The Word from the Wilderness: Preparing the Way

INTRODUCTION

Church, we live in a world that is obsessed with power. We see the names flash across our screens (phones, t.v, social media)—presidents, prime ministers, CEOs, and billionaires. We see the halls of government, the towers of finance, the palaces of influence. We see scandals surrounding political figures, and we hear political pundits say this is where history is being made.

But I want to tell you this morning that the Kingdom of God operates on a different frequency. The Kingdom of God has a habit of ignoring the palaces of this world and the places of power, and instead speaks in the to those in the wilderness.

The Kingdom of God bypasses the throne room to find a broken and contrite hearts, to find those who are seeking the face of God.

Last Sunday, we concluded an 11-part series titled " The Coming of Jesus, the Son of Man. We are now coming to a series titled The Appearance of Jesus, the Son of God!.

The Gospel of Luke, in chapter 3, opens by listing all the powers of the world at this time—Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod—all the big names, all the men who thought they were in charge.

But when it was time for the most important announcement in 400 years, the Word of God did not come to the palace in Rome. The Word of God did not show up to the governor in Judea.

The Word of God came to a man named John, in a desolate, forgotten, barren place called the wilderness.

Church, when God is getting ready to do something new, it never starts where the world sees power. It starts in the wilderness. Hallelujah!

BRIDGE

Today’s message is titled:

“The Word in the Wilderness - Preparing the Way!”

Before we read Luke, I want to anchor our message with two Scriptures:

Psalm 51:10

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

A clean heart. A right spirit. Church, when those two things come together, that is when we see the beginning of revival!

Isaiah 55:6

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”

Church, some of us have been askinga miracle from God. Some of us have been praying for a visitation. Some of us have been crying out for a move of God in their lives, or a visitation. Some of us have been crying out for a spiritual revival in our homes, in our city, in our nation.

But as we exposit the book of Luke: I believe there is a question. We want a revival, we want the King in our lives, in our midst, but have we prepared the way?

You want the presence of God, but have you made the path straight?

Open your Bibles to Luke 3:1–7. And let us pray:

🔥 SERMON

Before God sent the Lamb, He sent a prophet into the wilderness. Before the Savior began his ministry, came the voice in the wilderness. We see this in John the Baptist. A man clothed in camel's hair, eating locusts and wild honey, with a fire in his belly and the Word of God in his mouth.

And the Word of God says in Luke 3:1–2 “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

Tiberius Caesar was in the fifteenth year of his reign when God called John. He was the second roman Emperor.

Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. He was both the civil ruler and a military commander. The situation had grown so bad in Judea that Rome had to remove Archelaus from civil control and move in a military commander.

Herod Antipas was the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. Tetrarch simply means a ruler over a fourth part. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. He inherited his territory at his father’s death.

Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis. He was a reputable leader, known as a fair and just ruler. Caesarea Philippi was built and named after him. Caesarea was where Peter made his great confession.

So, after listing all the powers on earth, the Word came to John. Think about that, think about how sobering this is. After these powerful people are mentioned, influential people are mentioned, and the word of God came to John.

That word means rhēma. A word from the Lord.

Paul says God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;).

Paul says by the foolishness of preaching, we are saved (1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.).

Church listen:

God’s Word will bypass a thousand important people to find the one available person seeking Him.

I did not say the right person, but the one who is available. The question is, will you make yourself available?

God’s Word will ignore the noise of the city to speak in the silence of your surrender. There can be hustle and bustle of the world, but when you surrender, you hear “Be Still and Know that I am God!

Church, do not ever believe the lie that you are too small, too unknown, or too isolated for God to use. The greatest move of God in centuries started with one man, in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a message!

With fire in his belly for the truth, and a message to those around him to repent!

Luke 3:3

Luke 3:3 “And he came into all the country about Jordan,

preaching the baptism of repentance

for the remission of sins;”

This passage says John came “preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Repentance is not a soft word. It is not a polite suggestion. Repentance is a summons. It is a wake‑up call. It is a holy interruption.

Repentance means to change your mind —but not just your mind. It means to change your direction. To change your allegiance. To change your trajectory.

Repentance is when you realize the road you are on leads to death, and you do not just slow down—repentance requires you to slam on the brakes. To make a U-turn, and start running toward the God who has been running toward you.

Repentance is about running away from the act, thought, and desire of sin and fleeing! Not strolling away from sin. It is fleeing. It is breaking ties. It is renouncing the old so you can receive the new.

Consider Jonah, who ran from God’s call to preach to Nineveh. Instead of changing his mind and direction to obey the Lord, he chose to board a ship heading in the opposite direction. After a shocking encounter with a storm and a great fish, Jonah realized he could not outrun God. When he finally chose to obey, he turned towards Nineveh and saw an incredible transformation. An entire city, mind you, that took approximately 3 days to get through, repented.

Our willingness to change direction, even when it seems daunting, can lead to miraculous outcomes for ourselves and those around us.

Acts 3:19

“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

This passage is the whole gospel invitation in one breath:

Repent

Turn

Be forgiven

Be refreshed

Repentance is not God taking something from you—it’s God clearing the way so He can pour something into you.

