Proper 16
Preaching
Preaching and Reading the Old Testament Lessons:
With an Eye to the New
You and I and all persons in our day are not prophets in the Old Testament sense of the word. They were given new words from God, which illumined where and how and why God was at work in Israel's life. But for us, the Word of God has now been fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. In his Son, God sums up and incarnates the whole of Old Testament prophecy. While we ministers are called to speak the Word of God, we therefore have no new word to proclaim, but rather we are called to proclaim Jesus Christ and to spell out what he means for life in our past, present, and future. So our speaking of the Word of God is secondary and dependent on the prior biblical word.
The Old Testament prophets received God's word in an ecstatic state, sometimes through dreams or visions, most often in direct speech from God. And we do not share that almost unexplainable, ecstatic, direct revelation anymore. Indeed, we are apt to put any one who claims it in a mental hospital. God revealed himself to his prophets of old in a unique manner.
Further, the history into which the prophets released God's word is not our history. The ninth through the fifth centuries B.C. in Israel's life were vastly different from our times, and we cannot automatically transfer the prophets' words to apply to our situations.
Nevertheless, in our text, when God calls the youthful Jeremiah in 626 B.C. to be a prophet to the nations, the Lord reveals some of the characteristics of his divine nature, and it is that revelation that is important for us.
God comes to the young man Jeremiah in the most intimate fashion in this call. Jeremiah is not overwhelmed by the glory of God, as Ezekiel was (Ezekiel chs. 1-3) nor is he led to cry out over his sins when he beholds God's moral purity, as did Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-5). Rather, God assures the youth that he has loved (= "known") Jeremiah and planned for him to be a prophet even before Jeremiah was born. God is "with" Jeremiah. He touches the young man, and assures him that he will always deliver him.
You and I have no lesser assurance. All of us have been created in our mothers' wombs, the scriptures tell us (cf. Psalm 139:15-16), and God has a plan for each of our lives (cf. Philippians 1:6). We are not accidents of nature or even products of solely human love. Rather, we are the planned creations of the living God, who promises therefore to be with us to the end of history (Matthew 28:20).
Jeremiah, however, is a very unwilling servant of God, as we often are unwilling. He is called to proclaim God's words not just to Israel, but to the nations -- an overwhelming task, for which he has neither talent nor experience. God, throughout the scriptures, seems to call the most unlikely persons to serve his purpose. As Paul writes, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27). And yes, God calls even us insignificant souls to do his work, in order that all may see that the work comes solely from God and not from our talents or abilities (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
God equips us unlikely servants, however, as he equipped Jeremiah, and all of our inadequacies for our God-given tasks are overcome by God's all-sufficiency. To Jeremiah's "I do not know," God replies, "I knew you" (vv. 6, 5). To Jeremiah's "I am only a youth," God answers, "I am with you." "My grace is sufficient for you," the Lord told the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9). And God's grace is always sufficient for us.
God is working out a plan of salvation in human history, a plan that he has laid very carefully from the beginning of human disobedience. We read that even before Jeremiah was formed in the womb, God knew how he wanted to use Jeremiah in his service, and how Jeremiah would fit into God's working toward his goal. And that is why Jeremiah was created, not simply to live out his days, not just to be his own person, but to be God's person, set apart (= "consecrated") for God's purpose. And that was the meaning of Jeremiah's life, as it is always the meaning of ours.
If any sense characterizes modern life these days, it is a sense of meaninglessness, of not knowing why we are here or what we are supposed to be and do. But as a church catechism puts it, we are born "to glorify God and to enjoy him forever" -- in all we do to honor God, and in every moment to enjoy his company. And so our hearts are always restless until we rest in God, aren't they?
But who is this God we are called to serve? He is the Lord over all the earth. Jeremiah is called to preach the Word of God that will pluck up nations and break them down, that will build and plant others. God rules over the affairs of the world, despite all of our beliefs or evidence to the contrary. And you and I are called to serve a God who is Lord of all. It is an incredibly honorable task. Think of it! You and I, humble little souls that we are, are nevertheless called to be servants in the purpose of the King of the Universe! We are called to be instruments whom God uses to bring in his kingdom on earth. Surely there is no higher purpose for our living!
