Second Sunday after Epiphany
Preaching
Preaching and Reading the Old Testament Lessons
With an Eye to the New
Object:
This is the second of the Servant Songs found in the prophecies of Second Isaiah, from the sixth century B.C. (See the discussion for last Sunday.) As such, it represents Israel's reflection on her call to be the Lord's Servant. The Servant speaks in verses 1-5, the Lord's words are given in verses 6 and 7.
This text can be read in several ways. First, it can be taken as a description solely of a new, transformed Israel's role in the service of God. Second, it can mirror the prophet's own ministry, with its call, its failures and discouragements, its source of strength and encouragement in God, and its mission to the nations. From that point of view, probably every clergy person can identify with its words. But third, the text can be applied to every Christian. Every member of the church is called to be a servant and evangel or missionary for the Lord, spreading the gospel both near and far. And it is this latter interpretation that I shall use in this discussion.
"The Lord called me from the womb" (v. 1). The scriptures have the profound understanding that God creates each child in the mother's womb for a purpose. Certainly that was Jeremiah's understanding (Jeremiah 1:5) and the Apostle Paul's (Galatians 1:15). But that is true not only of such special prophets and apostles, but also of each one of us. God makes us for a purpose, for a place in his plan, carefully knitting us together with bones and sinews (Job 10:11), shaping each of our individual body forms and DNA and physical and mental capabilities, in order that he may use us to work out his will in the world. We are "called" individuals, intended for a role in God's work.
Then, says our text, God names us (v. 1). And of course that is what happens in our baptisms. We are given our Christian names and declared to be God's children, belonging to him and to no other. He gives us his family name, Christian, and makes us a part of his household, as his beloved son or daughter. From that time on, we belong to God's covenant people, and we live and move and have our being always in relationship with our Lord.
Like Israel and Jesus' disciples and all of the Christians who have gone before us, as we grow in the faith, we are given God's Word. Spoken to us by our parents, our church teachers, in sermon and scripture, in anthem and in hymn, the Word of God is entrusted to us to make our own and to tell to all near and far. And that word is by no means a mean and insignificant gift. No, it is a powerful word. As Hebrews says, "The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit ... and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is so powerful, says the prophet Jeremiah, that it is like a burning fire (Jeremiah 20:9) or like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces (Jerermiah 23:29). In short, this Word of God given to us has a power within it to change the lives of those to whom we speak it, and to make of them new persons in Jesus Christ. Thus, we can have great expectations as we spread the Word of the gospel in our homes or occupations or social circles or through our missions. We can expect the Word of God to have an effect on human lives. And indeed, it often has. We could give many illustrations of that working of God's Word.
We could also give illustrations of many times when the Word of God has seemed to have no effect, however, and when all of our efforts to spread the gospel and to enlarge the church have come to nought. Certainly, most preachers could tell you of those times, and we have only to read the morning headlines to feel a sense of failure and discouragement. As our text says, we could mourn that "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity" (v. 4). After all, our society is full of violence and greed, evil deeds and wrong unchecked, and the Word of God that the church has been speaking for years has not seemed to make a dent in society's ways.
Yet, our text for the morning tells us three things in the midst of our discouragement. First, God has us "hid" (vv. 2 and 3). As Colossians says, our lives are hid in Christ with God (Colossians 3:3). That is, we are protected by our Lord from the forces of evil that would battle against our mission as God's servants. Second, our "right is with the Lord, and (our) recompense is with God" (v. 4). That means that our judgment and the judgment of anyone else concerning our success or failure as servants and disciples of the Lord are meaningless (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4). Society may laugh at our efforts to be the Lord's servants as it laughed at Jesus dying on the cross. But God knew what he was working out by that death on Golgotha, and he knows what he is accomplishing through our work. It may seem futile and without effect to us. But God alone judges its effectiveness, and he brings forth from our labors the fruit that he desires. And so, third, we can say with our text, "My God has become my strength" (v. 5). In him, our work for the gospel is not in vain (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58).
Indeed, the surprising note in answer to the discouragement that is voiced in our text is that God gives his servant an even greater mission and harder work to do (cf. Jeremiah 12:5, 6). The faithful in Israel are called not only to bring their own society back to God, but they are also commanded to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations. It is as if God is saying to us in so many words, "You think your attempts to live and spread the gospel are in vain where you are. All right. I'll give you an even bigger job. Spread the gospel throughout the world so that all peoples everywhere may be saved." And you see, that can be said because the work of the Lord and our mission in it depend not on our strength, not on our resources, not on our abilities, but on the strength and unlimited vitality and unconquerable love found in God. God is Lord of this world and all beyond it. He is the Holy One (v. 7), unlike any other. And his might and his life and his love cannot be defeated by any of the ways of this wayward world. So our text says to us, in that light, "Get to work. Trust God. Spread his Word. It will bear fruit in God's good time."
