Preparing the Way for the Light
COTV Advent - 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 8 viewsJTB’s ministry was foreshadowed and prepared the way for the promised Light to come.
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TITLE: Preparing the Way for the Light
TEXT: Matthew 3.1-12.
Advent 2025 - The Light of the World
Let’s remember together this morning - In our celebration of Advent, we are celebrating a season of preparation, of eager anticipation as we await our Lord’s arrival, also known as Christmas. Celebrating Advent counters the perpetual pull of the culture and re-centers our focus on Christ.
Its never too late to begin prioritizing the celebration of Advent in your home, whether you have kids in your home or not.
Week #1 - The Promised Light (Isaiah 9)
This past Sunday, we began our time together in Isaiah 9. We learned of the deep darkness among the people of Judah, more specifically that it was their own sin that brought them there. Their worship of the Lord was tainted by their spiritual adultery, and the Lord vowed to hide His face from them and not hear their prayer.
The Lord was in the process of bringing about judgment upon the people of Judah, but it would not be all doom and gloom. He would remain faithful to His promises.
1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
The Promised Light, a child, would bring about JOY among the people and His kingdom would be established on the throne of David and last forever. With His name would come wisdom, authority, love, and peace… in His name alone would the burden of their sin be lifted forever.
Though our sin is great, bringing about judgment and spiritual darkness, a Great Light was promised that removes our anguish and brings joy, peace, justice, and righteousness forever.
Week #2 - Preparing the Way for the Light (Matthew 3)
ILLUSTRATION: A Preparation for Arrival
If you have ever hosted a big holiday family gathering or some other large family gathering in your home, you are well aware of what goes into the preparation phase. Moreover, if you have children… they are certainly part of this time of preparation.
This may also include reminders for your children of what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior when people are in your home. This may be a final crash course of reminding your kids of the names of their relatives (who they seem semi-often), but during crunch time they are pretending to have no knowledge of these peoples’ existence.
Whatever it is, there is much preparation when we are anticipating the arrival of someone or a group of someones in our home.
Though He was spoken of numerous times via the Law and the Prophets, the covenant people of God were not prepared for the coming of the Light of Isaiah 9.
After Isaiah’s prophecy and ministry, we fast-forward some 300 years to the final verses of the OT where they received these words before 400 years of silence from the Lord.
Final OT Promise
5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Once again today, we are going to see the faithfulness of our Lord to His promises in numerous ways. Just like He was faithful to send them John the Baptist, giving them a final sign and final prophet before the coming Light, He would also be faithful to the message the Light came to declare - Salvation had come but judgment was near.
Main Idea:
In His Grace, the Lord ordained the ministry of John the Baptist to prepare the hearts and minds of His covenant people for the coming Light of the World.
Outline:
A Preparation for Repentance (v.1-4)
A Preparation of the Heart (v.5-9)
A Preparation for the Truth (v.10-12)
Prayer - Thankfulness for Advent, Illumination of the Word, Conviction concerning sIn.
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’ ”
4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
A Preparation for Repentance (v.1-4)
A Preparation for Repentance (v.1-4)
Matthew 3:1–4 “1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ” 4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.”
Now in the beginning of the NT, we are at a point in history that is some 700 years after the prophet Isaiah’s ministry and his proclamation of a coming Light to shine amidst the deep darkness among the people.
On the scene comes… John the Baptist.
If you have been here through the beginning of our study through the Gospel of John, then you remember we have seen the beginnings of the ministry of John the Baptist. John was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and like Jesus… the birth of John was foretold.
Birth of JTB Foretold
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,
Breaking the 400 year silence, and angel of the Lord bursts forth with such glorious news to a barren couple. Furthermore, bringing our minds back to Malachi 4, the angel’s proclamation concerning Zechariah’s son continues.
The Purpose of JTB
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.”
Could it be time???? The time of fulfillment of what was promised?? The time of the promised prophet before the Day of the Lord arrives who will bring a unity among the covenant people of God?
