The True Light from John 1

Today I am commenting on John 1:1-14, which reads:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.

The older I get, the more I appreciate light, probably because the older I get the worse my eyesight gets also. Despite that, I believe that light has some powerful attributes.

First, light reveals. I remember riding in an MRAP through Camp Victory, Iraq after arriving back on base from battlefield circulation after dark. The darkness hid much of the grittiness of Camp Victory, and the glowing pools of the security lights reminded me of Christmas illuminations. By day, the true nature of the base, which bore no resemblance to Christmas decorations, was revealed for all to see!

Light also purifies. In the days of sailing ships, captains had their crews hang their bed sheets from the rigging from time to time. Not only did this "air-out" the bedding, but the sunlight also killed germs found in the bed clothes.

Light gives security. Not only does security lighting help people escape from a building that has caught fire or has been damaged by a storm, but security lighting also helps ward off robbers or others with criminal intent.

As wonderful as physical light is, the Light of the World is infinitely more wonderful. The Apostle John wrote of this Light in opening passages of his gospel. God used John to reveal some powerful facts about the spiritual Light in our lives:

The True Light is Unique

The world has seen many prophets and religious leaders. The three great monotheistic faiths of the the world, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a reverence and appreciation for many of the same prophets, but the True Light, that is, Jesus, is unique.

Other prophets and spiritual leaders spoke about God, but Jesus claimed to be God.

Only Jesus was God Incarnate, who came to live among us.

Only Jesus lived a perfect life and died for the sins of the world.

Only Jesus rose again to sit at the right hand of the Father from whence He will come again to judge the world and take God's people home to be with Him.

The True Light is like no one who ever lived before or since. He is the uniquely begotten Son of God.

The True Light is the Word

As I said above, physical light reveals, and the Incarnate Word is the best revelation of God. As John wrote just a few verses later, no one had ever seen God, but when the Light came, He revealed God to people in a way never seen before or since. In this way, the True Light enlightens everyone who turns to the Word to learn about God. And not only does this enlightenment affect our intellect, but also our hearts and our way of life. The True Light transforms every life that turns to Him for insight and guidance.

The True Light is the Creator

When people create something, they own the rights to it. When TV producers  create a new show, they own the rights to it. When restaurants create new dishes, they own the right to them. When entrepreneurs create new businesses, they own the businesses. Therefore it follows that the creator of the world owns the world.

The True Light is the Creator of the World, and therefore the True Light owns it, He is sovereign, and He is Lord. He has the right to determine how the world works, and what is right and what is wrong. The True Light is Lord of all, and people need to recognize that. John certainly did!

The True Light is our Savior

In the same way that sunlight killed the germs in sailors' bedding, the True Light has killed the consequences of our sin. As Romans 6 tells us,"for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Our bodies were equipped by God with natural defenses against germs. Our immune system can detect and defeat illnesses and our body can regenerate and repair itself after injuries. Sadly, our spiritual selves are not nearly as resilient. Sin is a fatal spiritual illness unless there is outside intervention. Thanks be to God, the True Light came to save us from our sin!

The True Light is for All People

Sin is one of the most democratic of factor in all of life. Again as Romans teaches, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Isaiah 64:6 states the universality of our sinful state plainly, and even plaintively: "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

The only other condition that is as universal as sin is the availability of salvation from that sin through the True Light. As John recorded in the third chapter of his gospel, Jesus told Nicodemus, “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

To have access to such salvation, one does not have to be a member of any specific tribe or tongue or race. The salvation provided by the true light is available to all who believe. This is why John in the Book of Revelation could write this vision of heaven: "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'”

The True Light is Glorious

As much as I enjoy the blessings of natural light, it should be easy to see that the True Light is far more glorious, glorious to an extant that it is beyond the human mind to grasp, much less describe. It is this glorious True Light that we worship, and it is this glorious True Light that we should dedicate ourselves to serve!

