2019.12.1 Prepare for the Way
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA:
Advent - preparing the way.
At Christmastime, we often prepare the house, the decorations, the food, the gifts—but we forget to prepare ourselves. Make a commitment to spend some time each morning during Advent preparing your heart for the coming of Jesus Christ.
If you do this, I promise, your Advent will be more joyful and meaningful this year.
Mark 1:3
Malachi 3:1
Isaiah 40:3-5
Mark 1:1-3
Isaiah 57:14
Isaiah 43:18-21
2 Chronicles 7:14
Jeremiah 4:1-2
James 4:8a
PREPARE THE WAY
Now is the time for you to reconsider what the season of Advent is all about. It’s about Jesus—celebrating His first coming and preparing for His second.
The Gospel of Mark (1:3) quotes John the Baptist, who quotes Isaiah, saying, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Prepare the way.
Oftentimes we prepare the house, the decorations, the food, the gifts—but we forget to prepare ourselves. Make a commitment to spend some time each morning during Advent preparing your heart for the coming of Jesus Christ.
If you do this, I promise, your Advent will be more joyful and meaningful this year.
PREPARE THE WAY
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
MAKE IT A HIGHWAY! NO OBSTACLES – SMOOTH RIDE
Isaiah 40:3-5 3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Mark 1:1-3
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
REMOVE THE STUMBLINGBLOCK, THE OBSTACLES
Isaiah 57:14 (KJV) And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
(CSBBible) He said, "Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people's way."
GOD WANTS THE EARTH TO BE FULL OF HIS GLORY
Numbers 14:21 (KJV) But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
GLORY IN GOD – HE WILL SATSIFY YOUR THIRST, MATERIAL THINGS WE SEEK CAN’T
Isaiah 41:16b-18 (KJV) 16 …thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
HE GIVES LIVING WATER THAT SATISFIES EVEN IN THE DESERT PLACES.
Isaiah 43:18-21
18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
GOD GIVES HIS SPIRIT TO US. WE CAN’T KEEP IT TO OURSELVES, OUT OF US FLOWS HIS LOVE
John 7:37-39 37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (See Acts 2)
HUMBLE OURSELVES AND REMOVE THE OBSTACLES THAT DISTRACT US.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
RETURN TO ME
Jeremiah 4:1-2 1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
DRAW NEAR TO HIM AND HE WILL DRAW YOU NEAR
James 4:8a Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Make a commitment to spend some time each morning during Advent preparing your heart for the coming of Jesus Christ.
If you do this, I promise, your Advent will be more joyful and meaningful this year.
