Dear friend in Christ.
May the grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and from His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be with us now and always, Amen.
Today is the second Sunday in Advent, and so it is the second Sunday of the new church year. As Christians we are living in the effects of His first Advent and we are awaiting His final Advent. Last Sunday our message concentrated on His final Advent and in that message we were reminded that when we look around and see the fading away of this world, we are to look up, and lift up our heads, for our redemption is drawing near. The title of that message was waiting, and meant that as Christians living in the effects of the first Advent, we are waiting for His final Advent with anticipation, with expectancy and with confidence...
Today's message is entitled "Preparation." and our text will be taken from Luke's Gospel, chapter 3:1-6. Let us read the Word of God in Jesus Name.
KJV Luke 3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
What is the most common question that one is asked during this time of the year, as we approach Christmas? "Are you ready for Christmas?" When we are asked that question, on what basis do we respond? Does it not largely depend upon one's age as to how that question is answered? For us older ones, in general our answer can be based on preparations that have been made such as Christmas baking, decorating the home with a Christmas theme, sending out Christmas greeting cards, purchasing and selecting presents for those to whom we are giving gifts and so on.
In general, children are living in the expectation of what gifts they are going to receive at Christmas time, as they live in the excitement and the expectation that they will be receiving gifts from those who love and care for them. As they observe the presents that are being placed beneath the tree, they sneak over in order to see whose name is on which gift. Finding one with their name on it, they are filled with eagerness to see what is underneath the beautiful wrapping paper. But they must wait, and wait and wait.....
From eternity and through the ages God has been prepared the Greatest Gift that one could ever receive. That Gift was Promise in the Old Testament and Fulfillment in the New Testament!
The prophets in the Old Testament spoke of this gift, but it was difficult for them to see clearly.
Luke 10:23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
The Gift was wrapped by God, and one day He would take all the wrappings off. On Christmas Eve, He revealed to gift to some shepherds and to a family in Bethlehem in a stable.
Luke 2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Isaiah, speaking by the Spirit of God “saw” the day in the future when John the Baptist would come on the scene from out of the desert, which is 30 years after the Gift was born on earth, and through John the Baptist, God would take some more wrappings of His Gift.
How was John used to unwrap more of the Gift that God had for the world?
He was to make ready for the Lord a people prepared. He was to tell the people of the Gift of the Lord that was coming to them now.
Luke 1:11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."
Prepared to receive that which was to come, even as a child is prepared and waiting to receive the gifts they will be receiving.
And after Zacharias’ speech was restored, he spoke to his 8 day old son, prophesying of that which God had prepared to give to the world.
Luke 1:76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Through the mercy of God, the One who was coming was bringing the forgiveness of sins, giving light to those who sit in darkness and in the eventual reality of death and to guide the feet of believers in the way of peace.
We return to John the Baptist and his “unwrapping of the Gift” for all to see.
Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
John the Baptist is telling the people that come to him to receive the Gift, through which is now openly and graciously poured out the forgiveness of sins unto all people. There is nothing that can stop this Gospel from coming into the world, for the King of salvation is now unwrapped even more and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, change your mind, and believe the Gospel for the forgiveness of your sins!!!! This Gospel is like a huge waterfall coming out of heaven which is full of grace and truth, washing away all sin and separating it as far as the east is from the west.
When the Spirit of God opened this salvation up to Isaiah 700 years before, he could not contain himself as he rejoiced in the knowledge of that which was to come, saying….
ESV Isaiah 40:9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
Luke 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
God is the Greatest Gift Giver!!! As the Gift of God is unwrapped more and more for us by God Himself, may we clearly see the grace of God lying in the manger in the One who humbled Himself lower than anyone ever has, so that we might be lifted up. Oh, What a Gift, what a Saviour!
Pastor Orval Wirkkala