Repentance is not punishment. Repentance is not humiliation. Repentance is liberation.

It is God saying:

“If you will turn, I will restore.

If you will release, I will renew.

If you will repent, I will refresh.”

The world offers nothing but exhaustion. God offers refreshing.

The world offers nothing but bondage. God offers freedom.

Where the Spirit of the Lord, there is liberty.

But refreshing only comes to those who turn.

John’s message to Israel was simple and sharp: “You cannot receive what God is sending if you refuse to release what God is ending.”

You can not hold on to the chains and expect freedom. You cannot cling to the old life and expect resurrection. You cannot walk with the world and expect to run with the Master.

Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Some of us want forgiveness, but we do not want to repent. We want the crown, but we do not want the cross. We want the resurrection, but we do not want to die to our flesh.

John is preaching, “You can’t have it both ways!” You have to prepare the way!

Luke 3:4-6

Luke 3:4–6 “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,

and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Luke tells us:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.”

Church, while however beautiful this passage is, scripture is revealing work — he was giving instructions.

If you want the King to come through, you’ve got to clear the road. If you want the glory to be revealed, you’ve got to prepare the way. If you want God to move in your life, you’ve got to make room for Him to move.

We see four areas Luke is quoting from the prophet Isaiah before the glory of the Lord is revealed..

🔥 ILLUSTRATION — “The Leveling By God”

First, “Every valley shall be filled.”

First, “Every valley shall be filled.”

What are the valleys?

They are the low places in our lives —

the emotional pits,

the spiritual depressions,

the places where the enemy whispers,

“You are not enough.

You will never change.

You will never rise out of this pit.”

But church, hear this:

When you feel an emotional pit — “But God says!”

When you feel spiritual depression — “But God says!”

When the enemy whispers lies — “But God says!”

And what does He say?

Not a casual promise.

Not a vague encouragement.

But the prophetic word of Isaiah 40:4 and Luke 3:5:

“Every valley shall be filled.”

That’s not wishful thinking.

That’s divine intention.

So here’s the corrected, Scripture‑true language:

“I am lifting that valley with My presence.”

“I am pouring My love into that emptiness.”

Where you feel empty, He fills.

Where you feel broken, He heals.

Where you feel forgotten, He restores.

Because the God who levels mountains

is the same God who raises you up out of the low place.

Second, “Every mountain and hill shall be brought low.”

The valleys are our insecurities. The mountains are our pride.

The mountain of “I have got this.” The mountain of “I do not need help.” The mountain of “I am fine the way I am.”

You cannot see the King from the top of your own mountain. You cannot receive grace while clinging to your greatness.

God says:

“That mountain must come down.”

Humility is not weakness — it is a critical step in clearing the way for God’s glory to move.

Third, “the crooked shall be made straight.”

What is crooked? Compromise. Double‑mindedness. Secret sin. Hidden habits. The life that bends toward God on Sunday and bends toward the world on Monday.

God says:

“I cannot walk on a crooked road. I am a holy God. Be ye holy, for I am holy. God says “I need a straight path.”

Integrity is not perfection — it is alignment. It is when your public life and your private life point in the same direction.

Fourth, “the rough ways shall be made smooth.”

What are the rough places? The attitudes we excuse. The bitterness we’ve learned to live with. The sharp tongue we justify. The unforgiveness we protect. The harshness we call personality. The anger we keep nursing in the dark.

These are the rough places.

And Scripture is not saying God avoids them — it says He levels them.

Not because He cannot travel there, but because He refuses to leave your heart in that condition.

“The Holy One comes to make the rough places smooth.”

That’s Isaiah 40:4 “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:” . That’s Luke 3:5 “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;” . That’s holiness.

He comes with the oil of His Spirit, not to bypass your roughness, but to transform it — to make what was sharp become gentle, what was bitter become gracious, what was restless become peace.

Because when the King comes in, He changes your disposition.

So, “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Your preparation is not just for you. Your repentance is not just for you. Your transformation is not just for you.

When you clear the road in your life, you make a highway for others to see Jesus.

Your children. Your spouse. Your coworkers. Your neighbors.

Because when God straightens a life, that life becomes a testimony. When God lifts a valley, that life becomes a witness. When God smooths the rough places, that life becomes a signpost pointing to Christ.

Your life becomes a living advertisement — a walking billboard — for the glory of God.

Not because you’re perfect, but because His salvation is visible in you.

Proverbs 3:6

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

When you acknowledge Him — He straightens the path.

When you acknowledge Him - He levels the mountains.

When you acknowledge Him — He fills the valleys.

When you acknowledge Him — He smooths the rough places.

Church I urge you to acknowledge Him and let the Holy Ghost build in your spiritual walk.

Luke 3:7

Luke 3:7 “Then said he to the multitude

that came forth to be baptized of him,

O generation of vipers,

who hath warned you to flee

from the wrath to come?”

John looks at the crowd… and righteous fire falls.

He does not pat them on the back. He does not say, “Thanks for coming to the service.”

He calls them a brood of vipers.

Why? Because they wanted the baptism without the repentance.