Conclusion

My wife and I once visited Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. While deep underground in a cave, our guide switched off the lights. I have never experienced such absolute darkness! Next, our guide lit a single match and it was as if the Sun itself had been transported into the cavern. It was amazing how much light came from a single candle-power flame. Light is the master of darkness in both the physical and spiritual realms. The True Light is our Savior, our Master, and Our Lord!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

The Gracious Deeds of the Lord from Isaiah 63

Today I am commenting on Isaiah 63:7-9:

I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, because of all that the LORD has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, "Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely"; and he became their savior in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

When I was a child, many boys would be playing with a new GI Joe on the first Sunday after Christmas. To make sure that no one was offended, GI Joe was not marketed as a "doll" but as an "Action Figure." Indeed, the name for a GI Joe-type action figure in the United Kingdom was Action Man which was less militaristic but apparently as equally adrenaline-producing for young males. "Action" was a key concept in marketing those toys on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Action, however, is a key element in life as well as a marketing strategy. As the motto of one transportation company says, "Nothing happens until something moves!" The best of intentions does not one any good unless they are acted upon. As Isaiah teaches us today, our God is not just a God of good intentions, but he is an Action God. Let's look at that concept more closely:

God has Graciously Adopted Us

While birthing a child is a natural process, adoption is act in which one consciously decided to make someone who is not a natural child a part on the family. We are probably all familiar with the story of young girl who was being cruelly teased by other children for being adopted. She resiliently and wisely retorted, "My parents actually chose me! Yours had to take what they got!"

In our natural state we are estranged from God and we are like foreigners to him. This is a major theme of the Book of Ephesians. For example, Paul wrote in Ephesian 2:12, "At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." What dismal and discouraging prospects!

Thanks be to God, He acted. He sent Jesus to redeem us and allow us to become part of the Family of God! In the very next verse Paul continued, "But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. For He is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility . . . When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone." (Eph 2:13 & 17-20)

One of the most praiseworthy deeds of our God was to adopt us into His Family!

God has Graciously Redeemed Us

The Book of Ruth is a great love story. The scope of this love story isn't limited to just the relationship between Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi. We do get that famous passage which we often adapt for weddings, in which Ruth says, "Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” After all, Ruth knew Naomi well, and had many years in which to come to love her. No, the greatest love story in the Book of Ruth is the story of Boaz as Kinsman Redeemer.

Provisions in the Law of Moses required the nearest male relative of an Israelite to assist that person in need. If someone was indebted, for example, and had sold them self as a slave, then the kinsman redeemer would have to buy them out of slavery if he could. It is interesting to note that the fiduciary benefit to the kinsman redeemer for doing this was very limited. It was really an act of love that originated in the heart of the kinsman redeemer, and so it was with Boaz. He did not know Ruth, and yet he welcomed her into his family and, by extension, took on the burden of caring for Naomi as well.

Jesus is our Kinsman Redeemer. His sacrifice for us on the cross defeated death, and Hell, and allowed us to be redeemed from out slavery to sin. This is a gracious act of love which we did not deserve, one which originated in the heart of God and not in anything in our lives.

One of the most praiseworthy deeds of our God for Jesus to be our Kinsman Redeemer!

God has Graciously Lived with Us

One of the false theologies current in our world today is Deism which postulates that God created the world and ordered it, then left it alone to develop itself. This concept recognizes our God as Creator, but denies that He is an immanent God, or a God who draws close to His creation. In this world view, God is Sovereign, but He just doesn't care enough to be engaged with the world. In essence, He is an absentee landlord. Nothing could be further from the truth!

From the very beginning of creation we see God being intimately engaged with it and with us, His people. In Genesis we read that, God was "walking in the Garden in the cool of the day," and that, after the fall changed his relationship with Adam and Eve, he made them clothes so they would no longer be embarrassed. Does that sound like an  absentee landlord?

In fact, the Biblical record is that God has always been engaged with His creation. For example, Proverbs 21:1 says, "In the LORD's hand the king's heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him." In Proverbs 3: 5-7 we read, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  Jeremiah 31:33 tells us, "“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." God has always been involved with His creation.

