In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all people will see God’s salvation.’” (Luke 3:1–6 NIV)
I love hiking. I feel alive exploring new trails and scaling challenging terrain. I’m the guy who sees a trail map and starts plotting how I can complete every trail. I’m still young enough to handle rocky ground, uneven footing, and dense brush, but recently I’ve come to appreciate a well-manicured and sure-footed path in a brand-new way. As a parent of two adventurous toddlers, I’ve learned the hard way that my children might want to scale the same trails as me, but they are better suited for smooth surfaces and level ground.
Jesus’s cousin John was given the hard work of preparing the way for the Savior of the world. An angel prophesied John would “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” His father sang about his calling: “you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,” and John patiently grew in the strength of the Spirit, only stepping out of the shadows when the word of God came to him. He called all who would listen to clean their hands and purify their hearts so they would be ready for the advent of God’s salvation.
I’m struck by John’s willingness to play his role in God’s plan without having a complete understanding of the way salvation would come. John’s obedience to God reveals a trust in God to do what only God can do. Years later, we learn that as John sat in a jail cell as a result of his ministry, he wrestled with doubts about whether Jesus, the one God revealed to be the Messiah, really was who the Father said he was. John meant no disrespect. These are the honest questions of a man who faithfully played his part as he waits for God to do his. John’s example reminds us that playing our part in God’s plan always requires a faith that God will meet our best attempts to follow him with a power and wisdom that only he can provide.
While John is clearly identified as the voice in the wilderness tasked with preparing the way for the Messiah, there is work in “preparing the way” that remains for Jesus’s disciples. My children require smooth and level paths to enjoy hiking alongside me, which means work needs to be done to clear the way. There are many who see a rocky, uneven, and treacherous path between them and Jesus. I think of friends, neighbors, and even members of my church who are burdened by wrong ideas about God, tangled in skepticism rooted in unanswered questions, or carrying deep hurt as a result of the hypocrisy and brokenness of the church. Some see their path to God blocked by mountains with names like addiction, distraction, poverty, loneliness, anxiety, or depression. Others long for a path to God but don’t believe anyone with as messy a record as theirs is invited to find the hope, joy, love, and peace God offers.
Brothers and sisters, we all have a part to play in preparing the way for those around us to see the tender mercy of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Just like John, we must learn to confidently trust in our sovereign God to show his glory, pour out his compassion, and move in the hearts of those who haven’t yet found the path of peace. We don’t have access to every step of God’s master plan for his work in the world around us, but we can be confident that just as Jesus faithfully won the salvation John prepared the people for, he is still in our midst drawing all people to himself.
Drew Steinhart is a pastor at Disciples Church in Medina, Ohio.