No one comes to God except through Christ who took the jagged road of Calvary for you and me and opened-up the way previously blocked by death through His glorious resurrection.
This text is a continuation of the theme from Isaiah for Advent Series A. You have everything from the great judgement (chapter 34) followed by full and free salvation (chapter 35) which is repeated from Isaiah chapters 24-25. Also, the theme of God avenging נָקָם (na-Kam) His people for the injustices caused by sin (34:8 and 35:4) is present. Likewise, the theme set up earlier in Advent of the nation’s streaming to Zion’s Mountain for salvation is seen culminating in verse 35:10. Since there is so much to preach on and there also seems to be a unifying theme, let us first look at the preach-ability of each verse of the reading. Then I will propose a theme at the end to unite the main points of the text into the main Gospel focus of the sermon. Expositional preaching is not common enough among preachers in my Lutheran tribe. This is a good opportunity to try it out for this reading. Preachers may want to consider The Christ Centered Expositor by Tony Merida.
Verse 1 shows us a transformation; that which is miserably void of life suddenly springs to life. It is as if you had walked a barren road your whole life along the desert waste מִדְבָּר (mid-Bar) and there is suddenly a blanket of desert rose חֲבַצֶּלֶת (ka-cha-vatz-Tza-let) that carpets the way you would go. God has transformed death to life, and it comes just as He promised it would. Every preacher can see here the precious promise of the Gospel! Jesus Christ went from cold, dry death and three days later He brought the beauty of resurrected life and immortality to light through the power of His breaking forth from the grave. To strengthen this proclamation, pull from that familiar section of Isaiah 53:2-54:8 and please go through the whole reading. It contains a gospel promise which proves Jesus is the Rose of Sharon (Song of Songs 2:1) and the tender shoot from dry ground (Isaiah 53:2) which must endure sin and wrath to bring us back to the way of salvation. Now we, the barren ones, can sing a new song (Isaiah 54:1) because what is born to us this day is a Savior who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11-14), the first born among the dead (Colossians 1:18-20), so all of God’s glory might be brought to full flower. I think of that great Hymn LSB 359
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As prophets long have sung,
It came, a flow'ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night.
Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright,
She bore to us a Savior,
When half-spent was the night.
This flow'r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness ev'rywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death he saves us
And lightens ev'ry load.
O Savior, child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe;
O Savior, King of glory,
Who dost our weakness know:
Bring us at length we pray
To the bright courts of heaven,
And to the endless day.
This is certainly a rich text to start a sermon, but we would do well to keep following this text to learn so much more about these promises of God.
Verse 2 invites us to imagine the lush and verdant places of Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon; the very picture of life itself. This life is the “glory of the Lord” (Isaiah 6:3; 33:9; 40:5; 60:1; 62:2) and the proof God is present with His people. This glory which was present since their deliverance from slavery (Exodus 40:34-38) in the tent of meeting all the way to His abiding presence in the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-12) can only be seen rightly in the revelation of Jesus Christ in the σκηνή (skene) tabernacle of His flesh. Christ is our great deliverer, and this deliverance has taken us from slavery to sin (John 8:34) to live as children of God, set free and born again (Romans 6:6-16). Toni Morrison in her book, Beloved[1] shows a beautiful moment where Baby Suggs, the spiritual matriarch of a slave community, finds in Jesus, “Good news to the poor; binding up for the brokenhearted, liberty to the captives, freedom from the prison to those who are bound; the good news of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance נָקָם (na-Kam) of our God” (Isaiah 61:1-2). In the book, her message to the people was even though they mourned now because of what was happening to them physically, they would receive comfort נִחֻם (ni-Kum; rhyming on the word for נָקָם) from grace alone. But it is hard to see this grace. It would have to be a grace they could only imagine at the moment. Just like in Isaiah’s vision, they would have to look forward to the future day when Christ will come and set all things right. Until then, they must find a way to see themselves in the light of grace. To see themselves not as the slave owner sees them but as God created them to be. Baby Suggs makes a place for sacred imagination when God’s people are broken, oppressed, and suffering in this world. Toni Morrison reminds us that Isaiah’s message is one of hope.
