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John the Baptist and the Way of the Lord
Scripture Focus: Luke 1:13–17, Mark 1:1–8, Isaiah 40:3
We can see that over and over again that every great move of God begins with preparation. Before Jesus stepped into His public ministry, before He preached, healed, or called His disciples God had sent a forerunner. John the Baptist was that voice crying in the wilderness, who was the one chosen to prepare the way for the Lord. Isaiah 40:3
The more familiar you become with the bible you will notice there is a theme of preparation that is woven all throughout Scripture. God will rarely move suddenly; everything He does is strategic. He will not just send His presence but He will prepare our hearts to receive it. And just as God prepared the world for Christ’s first coming through John, He still calls us to prepare our hearts to receive Him anew today. Romans 12:2
A Promise in the Wilderness
The story of John’s birth was miraculous all by itself. His parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were righteous followers of God. However they were childless and well advanced in years. One day, as Zechariah served in the temple, the angel Gabriel appeared and declared:
“Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John… and he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:13–17).
John was sent on a mission that was made clear even before he was born. He was sent to awaken hearts, call people to repentance, and prepare them to be prepared for the coming Messiah. The message he was given was simple yet powerful “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2).
In most cases repentance isn’t a word that gets associated with Christmas. However, repentance is an essential when trying to experience the full joy of Christ’s coming. True repentance is not merely feeling sorry for our sin but turning back toward God. Making sure we align our hearts with His will so that we can fully receive His grace. Ephesians 2:8-9
Preparing the Way — A Call to Readiness
Isaiah had prophesied hundreds of years earlier:
“A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3).
In the past, when a king planned to visit a city, he would send messengers ahead to clear the roads and make a straight path for his arrival. They would remove rocks, valleys were filled, and obstacles leveled. Spiritually, John’s message represented, a call to clear away the obstacles in our hearts so that the King could come in unhindered. Proverbs 3:6
Before Jesus could bring salvation to the world, hearts had to be ready to receive Him. John’s baptism symbolized cleansing, they were a public confession that people were turning from sin to prepare for something greater. Mark 1:4
You can see it even today, God calls His people to be spiritually ready. We can’t experience the full meaning of Christmas if our hearts are cluttered with pride, busyness, or bitterness. The same God who sent John to prepare the world for Jesus’ first coming is calling His people now to prepare for His presence in their lives, and for His return. Hebrews 9:28
A Voice in the Wilderness
John the Baptist’s ministry didn’t take place in a palace or a synagogue but in the wilderness, a barren, uncomfortable place far from the noise of the city. Yet it was there that crowds came, drawn not by spectacle but by conviction.
The wilderness has always been a place of preparation. Moses met God in the wilderness. (Exodus 3:1-7) Israel was refined there for forty years. (Deuteronomy 8:2) Jesus Himself would be tested there after His baptism. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Sometimes God must lead us into seasons of “wilderness” it might be quiet, uncomfortable, sometimes feeling overwhelming. This helps “chaos” helps to prepare our hearts for something greater. It’s in those moments that our faith is purified, our pride is confronted, allowing our dependence on God to deepen. (Isaiah 43:2)
John’s wilderness message reminds us: God often prepares us privately before He reveals us publicly. He forms the heart before He sends the calling.
Pointing to the One Who Is Greater
John’s greatness was not in his fame but in his humility. When people tried to elevate him, he continually pointed away from himself:
“After me comes one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie” (Mark 1:7).
John understood his purpose, he was the voice, not the Word; the messenger, not the Messiah. His role was to direct attention to Jesus, not to himself.
This is the essence of spiritual preparation: less of me, more of Him. In John 3:30, he declared,
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Those seven words are the heartbeat of every true disciple. As we prepare our hearts this season, we too must decrease. We need to make sure we are letting go of self-sufficiency, pride, and distraction so that Christ can increase within us. I know that this time of year can lend to many different appealing distractions. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Preparing Your Heart This Christmas
As Christmas approaches, ask yourself: what would it look like to “prepare the way” for Jesus in your own life?
Maybe it means making space for quiet reflection instead of rushing through the season.
Maybe it means forgiving someone you’ve held bitterness toward.
Maybe it means returning to a daily habit of prayer or Scripture.
Whatever it looks like, preparation always begins with humility, a willingness to turn from what hinders you and return to the heart of God.
When you prepare room for Him, He fills it with peace, joy, and power. (Psalm 16:11)
Reflection for the Week
- What “wilderness” moments in your life has God used to prepare you for His purpose?
- What areas of your heart need to be made ready for Jesus this Christmas?
- How can you, like John, point others toward Christ this season?
Personal Application
Take time this week to slow down, pray, read, meditate and reflect. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything that’s crowding your heart; any worry, resentment, distraction and invite Him to clear the way for Jesus.
Each morning, pray this simple prayer of preparation:
“Lord, prepare my heart for You. Make straight the path of my soul. Remove what hinders me from hearing Your voice, and let my life point others to You.”
You’ll find that as you do, you’ll discover what John the Baptist understood so well. The greatest joy in life is not being the center of the story, but preparing the way for the King. As you wait, worship because the same God who brought light to Bethlehem will bring light to your path. John 8:12
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, from the very beginning You planned a way back for us. Thank You that when sin entered the world, Your mercy rose to meet it.
I praise You for the promise of Jesus—my Redeemer, my rescue, my hope.
Open my eyes this week to recognize the depth of Your love woven through Scripture from Genesis to the manger. Let my heart rest in the truth that You have always been working, even when humanity failed, even when I failed.
Strengthen my trust in Your plan and anchor my hope in Your Son, the One who crushes the enemy and brings life. In Jesus Name Amen
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