We must prepare the way so that the Lord could come in glory and fullness! II
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”!
Yesterday we started talking about God’s desire to demonstrate His glory and fullness in our lives; for this to happen we have to prepare our hearts and to prepare the way of the Lord. We have to cleanse our hearts from the things that God hates and cannot look upon.
The following verses from the Scripture reveal the principle of preparation the way of the Lord.
«In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; make His paths straight.’”» (Mathew, 3:1-3).
«There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe» (John, 1:6-7).
These verses talk about the ministry of John the Baptist who announced the coming of the Messiah. Before the Son of God appeared in flesh, God had sent John the Baptist to prepare the way before Him. Jesus did not come until John had fulfilled his ministry. Many things and events that God would want to carry out on earth have been put on hold because His people have not prepared the way of God through their ministry yet. John had to prepare the people to recognize and accept Jesus. John the Baptist had to point to the coming of the Messiah, instructing the people about the things Jesus was going to do on earth.
The Gospel of Mathew describes how John carried out his ministry.
«Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming in his baptism, he said to them, „Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come! Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire» (Mathew, 3: 4-10).
John the Baptist preached to the people about repentance; he called them to bear fruit worthy of repentance. John talked about the coming of Jesus Who would not baptize them with water, but with Spirit.
«I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier that I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire» (Mathew, 3:11-12).
John was winning disciples for Jesus.
«And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, „Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. (..) One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother» (John, 1: 34-37, 40).
Andrew, Peter’s brother was one of the first disciples of Jesus – thanks to the testimony of John the Baptist. Since John came to prepare the way of the Lord, Jesus could come and carry out God’s plan for salvation for the human race. In the same way we prepare the way of the Lord by ministering to Him and fulfilling His calling in our lives.
In Mathew (24:14) we read the last words of Jesus spoken to His disciples:
«And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come».
Jesus very clearly revealed how we can prepare the way for His second coming: we have to use all possible means to preach the Gospel of Kingdom in the entire world. And afterwards Jesus will come.
Let’s prepare the way of the Lord! God comes when we prepare the way for Him! God bless you!
We will continue tomorrow!
Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
