Be Prepared
I recently wrote a post about being pre-prayered for what God has for us to do. This concept, introduced to me in a Christmas letter, made quite an impression on me. As I was reading Luke 1 a verse there also startled me a little. Luke 1:17, speaking of John the Baptist, says, ” and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Elijah was an Old Testament prophet assigned to speak to the Israelites about giving up their idols so they would be prepared for God’s judgment if they continued to refuse. They had abandoned God’s commands and were not worshipping God but were serving another god. It was Elijah’s job to point out their sin and show them how foolish they were being by following a god that was powerless. (1 Kings 17 – 18)
In the same way John the Baptist was to go before Jesus to preach repentance. In Mark 1:4 we learn that, “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” John was pointing people to their sin and need for forgiveness just as Elijah was teaching people to repent of following idols.
These two men were servants of God that had a work for God that “would make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” What was the preparation? I think that it is to recognize our sin. If we do not know we are sinners why would we think we need a Savior? Step one in being prepared for God is to humbly admit that we have sinned and continue to sin.
Without Jesus and without His work on the cross that paid the penalty for our sin (Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death) we would be lost, spending our eternity in hell. I do not want that for me and I do not want that for you or anyone else.
This may seem like such a negative thing but it is a very positive thing to see ourselves as we really are. It gives us a picture of God’s grace. In His grace He forgives us when we turn from our sin and ask Him to take the penalty. It almost seems to too easy. “Repent and believe.” Most of us have heard this truth about the sacrifice of Jesus being the punishment for our sin but still believe that we need to do a certain amount of good works to really win God’s favor. Not true. As it was with Abraham so it is for us. He was justified (made right before God) by His faith.
So, we are in one of two positions right now. Either we are in our sin, not wanting to admit that we are sinners in spite of what the Bible says. (Romans 3:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.) This position is the unprepared for judgment position.
The second position is the prepared position. Ready for judgment because of belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we arrive for judgment the Lord will look at us but see us covered by the blood of Christ – this is good. The penalty is paid and we will be in heaven with God for eternity.
Both positions carry a responsibility. The first needs to get prepared. This requires the admission and confession of sin and faith in the death of Christ as covering our sin debt. The next step is to live guilt free for past sin and grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord through His Word.
The responsibility of the second position is to tell about our faith. Romans 10:13 – 14 says, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
Like Elijah and John the Baptist, if we are prepared it is our assignment to give others what they need to know so that they can be a people prepared.