The ultimate expression of God's immanence is that fact that He came in the form of a man, through Jesus His Uniquely Begotten Son, to live among us. Another name of Jesus is Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." As the beautiful phrase in Philippians 2 puts it, Jesus . . . "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!"

One of the most praiseworthy deeds of our God is that lived with us and that He continues to live with us today through the Holy Spirit.

God has Graciously Lifted Us

It is a natural instinct for parents t want their children to thrive and do well. The vast majority of parents want their children to grow up and have better living conditions that they do and they often go more than the extra mile to try to make that happen. These sacrifices pay off, however.

One young adult recently told me how grateful she was to her mom for carrying her to tutoring sessions during her high school years, which allowed her to earn a college scholarship. So many of her young peers in the working world are struggling to pay off their college loans but she is not only debt-free, but has money in savings. All of this was due to her mother caring enough to not only take her to the tutoring, but encouraging her and being patient with her while doing it.

Our God loves His children far more than any human parent loves their children. He loves to see them lifted up and their loves improved. The way He does this is by helping us to be disciples, as Paul taught us in Ephesians 4: "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."

One of the most praiseworthy deeds of our God is that loves us enough to lift us up through discipling us!

Conclusion

We have many things that we should praise God for, but ones we see in our focal passage today are particularly powerful and important. Our God did not have to adopt us, or redeem us, or live with us, or lift us up, but He did. He did these things because of His loving grace and because who He is.

He is praiseworthy indeed!

Every Blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

The Unsung Hero of Advent from Matthew 1:18-25

Today I am commenting on Matthew 1:18-25, which says, 

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. 

Joseph is often overlooked in the Christmas story. Mary, of course was the mother of our Lord, and she demonstrated great faith and resiliency in the Christmas story as well as during the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

The shepherds in the fields and the wise men represent two poles in society: the shepherds were simple working men and the wise men undoubtedly had great political influence as well sufficient affluence to bring Jesus special and expensive gifts The shepherds we the subject of a dramatic announcement from the heavenly hosts, while the wise men studied and meditated until they realized the significance of a particular star standing over a particular place.

But what about Joseph?

For some reason, the human father of Jesus is often nearly ignored in our celebration of the birth of Christ. Maybe it is because he was only a carpenter and lived a normal life. Maybe it is because he passed from the scene of the Gospels before Jesus began His public ministry. Maybe it is because people may think that Joseph wasn’t an essential part of the story. Who knows?

It's hard to say why but it does seem that Joseph gets short shrift in most observances of Christmas, but if so, it is fair to ask the question, “When we ignore the human father of Jesus what are we missing?”

Let’s consider some of the character qualities Joseph exhibited during that first Christmas:

Joseph was a Righteous Man 

Joseph displayed a high level of righteousness throughout this entire passage of Scripture. Even the most corrupt person can do the right thing from time to time. As the old saying goes, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day,” but Joseph was not just righteous some of the time He was righteous all the time in this story.

He was righteous before Mary conceived because he and Mary were chaste. They did not not have sexual relations before they were married, unlike so many people throughout the ages. Today we even find it common for even faithful church members to be intimate before marriage, so much so that one pastor told me one of his first questions during premarital counseling is “When did you stop sleeping together?” This was not true of Joseph and Mary. They lived righteous and chaste lives and they are a model for us today.

He was righteous when he found out that Mary was with child. All things being equal, this was not something that a betrothed man could stand idly by and accept. Joseph had to act and he planned to do so by quietly ending their relationship. This was the right thing to do and Joseph was prepared to do it. A former boss had a saying that encapsulated his leadership philosophy, “Do the right thing even if no one is looking.” This is exactly what Joseph intended to do, until he received other instructions from God Himself.

Finally, Joseph was righteous up to and after Jesus was born. He refrained from physically intimacy with Mary until Jesus was born. Then, though our focal passage does not include these actions, he made sure that Jesus was presented properly in the Temple, and he protected Jesus and Mary from Herod’s murderous persecution.

