“Prepare the Way for the Lord!”

December 9, 2012
Advent III



GOSPEL LESSON: Luke 3:1–14 [The preaching of the Forerunner]
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’”
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” He told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”

“Prepare the way for the Lord.” This was the message of John the Baptist. He was preaching the wilderness and people would go out to hear him. They wanted to hear his message because he was preaching the Good News of Salvation. He was proclaiming that the Messiah was soon to come. The Bible text for his sermon was from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’”

When Isaiah first preached these words, he was talking about how the Israelites would return from Exile in Babylon. The road from Babylon to Jerusalem went through the desert. Like the Exodus many years earlier, this was an act of Salvation by the Lord God for his people. Like parting the Red Sea, God would lead his people through the desert on a road that would be easy for the exiles to travel.

When John the Baptist preached these words, he was talking about the Salvation through Jesus Christ. John was in the desert. He was not building a new highway, he was building hearts. He was preparing hearts so that Jesus could enter. Because of sin and unbelief and disappointments, the hearts of the people had become like narrow, crooked roads. Roads filled with potholes and ruts. Bridges to God had collapsed. The heavy burden of the Law of God made it hard to climb out of the religious depths of sin and to climb over the religious mountains of laws and impossible regulations.

And so John the Baptist proclaimed to the people that Salvation and freedom was coming. The way to prepare for the Lord Jesus was to prepare their hearts. The way to smooth out and straighten out their hearts was through faith and forgiveness. The sign of their faith was receiving Baptism. The sign of God’s forgiveness was Baptism. In Baptism God washed away their sin.

With this new faith and forgiveness, John told the people to smooth out and straighten out their lives. He said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

The life of baptized people is a life of good fruit. Such a life style makes it easier to keep the faith. It also helps other people to come to the Highway of Salvation. John said that this lifestyle was love. It is sharing your extra tunic, sharing your food, not cheating, not extorting, not lying, and being content in the blessings of God.

Two weeks before Christmas we repeat the words of Isaiah and John the Baptist. “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’”

We are not calling out in the desert; we are calling out to the people in the city and town where we live. This is evangelism and mission. At the same time, we are also telling ourselves that we must prepare for Christmas and for the Second Coming of Christ. Even we who have been baptized many years ago need to hear these words because as time goes by, our hearts and minds get crooked and confused. There is sin. There are potholes in our faith and in our lifestyles. How do we get things smoothed out and straightened out? It is the same as in the days of John the Baptist: faith and forgiveness. Baptism is a sign of our faith. If we come to faith as an adult, then we confess our faith and are baptized. If we were baptized as children, then we grab hold of the power of that wonderful Baptism. It is the power to keep us in the one true faith. It is the forgiveness of sin. It is the promise of God.

With this faith and forgiveness, John told the people to smooth out and straighten out their lives. He would say the same to us, too. The life of baptized people is a life of good fruit. Such a life style makes it easier to keep the faith. John said that this lifestyle was love. It is sharing your extra tunic, sharing your food, not cheating, not extorting, not lying, and being content in the blessings of God. It also helps other people to come to the Highway of Salvation.

Is this highway for us or is it for Jesus? Who travels on this wonderful road? First Jesus traveled that road. But look at the journey of Jesus! He was born in a barn. He was born in poverty. He traveled by foot. One time he entered Jerusalem by donkey, but at the end of the week he was led out to be crucified. He was buried. Then his journey took him to hell to proclaim victory over the devil. He rose on the third day. He ascended into heaven, but his journey will not be finished until he returns to the earth on the Last Day.

Through his death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy.

“Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.”

The road has been made smooth for us because Jesus has forgiven our sin. Now we can go to Jesus because he has come to us. The sign that he has come to us is Baptism. The Lord God comes to us in the Name of the Triune God: in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The road is easier now. It is easier to believe. It is easier to live the Christian Life. It is easier to love others. It is easier for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. And this makes it easier for other people to come to Jesus, or rather, easier for Jesus to come to other people.

Is your heart ready for Christmas? Mine is! Jesus has made a highway to come to us!

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


Sermon Index