Make Way For The King - October 29

Read John 1:19-23 (ESV) 

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

Reflect 

How can we make straight the way of the Lord? 

In ancient times, kings were often paraded through crowded streets as they’d come into a city. As they progressed through the throngs of people, servants would go before them shouting, “Make way for the king!” No one in the crowd probably cared much about the identity of the people leading the way. They were there to catch a glimpse of the king! But still, those lowly servants had an important job to do—clear a path for the king. 

When we think of John the Baptist, we probably think of him as an extremely important biblical figure. He was given the honor of introducing the world to the long-awaited Messiah! But John the Baptist didn’t seem to think of himself as that important. 

When he began his ministry, great crowds of people began to gather to hear his message. Many decided to get baptized. This caused the Jewish religious leaders to take notice. They wanted to know who he was and they wanted to understand his mission. The Apostle John recorded that they sent an official delegation to interrogate John the Baptist as to his identity. 

First, they wanted to know if he was the promised Messiah. John said no. Then, they asked him if he was Elijah. The Jews were looking for Elijah to return in some way because in Malachi 4:5, God said: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” But again, John the Baptist said no. He also said that he is not “the Prophet” that the Jews were expecting to be like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). 

Now, it’s interesting that he denied being Elijah because Jesus Himself identified John the Baptist as being the fulfillment of the promised Elijah. In Matthew 11:14, Jesus said: “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.” The words that the angel Gabriel told Zechariah when he announced John’s birth helps clear up the seeming discrepancy: “...and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah…” (Luke 1:17). John the Baptist wasn’t Elijah in the flesh. Instead, he resembled Elijah because both dressed in hairy clothes and lived mostly in the wilderness. More significantly, their message from God was the same—repent because judgment is coming. 

John the Baptist may not have seen himself as the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Elijah but Jesus did. Regardless, John knew that establishing his own identity was not why he had come. He was just the nameless “voice crying out in the wilderness.” He came to prepare a way for the Lord. He was supposed to clear the path for Jesus. It was his job to make way for the King. 

How did John do this? He urged everyone to be ready to meet their Messiah. He told them to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). In other words, make sure you move sin out of the way in your life and make room in your hearts for the coming Lord. 

It’s a message that we should heed and join in proclaiming. We should do as John the Baptist urged—confess and turn from our sins. Clear out anything that gets in the way of pointing people to Christ. Remove all the obstacles that block their view of Jesus. Make straight the way of the Lord. Make way for the King. 

Respond 

Lord, I have sinned against You in my thoughts and in my actions. Help me turn from my sin and go 180 degrees the other direction. I pray that You would clear out the obstacles that cause me to stumble and distract others from seeing Your work in my life. Help me make a straight path for the Gospel. Amen. 

Reveal 

Pair up with a friend this week for a Make Way moment. Share one obstacle in your life that blocks others from Jesus, confess it together, and commit to clear it as you invite someone to hear the gospel.