Lutheran Option: Isaiah 58:9b-14
This passage forms the last two stanzas (vv. 9b-12, 13-14) of the long poem that begins in Isaiah 58:1. Third Isaiah (chs. 56-66) is very much a situational book that reflects the conflict between the ruling Zadokite priests and the Levitical priests who have been ousted from their leadership of worship by the Zadokites, returned from Babylonian exile. Thus verse 9 of our text refers to the scorn and persecution that the Zadokites have inflicted upon the Levites.
If we generalize the text, however, it concerns both ethics and worship. The post-exilic Israelites are promised that if they minister to the hungry and afflicted in their society, then the Lord will be with them. And the Lord's presence is described in terms of "light" (cf. v. 8), as often throughout Third Isaiah (cf. 60:1, 19-20). By God's "light," the people will be guided in the proper way (v. 11). And by God's presence, the people will be given new vitality (= their bones made strong, v. 11). God is like a spring of living water (cf. Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:14) that gives life to withering plants, and so invigorated by the presence of the Lord, the people will be enabled to rebuild ruined Jerusalem (v. 12).
Another condition of God's presence with them is given in the last strophe (vv. 13-14). If the people keep the sabbath rest and honor it by not simply pursuing their own ways, then God will not only be with them, but they will "delight" in God's company, in exaltation and abundance.
We must be clear about the meaning of the sabbath in the Old Testament, however. Just as God rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2-3), the sabbath is set apart ("hallowed") for Israel as a day of rest. We often misinterpret the meaning of the sabbath, and think that it is a command (Exodus 20:8-11) to go to church. Thus, we turn what was meant by God to be a gift of grace into a legalistic duty. But the Old Testament is clear; the sabbath is set apart as a day when we and all of our household may rest. (Exodus 20 even includes animals in the rest.)
We are very busy modern creatures, working hard at our jobs, running hither, to and fro, on errands of importance, fretting and worrying over the dozens of obligations that press in upon us. But on one day of the week, God says to us, "Take a break. Rest. Relax."
That is sheer grace on God's part. We haven't earned any rest. But nevertheless, a merciful God provides an opportunity for us to cease from work. And his command to us is that we extend that privilege to everyone around us.
In the Christian Church, we have equated the sabbath with Sunday, of course, but the two are not the same. Every Sunday is a worship-celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and we go to church to participate in that celebration. But the sabbath, affirmed by our Lord, was made for man, not man for the sabbath (Mark 2:27), and it is set apart by God to give his creatures rest.
Our text implies that we should be grateful for such mercy, not concentrating on ourselves, but delighting in God's gift. For the sabbath is also a way of realizing God's constant care over us.
The Old Testament prophets received God's word in an ecstatic state, sometimes through dreams or visions, most often in direct speech from God. And we do not share that almost unexplainable, ecstatic, direct revelation anymore. Indeed, we are apt to put any one who claims it in a mental hospital. God revealed himself to his prophets of old in a unique manner.
Further, the history into which the prophets released God's word is not our history. The ninth through the fifth centuries B.C. in Israel's life were vastly different from our times, and we cannot automatically transfer the prophets' words to apply to our situations.
Nevertheless, in our text, when God calls the youthful Jeremiah in 626 B.C. to be a prophet to the nations, the Lord reveals some of the characteristics of his divine nature, and it is that revelation that is important for us.
God comes to the young man Jeremiah in the most intimate fashion in this call. Jeremiah is not overwhelmed by the glory of God, as Ezekiel was (Ezekiel chs. 1-3) nor is he led to cry out over his sins when he beholds God's moral purity, as did Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-5). Rather, God assures the youth that he has loved (= "known") Jeremiah and planned for him to be a prophet even before Jeremiah was born. God is "with" Jeremiah. He touches the young man, and assures him that he will always deliver him.
You and I have no lesser assurance. All of us have been created in our mothers' wombs, the scriptures tell us (cf. Psalm 139:15-16), and God has a plan for each of our lives (cf. Philippians 1:6). We are not accidents of nature or even products of solely human love. Rather, we are the planned creations of the living God, who promises therefore to be with us to the end of history (Matthew 28:20).