Zechariah doubted the Lord and was struck mute until the day the day of his son’s birth. But once his mouth was opened he spoke of the salvation that had come to Israel AND… the purpose for which his son would serve the Lord and His people.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
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.”
In case it was not clear, JTB was the fulfillment of Malachi 4, coming in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare a people for the Lord.
Our Lord confirms this in Matthew 11 by quoting from Malachi 3, referencing John the Baptist as the messenger sent before Him and “Elijah who is to come” (v.15).
(v.4) His Appearance
Even John’s appearance resembled that of the prophet Elijah that had come before Him. With his camel hair garment, leather belt, and food of wild locust and honey, John was a humble man with nothing elaborate or attractive about him.
The Message
Just as his father and our Lord declared, John some 30 years later came preaching in the wilderness of Judea a message of REPENTANCE.
JTB’s Message
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
REPENTANCE
The base definition of the Greek word here is “to change one’s mind”, but based on its use by Jesus (Mark 1.15, Matthew 4.17) and the Apostles (Acts 3.19, Acts 26.20) across the NT, its use communicates - a turning from sin to God… a change of self (heart and mind) that abandons former dispositions and results in a new self, new behavior, and regret over former behavior and dispositions (Lexham Theological Work, Bible Sense Lexicon).
Biblical repentance involves an admission of sin and its offense against God, a sorrow over sin, AND a turning from sin.
This is appropriately called by the Apostle Paul - Godly Grief.
Godly Grief
8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
APPLICATION: Stuck in perpetual sin?
You and I may be thinking about a period of time in our lives where a certain sin seemed to perpetuate throughout our days and weeks. More than likely we knew this was sinful and not in accordance with God’s word, but time and time again we ran back to the same sin, taking a bite from the same apple that does not satisfy. And from this sin came shame and maybe even disgust or disappointment in ourselves… but time and time again we returned to it.
Maybe this is not a story of the past… maybe this is you today.
WHY? Why does this happen in our lives?
This happens because of a few reasons:
1) We have bought a lie from the pit of hell that tells us “there are certain sins which you will never see true victory over.” I’ve been there.
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
2) We are attempting to manage or battle this sin in our own power. Appealing as this is to us as humans, it is a futile effort that is inherently prideful. We couldn’t bring ourselves from death to new life, but we think we have the inherent power of diligence to fight this alone? I’ve been there.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
3) We still love our sin more than we love Jesus.
In His infinite grace, God ordained the ministry of John the Baptist from the beginning of time to prepare a people for His Son’s arrival… by calling them to REPENT.
A recognition of sin, sorrow over sin, renouncing and turning from sin… this is true repentance. The ministry of John the Baptist was designed by the Lord to open the eyes of people to their greatest problem - themselves.
An exhortation unto repentance from John prepared the people for the coming of the Light who would declare to them…
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
A Preparation of the Heart (v.5-9)
A Preparation of the Heart (v.5-9)
Matthew 3:5–9 “5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”
Firstly came the declared words of John (repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand), and now we see the prescribed actions of John the Baptist to prepare the people for the arrival of the Light of the World - BAPTISM.
From all across the region of Judea, the Jewish people were coming to John to be baptized.
What is Baptism?
The Greek verb used across the NT (Baptisma) means immersion or the act of being immersed in liquid, usually being water.
The OT contains instruction for ceremonial washings or purification (Exodus 29:4, Lev 8.6, Num 19.19-21), but baptisms were not common in OT history among the Jewish people. Such things were typically reserved for Gentile proselytes (pronounced followers of Yahweh and converts to Judaism).
For Gentiles, this meant “As an outsider of the covenant people of God, I renounce my former ways, who I used to be, and I embrace the one true God, the God of Israel.”
For John’s ministry, the baptism he offered was not one of adherence to an OT physical cleansing ritual… instead this was focused on spiritual purity and was an outward profession of repentance.
