Getting Ready
Graham Walker
Our study passage this morning is looking at John the Baptist and how he prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry on Earth and the underlying question:
‘How are we waiting for the Messiah?’
John the Baptist’s sole role was to make ready for Jesus as he prepared the way for the grown up Jesus to now start His ministry. He was to preach the way of repentance and then he was to fade from the scene to be replaced by the One for whom he had prepared the way. We know that this would happen in a dramatic fashion when he was eventually arrested and taken to prison and at the whim of a young girl, beheaded for her pleasure. John the Baptist epitomised all that a true believer should be and is an example of what true Christian sacrifice is. After a period of waiting, he was prepared to give everything as long as Jesus was left as the focus of attention and the one to whom the people could come and hear and find salvation.
I wonder how good are you at waiting? I’m not very good at it I have to admit, in fact I’m rather impatient and Ann has always said that queues and I don’t mix too well! Whether that’s in a supermarket or on the road, my main goal is to get to the journey end or the checkout in the shortest possible time as otherwise I am just wasting time which doesn’t sit well with me. I guess we all have a little of that in us from the earliest age and is often best demonstrated when we set out on a long journey to go on holiday or somewhere and our children pipe up from the back seat ‘are we there yet?’ Given that we’ve only been going 15mins doesn’t seem to register with them, they just want to get to there as soon as possible. Similarly with birthdays or Christmas the countdown of the days seem to be endless for those in a hurry to get to that day and sometimes it seems like it will never arrive. So patience is a virtue, as they say, and of course it is a fruit of the Spirit and if we are overly impatient then perhaps it’s something we need to reassess and perhaps how we discipline ourselves to have more patience, particularly when we are in a hurry!
Of course we have all had to exercise much patience when it comes to how we have dealt with the situation we have all found ourselves in this year! No doubt some will have managed this better than others, probably because they are prepared to be more patient, but there is no doubt the virus has suddenly brought about restrictions that would never have been envisaged a year ago and regimes that we have never had to deal with before, and it has literally turned our lives upside down! We are all waiting and longing for when we can get back to normal and of course now the vaccine has been announced we can perhaps see a little light at the end of the tunnel and that getting there – although not quick enough for us impatient ones – at least lies within reach.
So why do I mention this specific trait of character and what has patience to do with Advent? Well as we are focusing our thoughts on these last few weeks leading up to Christmas it occurred to me that patience and getting ready are certainly a very large part of Advent and impacts us greatly as we look at what Advent is and how it applies to not just Christmas and Jesus’ birth, but to something just as important for believing Christians.
Advent means the arrival of a person or an event for which we are to prepare and so the advent period is all about getting ready. If we are preparing for something, a holiday or trip then we need to pack and make sure we have everything we need for that particular journey or if we are to play a game of football or rugby similarly we need to have our kit and boots to the ready or we will look pretty foolish trying to play in our normal clothes and shoes especially as we keep slipping over every time we try and kick the ball. So getting ready or being ready is the urgency we need, but then comes the wait coupled with the patience needed and therein lies the key.
Look at Isaiah 9:6 (TNIV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
When that promise was given to Isaiah, I wonder what his thoughts were? This is great news for the people, can I hazard a guess as to how long this will be as I don’t want to give them false hope after all? Shall I take a guess that it will be soon then, as God has given me this revelation? Well obviously, I don’t know what he thought, and he certainly did not predict a time when this would happen, but what I do know is that what he announced at that time wouldn’t actually take place for another 740 years. Now that’s some wait.
And then there was Micah 5:2 (TNIV) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
When Micah made this announcement, yes you guessed it, it would be 700 years before it would come to pass and even when Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she would conceive a son by The Holy Spirit and He would be born Saviour of the world, there was still 9 months to wait!
So why were God’s messengers warned to get ready so early? Simply because it was so important God wanted them to look forward to this historic event and make sure that it didn’t come as a surprise, that it wouldn’t catch them out. After all, He was going to make peace between God and man through this very special gift, and as Christmas approaches again this year we get ready to look back at that marvellous event of some 2000 years ago to remind ourselves that this was a world changing event. It was nothing to do with climate change, the great reset or anything else other than the means of bringing Salvation to the world, a world that before this had no hope, other than that one day God had promised that He was sending His son to save us from our sin and a lost eternity.
But there is another reason, as I said earlier, that we need to be ready. We also need to get ready for another event and that is; He’s coming back again! Now we are back in Isaiah’s shoes because that prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled yet even after 2000 years or so, but just as God wanted to prepare His people to be ready for Jesus the first time round, so we need to be ready for Jesus’ return.
