Make Peace, Make Way

Make way for the prophetic Word of the Lord.

The Lord has spoken to his people through his prophets.

Hebrews 1:1–2 NLT

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.

Hebres 4:1

God has given us this great message for us to know him and the power of His salvation.

 Luke introduces to us John as a traditional prophet introduction of OT prophets. This introduction includes names of rulers, dates, place and the who the Word of God came to and where he was when the word came.

Luke 3:2 NLT

2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness.

Luke 3:3 NLT

3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

John has a specific calling as the prophets would arise as God would call on them for his people.

Luke 3:4 NLT

4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!

Who is John?

John is a relative of Jesus.

John is the son of a priest, named Zechariah.

Zechariah was visited by the archangel Gabriel and told of his coming Son to be named John.

The angel tells of how John will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:15 NLT

15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.

Being filled with the Holy Spirt John preached in the wilderness with power.

Wrong Way Make U-Turn

Luke 3:3 NLT

3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

The message of repentance

This great message of repentance is the heart of the gospel. John wants the people to get ready to receive the coming of the Lord. Stony hearts need to be replaced with fleshy hearts with the Word of the Lord written on them.

Jeremiah 31:33 NLT

33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

We need to get ready to receive the power of the Lord in our life.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 NLT

26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

John is preaching to change hearts.

John is one of the messengers of the this great message.

The message is what we call the gospel.

John is looking to show us the Way.

The way is a road of repentance.

God wants to see our hearts respond to the gospel.

Conversion is a change of lifestyle.

Life of repentance is a life in total submission to the Lord.

God’s grace is needed for we are not perfect but perfect is God’s grace.

John comes in a long line speaking of the Hope we have in the Lord.

Prepare for your salvation

Luke 3:4–6 NLT

4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him! 5 The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth. 6 And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’ ”

Luke 3:

Prepare the Way for the Lord

Winter time is the time you look for way through the snow. Especially if you are walking to school, parking lots, delivering mail and newspaper you are looking for clear paths.

God is clearing the path to come deliver his people.

God is not only making a way He is the way.

His path will be free of trouble and hazards.

God is able to make the valleys built up, the mountains down to your level along with the hills.

What was crooked is now straight.

What was rough is now smooth.

God is in the saving business.

God has come to give us peace from this sinful world.

Find rest from struggles and enemy’s attacks.

Salvation is for all!

Luke 3:6 NLT

6 And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’ ”

All flesh, all people will see salvation of God. The earthly work of Jesus was for our salvation.

Through Jesus great work we come to see the glory of the Lord, and will see it in totality when He comes back.

Now that he has come we come to know salvation in the Lord.

Turn to the Lord and Know Peace, Know God.

Make room for the Lord.

Clean out all that is causing you to stumble and fall.

Remove the hazardous issues in your life and allow God to clean you up.

Hebrews 10 NLT

1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. 6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’ ” 8 First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, 16 “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. 26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27 There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28 For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 30 For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. 35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. 37 “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. 38 And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” 39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

Hebrews 12:1–3 NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

Hebrews

Hebrews 11:1–2 NLT

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

Keep your eyes on Jesus our champion.

He is the Way and who has made away out of no way

Luke quotes that alludes to God delivering Israel from Egypt.

God made way out of now ways for Israel many times over.

God did it before and can do it again.

Just being in his presence is better than anything else.

Allow God to lead you as you see he will always lead you in the right path and in the right direction.