"The Call to Prepare" Preparing the Way for Christ

Introduction:

We stand on the threshold of Advent, a season filled with the anticipation of Christ's first advent and in hope of His second, we find ourselves at the intersection of history and prophecy. This morning we are called to reflect not only on the humble arrival of the Savior in Bethlehem but also on the promise of His imminent return in glory.

Advent is more than a countdown on a calendar; it's a call to preparedness. In a world often consumed by the hustle of the season, we are invited to pause and ponder our readiness—both for the celebration of the birth of the Savior and the awaited arrival of the conquering King.

The Promised First Advent:

There is a fascinating turn phrase found in the Bible that leads us to understand, that the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ is preexisting. And what this means is that God set in place His plan for the salvation of humanity before creation was created. This concept is a struggle for us as we are bound by time and space. Yet, it's crucial to recognize that God intentionally crafted time and space to highlight our finite nature in contrast to His infinite existence.

Ephesians 1:4“even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love”

Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Revelation 13:8 “and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

This means something very wonderful. God was not surprised by the first sin of Adam and Eve, which means He is not surprised when you fail either. And since God is most loving, gracious, merciful, and patient; overflowing with goodness and truth, like the good Father He is, He has made provision to address the failings or sin of His children.

For God knows all that could happen in any given situation under any circumstances. And His provision for the infinite array of situation is not based on foreseeing the event taking place in the future, but having a perfect and complete knowledge of all possible events. Thus, He is perfectly able to bring about His provision for His glorification and our salvation.

Therefore, God can rightly make the statement in His word about setting salvation in place before the foundation of the world. And what is that plan of salvation? The advent of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity who takes away the sin of the world.

“God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom, upholds, directs, arranges and governs all creatures and things, from the greatest to the least, by His perfectly wise and holy providence, to the purpose for which they were created.” (1689 BCF)

Thus, after Adam and Eve fell prey to the lies of the Serpent in the garden of Eden, God in His perfect wisdom, makes the foundational promise of salvation.

Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

This is a promise to one day send the offspring of the women to crush the head of the serpent, who through sin has imprisoned humanity in darkness. It is through this act of grace that God frees humanity.

Which is why in our passage we read the beautiful words Isaiah 40:1–2 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare/hardship is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”

The profound beauty lies in the truth that, while God initially created humanity in righteousness and perfection, the pervasive grip of sin left us spiritually lifeless and thoroughly tainted in every facet of our being—mind, body, and soul—due to the far-reaching impact of Adam's original transgression. Yet, in the face of this condition, God reaches in to the darkness to us through the redemptive power of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is why Isaiah is called to comfort the people with soothing words, because it is God who has pardoned their iniquities and ended their warfare and hardships. And what the voice cries out “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Because God has and is coming to His people!

Advent, derived from the Latin "adventus," meaning "coming" or "arrival," carries profound significance for Christians. It holds a dual meaning: the first advent symbolizes the incarnation of Christ, and the second heralds his imminent return. This dual meaning captures the anticipation of Christ's arrival both in the historical reality of his birth and the future promise of his triumphant second coming.

Thus Isaiah is proclaiming to His generation of a future redemption brought about by the advent of God among men, and we know that Isaiah 40 is about Jesus Christ because of how the New Testament handles this passage in Matt 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23.

Luke 3:3–4“And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”

In the New Testament, it is John who is the voice crying in the wilderness, heralding the advent of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This is what as Christians we celebrate during this time of the year, the reality that God the Son, the second person of the Trinity has arrived.

Galatians 4:4–5“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Therefore, the comfort that Isaiah speaks of is found in the first advent that we celebrate, the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who became flesh to make perfect atonement for our sins so that we might live to and for God. Thus, in Jesus, the path is made straight, the way is prepared and the glory of the LORD is revealed, as it comes through a most unassuming way, the birth of a baby.

The Promised Second Advent:

But it is not only the First Advent of Christ that Christians put their hope in. For in our age we look back to the First Advent with great joy knowing that the King came dealt with sin and death, making it possible for us to know God the Father. And it spurs us on to looking forward to the Second Advent of Christ, when he will bring to completion all things.

Jesus gives the promise that He will return. We read in Matthew 24:29–31““Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Therefore in our passage this morning Isaiah the Prophet of the LORD brings a message of peace and comfort. Saying to us, Comfort, Comfort! Letting us know that regardless of how dark life gets, the Light will once again burst forth, driving the darkness back. Because God in His great providence has dealt a fatal blow the reign of sin and darkness, by dealing with the heart of man.

For darkness pours forth from the heart of man, at every turn we give ourselves over to the power of sin, being seduced by its promises not realizing where it leads. But thanks be to God who chases down the rebel and subdues them with His grace and mercy!

Conclusion - How to Response:

The answer depends on where you are; why is the response contingent on your current position? It's a challenging truth for many, yet the Bible unequivocally outlines the existence of two distinct groups: those who uphold the covenant with God and those who break it. Initially, all find themselves as covenant breaks, driven by the inclination of their sin nature. However, with the Advent of Jesus Christ, God established a path to covenant-keeping. This path isn't reliant on our performance of good works but on the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus Christ Himself.

So if you today are a covenant breaker, meaning that you do not Love the Lord our God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul. And rather are in love with the world and the things of the world. Then you must respond to the reality of the First Advent of Christ and the Hope of the Second Advent of Christ, with repentance, turning from your sin and trust Jesus Christ for forgiveness.

1 Timothy 1:15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

John 3:16–18““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

Romans 10:9 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If you are a covenant keeper, meaning you Love the Lord your God, and as a result of the transformative work of the Holy Spirit are seeking to be obedient to God the Father through Jesus Christ. Your response is encapsulated in one word, FAITHFULNESS.

Because Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Meaning you no longer live under the condemnation of God because of your sin, you are released to live in the world in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel. Being a force for good, as you bring the light of Christ into the darkness of the world.

You are free in Christ, only do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil, but rather cultivate a life of faithfulness to God the Father by being conformed to the image of Jesus in the joy of new life.

Ephesians 5:1–2“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

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