An Advent

“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God “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. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 40:1-5

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” Matthew 3:1 -3

Advent “the arrival of a notable person, thing or event” “to arrive, to come”

God has a plan for your life

God redeems and uses his people Three stages: Justify Sanctify Glorify These three points form an overall view of the discipleship journey.

Justification is the declaring of a person to be just or righteous. True Comfort Justification (vs. 1, 2) “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.” Justification is the declaring of a person to be just or righteous.

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:9 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” Philippians 3:9

An Empty Room Sanctification (vs. 3, 4) 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.”   Sanctify – Free from sin, purify Sanctified – The act or state of being sanctified.  

Sanctification “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

God helps us make room for Him By lifting up the valleys – He helps us overcome the lack of faith where we have given up hope

God helps us make room for Him By lowering the mountains – He helps us get rid of different manifestations of pride, arrogance and self-confidence

The Lord’s Glory Glorification (vs. 5) “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   God receives glory when His work is made manifest in our lives -- through the church, His body.

Glorification “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27