Luke: Prepare The Way

Luke I: Prepare The Way

January 3rd, 2021/The Lookout

Intro: NTx365, Crews, & Growth Track

Passage: Luke 1:10-17 & 76-77 CSB

10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

Pray:

Background:

An angel of the Lord appeared before Zechariah and told him that he and his wife would have a son. This would be a significant miracle because they were well beyond child birthing years. But God had another plan. He was sending John The Baptist through this priestly family so that he could prepare the way for the coming Messiah. John the Baptist and Jesus were relatives.

Title: Prepare The Way

Big Idea:

People were crying out for God’s presence but what they first needed was a holy preparation.

Main Points: Pattern of Preparation

1. An Assignment From Birth
   1. “And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.” Luke 1:76-77
   2. John the Baptist would be the forerunner of Jesus.
   3. This was prophesied in the OT in Isaiah 40:3 & Malachi 3:1
   4. “A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert.” - Isaiah 40:3
   5. ““See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in—see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies.” - Malachi 3:1

   6. John’s assignment was one of a kind. But here’s how I’d apply it: What has been spoken over your life? What has been prayed over your life? What assignment were you given?

      1. To the first generation Christian…
      2. To the generational Christian…
      3. To the abused Christian…
      4. To the non-believer…
      5. You have a plan, purpose, and special assignment.
      6. You don’t choose your assignment, you discover it!
      7. A Time In The Wilderness
         1. “The child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” - Luke 1:80
         2. Preparation often starts in the wilderness
         3. God was preparing John, so that John could prepare the way
         4. Do you feel like you are in a season of preparation? What is God preparing you for? Are you in the wilderness?
         5. Story: Jess and I leading up to Boulder.
         6. God is working in the waiting. He is preparing you beyond what you can see. He has not left you.
         7. He never left the wilderness to start his ministry… all who wander aren’t lost. God is with you!

      8. A Call To Fulfill His Assignment

         1. “2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,God’s word came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the vicinity of the Jordan,proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! 5 Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be made low; the crooked will become straight, the rough ways smooth, 6 and everyone will see the salvation of God.” - Luke 3:2-6
         2. Preached Repentance (Luke 3:3)
         3. Preached Sanctification (Holy Interruption/Preparation)
         4. Illust: Preach a John The Baptist Message (5 Min)

      9. Tearing down your idols

      10. Stop robbing God
      11. Carry your cross
      12. Confess your sin and wicked ways
      13. Stop making excuses and start making a difference!

      14. Words are cheap, start living a life that represents the fruit of the spirit!

          5. Baptized Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)
          6. Declared the greatness of God (John 3:22-30)

      15. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” - John 3:30

      16. An Hour Of Doubt

          1. “When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. 2 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” - Matthew 11:1-3
          2. John had unmet expectations

      17. The text doesn’t tell us why, but what if Jesus didn’t want to meet his expectations, because he wanted to exceed them?

          3. “I thought you were gonna…”
          4. Luke 3:16-17 --- Where’s the fire? Where’s the fork? WTF!?
          5. Later, Jesus honors John the Baptist to the crowds. He was the greatest…

Closing: Our Assignment Today

1. Repent and preach repentance

   1. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

   2. Be sanctified

   3. Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.

   4. Make Christ’s name great

   5. “For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.” - 2 Corinthians 4:5

   6. “We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.” - Colossians 1:28-29

He’s coming back, and this time He’s not coming in a manger. This time, He’s not coming back as a baby. He’s coming back as the Lion of Judah, The King of Kings, to bring about His final judgement.

Let us prepare the way for the coming King!

1. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.” - Acts 1:11
2. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. - 1 Corinthians 15:52
3. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. - John 14:3
4. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Call to Salvation

Communion: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”