September 05, 2018
I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:
TO REVEAL HIS GLORY
Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
If you have ever heard Handel’s Messiah, much of this passage is in it. If you have never heard it, or never heard an accomplished choir and orchestra sing it, then you need to. This passage is a prophetic statement describing John, the forerunner of Jesus, and of Jesus the coming Messiah.
John was to “prepare ye the way of the LORD”, and to “make straight in the desert a highway for our God”. His ministry was to lead men to Jesus, to make the way clear. He was not to beat around the bush, mimic what modern day religionists were doing, and formulate a user-friendly path to self-fulfillment. John was to give the truth boldly, clearly, and without question. He was to clear the path and pave the way for Jesus to come to man. Then when Jesus came, His glory was revealed.
It is important for us to understand that although John’s job was to prepare the way for Jesus to come to man, our job is to prepare the way for man to come to Jesus. We are to make the way clear, and “make straight” in today’s culture, the truth of the Gospel. You see, John prepared the way for Christ to come, and Jesus came, now it is our job to teach men the way to come to Jesus.
Let me make this clear:
1. John told mankind that Jesus was coming
2. Jesus came
3. We are to tell mankind that Jesus is coming back
How did John share the news of a Savior coming to die? Verse three says “the voice of him that crieth”. John used his voice. He “told”. That is what we are supposed to do. Remember:
* Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
When we reveal God to others, His glory takes care of the rest!