Joy in the Journey: Advent's Promise of Hope
Advent • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsBig Idea: As we journey through Advent, let us intentionally prepare our hearts for the arrival of Christ, knowing that genuine joy comes when we remove obstacles and embrace the hope He brings to our lives. Summary: Isaiah 40:3-5 serves as a powerful announcement of God's intention to bring comfort and joy to His people. The verses depict a divine plan to prepare hearts and lives for an encounter with God, emphasizing that His glory is present even in our preparation. This message encourages believers that they are not alone in their struggles, highlighting the significance of actively engaging in the process of spiritual preparation during the Advent season.
Notes
Transcript
SLIDE: Bible Passage: Isaiah 40:3–5
Isaiah 40:3–5 (NLT)
3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
SLIDE: verse 4
4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
SLIDE: verse 5
5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
SLIDE: Title
Introduction
Introduction
Isaiah 40:3-5 serves as a powerful announcement of God's intention to bring comfort and joy to His people. The verses depict a divine plan to prepare hearts and lives for an encounter with God, emphasizing that His glory is present even in our preparation. Isaiah’s message encourages us that we are not alone in our struggles, highlighting the significance of actively engaging in the process of spiritual preparation during the Advent season.
A member of the first church I pastored: Shared that instead of baking cookies during Advent, their family started a tradition of making ornaments with scriptures on them. They’d tell stories from the Bible as they crafted. It became a joyous gathering where laughter and joy filled the air. It reminded them that spiritual preparation is as much about community and joy as it is about solemnity. It’s amazing how a touch of creativity and light-heartedness can elevate our spiritual preparations!
Today our teaching centers on the importance of preparation in our faith journey. It reveals that our anticipation of Christ's coming should motivate us to clear away the distractions that hinder our relationship with God, fostering an environment where joy can flourish.
SLIDE: Mark Lowry - Walmart Commercial
Imagine sitting down to a heartfelt prayer, when Bill Gaither sees that Walmart commercial pop up on TV and suddenly Bill ‘hangs up on God’. We chuckle, realizing the TV had hijacked the prayer.
Similarly, when distractions take over in our own life, our deeper connections fade. Just like Bill should have turned off or muted the TV for the prayer: We need to silence life’s noise (or distractions) to hear God’s whisper and nurture our relationships!
Especially, this time of year when things and people distract even more than other times of the year. We need to focus on the hope, peace, joy and love that the Christ Child brought and Jesus brings to us.
SLIDE: Title
Just like Isaiah’s passage foreshadows the coming of Christ, who paves the way for a deeper relationship between God and humanity. In Jesus, we see the fulfillment of the promise that God's glory is revealed, bringing hope and joy into our lives as we prepare our hearts for Him.
Every year, I get excited about planting a garden. I start by clearing weeds and preparing the soil, ensuring it’s perfect for growth. In the same way, preparing our hearts for Christ’s arrival requires us to remove distractions and negativity to make room for His love and grace. When we cultivate a heart ready for Him, our lives become a beautiful garden of faith!
As we journey through Advent, let us intentionally prepare our hearts for the arrival of Christ, knowing that genuine joy comes when we remove obstacles and embrace the hope He brings to our lives.
Traditional history records Isaiah served as a prophet from 742 BC to 702 BC. 2 Isaiah lived during the time of Israel's defeat and destruction by Assyria in 731 BC. In particular, Isaiah recorded the defeat of the Assyrian army in the attempt to capture Jerusalem. Isaiah penned many passages that point to such New Testament concepts as the virgin birth, the incarnation of God on earth, and the coming of the messiah.
In one sense we are like the Israelites of Isaiah’s time. Where we live is not our ultimate home, so in some ways we too are captives in a modern society that increasingly has animosity to God and we as believers.
In the depth of winter, trees appear dead and barren. Yet, they prepare beneath the surface for the coming spring. Their roots grow deeper and stronger, drawing up nutrients for new life. Just as nature prepares in silence, we are often called to prepare our hearts in the quiet seasons of life, trusting that God is working within us for a future full of hope. Our circumstances may seem bleak, but we know that with God, spring always comes.
