The King is Coming: Prepare the Way

We launched Advent by lighting the candle of hope and naming that hope: Jesus. Hope isn’t the denial of pain; it burns in the middle of grief, confusion, and waiting because God is a promise-making, promise-keeping God. The first coming of Jesus proves it. From Isaiah’s prophecies to Luke’s precise historical markers, God stepped into a real time and a real place—on purpose. That history undergirds our hope: if He kept His word then, He will keep it again. The King is coming.

From Luke 3, John the Baptist calls us to “prepare the way of the Lord.” Preparation is not passive. It begins with repentance—not a vague moral U-turn, but a decisive turning to God. It also means refusing to hide behind our religious heritage, status, or familiarity with the story. The leaders of Jesus’ day got too cozy with the perks of power and missed the new thing God was doing. We can do the same when we assume we already know how God must act. Advent asks us to clear a straight path, to make room for Him to move now.

Creation itself will roll out the red carpet for the King; if we go silent, the rocks will cry out. Let’s not outsource our worship or our witness. Readiness looks practical and concrete—like making sure the hose is on the fire truck or actually dialing 911 when we need help. In the same way, we call on Jesus, seek forgiveness, obey His words, and join His mission. This is not about earning His arrival; it is about welcoming it.

Jesus is both our hope today and our hope for the day to come. Life with Him isn’t always easier; many of our brothers and sisters suffer for His name around the world. But He is the Life-giver, and He has promised to return. So we ready our hearts in the present: seek forgiveness, practice obedience, make disciples, and let Jesus be Jesus—encouraging us, correcting us, and surprising us. The King has come. The King is coming. Prepare the way.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God keeps His promises—again. God’s covenants are not wishful slogans; they are His character on display in time and space. The first Advent verifies His reliability, so we can “hold Him to” His word about the second. Hope grows when history feeds faith: what He did once, He will do again. [50:47]
• 2. Repentance turns us toward God. Repentance is not just turning from bad behavior; it is turning to a Person. It dismantles our excuses—heritage, status, spiritual résumé—and clears the line of sight to Jesus. When something blocks our view of Christ, repentance removes it so love can lead. [60:01]
• 3. Prepare the way in the present. Advent readiness is active: straighten what’s crooked, smooth what’s rough, remove what hinders. Even creation will testify if we refuse; better that our lives become the red carpet for the King. Preparation is worship in motion—choices, habits, and words aligned with His coming. [62:49]
• 4. Hope shines amid real suffering. Christian hope doesn’t erase grief; it anchors us inside it. We mourn honestly while trusting the One who already stepped into history and promised to step in again. That tension—aching and expecting—is holy ground where faith matures. [34:16]
• 5. Obedience today, not passive waiting. Jesus never authorized spectators; He commissioned disciples. Readiness looks like everyday obedience, Spirit-led courage, and teaching others to follow Him. We don’t wait for glory by idling—we train our lives for love’s work now. [70:13]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [12:44] - Community Outreach and Kids’ Plans
• [15:01] - Advent Candle: Hope Named Jesus
• [24:33] - Ancient Words, Present Life
• [33:34] - Prayers for Our Church Family
• [45:10] - Advent Series: The King Is Coming
• [48:28] - God Makes and Keeps Promises
• [51:12] - Luke 3: History Meets Hope
• [59:23] - Repent: Turn Back to God
• [62:49] - If We’re Silent, Rocks Will Cry
• [64:55] - Getting Ready Takes Action
• [67:15] - Will You Let Jesus Be Jesus?
• [70:13] - Obedience Today, Not Passive Waiting
• [73:23] - Invitation and Prayer
• [78:02] - Benediction and Sending

Bible reading (ESV)
Luke 3:1-6
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways shall become level; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

Observation questions (look closely at the text and the sermon references)

1. Luke lists specific rulers and religious leaders at the start of chapter 3. What is the effect of these historical details on the reader’s confidence in the story? [51:12]
2. What exactly is John calling people to when he preaches “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (vv. 3–4)? Which words in the passage clarify the aim of his call?
3. Which of the images in verses 4–6 (valleys filled, mountains lowered, crooked made straight, rough ways smoothed) stands out to you, and what practical obstacle in life might that image represent?
4. John warns against relying on ancestry or status as a reason not to repent. Where in the passage is that warning implied, and how does it change the tone of his proclamation? [01:01:12]

Interpretation questions (think about meaning and why it matters)

1. What does “repentance” mean in context if it is more than merely stopping bad behavior and is instead turning toward a Person? How would that reshape a believer’s daily priorities? [01:00:01]
2. Why does Luke emphasize the timing and political context of John’s ministry (the rulers, the high priests)? How does that historical framing strengthen the claim that God’s promises are being fulfilled? [51:12]
3. What does “making his paths straight” require from the community of faith—not just individually but corporately—and how does that connect to both worship and witness? [01:02:49]
4. The passage promises that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” How should that universal language shape the church’s confidence and urgency in mission today, especially amid suffering? [34:16]

Application questions (personal, concrete steps)

1. Name one habit, attitude, or relationship that currently blocks your view of Jesus. What specific step will you take this week to turn away from it and toward Christ? [01:00:01]
2. Identify a way you have relied on spiritual heritage, reputation, or “how things have always been done” as an excuse to avoid change. What is one concrete thing you will do to dismantle that excuse? [01:01:12]
3. Choose one image from vv. 4–6 (valley, mountain, crooked road, rough way). Which real-life obstacle does it represent for you? What is one practical action you will take in the next seven days to “fill, lower, straighten, or smooth” that obstacle? [01:02:20]
4. Who in your life or in the global church is currently living with the tension of grief and hope? How will you intentionally pray for or serve one of those people this week to embody hopeful presence? [34:16]
5. Where have you been silent about Jesus when your voice or service could speak? Name one small, concrete way you will open your mouth or extend help this week so your life becomes the “red carpet” rather than leaving creation to cry out for you. [01:02:49]
6. Pick one of the three present actions—seek forgiveness, practice obedience, or make disciples. Which one is hardest for you right now? What are two practical steps you will take this month to grow in that area? [01:09:53]

Use these questions to guide honest conversation, mutual encouragement, and specific accountability.