Baptism for the Covenant People?
Thus… with this idea of baptism being for primarily Gentiles… and since Jews and Gentiles did not exactly have the greatest loved for one another… it is astonishing then to see here that the Jewish people from all around Judea were going to John after what he proclaimed.
Ethnicity was extremely important to the Jewish people.
This tells us that something was happening among the Jewish people that was not inherent in them. Being an unattractive minister from the wilderness who ate locusts and honey, John was not winning them over with his charm os charisma. No… something supernatural was happening here!
The Jewish heart raised under the Law and bent on despising everything about the Gentiles were following suit in BAPTISM. Hand in hand with their baptism was their confession of SIN.
ADMISSION of sin and an expressed need for SPIRITUAL CLEANSING.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
ILLUSTRATION: Difficulty in Expressing our Needs
At varying levels, I think we all have an issues with expressing to one another, to our friends, to our co-workers, to our spouse, to our kids… whatever it may be… that we are in need of something.
Something inside of us tells us that being in need of something or someone is embarrassing. Can we not just handle this on our own? Some of us may even despise asking for help so much that we needlessly burden ourselves and others close to us in different ways.
If this is us, let’s put aside our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord today.
Coming to the Jordan and confessing their sin required a great deal of humility for the Jewish people, specifically laying aside this confidence and trust in heritage.
The Pharisees and Sadducees
Which is exactly why John speaks the way he does to the Pharisees and Sadducees. The religious elite of the Jewish people were coming to the Jordan along with the people, maybe even to participate.
PHARISEE - Sect within early Judaism that developed a tradition of strict interpretation of the mosaic Law and developed an extensive set of oral extensions of the Law designed to maintain religion identity and spiritual purity.
SADDUCEE - One of three main Jewish schools of thought during the Roman eras that denied the resurrection and the existence of fate. Some scholars claim that the Sadducees held a priestly status while others disagree.
Bottom Line - Those coming to John at the Jordan were setting aside any appeal to heritage or ethnicity to make them right before God, while these high religious groups held such positions firmly based on what we see throughout Jesus’ ministry.
Brood of Vipers
The literal meaning of John’s words here is “offspring of snakes” which was not a compliment. John reminds them of his former warning of the WRATH to come.
For context here, the term WRATH here means - the just anger of God against sin and the looming divine judgment that awaits all who have rejected God’s truth.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Moreover, it is a warning to these religious groups who did not think themselves in need of repentance, much less would they ever think the condemnation of God to be sitting upon them presently apart from their repentance.
18 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.
In the exact same way as the people, the Pharisees and Sadducees had a heart problem that needed to be addressed. John’s stark warnings here are intentioned to open up their eyes to the hopelessness of their sin, even as the covenant people of God.
Truly repentant people would see the fruit of the Lord’s work in their lives and hearts.
Sons of Abraham
In Israel’s position of pride stemming from a hardened heart, the Jewish people would often appeal back to their father Abraham, meaning their confidence was in their physical lineage tracing back to where their people began. Genesis 12, 15, and 17 details for us the Abrahamic covenant and God’s promises given to Abraham and his offspring.
Jesus also addressed this idea in John 8 while speaking to the Pharisees directly.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”
Jesus says plainly - You call yourself sons of Abraham and yet you seek to kill the Son of God!
What were they missing?
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness before a Law was ever given. The covenant promises given to Abraham (according to Galatians 3) are fulfilled in the promised offpsring, that is Christ. Therefore, to be called a true descendant of Abraham means your share in his faith and not merely his bloodline.
APPLICATION: We Need New Hearts
What they failed to see in their pride was their need for new hearts. The intentions of every human heart are evil continually from youth, and humans are not in the business of self-transformation to the point of meeting God’s perfect standards.
But God… being rich in mercy and abounding in stead fast love… he is in the business of making people new, and such work begins with a heart transformation.