Look at Acts 1:11 (TNIV) “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
We know of course though that this time when Jesus returns to the Earth in a physical recognisable form, He won’t come as a baby, only revealed to a select few shepherds and later wise men from the east. No He will come as a victorious King riding on a white horse and given the name which is above every name – Wonderful, Counsellor Almighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace. There won’t be any discussion or debate on that day. Make no mistake there won’t be any cynics questioning whether this really can be The Son of God, or is He really the One who created the world and the universe and all that is in it; or the news readers placing their spin on the emerging news of the return of Christ and can this really be what was promised in the Bible; there won’t be any political manifestations appearing to explain the reasoning behind the return or what this will mean in political terms from both sides of the house or perhaps best of all there won’t be a ‘David Attenborough’ moment, with an analogy of just what this means to the planet and how we should take note of billions of years of evolution! NO! Thankfully there will be none of that because for once and for all, the doubters, the cynics and the enemies of Christ will know their number is up and time has been called and the time for Gods reign of peace and joy to the earth will finally come upon us. For on that day as we all know – ‘Every knee shall bow.’
Philippians 2:9 (TNIV) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So as we consider looking back and preparing to celebrate once again the gift of the Saviour given at this Christmas time, as we celebrate giving gifts to one another and particularly to our children, we are reminding ourselves of the wonderful gift given to all mankind that allows us to look forward to a heritage in glory with Him. I don’t know if you ever think about that, but do you ever try and imagine what it will be like in heaven living with almighty God with Jesus on His throne and the Holy Spirit’s presence with us always? It’s difficult isn’t it? I have sometimes imagined Heaven as a large church and I mean a big one and down the front would be the Spurgeon’s, Whitefield’s, The Wesley’s’, the Calvin’s, the Luther’s, the Tinsdale’s and the Henry’s and they would be joined by the Swindoll’s and the MacArthur’s and myriads of other faithful Ministers and Pastors who have devoted their lives to the ministry of His Word. And of course there would be the martyrs, the saints who have given their lives for their Saviour dressed in white robes and with a crown of righteousness placed on their heads and those who have been in missionary work all their lives and those who had given up so much to serve Him. Then there would be the masses in tiered rows right up to where I would be at the back, I’d have a great view but could look on from the back row and see this wonderful service taking place and I’d just be glad to be in, even if only on the door, I was in and that to me is the only thing that mattered!
I don’t know what you think Heaven will be like, but it is promised for those of us that simply believe on His name and confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and that the baby born in a stable is the sole reason I am able to say I will be one of those, only saved by grace because I couldn’t have done it myself for I know me and I know I am not worthy. But because of Him and what he did for me at Calvary I can be in and I can have life and I can have that life more abundantly!
Romans 10:9 (TNIV) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
John 10:10 (KJV) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Every year that goes by is another year closer to His return and just like those who heard Isaiah and thought – how long? 740 years or like Mary from an angel with only 9 months to wait, let me ask you, are you ready for His return? Are we impatiently waiting or are you not ready? Are there things in our lives we haven’t dealt with or maybe you are reading this and realising that – well Christmas is a nice time for the family and getting together and enjoying one another’s company (bubbles allowing) but other than that – well Jesus, a baby, salvation not sure about all that? Well let me finish by inviting you to see this Christmas as something different, a time when you realised that you had been waiting, but you were not ready and now you can be made ready through believing on Him and asking Him to forgive you for the things you have done wrong and asking Him to come into your life in a very real way. As a result you can be ready for when you meet Him face to face, because He has covered all your sin and blotted them out forever. Now there’s a Christmas present to savour and therein lies a life which can prepare and be ready for that great day when He comes back again.
And for those of us who perhaps are ready and maybe a little impatient for Him to return because we wonder how much longer before all the sin and wrong doing and evil in the world can be dealt with – so much suffering that goes on every day can be ended, we just need to remember what it says in 2 Peter:
2 Peter 3:9 (TNIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
So we must above all be patient He is coming He’s not slow. He’s not coming back yet because there are people who still need to be rescued to be saved and He’s being patient with us giving us more time to get ready. So let’s make good use of that time we have left before He comes or calls and make sure we are doing all we can to be ready, waiting and faithful. What’s more never doubt that one day He will come again, (check the Scriptures from time to time) and then what a glorious day that will be.
Even so Lord Jesus Come!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you that we can come to you and speak with you because You sent the Lord Jesus Christ to be The Saviour of the world and that although He came as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, He, as grown man was to be the greatest sacrifice this world has ever seen, for he would save His people from their sins. We want to thank you that as we approach the end of this fairly challenging year in so many respects, we can still know the joy of this Christmas time because it reminds us of the hope that is within us, a hope that means we will one day have eternal rest in Him. That we can continue to trust and obey and wait, for we know one day He is coming again and that this time every eye shall see Him as He is and all will acknowledge that He is Lord and that He IS the Saviour of the world. Thank you Father, Thank you Jesus, Thank you Holy Spirit, three in One.
Lyrics
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When your face is before me
I can only imagine
I can only imagine, yeah
Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus
Or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in your presence
To my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah
Will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the sun
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
Surrounded by your glory
What will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus
Living
He loved me
Or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in your presence
Or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing…
One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin—
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming—O glorious day!
One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree;
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected;
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He.
One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Saviour is He.
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door;
Then He arose, over death He had conquered;
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore.
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved ones bringing;
Glorious Saviour, this Jesus is mine!