Joseph was a man you count on to do the right thing at the right time!

Joseph was a Compassionate Man 

People often confuse righteousness with harshness. One can execute righteousness in a cold, harsh, and austere manner, but these are not required by righteousness In fact, a fuller understanding of righteousness would lead to the conclusion that righteousness is really only executed properly when it is done with compassion. Joseph is certainly a case in point for that idea.

Joseph could have dealt harshly with Mary. If he had, most people in his day, and even in our day, would have understood. He didn’t, though. Instead, and an act of touching kindness, he intended to end their relationship quietly, so as not to embarrass Mary.

One might think that his compassion was seated in his love for Mary, and that may have been true It could have just as likely not been true, however, since Jewish marriages in the First Century were arranged by the parents of the couple and the young people had no real say in the matter Did Joseph love Mary probably so, but not necessarily so. It was just as likely that Joseph had compassion on her because he was a compassionate man.

Joseph was a man of compassion, even as he was doing the right thing!

Joseph was an Obedient Man 

 One of the most important lessons that we can learn from Joseph is found in the simple phrase “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.”  Joseph followed through! He didn’t just have an intellectual agreement with the Word of God, he actually did what he was told to do.

A riddle that a friend told me goes like this: Three frogs are sitting in a log. One decides to jump into the water. How many frogs are left on the log? Many will answer “two,” but the real answer is “three,” because deciding is not the same as acting. Only when the frog actually jumps into the water are there just two frogs left on the log.

 Dr. Chuck Kelley, is the retired president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Commenting on Roman 12:1-2, Dr. Kelly often says, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they crawl off the altar.” Too often, God’s people have failed to be obedient to His Word. Adam and Eve failed to obey God in the Garden. The Children of Israel failed to completely subdue the Land of Canaan. Saul failed to follow God”s Word and he made a irresponsible sacrifice. The Judaizers in the early church denied the truth that Jesus had become the sacrifice to fulfill all sacrifices, and in doing so inflicted unnecessary burdens on the people of God. Although "obedience is better than sacrifice," all too often obedience is also a scarce commodity among God's people.

 Without a doubt, we are not saved by our good works, but we are saved for good works. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” God expects His people to be obedient, and He has sent His Holy Spirit to help them to do just that.

Joseph was a man who obeyed God by doing the right thing!

Conclusion 

Joseph is a model for all of us when we are placed in a difficult situation. When we are faced with a difficult decision and we don’t know what to do, like Joseph, we need to obediently do the right thing in a compassionate manner. When we do, we will find that God will reveal the way forward, and, if we take that way, it will result in blessing us and glorifying God.

 Every blessing,

 Dr. Otis Corbitt

Magnifying the Lord from Luke 1:46-55

Today I am commenting on Luke 1:46-55, which says, 

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

In the 1970s American car manufacturers were struggling with quality control issues and they were losing a great deal of market share to imported cars. In a effort to boost flagging sales, the Ford Motor Company began using the slogan, "Quality is Job One."

The results of the Ford marketing campaign are not clear to me, but one thing is clear: the "Job One" of God's people is to love Him with all our hearts. As Jesus taught us, this is the first and greatest of the commandments.

As we love God with all our hearts, it is a natural reaction to praise Him and to magnify His Name in all the Earth. This is exactly what Mary did when she was told by the angel that, even though a virgin, she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Son of God, the Messiah.

Although she should have been petrified by these things, instead she burst out in praise and adoration of God. She could do that because she knew who God was and she knew His nature and personality. Let's consider those factors today.

Mary Magnified the Lord because He is Holy

We often misunderstand the term "holy" to mean pure and perfect. In the technical sense, however, "holy" simply means set apart, or designated for a specific purpose. All kinds of things can be set apart, as I learned once when I ventured into the church kitchen during vacation Bible school.

