.  Exegetical work:  This text is a contrast to many prophetic texts in that it does not condemn the people for oppressing the poor as is often the case.  Here rather is condemnation for cultic practices: burning of incense to the spirits, necromancy, and the eating of unclean flesh.  God makes it clear that these practices will not be tolerated amongst God's people.  Claus Westermann, in his classic commentary, illuminates the statement in verse 5:  "Verse 5, too, refers to an idea that was alien to the worshp of Yahweh - that of contagious 'holiness' due to the cult, which is thus equivalent to cultic impurity." (The OT Library series, Isaiah 40-66, p.401). Westermann also helps us understand what is going on in the last verses:  "This verse [v.8] shows how ch. 65 effects the transition from the earlier prophecy of doom to a new form of the announcement of God's action, one which at one and the same time announces salvation to some and judgment to others.  This was an extremely momentous change, because a divine intervention at once bringing ruin upon one section of the nation and salvation upon the other cannot possibly be conceived in terms of history." (Ibid., p. 404).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?    Cathy Lessmann does a nice job of taking the phrase "Here I am," and showing its power to be both Law and Gospel. On one hand, this announcement brings us fear for when God shows up our sins are exposed.  On the other hand, this announcement also brings joy because when God shows up as Christ on the Cross our sins are forgiven.  See the entire analysis archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Trinitarian Boasting

 

Romans 5:1-5 is the Second Reading appointed for Holy Trinity Sunday in the Year of Luke.  This passage is as succinct a passage as there is in describing the actions of each member of the Trinity. Through Christ's work on the Cross we have peace with God, and God's love is poured into our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.  On this Trinity Sunday it might be a worthy task for the preacher to remind listeners that the gifts of grace come through all the Persons of the Triune God.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been formulated in order to lift up the function of the Word in the text, a primary concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  How the Word functions, in large part, informs how the sermon will function, therefore this is essential.  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?  This whole text is full of the announcement of gifts, therefore it is the Word functioning as Gospel.  Right at the outset we are reminded that we are justified, we have peace with God, and we have obtained access to grace.  Nothing could be better news than that!

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Although suffering is mentioned, the Word does not really function as Law here.  There is no word which exposes our need for Christ.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  St. Paul seems to be writing to us, the readers, so we identify with the readers.  We are the ones whom the Word addresses.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  There is an implicit call to obedience here as we are exhorted, in some fashion, "to boast." This means to have confidence in God.  Is this an exhortation to faith or obedience?  I would argue it is the latter.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since there is no evidence of Law here we will have to invent some couplets based on the gospel words present.  Some ideas:  condemned/justified; enemies of God/at peace with God; having no access to grace/obtained access to grace.

6.  Exegetical work:  Kittel has an extended article about kauxaomai (boasting) which helps to understand how Paul is using this term here.  He writes that in OT usage, boasting is often thought about as self-glorying, "for in it we see that man desires to stand on his own feet and not to depend on God, that he builds on that which he himself can accomplish and control.  Hence 'to boast' can be synonymous with 'to trust'.  God, however, is the Almighty before whom all human boasting is to be stilled. Paradoxically there is opposed to self-confident boasting the true boasting which consists in self-humbling before God..." (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. III, p. 646).  Kittel continues:  "For Paul then as for the OT and Philo, the element of trust contained in kauxaomai is primary.  This means that self-confidence is radically excluded from [boasting in God], and there is only one legitimate [boasting in God], namely, [through our Lord Jesus Christ]." (Ibid., p. 649).  This understanding of boasting informs our reading of this text, then, for we see that for Paul boasting has everything to do with confidence in God, and nothing to do with confidence in self.

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  James Squire, in his recent analysis, shows how we justify ourselves through conflict.  God in Christ does the opposite.  Christ suffers conflict for us, and thereby justifies us.  See the entire analysis at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!