Prepare the Way
(Matthew 3: 1-12)
Teresa and I really enjoy walking the Larry Scott Trail on a nice day when we are feeling energetic. My goal is to one day walk it to at least as far as Lake Crescent and maybe if I survive that to continue on to the Pacific Ocean once the way has been cleared and prepared for hikers of all ages and conditions. I really like those long straight stretches that have been cleared of rocks and roots shaded by the tall trees that line the trail. They just completed another section that connects to Anderson Lake Road. The way is still being prepared but I’m not sure it will be completed while I can still put one foot in front of the other, but I do appreciate the efforts of those who are making the paths straight and walkable for those who choose to travel that path.
And it’s preparing the way for the Lord, making his paths straight that Matthew has recorded in our gospel reading for this morning. Matthew tells us that in those days, the days before Christ’s coming, that a character known as John the Baptist appeared out of no where in the desert of Judea loudly announcing to anyone who would listen: Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven! He was the one of whom Isaiah the prophet spoke when he said: The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.” Matthew describes John as wearing clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist and eating locusts and wild honey. As I mentioned last Sunday, Teresa and I have been watching a series on tv called The Chosen which is about Christ’s first coming and ministry two thousand years ago. John, Jesus’ cousin, is one of the characters that the writers of the series has developed and brought to life for us viewers. I appreciated the detail they devoted to John including when a pregnant Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, also pregnant, and she felt John leap for joy in her womb when he heard the voice of Mary, the mother of his Lord.
Anyway, Matthew tells us about people from Jerusalem, throughout Judea, and all around the Jordan River coming to John and that as they confessed their sins he baptized them in the Jordan River. The people knew of what the prophets told about the coming Messiah who would save Israel so they were constantly on the lookout for anything that might indicate the coming of this messiah and John sounded like he might know something or even be the one spoken of by the prophets. What is significant about John’s practice of baptizing those who came to him is that the Jews used water baptism to initiate new converts to Judaism. These folks were already Jews so here John’s baptism was used as a sign of repentance and forgiveness, not conversion.
Matthew records that many Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptized by John which is worth noting. These were the Jewish religious experts. The Pharisees made sure all of the Jewish laws were meticulously followed and the Sadducees were the experts on the law of Moses and the first five books of the Old Testament. Why would they need to be baptized if they were already Jewish? Some came out of curiosity, to see for themselves, some may have figured there was no harm in being baptized just in case it was true, and others came looking for anything they could use to discredit John as he did not fit into their idea of what a prophet looked like or spoke. To these John loudly proclaimed: You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. Pretty strong words coming from someone who is preaching forgiveness and the way to a changed life, but you have to remember that John grew up as a young Jewish boy going to Hebrew school and faithfully observing all of the Jewish traditions and customs and, like Jesus, didn’t see how the children of Isreal’s lives were getting any better. And that’s exactly why John was proclaiming the coming of the one who would set all that straight or die trying. John’s very blunt message is one of judgment for those who fail to change their hearts and lives, and the sign of such change would be lives that produce good fruit. He warns those who are listening that the ax is already at the root of the trees, ready to be cut down if they don’t produce good fruit. John openly criticized the Pharisees for being legalistic and hypocritical, following the letter of the law while ignoring its true intent. And he criticized the Sadducees for using their religion to advance their own political positions. Many in the crowd are saying to themselves, and maybe even muttering it out loud, “you tell them John, speak truth to power” but his message isn’t meant just for the neglectful religious leaders, it’s meant for all who have ears which includes others in the crowd and yes, even you and me.
John continues his message by telling the crowd that he baptizes with water those who have changed their hearts and lives, those who have repented of their sins, sought forgiveness for those sins, and desire to lead the life God always intended for them. But he tells them, there is one coming after him who is stronger than he is, and that this one will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will sift the wheat from the husks, bringing the wheat into his barn and burning the husks in a fire that can’t be put out. A pretty graphic illustration but one not lost on any of those who were listening. Some took it to heart and repented while others took offense to being outed, publicly chastised, and consequently doubled down. Yeah, power doesn’t like it when you do that.
As I mentioned, watching The Chosen has helped put a lot of things in perspective regarding Jesus’ ministry which even for us 21st century Christians can be confusing and difficult to wrap our heads around. The first twelve disciples struggled with many of Jesus’ teachings, sermons, and especially his parables and often found themselves wondering where this ministry was heading. Many times, Jesus intimated that he would die but that didn’t make any sense to them when things were just getting started. And I seriously doubt that when John the Baptist announced the coming of the kingdom of heaven, he had any idea that Jesus would meet his fate a short three years later. John may not have realized it but when he talked about preparing the way for the Lord, to make his paths straight, he could have been talking to those of us who were born long after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension up into heaven with a promise to return. Jesus is coming back so it is incumbent upon us to do what we can to prepare the way for the Lord, to make his paths straight. He will come, as we talked about last week, when we least expect it, but not until we’ve done everything within our power and capabilities to prepare the way, to make his path straight and obstruction free starting with baptism.
For John the Baptist and John Wesley, the founder of our Methodist Denomination, the gift of baptism is necessary for all who hear the good news and want to unite with Christ. For Christians, Followers of the Way of Jesus Christ, baptism is the door to Christ’s holy church and a life in Christ. In baptism we are formally rejecting our sins, expressing our belief in God, and publicly stating that we will do all we can to persevere in the Christian faith no matter the challenges, obstacles, and temptations.
John’s appearance as foretold by Isaiah in the wilderness prepares for and anticipates the coming message from Jesus about the kingdom of God not only at some date in the future but beginning here on earth. John Wesley recognized that the kingdom is not barely a future happy state in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth as we prepare the way for the return of our Savior who will come on paths that we and others have made straight. The kingdom of heaven that God refers to is a new world order characterized in all its aspects whether political, social, or economic, subject to God’s justice and righteousness. Make no mistake, God is bringing it about; but God’s people, you and me, are called to pray for it, seek it, and embody its values in all we do and speak.
So, what John was telling those he was baptizing and us through the gospel of Matthew is that the first step in turning to God is to admit your sins, and then God will receive you and help you live the way he wants through the work and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The good news is that we don’t have to clean up our act before we approach him. I even think God might appreciate it even more when we come to him when we are knee-deep in sin because at that point we have come to the realization that God is our only hope. Once we’ve done that God expects us to produce fruit in keeping with our repentance. He will look beyond our words and religious activities to see if our conduct backs up what we say, and he judges our words by the actions that accompany them, begging the questions as to whether or not our actions match our words. If others can’t see our faith in the way we treat them, we may not be the people of God we think we are.
To be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist temptations, actively serve and help others, and share our faith. That’s how we prepare the way and make the paths straight.
Let us pray.
Gracious and glorious God, how grateful we are for the pronouncement of John the Baptist that your kingdom was coming, that it arrived on the very day of your Son’s birth. May we abide by John’s words to prepare the way for his return, to make straight the paths that lead the lost to Christ. Move us by your Spirit to live lives that are of use to you, move us to work for you, to pray to you, and to sing praise to you as we do our part to prepare the way for the return of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. In hope, love, joy, and peace, we pray, Amen.
12/07/25
Prepare the Way
Jesus is coming back so it is incumbent upon us to do what we can to prepare the way for the Lord, to make his paths straight.