Introduction

Good morning, beloved. It's a radiant day, a day that the Lord has made, and we are here to rejoice and be glad in it. As we gather together in the spirit of unity and love, I want to share with you a message that is close to my heart. It's a message of hope, a message of comfort, and a message of God's faithfulness.

Reflecting on the words of Charles Spurgeon, a respected Christian author and preacher, he once said, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart." Indeed, even in the midst of life's storms, we can find abiding comfort in the unchanging character of our God.

Today, we turn our attention to the prophetic book of Isaiah, specifically chapter 40, verses 1-11. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."

Preparation for the Promised Return

As we look at the text from Isaiah, we can see a clear call to prepare. This preparation is a spiritual and heart preparation. It's about making a way in the wilderness, about leveling the mountains and lifting the valleys. This is a metaphor for the spiritual work that needs to be done in our lives to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

We all have wilderness areas in our lives, areas that are barren, unfruitful, and difficult to navigate. These might be areas of sin, areas of doubt, or areas of pain and hurt. But the call here is to prepare a way in these wilderness areas, to make a path for the Lord to come in. This is a call to repentance, to turning away from our sin and turning towards God. It's a call to let go of the things that are holding us back and to open our hearts to the transforming power of God's love and grace. But it's not just about our own personal preparation.

The text also speaks of a communal preparation. The voice is calling out in the wilderness, preparing the way for the Lord, not just for themselves, but for all people. This is a reminder that our faith is not just a personal relationship with God, but it's also about our relationship with others. We are called to be a part of a community of believers, to support and encourage each other, to hold each other accountable, and to work together to prepare the way for the Lord.

We also see in the text a sense of urgency. The voice is calling out, crying out, in the wilderness. This is a fervent, passionate, desperate preparation. It's a recognition of the importance and the urgency of the task at hand. The coming of the Lord is not something to be taken lightly or casually. It's something that requires our full attention, our full commitment, and our full effort.

Finally, we see in the text a promise. The preparation is not in vain. The Lord is coming. And when He comes, the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. This is a promise of hope, a promise of redemption, a promise of a future where the presence and the glory of the Lord are fully revealed and fully known.

Proclamation of the Prophet Isaiah

In the wilderness of our lives, we often find ourselves yearning for a voice of hope, a voice of truth, a voice that proclaims the promises of God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO