Isaiah 55,8-12. Sexagesima

Isaiah 55,8-12  1323

Sexagesima  22 

Eulalia of Barcelona, Virgin, Martyr 290 (Diocletian, 284-311/12; persecution 302-11)

Eulalia of Merida, Virgin, Martyr 

12. Februar 2023

1. ℣ Awake, why sleepest Thou, O Yahweh?: 

℟ Arise , cast us not off forever (Psalm 44,23). 

O Christ Jesus, Thou art the Most High over all the earth; be Thou our Light and Life so that our enemies know that You alone are G and that Your people are enlightened and enlivened unto salvation and good works.  Amen. (Psalm 107,20-21 Gradual). 

2. »„For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,“ declares Yahweh. „For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow fall down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so will My word be that goes out from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose, and will succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.“« 

3. With Sexagesima we are now about 60 days before Easter. Our theme today is that grace is passively received.  

4. The Prophets had a 2 predominant themes: repent of your sins, and imparting  a particular revelation that further developed an aspect pertaining to the promised Messiah. Isaiah exhorts Judah to forsake their wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts (Isaiah 55,7). The primary sin of Israel and Judah was idolatry: generation after generation the people forsook Yahweh for some other local idol, usually Baal. This is a 1. Commandment issue whereby the people did not fear, love and trust Yahweh alone. Because they forsook Yahweh, the other 9 Commandments fell like dominoes. Once you stop loving Yahweh, ceasing to love your neighbor soon follows, and that is where Judah was at when Isaiah is sent to them; Isaiah calls Judah to cling to Yahweh with their heart and to trust in Him entirely (Large Catechism I,15). As Luther would phrase it in his Small Catechism, Isaiah  exhorted the people to fear, love and trust God. 

5. This exhortation is for us today. Put your trust in God. Money, education, the government are all good gifts God gives us to live in this earthly life, but do not put your trust in them; do not turn them into your idols. Such gifts are temporary and they will eventually fail you. Put your trust in what is eternal, for God is there for you day after day providing all that you need. Thus Isaiah reminds us: God sends the rain and the snow to fall down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth making it bring forth and sprout.  

6. Thus says Yahweh: »My Word will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish that for which I sent it.« Judah eventually repented and returned to Yahweh; He forgave them and returned them to the land. His Word spoken through Isaiah bore forth the fruit God desired. Then God speaks through Isaiah: »Thus says Yahweh: soon My salvation will arrive, and My righteousness be revealed. Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh say: „Yahweh will surely separate me from His people.“ The foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, to love the Name of Yahweh, these I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Adonai Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares: „I will gather yet others to Him besides those already gathered“« (Isaiah 56,1b.3.6.7.8). 

7. Jesus is the Word (Λογος) sent from His Father who fulfilled these Divine promises in Isaiah! Sinners flocked to Jesus. Jews and Gentiles drew near to hear Jesus teach. Men and women received forgiveness from Jesus. Jesus welcomed them all and showed them Yahweh’s merciful steadfast love. Jesus who is the Word is God’s instrument of revelation to men (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 128); His revelation is manifested in His preaching and miracles, particularly in the absolution He spoke to individuals. Jesus paid for our forgiveness on the cross.  

8. The Word became flesh to be the vicarious sacrifice to redeem sinners. Jesus is the Word and Wisdom of God the Father. Jesus was crucified to save the world, and the preached word of His crucifixion does not return void. This gospel of Christ crucified is the the very Word of Yahweh that is preached and accomplishes what it promises. This Word has Divine power to take filthy sinners, convert them unto faith in Jesus and make them Christians. This Word is a preaching of law to secure sinners, convicting them of their sin, and this Word is a preaching of the gospel that absolves sinners of their sin. This Word has the power to create righteous people from unholy sinners. This Word has the power to created law abiders from law breakers. This Word has the power to make weak men and women stalwart defenders of the faith who base their speech and actions on the love of Christ shown to them and reciprocated to their neighbors in many diverse ways. The preached Word has the power to turn a few stingy, partisan Christians into a mighty host of giving, united Christians who are true stewards of Jesus and His Church. The preached Word does this to us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit His Word does not return from this place, from our lives, void. 

9. God the Father let that glory Thine

Thy Word spread far and wide.

Help, Jesus, that teaching Thine

Enlighten us and guide.

O Holy Spirit, that Word Divine

Continually within us shine

Faith, love, patience and hope. (Herr, für dein Wort sei hock gepreist elkg 200,6 2021 David Denicke 1659). 

This is most certainly true. 

10. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7).  Amen. 

11. Let us pray. O God, the Sovereign Good of the soul, who requirest the hearts of all Thy children, deliver us from all sloth in Thy work, all coldness in Thy cause and grant us by looking unto Thee to rekindle our love and by waiting upon Thee to renew our strength.  Amen. (Sexagesima, Matins Collect 2. The Daily Office.)

To God alone be the Glory 

Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm

✠

 

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover. 

The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.