Sep6
Matthew 3:3……….Ready
This is he (John the Baptist) who was spoken of (Prophetically) through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, (Christ’ arrival) make straight paths for him”(i.e. Come with open and prepared hearts in acknowledging and confessing sin.)(Is. 40:3)
Continued From Book
“Teaches how were to come with open & prepared hearts in seeing ourselves as sinners who need God’s forgiveness.” ⇒ God is just waiting for you to open up and admit your a sinner so He can Save you and heal you. (Not until we see the bitterness of sin, will we see the sweetness of Jesus!) (cf. Matt. 5:3, 11:28-30, Acts. 3:19-20, Rom. 10:9-10)
“Calls for removing the obstacles that are standing in the way of Jesus taking greater control of your life. Is there some leveling you need to do so that Christ may come and move freely in your life.”
“Calls for making Jesus’ arrival as smooth as possible. Instead of fighting and resisting, will you lay down your pride, your defenses, your excuses and admit your a sinner no matter how hard it is.”
“Teaches how the Lord is eager to do a work in our lives but often it’s our stubborn hearts that prevent it. Failing to see some things as sin can put a roadblock keeping Jesus from saving & healing us.”
“Even Today “Obstacles” that can block God can be anything from an ego barrier keeping one from seeing their a sinner. Or emotional barrier having been hurt/abused by others in the past. Or a spiritual barrier that doubts God’s love and goodness due to the evil in the world.” A religious barrier of legalism and work righteousness.
“Clearing a pathway for the Lord begins with the roadblocks in our hearts. Is there a pet sin your clinging onto. Are you harboring any bitter roots of anger towards God or others? Is there someone you need to forgive who has caused you so much pain? Or maybe its a prideful and self-righteous view you have of yourself? Or maybe your holding back from giving yourself fully to the Lord?” ⇒ Or maybe you need to stop playing the victim in blaming everyone else, and start taking responsibility that maybe your the problem.”?)
Additional Notes & Applications
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Teaches how a life of daily confession, repentance, and submission is the best way to prepare for the Lord. (Will you keep reminding yourself of your baptismal covenant promises of dying to your old life of sin and raising to a new life in Christ Jesus?) (cf. Rom. 6:1-7, Eph. 4:22-24)
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Teaches how Christ only comes by the straight path through the front door of our hearts. He will not sneak in by some back door. He does not desire to slip in unnoticed. He will not come in uninvited. He will not force His way in. He wants willing advocates who will open their hearts up to Him and admit their sinners who need to be Saved.
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Another way we make “Straight paths for the Lord” is by cleaning all the skeletons out of the closet. (If your hiding any unconfessed sins in your closet I encourage you to confess it to God so He can wash the shame and guilt away that’s keeping you from moving forward in your walk with Him?) (cf. 2-Corn. 5:17, Heb. 10:17-18, 1-John 1:9)
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Teaches how nothing can hinder or stop God’s plan. Every word spoken; and every prophecy given in God’s Word will come to pass and no power on earth or in hell can stop it. (You can either fight God’s plans to no avail, or submit)
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Teaches how our obedience and God’s promises fulfill prophecy. As John heard God’s word and took obedient action God fulfilled this long awaited prophecy. So too with us, God can’t fulfill all His plans and promises He has for us if we say, “No thanks, God. I like my peaceful life out here in the wilderness. I’ve got all I need. I’m comfortable the way things are. I have no desire to deal with the inconvenience, messiness and the hassle of being around crowds of people. I hear what your saying God, but I’m just not your man.”
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Teaches how we all need the “Voice of God” speaking to our lives. We need people who will call us out on sinful and crooked lives. People who will confront us of our legalism. People who will call us out of our religious lethargy.
-A voice calling in the desert/wilderness-Meaning: The “wilderness” was a significant part of Israelite history. The Israelite’s wandered in the wilderness for 40 years as they made their exodus from Egypt and into the Promised Land. Then again, when exiled to Babylon. The “Wilderness” was seen as that place that separated the Jewish people from their homeland. Metaphorically a “Wilderness” can be a place of great hardships and trials, or where we find ourselves lost, alone, and drifting. For some of us a “Wilderness” can be a place of pain, loss, hopelessness or even depression. Maybe your in one right now. Maybe the “Wilderness” for you is some sort of sin or addiction that has desolated your life that you long to find a way out. Or maybe you feel like your going no where in life, where things look bleak, with no hope in sight and you want a fresh start. That’s exactly the place John the Baptist is calling us. It’s when we recognize how broken and messed up our lives have become that ultimately builds a highway for the Lord to show up and safely lead us out. (cf. Matt. 11:28-30)
-“Prepare the way for the Lord”-Meaning: The reason we need to prepare the way for the Lord is because everything we do, from the time we were born to the time we die is soiled with sin. We are by nature objects of God’s wrath because of the sin we inherited from Adam & Eve. Man in his sinful/fallen state cannot stand in the presence of a Holy God. God’s perfect justice and righteous nature demands sin be paid for or be condemned to Hell. Therefor we need a Savior (Jesus) to take away our sin and Save us from God’s wrath.-(cf. Rom. 3:25-26, 8:3-4, 1-Pet. 2:24, 3:18) In a wider context can also apply as a call to believers in helping to “prepare the way” and to “clear the road” for people to encounter Jesus through our witness and testimony. Some of the ways we can do this is by telling people about Jesus, living by example that were followers of Jesus, and answering questions with a Biblical perspective.
