Sermon B: 5 S Epiphany: Isaiah 40:27

Looking forward to the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany the three assigned readings are Isaiah 40:21-31; 1 Corinthians 9:16-27 and Mark 1:29-39. The passage chosen to preach about is Isaiah 40:27, "Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: 'My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God.?"

One goal of a sermon is to help the listeners to get into the shoes of those mentioned in the readings. From a theological view, that means to have the listener realize that the accusation of Law against those in the Bible can also be made against the listener today. One way to do that is to begin a sermon with a question that is later understood to connect with the sinners of the text.

For this particular text, one question which could work to do this is the following: "Can you remember the last time you prayed to God that He did not answer." If a Christian can remember such a prayer, he either does not understand prayer and certainly does not understand God. For God always answers every prayer and instantly. His answers are yes, no or wait.

In reality, they are always "yes." How so? Proper prayer is of two kinds. Either you are praying for something which God has already promised or you are requesting something for which there is no specific promise. In the latter case, one is to keep in mind, "But Thy will be done." Therefore, in all cases of our prayers to God, His answer is a firm "Yes" either in keeping HIs promise or accomplishing His will.

Jacob and Israel complained both that their way was hidden from the Lord and that their just claims in front of God's court were being passed over; that is, ignored. Such an attitude is similar to those who imagine that God does not answer our prayers. However, Isaiah reveals that God is way past commonsense understanding.

On the one hand, He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might He increases their strength. God is totally paradoxical. Apart from eyes of faith, He never makes sense. The cross, of course, is the most ridiculous of events as though we would act toward our enemies the way God acts toward us.

The Gospel is found in verse 31 in that those who wait on the Lord is simply another way of speaking of "trust." Note that such trust does not merit anything. Instead, the verse continues that "the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Note well that God is the One Who drives all the verbs. That means that He is the subject and doer of any sentence that reveals how we are saved and how we continue to be saved. His work began with creation, continued through the redemption of the cross and resurrection and culminated with the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us to faith and sustaining such a faith.