Verse 3 reminds us that instead of “weak hands” and “feeble knees” we are to be strong because we need not fear. Just as Joshua and the Israelites were not hopeless in the wilderness as they crossed into the promised land (Joshua 1:6,7,9,18), we also need not fear because we are not helpless either. We have a prophet greater than Joshua (intentional play on words in Hebrews 4:8 and 14), who takes us not into a land which can be taken away again but into a land which is eternal. We follow Jesus all the way to eternal life, a promise made sure because we crossed the waters of Baptism, not the Jordan (1 Corinthians 10:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
Verse 4 uses the phrase “fear not,” but how many times are we afraid? In the journey of life, we become afraid of so many things. Isaiah says confidently eight times “fear not” (8:12; 41:10,13; 43:1; 51:7; 54:4). The basis for this hope is God who will deliver His people. Luke famously says the same thing eight times when talking about Jesus (1:30; 2:10; 5:10; 8:50; 12:4; 12:7; 12:11; 12:32). It is the last reference in Luke 12:32 which reminds me of Isaiah the most. When Jesus says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Jesus is the reason we need not fear in this world.
Verses 5-6 are something Jesus Himself paraphrased when talking about the work of His ministry as He sent John the Baptist’s disciples on their way to go report to him the message that the Messiah has come (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22).
Verse 7 proclaims that the ways which had previously been a “haunt of jackals” are now a way of blessing. On the journey of life God will turn curses to blessings (Deuteronomy 23:5; Nehemiah 13:2). Just look at the next verse!
Verse 8 is the peak for preaching this text. The “way of holiness” the exiles will return on will be a salvation highway because it is a road of deliverance. Of course, we know the way because God revealed the narrow way (Matthew 7:14) in the person and work of Jesus Christ (John 14:6). No one comes to God except through Christ who took the jagged road of Calvary for you and me and opened up the way previously blocked by death through His glorious resurrection.
Verse 9 brings in the image of the “redeemer” as a person who delivers those in need. Much like the Levitical command to redeem family (Leviticus 25:25-49), we are reminded of the story of Boaz and Ruth. Naomi and Ruth came back to Israel because God had visited His people. They were brought back in because they had a kinsman redeemer. Similarly, Israel was God’s family (Exodus 4:22) and He has come to redeem them. He has redeemed us not with gold or silver but by the precious blood of His only begotten Son who has become for us our kinsman redeemer (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Finally, in verse 10 this highway is different from the highway we see in Isaiah 40. That highway is the one the Lord travels on. This highway in Isaiah 35 is for the journey of God’s people. They will return from exile, dwell again in the promised land, and be eternally secure in Him (Psalm 23:6) because Jesus Himself has shepherded them home (John 10:11-18).
Now you see how each verse or couple of verses can give you a sermon by itself. However, you can unite all of these verses with a theme which will serve as a pin to hold the sermon in place and together, so it does not fly-off into several separate sermons. The main theme you can use to draw it towards a gospel focus is the idea of “the way.” After all, this is what the Church was first called (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). So, with this theme go back through the sermon and weave the concept through each verse. Tie each section together with the poetics of traveling, journey, and way. Story the sermon with thematic and textual material. Perhaps use a verse from Isaiah 35 or John 14:6 as a refrain. Make the theme the center of the sermon. Start with it and return back to it throughout, so much so that, without annoyance but instead with subtly, your hearers will begin to know which way you are going and enjoy the journey. Here is a terrific opportunity to mimic the great master storyteller preachers like Fred Craddock who can tie story after story together into one theme all based off a single text. The key is to make sure the Gospel is the center, and the theme is driven by the main point of the text so it can also be the central focus of the sermon.
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out our previous articles on Isaiah 35:1-10.
Concordia Theology- Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Isaiah 35:1-10.
Text Week-A treasury of resources from various traditions to help you preach Isaiah 35:1-10.
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[1] Toni Morrison, Beloved (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987), p 87