The ministry of John the Baptist and his offering of baptism to a repentant people was to prepare them for what was coming soon when the Word would become flesh and dwell among them. John the Baptist would point them away from himself and to the Light of the World who would make good on His promises from old.
His Promised Word Written on Their Hearts
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The Promise of Hearts Transformed
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
The Promise of His Spirit Dwelling With His People
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
A Preparation for the Truth (v.10-12)
A Preparation for the Truth (v.10-12)
Matthew 3:10–12 “10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.””
John ends his short speech to the Pharisees with a hard truth, one they were likely not ready to hear and likely unwilling to accept as being applicable to themselves. John’s teaching here speaks to the present and coming judgment upon all who remain unrepentant in their sin.
(v.10)
John depicts the Lord here as one who is tending to his orchard. He has planted the seeds and has given them life, but there are two kinds of trees in his orchard - One that bears fruit and one that does not.
“The axe is laid to the root of the trees…” communicates a present reality that the judgment of God against the unrepentant person is not to be considered far off but potentially close.
4 “O Lord, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
John confronts the religious elite with difficult truth to hear - Life is short, death is certain, and the judgment of God rests presently upon everyone who does not bear fruit, meaning a person’s life does not evidence the life that has been gifted them in God.
Like a barren, dead tree that stands tall and proud for a period of time but then begins to rot from within, so it is spiritually for those who continue in their sin and rejection of the Almighty God.
Sermon on the Mount
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
The Day of repentance and Salvation is today… not tomorrow… you are not promised that.
GOSPEL
(v.11)
Here John again points away from himself and towards the One whom he is preparing the Way for. John’s continual exaltation of the Light and not himself keeps his hearers and readers focused on the tru intention of his ministry.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John says - I’m just a foreshadower! I’m just a messenger! Yes, his ministry was intentioned to prepare the hearts and minds of the people, but the ONE to come, the Light that will shine amidst deep, thick darkness, He is infinitely mightier than me!
“…whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.”
As you may know, shoes were not the best at this point in history, and people’s feet were commonly dirty from every day activities. The task of untying someone else’s sandals, let alone touching another person’s feet at all, was a task reserved for a slave.
John says - the One that is coming after me is so beyond me in worth and glory, even a slave’s job would be too honoring for me.
Baptism of the Spirit and Fire
In a much different way than John’s baptism of repentance, the coming Light of the World would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and with Fire.
Without dwelling here too long, the baptism of the Holy Spirit mentioned here is not a separate experience after salvation that the believer should pursue. Though this is seen at a few points during the narrative of Acts, the presence of this early within biblical narrative of the church does not make this normative for the church. Scripture is clear that the baptism or giving of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment we are declared justified before God in His grace.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Further, being baptized with “fire” simply means when we are transformed, then begins the purification in the Truth (also known as sanctification) in our lives where we are slowly made to look more like our Savior.
(v.12)
Matthew 3:12 “12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.””
The winnowing fork is a tool used to separate the useful grain (being the fruit of the plant) from the useless chaff. after separated from the grain, the chaff would be piled together for burning.
APPLICATION:
The coming of the Light of the World to us in our sin is such a blessing, unlike any other in the history of the universe. God became man so that we might have a Way back to Him.
At the same time, it means the clock is ticking. Salvation is near, but His coming wrath is also imminent.
This is not a doom and gloom proclamation unto the Pharisees and Sadducees (or even us today), but in His love this is a warning that those who pass from this life into eternity still in their sin will spend that eternity separated from the Father.
The Light of the World was promised… and then the Lord prepared the people for His coming. Through the final prophet, the Lord revealed to them their sin and a need for repentance based on the truth proclaimed to them. The Light was coming soon! Salvation was near! But so was judgment, so the day of salvation could wait no longer.
Main Idea:
In His Grace, the Lord ordained the ministry of John the Baptist to prepare the hearts and minds of His covenant people for the coming Light of the World.