-“make straight paths for him”-Meaning: The image of straightening a path was clear to the people of the first century. When a king was about to come into a land, the road-like paths would be cleaned and straightened up in preparation for his royal majesty’s entrance. The highway crews of the ancient roads would straighten and tidy them up by removing boulders, thorns, weeds, and any other obstacle. Spiritually speaking we’re to do the same by straightening and smoothing out the rough areas of our lives. Throwing out the rocks of sin, pride, greed, jealousy, self-righteousness, unbelief, and any other obstacles that is coming between us and the Lord. [Note: When it comes to preparing a way for the Lord. This is not saying you must remove every trace of sin and disobedience before you can receive Jesus into your life, an impossible feat. No, If that’s what being ready for the Lord means, we will never be ready because we will never be without sin. Preparing the way is not a physical preparation, but a Spiritual preparation where we clear a way in our hearts for the Lord by recognizing we’re a sinner who is in desperate need of God’s forgiveness and Saving Grace.] (cf. Rom. 7:21-25, 1-John 1:8)
Note: Today there’s a variety of voices & tools that God can use in doing the job of John the Baptist in preparing the way for the Lord. It can be anything from the voice of our conscience, the voice of God’s Word, or the voice of our pastor, spouse, children, friends, work-associates, professors, neighbors, etc. Or God may even get our attention by means of a restless spirit, disappointments of life, poor decision, personal failure, crises of life, debilitating sickness, unexpected hardship, etc. [Note: God may have to take us down some rocky roads and rugged territory, places we would rather not go. But these roads are often times God’s only way to reach us and get our attention, that we may see our sin and turn to Him.]
“Roadblocks” that can hinder and block God can come in many forms, often times it’s ones we manufacture ourselves. Maybe the roadblock comes in the form of the limits we put on God or the small view we take of God, or comes in the form of doubt and disbelief. Or maybe the roadblock comes in the form of a prideful and self-righteous view you have of yourself. Or maybe it comes in the form of our resistance to change? Maybe your unwillingness to forgive someone who has hurt you? Maybe it’s that secret sin your still holding on to? Maybe it’s an Emotional obstacle like being hurt by the Church or by others in the past. Or maybe its a Theological obstacle like misunderstanding the Trinity, the Virgin birth, the Deity of Christ, the Person-hood of the Holy Spirit. Even though these “Roadblocks” are not always easy to identify [and sometimes painful to admit] yet the sooner we admit them, the sooner we can experience true peace.
Note: The road Christ is calling us too can be very painful and humbling, requiring a lot of soul searching. The road you walk might seem rugged at times and very steep, the pathway long and hard, but it is a path worth traveling! Oftentimes “Straight Paths” are difficult because it means acknowledging the hard truths about ourselves, that we might have to risk changing. It’s easier to make excuses and justify our behavior than to take ownership and admit we were wrong. It’s easier to play the victim and blame everyone else than have to take responsibility and admit we’re the problem. But even in the midst of having to face these hard truths, your life will be better for it. [Note: Though this imagery of removing obstacles and straightening paths sounds like a lot of hard work. All we really have to do to let Christ enter into our hearts is stop resisting. We don’t have to crush boulders, just move them!]
Note: In context the quoted passage of Isaiah here is a word of comfort for God’s people, promising how Yahweh will make a way back for those in captivity in Babylon, allowing them to return to the land of Israel. That promise was eventually fulfilled by King Cyrus who after defeating Babylon allowed Israel to return to the promised land and rebuild the Temple, thereby removing the obstacle. The return from Babylonian exile was a partial fulfillment of God’s promise, but not complete. Not all the tribes of Israel came back to their land. No son of David arose to be their king once more. Jerusalem still languished in spiritual and economic poverty. Clearly, the prophetic promises awaited a greater realization to be more fully fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah/Christ, assuring in the Messianic era.
HOW TO MAKE STRAIGHT PATHS FOR THE LORD…..
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See yourself as a sinner who needs to be Saved by Jesus
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Stop minimizing, defending, or making excuses for sin
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Stay open & honest before the Lord (Spring clean the closet of your soul)
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See that your trusting in Jesus and not religion or accomplishments
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Straighten out the crooked & dishonest ways in your life
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Look for areas that need changing or re-alignment to Jesus
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Live a life of honesty & integrity that brings glory to Christ
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Put away pride, stay humble, open, and tender to the things of God
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Stay seeking & witnessing, bringing the lost to Christ
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Learn to seek & know the Lord better through His word
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Live a life of love, kindness, generosity
OBSTACLES TO MAKING STRAIGHT PATHS TO THE LORD……
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Our pride & self-righteousness (No one likes being told there’s something wrong with them.)
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Our refusal of seeing ourselves as sinners who needs forgiveness
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Our self-reliance & independence, our opposition to authority
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Our dislike of being exposed, needy, weak, helpless, dependent
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Our problems are too big, our sins too great for God to forgive
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Our fear of losing our personality in giving up favorite hobbies, activities, music, etc.
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Our fear of the struggles & failures (or the success & accountability)
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Our feelings of guilt & shame over the past, even though God has forgiven us
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Our doubts that God is strong enough to break a particular sin’s hold
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Our distrust having been hurt and let down by the Church or others in the past
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Our unwillingness to take the time to actually read the bible
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Our disbelief in God’s power & faithfulness due to the evil in the world
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Our questioning the accuracy and trustworthiness of the bible
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Our belief that the Church is full of hypocrites
(For more Applications get the whole Book)
(All material is copyrighted and may be used for preaching, teaching, and instructing. And not for publication in any form without the written permission of the author.)
- Posted by David Costa/
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