The final stanza of our text, verse 7, gives its affirmation of that final triumph of the Lord. For it pictures all kings and princes, all nations of the earth, bringing their worship and paying their homage to the one Lord of all. And of course, that is the reassurance given to all of us servants too, isn't it? There will come a day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). And to those of us who are faithful servants, our Lord himself will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant ... Enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21).
This text can be read in several ways. First, it can be taken as a description solely of a new, transformed Israel's role in the service of God. Second, it can mirror the prophet's own ministry, with its call, its failures and discouragements, its source of strength and encouragement in God, and its mission to the nations. From that point of view, probably every clergy person can identify with its words. But third, the text can be applied to every Christian. Every member of the church is called to be a servant and evangel or missionary for the Lord, spreading the gospel both near and far. And it is this latter interpretation that I shall use in this discussion.
"The Lord called me from the womb" (v. 1). The scriptures have the profound understanding that God creates each child in the mother's womb for a purpose. Certainly that was Jeremiah's understanding (Jeremiah 1:5) and the Apostle Paul's (Galatians 1:15). But that is true not only of such special prophets and apostles, but also of each one of us. God makes us for a purpose, for a place in his plan, carefully knitting us together with bones and sinews (Job 10:11), shaping each of our individual body forms and DNA and physical and mental capabilities, in order that he may use us to work out his will in the world. We are "called" individuals, intended for a role in God's work.
Then, says our text, God names us (v. 1). And of course that is what happens in our baptisms. We are given our Christian names and declared to be God's children, belonging to him and to no other. He gives us his family name, Christian, and makes us a part of his household, as his beloved son or daughter. From that time on, we belong to God's covenant people, and we live and move and have our being always in relationship with our Lord.
Like Israel and Jesus' disciples and all of the Christians who have gone before us, as we grow in the faith, we are given God's Word. Spoken to us by our parents, our church teachers, in sermon and scripture, in anthem and in hymn, the Word of God is entrusted to us to make our own and to tell to all near and far. And that word is by no means a mean and insignificant gift. No, it is a powerful word. As Hebrews says, "The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit ... and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is so powerful, says the prophet Jeremiah, that it is like a burning fire (Jeremiah 20:9) or like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces (Jerermiah 23:29). In short, this Word of God given to us has a power within it to change the lives of those to whom we speak it, and to make of them new persons in Jesus Christ. Thus, we can have great expectations as we spread the Word of the gospel in our homes or occupations or social circles or through our missions. We can expect the Word of God to have an effect on human lives. And indeed, it often has. We could give many illustrations of that working of God's Word.
We could also give illustrations of many times when the Word of God has seemed to have no effect, however, and when all of our efforts to spread the gospel and to enlarge the church have come to nought. Certainly, most preachers could tell you of those times, and we have only to read the morning headlines to feel a sense of failure and discouragement. As our text says, we could mourn that "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity" (v. 4). After all, our society is full of violence and greed, evil deeds and wrong unchecked, and the Word of God that the church has been speaking for years has not seemed to make a dent in society's ways.
Yet, our text for the morning tells us three things in the midst of our discouragement. First, God has us "hid" (vv. 2 and 3). As Colossians says, our lives are hid in Christ with God (Colossians 3:3). That is, we are protected by our Lord from the forces of evil that would battle against our mission as God's servants. Second, our "right is with the Lord, and (our) recompense is with God" (v. 4). That means that our judgment and the judgment of anyone else concerning our success or failure as servants and disciples of the Lord are meaningless (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4). Society may laugh at our efforts to be the Lord's servants as it laughed at Jesus dying on the cross. But God knew what he was working out by that death on Golgotha, and he knows what he is accomplishing through our work. It may seem futile and without effect to us. But God alone judges its effectiveness, and he brings forth from our labors the fruit that he desires. And so, third, we can say with our text, "My God has become my strength" (v. 5). In him, our work for the gospel is not in vain (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:58).
Indeed, the surprising note in answer to the discouragement that is voiced in our text is that God gives his servant an even greater mission and harder work to do (cf. Jeremiah 12:5, 6). The faithful in Israel are called not only to bring their own society back to God, but they are also commanded to go into all the world and to make disciples of all nations. It is as if God is saying to us in so many words, "You think your attempts to live and spread the gospel are in vain where you are. All right. I'll give you an even bigger job. Spread the gospel throughout the world so that all peoples everywhere may be saved." And you see, that can be said because the work of the Lord and our mission in it depend not on our strength, not on our resources, not on our abilities, but on the strength and unlimited vitality and unconquerable love found in God. God is Lord of this world and all beyond it. He is the Holy One (v. 7), unlike any other. And his might and his life and his love cannot be defeated by any of the ways of this wayward world. So our text says to us, in that light, "Get to work. Trust God. Spread his Word. It will bear fruit in God's good time."
The final stanza of our text, verse 7, gives its affirmation of that final triumph of the Lord. For it pictures all kings and princes, all nations of the earth, bringing their worship and paying their homage to the one Lord of all. And of course, that is the reassurance given to all of us servants too, isn't it? There will come a day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). And to those of us who are faithful servants, our Lord himself will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant ... Enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21).