Laid out on the counter in the kitchen were rows and rows of delicious looking cookies. When I reached for one to eat I was swiftly rebuked by a member of the VBS refreshments team. "No! Those are counted cookies," she commanded. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that each row of cookies had been prepared to match the exact number of children and workers in a specific class. They were "counted" precisely and set apart for a specific purpose and if I took one, then a class would not have sufficient cookies. So, in effect, those cookies were 'holy!" (She gave me a cookie from the package, however, so I wan't denied a snack.)

The term "holy" has come to have the connotation of perfect, righteous, and good. This is because of the nature of the one to whom the term has been applied. Jesus was set apart for a task, to save God's people from their sins. To do that He had to be perfect, righteous, and just, and so was and is. His very personality has given a new meaning to what would otherwise be a very utilitarian term.

Jesus was different than any other person born to a woman, That difference has made all the difference in lives of those who trust Him for salvation. He is worthy to be magnified because of that difference. He truly is Holy!

Mary Magnified the Lord because He is Merciful and Benevolent

While Mary knew that Our God is an awesome God, she also knew, before it was articulated in these exact words by the Apostle John, that God is Love.

Like Mary, we know God is gracious because He forgives our sin through the saving work of Jesus, the Messiah.

Like Mary, we know God is merciful because He helps us endure and overcome the natural consequences of our sin.

Like Mary, we know God is benevolent because He gives His children all good things.

When Mary was confronted with God's love she could not restrain from praising Him. As Jesus said in Luke, 19:40, “I tell you, if my followers didn’t say these things, then the stones would cry out.”

Mary Magnified the Lord because He is Omnipotent

It is one thing to be be righteous and merciful, but it entirely another thing to be able to act on on those factors. It is wonderful to note that, as Mary proclaimed, our Lord is not just a uniquely just, righteous, and loving personality, He also has the ability act justly, righteously, and lovingly.

Having good intentions is not enough. As the old saying goes, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." One of the tenets of Alcohol Anonymous is that alcoholics are powerless to overcome their addictions.

God, unlike frail and limited human beings, is  all powerful. The prophet Micah noted that, "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." While humans could not (and can not even today) do this in our own power, Jesus, being God, could. And so He deserved to be magnified by Mary.

Mary Magnified the Lord because He is Faithful

The Children of Israel longed for the coming of the Messiah for hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. Many lost hope, but those who did had misunderstood the true nature of God. God is faithful and He keeps his promises.

Because of their sin, the Children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, but God never abandoned them. Once they entered the Promised Land, the Children of Israel failed to subdue the land, but God never abandoned them. When the Children of Israel sinned and were oppressed by the heathen nations remaining in the land, God never left them. When the Children of Israel were taken captive God never abandoned them. He was faithful to them, to His Word, and to His sovereign plan to save humanity from ourselves.

Today, the Bride of Christ awaits His return for her. Some have lost hope, and others have been enticed by the false blessings of the ways of the world, but those have misunderstood the true nature of God. Our God is faithful, and as Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, "The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it." He came the first time as He promised and so He will come for His Bride in due time, just as He has promised!

Conclusion

Mary could magnify the Lord because she knew Him and He knew her. The same should be true of our lives, as the old hymn written by Bill Gather says, The longer I serve Him the sweeter He grows."

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

Prepare the Way from Matthew 3:1-12

Today I am commenting on Matthew 3:1-12, which says, 

3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,

3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

3:3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

3:5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan,

3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

3:8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance.

3:9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

3:10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus. His ministry did not have an end in itself, but it was focused on laying the groundwork for the saving ministry of Jesus the Messiah. Historically this was a vital role, but his message of preparing the way resonates and reverberates even today in a number of ways:

Prepare the Way Prophetically

In his proclamation, John quoted a prophecy from Isaiah 40, a portion of which says,

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together." Isa 401-5

The best estimates I can find are that the Old Testament includes about 150 prophecies concerning Jesus. These begin in Genesis 3:15 and continue through the Psalms and both the Major and Minor Prophets. Amazingly, all of these prophecies were realized in the life of Jesus, and this is important for several reasons.

