CALLED TO PREPARE
One of the contemporary dramatic presentations on the life and the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ, “Godspell”, made the call of John the Baptist into a
popular song entitled “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.” I was intrigued by
this phrasing.
Indeed, John the Baptist is one of the people who come before the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the one who introduces Jesus Christ and the purpose of His
ministry with these words “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world”(John 1:29b). He baptizes the Lord Jesus Christ and when Jesus comes
from the water, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove comes upon him and God
the Father declares, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Mt.
3:17b).
When there is a confusion of identity, when people believe that he might be
the Messiah, John is very clear and says, I am the voice crying in the
wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord ……….” (Luke 3:4c). John prepared
the way of Jesus Christ and confronted the evil ways of the reigning monarchs.
Because of his forthrightness he ended up being beheaded by the order of Herod.
During the Holy Week, Jesus says to Peter and John “Go and make preparations
for us to eat the Passover.” (Luke 22:8) When they inquire as to the location,
Jesus gives them details. They are to follow a man carrying a jar of water.
He has already furnished an upper room for Jesus. In that room, Peter and John
have to prepare the Passover. When the Passover meal started Jesus tells them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” In
the minds of Peter and John this was something that they have done for the Lord
Jesus Christ which he enjoyed thoroughly before His suffering.
On Easter morning, some of the women who followed Jesus Christ from Galilee
go to the tomb with the spices they have prepared for His body. They wanted
the Lord Jesus Christ to have a proper burial. Instead of finding the body of
Jesus Christ they found an empty tomb. The angels told them that “He is not
here; He has risen, from the dead (Luke 24:6). God blessed their preparations
by making them the messengers of the greatest message that the world has ever
heard; He is not here: He is risen!
All these people were involved in preparations. John the Baptist prepared
the way of the Lord, John and Peter prepared a Passover meal for their Lord,
and the women prepared spices. Jesus welcomed them and appreciated what each
one of them did for Him.
Jesus still calls people to prepare for Him. In one of the parables He
tells us that whenever we have done things for the least of His disciples we
have done it for Him. I am always fascinated by how people come to know the
Lord. Paul writes: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it
grow” (1Cor. 3:6). George Barna tells us that before a person comes to a
saving knowledge of the Lord, there are at least ten encounters with people of
faith. Hearts have to be prepared for the Lord. The Holy Spirit is doing His
work and we have to do our preparatory work.
In this season when our minds and hearts are focused on the redeeming
ministry of Jesus Christ, has He asked you to prepare something for Him? He is
very specific about what He wants you to do for Him. Listen to Him and then go
and do it.
