December 1998 Issue

Of all the Sundays of the year, the fourth Sunday of Advent is one of the hardest for preachers. The adage "familiarity breeds contempt" takes on new meaning as we prepare to preach. Our hearers have heard it all before; we have preached it all before. They know that "a young woman shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel". (Is 7:14, All Scripture is quoted from the RSV). They know we are going to talk about Mary and Joseph, and an angel, and Joseph's unwillingness to put Mary to shame by divorcing her (see the Gospel Lesson, Mt 1:18-25). They know what the angel spoke to Joseph, assuring him that Mary's condition is an act of the Holy Spirit. And they are completely aware that "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: `Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel'" (Mt 1:22-23). So, what is left to be said? And, how are we going to say it?

Preaching familiar texts on familiar Sundays poses a dilemma for most preachers. Perhaps I am being too autobiographical at this point, but I think not. One common question I get from preachers is, How can I preach something fresh on passages of scripture so familiar to my congregation? One strategy might be to follow a suggestion of Raymond Bailey, one of my teaching colleagues. He encourages the creation of the "illusion of the first time."

The illusion of the first time describes a theatrical term where good actors portray events as though they are happening for the first time. The audience really does know better. They know that the play has been running for weeks. They know that the actors have memorized lines, have rehearsed moves and gestures. But good actors mesmerize their audience, catch them up in the plot, draw them into the action. The audience believes that what they are seeing is happening now, for the first time.

I suggest that we attempt to create an illusion of the first time when we preach Isaiah 7:10-17. That task must begin with a fresh personal encounter with the text—difficult admittedly, but possible. Begin by carefully reading the text aloud. Read it slowly and intentionally. Listen to the words and phrases. Hear it as though you have never heard it before. Hear it on behalf of your congregation. After all, they are the recipients of the sermon you compose. Hear it speak to your people/preacher relationship. Then, ask yourself some questions: How would I feel if I were hearing this passage for the first time? What emotions does the passage provoke? Does it give me hope? Does it make me angry? Am I perplexed by it? Why? What does the passage say about my preconceived notions about God? What light does this passage shine on my hearers' life situation? How does Isaiah 7:10-17 speak to this congregation on the fourth Sunday of Advent?

Also, ask direct questions of the text: Why does the Lord tell Ahaz to ask for a sign (7:10)? Why does Ahaz refuse to ask (7:12)? What does it mean that, since Ahaz will not ask, the Lord himself will give a sign (7:14)? Who is the young woman and who is her son, Immanuel (7:14)? These, and similar questions you come up with, will help you to have a fresh encounter with the text.

Then ask yourself, How can I preach on Isaiah 7:10-17 and create the illusion of the first time for my hearers? It is important to read and hear this text grounded in the history in which it was written. God provided a sign to Ahaz in the form of a child; Immanuel became a living sign of God's abiding presence, a sign urging against political acumen, prowess, and compromise, a sign that Ahaz ignored.

On the last Sunday before Christmas, it might be appropriate to preach a sermon on the need for modern believers to place their confidence in God rather than in the shifting sands of politics. Without bringing party politics to the pulpit, you could use the opportunity to reflect on the sign of Immanuel as evidence of God's abiding, contemporary presence who challenges our preconceived notions about life. Draw the dynamic analogy between humanity's striving to take circumstances into its own hands juxtaposed with the immutable sign of Immanuel.

Another approach to create the illusion of the first time is merely to read the text—or perhaps all the lessons for the day—to the congregation, interposing the questions you asked during the exegesis. Don't answer the questions. It is in the questioning and dialogue with the text that you, on behalf of your hearers, draw them into an encounter with the message.

Whatever sermon strategy you choose, remember that your hearers are expecting to hear what they have always heard before. Help them to hear the familiar as they also hear something new.

Craig A. Loscalzo
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary