We move from the image of stones from which God could raise up children of Abraham, to the jagged stones that made up the interstate system of the days of the prophets and Jesus. As we delve further in the words of John the Baptizer, we turn to Luke’s thoroughly investigated and detail oriented Gospel of Jesus the Christ (see Luke 1:1-4). Both Matthew and Luke build on the words of the prophet named Isaiah, but it is Luke’s detailing of John’s ministry that quotes a bigger picture. In chapter forty of the book that bears his name, Isaiah uses the imagery of a king coming to a distant country, and how the roads to that place must be upgraded before his arrival.
I remember seeing this kind of preparation laid out before our very eyes while Anette and I were living in New Orleans during July/August 1987-88. I was on my vicarage (pastoral internship) and Anette was teaching fourth grade in the Lutheran school there. As soon as we arrived, the buzz was all over city. No, it wasn’t the excitement of having us moving to New Orleans for a year. It was the excitement building (especially among the heavily Roman Catholic population there) around the impending visit of Pope John Paul II that September. We immediately saw what impact the pope’s visit was having on the Interstate 10 that runs from the airport area (close to where we lived) down into the heart of New Orleans. When we arrived in our Ford Escort wagon, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind us, the maneuvering on the roads was tricky to say the least. From New Orleans’ reputation, you might think I’m referring to people driving who have had a few too many Hurricanes to drink (and that happens too), but I’m not. What made it a harrowing course are the potholes on the highway that could swallow a 1982 Ford Escort – trailer and all. But by the time of the pope’s visit, every pothole was filled and brand new sheet of asphalt (or whatever mixture they use in that part of the country to withstand the oven that is New Orleans in the summer). That road was smooth.
But Luke points out that these verses now are fulfilled in the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus the Messiah. John is sent to do some road construction, but not quite the way many would expect. John’s task is not to head up the road crew sent to smooth out the road that Jesus would eventually take from Bethany to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. His calling was to proclaim the Word of the Lord that could prepare the hearts of people for Jesus’ arrival.
When you think about it, these word pictures given from Isaiah and now fulfilled in John’s work are powerful. Listen to them again:
I remember seeing this kind of preparation laid out before our very eyes while Anette and I were living in New Orleans during July/August 1987-88. I was on my vicarage (pastoral internship) and Anette was teaching fourth grade in the Lutheran school there. As soon as we arrived, the buzz was all over city. No, it wasn’t the excitement of having us moving to New Orleans for a year. It was the excitement building (especially among the heavily Roman Catholic population there) around the impending visit of Pope John Paul II that September. We immediately saw what impact the pope’s visit was having on the Interstate 10 that runs from the airport area (close to where we lived) down into the heart of New Orleans. When we arrived in our Ford Escort wagon, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind us, the maneuvering on the roads was tricky to say the least. From New Orleans’ reputation, you might think I’m referring to people driving who have had a few too many Hurricanes to drink (and that happens too), but I’m not. What made it a harrowing course are the potholes on the highway that could swallow a 1982 Ford Escort – trailer and all. But by the time of the pope’s visit, every pothole was filled and brand new sheet of asphalt (or whatever mixture they use in that part of the country to withstand the oven that is New Orleans in the summer). That road was smooth.
But Luke points out that these verses now are fulfilled in the coming of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus the Messiah. John is sent to do some road construction, but not quite the way many would expect. John’s task is not to head up the road crew sent to smooth out the road that Jesus would eventually take from Bethany to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. His calling was to proclaim the Word of the Lord that could prepare the hearts of people for Jesus’ arrival.
When you think about it, these word pictures given from Isaiah and now fulfilled in John’s work are powerful. Listen to them again:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'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 mankind will see God's salvation.'"
As these words echo again deep within us, it’s time to reminded that to have a “John the Baptist” Christmas is to have hearts that are prepared for Christ’s coming. It’s amazing that when those self-focused, winding, crooked, rough and jagged roads meet the One the who traveled the road to Calvary for us, the result is obvious … SMOOTH.
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