First, it convinced people in Jesus' day and during the era of the early church that Jesus was who he claimed to be. He was more than just a charismatic teacher and faith healer. He was the uniquely begotten Son of the Living God; the Messiah, Savior of the world. People in the First Century followed Jesus at the risk of losing their lives, liberty, and fortunes because they were convinced by, among other evidence, the prophecies He fulfilled.

Second, people today are convinced that Jesus is who he said he was by the way He fulfilled prophecy. Writers like C.S. Lewis and Josh McDowell have demonstrated how impossible it would be for one man to fulfill all of these prophecies by accident. Many people have prepared the way for the salvation of others by sharing these remarkable truths about Jesus, and this still happens today.

Finally, it is reassuring and comforting to note that If the prophecies about the first coming were true, then the prophecies about then the prophecies about the second coming are as equally reliable. Jesus will come back for His church! We prepare the way for that as we continue, like John, to proclaim the truth about Jesus!

Prepare the Way Personally

We know today that, as Peter said in Acts 10,  "God is no respecter of persons," but this was not the case for Israel in the Bible. They believed that simply being physically born as a Jew meant that they had a special spiritual relationship with God. John's message of rebuke to the Jews for this prejudiced mishandling of the Abrahamic Covenant prepared the way for Jesus to confront people like Nicodemus with a complete understanding of how to have a relationship with God.

Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that it was not enough to be physically born to have a relationship with God. It  did not matter what race, tribe, or tongue into which a person was born, none of that was sufficient to overcome the sin which afflicts human existence. Nicodemus had  come to God through Jesus to be a part of God's household.

The same continues to be true today. We must personally prepare the way for God's presence in our love by the coming of the Messiah personally to us. God has no grandchildren! Each of must come to Him individually as a child and this fact continues today and throughout the ages to come.

Prepare the Way Evangelistically

Note in our focal passage that John was drawing people to God's Word. He did this by his preaching but also by his way of life. He was different, and people seemed to be intrigued by the difference.

We too should draw people to God's Word by our words and by our way of life. We need to walk the walk and talk the talk. We don't need to wear funny clothes and eat insects, but God's Word must make a difference in our lives, a different that people can see. Once they see the difference, we must then explain why and how the difference came about.

In his own life, John prepared the way for people to come to God through Jesus. Our task, centuries later, remains the same. The Great Commission tells us as we go out into the world we must make disciples for Jesus. We prepare the way for this in the way we live our own personal lives. 

Prepare the Way Ethically

John observed the evil and unethical lifestyle of the religious leaders of his day, and he called them out. He said that they were like a pit of rattlesnakes and like a rotten tree that should be cut down and burned in a fire. As he said this he could have been thinking of another passage, Isaiah 64:6, which reads, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

Everyone who met Jesus in the Gospels came away changed. The same is true for people today. Those who truly meet Jesus are changed by Him. As I mentioned above, those in Christ  should walk in a new way of life and they should talk differently also. We should be like the moon, reflecting the light of the Son to those around us. 

Jesus, himself insisted that His children have a positive witness, saying in  John 15:5-11, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

James 3:10 admonished us, "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." 

John prepared the way for Jesus by proclaiming our walk must match our talk. The same is equally true today!

Conclusion

God's people need to continue preparing the way for Christ to enter people's hearts until the day He returns. Since we don't know when that will be, we have a lot of work to do in an indeterminate amount of time. One thing's for certain, however. As each day passes the day of Christ's return is growing closer! Let us determine in our heart to prepare the way for that glorious day!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the House of the Lord

Today I am commenting on Isaiah 2:1-5, which tells us:

2:1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2:2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.

2:3 Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

2:4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

2:5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!

The House of the Lord which Isaiah prophesied about would seem to include the reign of God over His people, and the lifestyle and community of God’s people whom He redeemed from their sin through the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ. What does Isaiah tell us about the House of the Lord?

