Matthew 3: 1-6 (NLT)
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about 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!’”
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Enter John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin, the first Christian Holy Roller Preacher.
John was first mentioned by the prophet Isaiah and recorded in Isaiah 40:3-5. I especially like the Greek version which reads "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, / “Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! / Clear a road for our God! / Fill in the valleys, / and level the mountains and hills. / And then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, / and all people will see the salvation sent from God. / The Lord has spoken!”
John was first mentioned by the prophet Isaiah and recorded in Isaiah 40:3-5. I especially like the Greek version which reads "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, / “Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! / Clear a road for our God! / Fill in the valleys, / and level the mountains and hills. / And then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, / and all people will see the salvation sent from God. / The Lord has spoken!”
Who else but God could have told us what would happen hundreds of years before it actually did? Dont believe it? Ever heard of the Dead Sea Scrolls? It's what convinced me.
So what is "Prepare the way, clear the road, fill in the valley, level the mountains and hills"? I believe it refers to preparation of our heart. It's allowing God into our life, allowing Him to cleanse us, letting Him fill in the holes in our heart, letting Him take down the mountains we build for protection, letting His love in.
It starts with repentance, that's the first step. John's message was to repent. This is the first time the word is used in the New Testament. In addition, the word:
Repent was the first word of John the Baptist's gospel (Matthew 3:1-2).
· Repent was the first word in the preaching ministry of the twelve disciples (Mark 6:12).
· Repent was the first word in the preaching instructions Jesus gave to His disciples after His resurrection (Luke 24:46-47).
· Repent was the first word of exhortation in the first Christian sermon (Acts 2:38).
· Repent was the first word in the mouth of the Apostle Paul through his ministry (Acts 26:19-20).
Why is repentance so important? It is not just a confession of sins, it's an action. The action of turning from those sins and not committing those sins again. It's choosing a different path, changing direction, doing an about face.
Will you? Repent? Make way for the Lord? Once you do, the Lord will open a world of possibilities to you.
Blessings, Cecilia
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