Jeremiah, however, is a very unwilling servant of God, as we often are unwilling. He is called to proclaim God's words not just to Israel, but to the nations -- an overwhelming task, for which he has neither talent nor experience. God, throughout the scriptures, seems to call the most unlikely persons to serve his purpose. As Paul writes, "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27). And yes, God calls even us insignificant souls to do his work, in order that all may see that the work comes solely from God and not from our talents or abilities (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
God equips us unlikely servants, however, as he equipped Jeremiah, and all of our inadequacies for our God-given tasks are overcome by God's all-sufficiency. To Jeremiah's "I do not know," God replies, "I knew you" (vv. 6, 5). To Jeremiah's "I am only a youth," God answers, "I am with you." "My grace is sufficient for you," the Lord told the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9). And God's grace is always sufficient for us.
God is working out a plan of salvation in human history, a plan that he has laid very carefully from the beginning of human disobedience. We read that even before Jeremiah was formed in the womb, God knew how he wanted to use Jeremiah in his service, and how Jeremiah would fit into God's working toward his goal. And that is why Jeremiah was created, not simply to live out his days, not just to be his own person, but to be God's person, set apart (= "consecrated") for God's purpose. And that was the meaning of Jeremiah's life, as it is always the meaning of ours.
If any sense characterizes modern life these days, it is a sense of meaninglessness, of not knowing why we are here or what we are supposed to be and do. But as a church catechism puts it, we are born "to glorify God and to enjoy him forever" -- in all we do to honor God, and in every moment to enjoy his company. And so our hearts are always restless until we rest in God, aren't they?
But who is this God we are called to serve? He is the Lord over all the earth. Jeremiah is called to preach the Word of God that will pluck up nations and break them down, that will build and plant others. God rules over the affairs of the world, despite all of our beliefs or evidence to the contrary. And you and I are called to serve a God who is Lord of all. It is an incredibly honorable task. Think of it! You and I, humble little souls that we are, are nevertheless called to be servants in the purpose of the King of the Universe! We are called to be instruments whom God uses to bring in his kingdom on earth. Surely there is no higher purpose for our living!
Lutheran Option: Isaiah 58:9b-14
This passage forms the last two stanzas (vv. 9b-12, 13-14) of the long poem that begins in Isaiah 58:1. Third Isaiah (chs. 56-66) is very much a situational book that reflects the conflict between the ruling Zadokite priests and the Levitical priests who have been ousted from their leadership of worship by the Zadokites, returned from Babylonian exile. Thus verse 9 of our text refers to the scorn and persecution that the Zadokites have inflicted upon the Levites.
If we generalize the text, however, it concerns both ethics and worship. The post-exilic Israelites are promised that if they minister to the hungry and afflicted in their society, then the Lord will be with them. And the Lord's presence is described in terms of "light" (cf. v. 8), as often throughout Third Isaiah (cf. 60:1, 19-20). By God's "light," the people will be guided in the proper way (v. 11). And by God's presence, the people will be given new vitality (= their bones made strong, v. 11). God is like a spring of living water (cf. Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:14) that gives life to withering plants, and so invigorated by the presence of the Lord, the people will be enabled to rebuild ruined Jerusalem (v. 12).
Another condition of God's presence with them is given in the last strophe (vv. 13-14). If the people keep the sabbath rest and honor it by not simply pursuing their own ways, then God will not only be with them, but they will "delight" in God's company, in exaltation and abundance.
We must be clear about the meaning of the sabbath in the Old Testament, however. Just as God rested on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2-3), the sabbath is set apart ("hallowed") for Israel as a day of rest. We often misinterpret the meaning of the sabbath, and think that it is a command (Exodus 20:8-11) to go to church. Thus, we turn what was meant by God to be a gift of grace into a legalistic duty. But the Old Testament is clear; the sabbath is set apart as a day when we and all of our household may rest. (Exodus 20 even includes animals in the rest.)
We are very busy modern creatures, working hard at our jobs, running hither, to and fro, on errands of importance, fretting and worrying over the dozens of obligations that press in upon us. But on one day of the week, God says to us, "Take a break. Rest. Relax."
That is sheer grace on God's part. We haven't earned any rest. But nevertheless, a merciful God provides an opportunity for us to cease from work. And his command to us is that we extend that privilege to everyone around us.
In the Christian Church, we have equated the sabbath with Sunday, of course, but the two are not the same. Every Sunday is a worship-celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and we go to church to participate in that celebration. But the sabbath, affirmed by our Lord, was made for man, not man for the sabbath (Mark 2:27), and it is set apart by God to give his creatures rest.
Our text implies that we should be grateful for such mercy, not concentrating on ourselves, but delighting in God's gift. For the sabbath is also a way of realizing God's constant care over us.
