The Third Sunday in Advent, December 14, 2025
The Third Sunday in Advent, December 14, 2025
The Narrative Lectionary – NL415
Isaiah 55:1-13(John 14:27)
The Word Accomplishes God’s Purpose—Anyone who is thirsty, come drink; the word accomplishes God’s purpose.
Greetings!
Welcome to Table Talk featuring the Narrative Lectionary. For the past two liturgical years, Table Talk has featured the One-Year Lectionary that was in use when Martin Luther was preaching. Before that, Table Talk used a form of the Three-Year Lectionary. The Narrative Lectionary is a bit different. Rather than having its origin in a church body or being of ancient times, this Narrative Lectionary is primarily the work of two professors at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Drs. Craig Koester and Rolf Jacobson develop and implement the lectionary through the website www.WorkingPreacher.org. The Narrated Lectionary features a single extended scripture reading that, over the course of the four nine-month layouts, takes in the major stories depicting God’s history with his people. A short second reading is paired with the extended reading. This contrasts with previously used lectionaries that assign four readings per Sunday. Because the extended reading is so long, it will not be included in the Table Talk handout. Please use your Bible to read the text before reading the Table Talk comments. Since the scripture text is not included and there are many possible topics for comment, the Table Talk commentary will be longer than in the past.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:8-9)
Before there was BOGO (Buy One, Get One), there was TANSTAAFL (There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch). Coined by Robert Heinlein, the noted science fiction author, the phrase reflects the reality of this world: nothing’s free, somebody’s going to pay! The barkeep who offers free food during happy hour knows there are three ways to recoup food costs: higher prices on food and drink at other times, increased sales volume, or his own loss of profit. The food’s not free. Likewise, the BOGO promise; somebody always pays.
That’s why the prophet Isaiah’s invitation is so striking. Even those people of ancient times knew the truth of TANSTAAFL. Yet here is the prophet inviting, “Thirsty? Come!” “No money? Come!” “Buy? Wine and milk are without price” (Is. 55:1). Isaiah has been given a Word from the Lord his God. His God is a God of abundance, not scarcity. He has a profligate God, pouring his abundance out upon all. Such profligacy is unheard of in the world. There is always a price. Somebody must pay.
So, the prophet gives them a Word distinguishing God’s ways from human ways. God’s thoughts? Not human thoughts. God’s ways? Not human ways. However elevated, wise, and grand humans may consider their thoughts and ways to be, those thoughts and ways are no match for God’s thoughts and ways. This truth gives us pause when, in our hubris, we ponder the things of God, attempting to reason or speculate ourselves into his ways and his thoughts.
The prophet also gives his hearers a Word concerning the distinction between a human word and God’s Word. You see, our mere human words must rely upon an external agency to accomplish something. Human words are not active, living, and effective as is the Word of God. Human words appeal, cajole, motivate, exhort, describe, convey, and much else. But… but they cannot bring something out of nothing. They do not declare reality into existence. God’s Word commands, and it is so. God’s Word promises, and the truth is spoken. God’s Word accomplishes God’s purposes; God’s Word succeeds merely on his sending it (Is. 55:11).
The profligate God issuing an invitation of abundance and plenty, of free… free food, wine, milk, and bread, free for the taking… this God of profligacy sends his Son into the world, lovingly… freely… gracefully… with no thought of recouping the cost. God sends his Son into the world to save the world as an act of mercy. Yet, because in this world, sin-broken and passing away as it is, there is no such thing as a free lunch, Jesus had to pay. Sinners saw to it. So, Jesus paid the price. The death that was prophesied upon all mortal flesh (Ge. 2:17) became his death. Sinners killed him. Jesus paid the price of human sin… of our sin… my sin… your sin.
There are God’s thoughts and ways. Then there are the world’s thoughts and ways. The two are not identical. In the world, nothing’s free; somebody must pay. Mercy is in short supply. Justice and fairness are demanded yet rarely achieved. God, however, still sends forth preachers to issue the invitation that is as ancient as Isaiah’s. “Come! Come to the banquet my son has spread. Come, feast at his table; dine on his Word; be bathed in his bath. All… all of them without price!”
Table Talk: Discuss the striking difference between a world that demands payment and a God who gives freely.
Pray: Heavenly Father, grant that I enjoy your abundance given in Christ. Amen