It is in this context that we need to experience Isaiah’s words, as we anticipate the soon return of of Jesus to claim His Bride (the Church).
During a snowstorm, a road becomes impassable, with piled snow blocking the way. A snowplow works tirelessly, clearing the route so that vehicles can travel safely again. This is what our preparation looks like; as we clear away the snowdrifts of our life—worries, distractions, and noise—we make way for the Lord to travel through our hearts. He can then lead us through the storm to brighter days ahead.
If we clear away the distractions: We can see in an unveiled manner the themes of hope and preparation were understood by the original audience. Doing so can shed light on the transformative power of waiting and preparation in our own lives.
Main Teaching
Main Teaching
1. Prepare the Path
1. Prepare the Path
Isaiah 40:3 (NLT)
3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
These words foreshadow the words and actions of John the Baptist: They cause us to reflect on the call to prepare the way for the Lord as an invitation to clear our lives of the distractions and obstacles that prevent us from experiencing God’s joy and presence.
I once watched a child prepare for a magic show, practicing every trick, excitedly creating the perfect atmosphere. Advent invites us to be like this child, setting the stage in our hearts for God’s miraculous work. A heart ready to be cleansed and renewed is like a magician’s stage: filled with anticipation and possibility. This season, let’s prepare our hearts, like children, ready for the most amazing show of divine love and transformation!
This preparation is not just an action but a heart posture, readying ourselves for the cleansing and renewal that God desires to perform in us during Advent.
2. Perfect the Way
2. Perfect the Way
Isaiah 40:4 (NLT)
4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
A woman once faced the daunting task of climbing a steep, rocky mountain. As she assessed the climb, fear gripped her heart at the thought of failure. Yet, she remembered that she had a trusted guide who had navigated these mountains before. With each step, she leaned on his expertise. For us, God is our guide through life's mountains. When we confront challenges that seem insurmountable, we must remember to rely on His strength, for He is capable of moving mountains in our lives.
Perhaps we can see this verse as a vivid illustration of the transformative power of God. He desires to make the crooked paths straight and the rough places smooth within us. This invites us to reflect on areas in our lives where we need to allow God to bring change, encouraging us to hope in His ability to transform the seemingly insurmountable challenges we face.
3. Proclaim His Glory
3. Proclaim His Glory
Isaiah 40:5 (NLT)
5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”
While I was still in high school my parents decided to throw me a surprise birthday party on our cabin cruiser. My Dad told me in advance about the party, and told me that Barbara (a girl living down the street, whom I had a crush on) would be in attendance. Imagine you are waiting for a big surprise party. The excitement keeps you on your toes, wondering what’s coming next. Building and building the excitement continues.
Advent is like that anticipation! Just as we look forward to the joy of a celebration, we should eagerly await God’s work in our lives. Each day, we can open our hearts and be ready for the wonderful surprises He has in store for us!
Maybe this can remind us that as we prepare our hearts and invite God’s transformative power into our lives, we can expect to see His glory revealed. The promise of God’s glory is not just a future hope but a present reality that brings joy and hope as we journey through Advent, urging us to live with anticipation and openness to God’s work.
Conclusion
Conclusion
During a camping trip, a group of friends decided to have a 'fire pit worship' evening. They roasted marshmallows while singing hymns and sharing stories of God’s goodness. With laughter and joy around the fire, they were reminded how proactive preparation allowed them to create an atmosphere for God’s glory in their hearts. Sometimes, it’s the little, fun moments that invite the biggest blessings!
Today, I encourage you to focus on your spiritual preparation and to be proactive in creating space for God’s joy and glory in your life. By removing distractions and barriers, you open yourselves up to experience a deeper connection with God, leading to joy and fulfillment even in the midst of trials.
Amen:
Let’s Pray!
SLIDE: Prayer