They wanted the ceremony without the surrender.

They wanted the fire escape without the life change.

They wanted to dip in the water but stay in their sin.

They wanted to look spiritual without being transformed.

John is saying:

“Do not dare play games with God.

Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

John is not talking about religion — rescue.

John is saying this is not ritual — this is repentance.

This is not tradition — this is transformation.”

There is a wrath coming. There is a holy judgment for sin. There is a day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess.

Imagine a brushfire tearing across a dry field, the heat rolling ahead of the flames like a warning from heaven. As the fire advances, snakes erupt from the grass—hissing, twisting, scrambling for escape. They are not leaving because they have changed. They are not leaving because they have repented. They are leaving because the fire finally got close enough to make them uncomfortable.

That is the crowd standing before John in Luke 3:7.

They rush toward the river like snakes fleeing a blaze—moved by fear, not by faith. They feel the heat of God’s judgment, but they do not want the holiness of God’s presence. They want escape, not transformation. They want baptism as a shield, not repentance as a surrender.

John looks at them and cries, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” He’s not insulting them—he’s diagnosing them. They are moving, but they are not changing. They are stirred, but they are not surrendered. They are fleeing the fire, but they are not embracing the God who sends it.

The Holy Ghost does not make you run from judgment; He makes you run into Jesus. The Holy Ghost does not just expose the hiding places; He burns them out. He does not just push the snakes from the grass; He purifies the ground they slithered on. The Holy Ghost does not scare you into the water—He comes to transform you in the water.

John is saying:

Do not come to the river because the fire frightened you. Come because the fire awakened you. Come because the fire convicted you. Come because the fire changed you.

A snake can flee the flames and still be a snake. A sinner can flee judgment and still be unchanged. But when the Holy Ghost gets hold of a heart, He remakes you.

And the only way to flee from the wrath to come is not by pretending, not by performing, not by showing up to the river — but by repenting from the bottom of your heart.

John is sounding the alarm. The warning siren is blaring. Church, the King is coming.

This is not the time to blend in. This is the time to break free. This is the time to run — not from God, but to God.

Hebrews 3:15

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not when life settles down. Today.

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

When God calls, you do not negotiate — you respond. When God warns, you do not delay — you repent. When God speaks, you do not harden — you humble yourself.

Because the King is coming. The King is coming!

🔥 FINAL PREACHING RIFF — “THE KING IS COMING!”

God is not asking for your opinion — He is demanding your obedience. He is not asking for your excuses — He is asking for your heart.

Because the King is coming.

Listen to His promise:

Ezekiel 36:26

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…”

God does not want to polish the old you — He wants to replace the old you. He does not want to decorate your brokenness — He wants to deliver you from it.

Joel 2:13

“Rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God…”

Turn to God. Rend your heart and not your garments, in other words the material things. God wants your heart, not your possessions.

James 4:8

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you…”

If you take one trembling step toward Him, He will run a thousand miles toward you. If you open the door an inch, He will flood your life with His presence. If you whisper His name, He will shout your name in Heaven.

This is not a new message — this is the ancient trumpet blast of the Kingdom. This is the Jericho march. This is the cry that echoed through the prophets, through the wilderness, through the early church, and now through this very moment:

Matthew 3:2

“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He is not far. He is not distant. He is not delayed. He is standing at the door of your heart right now.

Revelation 3:20

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock…”

Because the King is coming.

He is knocking on the door of your pride. He is knocking on the door of your fear. He is knocking on the door of your addiction. He is knocking on the door of your unforgiveness.

The King is at the door!

The King who left glory. The King who was born in a manger. The King who healed the sick and raised the dead. The King who wore a crown of thorns. The King who bled on a cross. The King who shattered the grave.

That King is at your door.

And hear me — He is not coming to condemn you. He is coming to save you. He is coming to restore you. He is coming to rebuild you.

The Kingdom of God is at hand.

ALTAR CALL

If you are here today and you feel like you’re in a wilderness… If you’ve been walking through dry places, lonely places, confusing places… If you’re carrying mountains of pride or valleys of despair… If your road has become crooked… If your path has grown rough…

Hear me — the voice of the Lord is crying out to you this morning.

Stop running. Stop hiding. Stop pretending everything is fine. The invitation is being given. The door is open. Heaven is reaching for you.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”

God is not pushing you away — He is pulling you close. He is not pointing at your stains — He is offering you cleansing. He is not rehearsing your failures — He is promising you forgiveness.

2 Corinthians 6:2

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not when you “get your life together.” Not when you feel worthy. Not when you feel ready.

Now.

Because the King is here. The King is calling. The King is standing on the road of your life saying, “Prepare the way. Let Me in.”

This is your moment. This is your turning point. This is your invitation to step out of the wilderness and into His arms.

If you’re tired of running… If you’re tired of pretending… If you’re tired of carrying the weight alone…

Come.

If you need your valley filled… If you need your mountain brought low… If you need your crooked path straightened… If you need your rough places made smooth…

Come.

If you need mercy… If you need forgiveness… If you need a fresh start… If you need a new heart…

Come.

The King is waiting.

Come.