Prepare Ye The Way Of The Lord
Luke 3:4-6
INTRODUCTION: Jesus spoke of the “Strait gate” that led to Him and His ways. The word strait: (stenos) implies that there are obstacles that clutter the path. We have the responsibility and privilege to prepare the path to God so that others don’t stumble on their way.
Each of us are either stumbling stones or paving stones for someone else’s spiritual journey.
1. THE CHALLENGE "Prepare ye the way of the Lord"
A. WE ARE TO BE A MEANS THROUGH WHICH OTHERS CAN COME TO THE LORD.
1) Some are more obstructions than ways.
2) The early believers were called “Followers of the way”
Ge 18:19 “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him,and they shall keep the way of the LORD.”
3) The road is often obscured so we need to stay close to Our Guide and our guide book.
> Ps 32:8 “I will instruct thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
> Ps 119:1 “Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
> Mt 7:14 “Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, “
B. THE “WAY” OF THE LORD IS:
1) THE WAY OF SALVATION Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12
Acts 16:17 “These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”
2) THE WAY OF SINCERITY (TRUTH) Ps 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth:
3) THE WAY OF SUPERIORITY (WISDOM) “a more excellent way.” 1 Cor. 12:31
Pr 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;
Pr 8:11 "For wisdom is better than rubies; …"
4) THE WAY OF SUPPLICATION (PRAYER) Phil. 4:6
5) THE WAY OF SANCTIFICATION (HOLINESS)
1 Pe 1:15 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy…”
1 Thes 4:3 "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:"
6) THE WAY OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE
Eph. 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us "
2. THE CONDITIONS (How we can prepare the way of the LORD)
NOTE: Clearing and preparing a way for the LORD is hard work. There’s usually debris.
A. CHEER UP: "every valley shall be filled" (1 Sam. 30:6; Neh. 8:10)
1) Valleys are depressions into which things accumulate.(The Dead Sea)
2) These may represent defeats or past sin in our lives.
3) These are to be filled with the Spirit of God. Eph 5:18
B. CLEAR UP: "every mountain and hill shall be brought low" (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Mountains are elevated areas in our lives and may represent:
1) PRIDE James 4:6 “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
2) PRESUPOSITIONS (FALSE REASONINGS) 2 Cor 4:4; 10:3-5; 11:3
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings,
crying, Grace, grace unto it." (Zec 4:6,7)
C. STRAITEN UP: "the crooked shall be made straight"
"And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed." (Heb 12:13)
1) This may represent SIN in our lives. (SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING YOU!)
(Lying, cheating, hypocrisy, Robbing God of Time, Talent, Treasures.)
2) These are made strait by confession. (honesty) 1 Jn 1:9
2 Cor 4:2 “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.”
D. YOKE UP. "the rough ways shall be made smooth" (Mt 11:28,29)
1) Rough places imply things out of place or order.
2) Perhaps representing mis-aligned priorities. Mt 6:33 (God-Family-ministry-job-pleasure)
3) Corrected by repentance and renewal Ro 12:1,2
Rev. 2:4,5 "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works."
3. THE CONSEQUENCES (NOTICE THE CAUSE AND EFFECT.)
A. When we “Prepare the way of the LORD”, then He is able to move among us and reveal himself. "All Flesh shall see the Salvation of God" vs 6
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mat 5:16)
* Our world is dying in the midst of our Christianity for lack of seeing a real God.
* Jesus said: “if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)
B. If we fail to “Prepare the way of the LORD” he will come anyway in judgment.
> "And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Luke 3:9)
> "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable." (Luke 3:17)
Zech 8:23 "Ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you"
APPLICATION: How to personally prepare…
1) Let God fill up the failures of the past with his Free Spirit.
"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psa 51:12)
2) Humble yourself before the Lord and let him reveal the “Strongholds” that keep us from recognizing his ways. "for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." (1 Pet 5:5)
3) Keep short accounts with God by confession and cleansing. (1 John 1:9)
4) If your first priority (Christ) is not in balance, everything else will be lopsided. (Keep Christ as the Hub of the Wheel) (Mt. 6:33)
FAILURE:
A failure is not someone who has tried and failed; it is someone who has given up trying and resigned himself to failure; it is not a condition, but an attitude.
> Great accomplishments are often attempted but only occasionally reached. Those who reach them are usually those who missed many times before. Failures are only temporary tests to prepare us for permanent triumphs. Charles R. Swindoll
> It's the nature of God to make something out of nothing; therefore, when anyone is nothing, God may yet make something of him . Martin Luther (1483-1546)
> Jesus Christ's life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God's. Oswald Chambers
> Often the doorway to success is entered through the hallway of failure. Erwin Lutzer
PRIDE:
> Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick except the one who has it.
> The mental cases most difficult to cure are those people who are crazy about themselves.
> Man is made of dust, and that dust that is stuck on itself is mud.
There never was a saint yet that grew proud of his fine feathers, but what the Lord plucked them out by and by; there never yet was an angel that had pride in his heart, but he lost his wings, and fell into Gehenna, as Satan and those fallen angels did; and there. shall never be a saint who indulges self-conceit and pride and self-confidence, but the Lord will spoil his glories, and trample his honors in the mire, and make him cry out yet again, "Lord, have mercy upon me," less than the least of all saints, and the" very chief-of-sinners." -- Spurgeon.
CONFESSION AND CLEANSING:
Did you know -- In 1842 the first bathtub was denounced as a "luxurious and democratic vanity". Boston made it unlawful to bathe, except on doctor's prescription. In 1843 Philadelphia made bathing illegal between November 1 and March 15.
How tragic most Christians have adopted a similar schedule of spiritual cleansing. We would rather put up with the stench of our unconfessed sins than come clean before God!
Gentlemen:
Enclosed you will find a cashiers check for $150. I cheated on my income tax return last year and have not been able to sleep ever since. If I still have trouble sleeping I will send you the rest. Sincerely, A Tax Payer
PRIORITIES:
The European cuckoo bird is a "freeloader" in its very unusual nesting habits. When spring comes, it does not construct a home for its yearly brood. Instead, the female searches out an unsuspecting "foster home" and lays an egg in the nest of another such as the hedge sparrow. The cuckoo's offspring is left to be hatched and cared for by its "foster parent." While still featherless and blind, the intruder soon dominates the nest by pushing the rightful occupants over the edge to death. Then it monopolizes all the attention of its new "parents."
