John the Baptist told people to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” There’s no record of Jesus walking around saying, “Man, these roads are terrible. Why didn’t anyone fix things up for me?” The preparation he wanted was spiritual instead of physical. Jesus didn’t care about having better roads to walk on, but he did care about people having better hearts to receive him.

Table of contentsThe Old Testament Prophesied a King Was ComingWhen Kings CameIs This What Jesus Really Wanted?Jesus Wants Heart Construction Versus Road ConstructionPrepare the Way of the Lord by RepentingPrepare the Way of the Lord By Providing a Straight PathPrepare the Way of the Lord By Being JoyfulPreach to Your SoulThe Joy of ChristmasPrepare the Way of the Lord By Being HumblePrepare the Way of the Lord By Acting JustlyPrepare the Way of the Lord By Smoothing Out Rough EdgesSeeing Jesus Is Seeing "the Salvation of God"Jesus' Robe, Crown, Scepter, and Servants

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John the Baptist told people to “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Jesus wanted people to prepare for him spiritually versus physically.

On November 30th, Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida and presidential candidate, debated Gavin Newsom, governor of California. Governor DeSantis criticized how Governor Newsom prepared San Francisco for China’s president, Xi Jinping’s, visit. Governor DeSantis held up a map of San Francisco that showed areas Governor Newsom wanted cleaned up. Because it is so disgusting, I won’t tell you what Governor Newsom wanted cleaned up from the streets of San Francisco, but I will read part of what Governor DeSantis said:

“When a communist dictator [came] to town. Then [Governor Newsom] cleaned up the streets. [He] lined the streets with Chinese flags. [He] didn’t put American flags there. [He] cleaned everything up. So, [he’s] willing to do it for a communist dictator, but [he’s] not willing to do it for [his] own people.”

Governor DeSantis was upset Governor Newsom prepared San Francisco for a Chinese president, but not for the American people. I mention this because it is a present-day example of the practice described in this morning’s verses: preparing for the arrival of an important or powerful person. In our day, we do it for presidents, and in the ancient world, they did it for kings.

The Old Testament Prophesied a King Was Coming

When Jacob was blessing his twelve sons, he said to Judah:

Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

In ancient times, scepters represented a ruler or king’s power. This is a prophecy a king would come from the tribe of Judah. Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy, which is why he’s called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. We learn more in David’s day when God made a covenant with him about his son:

2 Samuel 7:13 I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son…16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

Jesus fulfills this prophecy, so he’s also called the Son of David. Listen to the way the angel Gabriel described Jesus’ birth to Mary:

Luke 1:32b The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Gabriel told Mary that Jesus’ birth was the coming of the prophesied King.

When Kings Came

The Old Testament also prophesied what people were supposed to do when that King came:

Isaiah 40:3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.”