The House of the Lord is Established on High

Isaiah’s vision of God here and also in Isaiah 6:1-8 reveals a God that is righteous and holy; He is pure and above mankind and the rest of His creation. Not only is He higher in nature and personality than creation, He is also worthy of being lifted up and exalted. He is worthy of our praise and our worship!

In his audience with God in Isaiah 6, Isaiah saw this holiness of God and it frightened him, because it revealed his own sin and human frailties. This is an essential part of the character of God that we can never forget. God is transcendent and high above us. However, Isaiah 2:2 gives us a second dimension to God also: He is high and lifted up so that people will come to Him.

Throughout the ages, military units have used flags, banners, and streamers to rally their troops. These markers are lifted up on poles so that the troops can see them and array themselves accordingly. The same is true for God.  People are looking for someone, something, or some cause to believe in. Isaiah predicts that people will come running to God when they see His goodness and mercy.

People come to God because of who He is; because He meets their innermost needs with His power, authority, goodness, and love.

The House of the Lord is for All Nations

The job of a prophet is not an easy one. Journalist Finley Peter Dunne once said that the role of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. The same could be said of a prophet of God, and Isaiah was no exception. His message often challenged the accepted beliefs of his day among Israel. 

The Children of Israel were convinced that God had chosen them and that He would preserve and restore them. When we think about the covenant that God made with Abraham it is apparent that they were  . . . almost . . . right!

God had chosen them, yes, but not just to be His people, but to also be a blessing to all the nations of the earth. Isaiah is just one of the first messengers of God to proclaim the truth that God loves all people and He wants all people to come unto Him for salvation, restoration, and blessing.

The fact that God wants to draw all peoples unto Himself is easy to see in the New Testament. Passages which reflect this truth are many, including Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2 Peter 3:9, and Revelation 7:9-17. What is so interesting here, is that Isaiah was making that same point long before the birth of Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant. Not only does this passage provide Old Testament support for important New Testament doctrines, it also reminds us that God, in His love, never changes!

The House of the Lord Instructs us in Righteousness

Isaiah goes on to remind us that God doesn’t just want to save us from our sins, He also wants to to walk in a new way after He does. Jesus, in the Great Commission, didn’t tell the church just to make converts, but to make disciples.

This principle, too, is found in many places in the New Testament, but it is also found in the Old Testament as well, in such books as the Psalms, Proverbs, and also here in Isaiah. The Biblical record is clear: we can’t save ourselves from our sin, but, once we are saved through the blood of Jesus, we are to grow into mature followers of Him.

Not only is it right and good to walk in the way of the Lord and, as Paul said, “put off the old man” it is also what produces peace in our lives!

The House of the Lord Produces Peace as We Walk in His Light

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, people have struggled to find peace in their lives. We struggle to find peace with God, with Creation, with our family, friends, and neighbors, and with ourselves.  We need help!

Israel had God’s Word, but even with that advantage they struggled. The pattern they lived out was established in the Book of Judges: they devolved into sin and then they were oppressed and afflicted by the foreign people they had allowed to remain in the promised land. Next the Children of Israel would repent and turn back to the Lord, who would deliver them from their oppressors. Soon thereafter, Israel would fall back into sin. In many ways they acted like a person addicted to drugs or alcohol. That’s why the coming of the Messiah is so important.

The coming of Jesus allowed for His sacrifice on the Cross, and the salvation it offers. It also allowed for Jesus to send the Holy Spirit, which made operational in our lives the promise of Jeremiah 31:33, which promised, "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

When we are redeemed from our sin, and when God’s law is written on our hearts, we are “raised to walk in newness of life.” In this way we can have the peace in our lives we so desperately need.

Conclusion

For many people, a great holiday season involves a house full of family, enjoying fellowship around the table, and sharing gifts. In many ways, that picture of joy is a symbol of what life in the House of the Lord should be like all the time!

Every blessing,

Otis Corbitt