The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness
The sermon emphasizes the need to prepare a way for God in our lives by exalting our thoughts of Him, laying low our pride, making a straight path of decision, and removing stumbling-blocks of sin.
The preacher delves into the meaning of 'humble' in the Bible, emphasizing its connotations of lowliness, poverty, and powerlessness, contrasting the Greek view of contempt towards humility with the Christian perspective of humility as unassuming and obedient. The sermon explores the transformation of our mortal bodies into glorious bodies like Christ's through the resurrection, highlighting the hope and anticipation of believers for this future change. Various Bible verses are examined to illustrate the concept of humility and the ultimate transformation of our bodies into conformity with the body of Christ's glory.
Text
The voice crying in the wilderness demanded a way for the Lord, a way prepared, and a way prepared in the wilderness. I would be attentive to the Master's proclamation, and give Him a road into my heart, cast up by gracious operations, through the desert of my nature. The four directions in the text must have my serious attention.
Every valley must be exalted. Low and grovelling thoughts of God must be given up; doubting and despairing must be removed; and self-seeking and carnal delights must be forsaken. Across these deep valleys a glorious causeway of grace must be raised.
Every mountain and hill shall be laid low. Proud creature- sufficiency, and boastful self-righteousness, must be levelled, to make a highway for the King of kings. Divine fellowship is never vouchsafed to haughty, highminded sinners. The Lord hath respect unto the lowly, and visits the contrite in heart, but the lofty are an abomination unto Him. My soul, beseech the Holy Spirit to set thee right in this respect.
The crooked shall be made straight. The wavering heart must have a straight path of decision for God and holiness marked out for it. Double-minded men are strangers to the God of truth. My soul, take heed that thou be in all things honest and true, as in the sight of the heart-searching God.
The rough places shall be made smooth. Stumbling-blocks of sin must be removed, and thorns and briers of rebellion must be uprooted. So great a visitor must not find miry ways and stony places when He comes to honour His favoured ones with His company. Oh that this evening the Lord may find in my heart a highway made ready by His grace, that He may make a triumphal progress through the utmost bounds of my soul, from the beginning of this year even to the end of it.
Sermon Outline
- The Voice Crying in the Wilderness
- The Four Directions
- The Rough Places Made Smooth
- Every Valley Exalted
- Every Mountain and Hill Laid Low
- The Crooked Made Straight
Key Quotes
“Every valley must be exalted. Low and grovelling thoughts of God must be given up; doubting and despairing must be removed; and self-seeking and carnal delights must be forsaken.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“The Lord hath respect unto the lowly, and visits the contrite in heart, but the lofty are an abomination unto Him.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Oh that this evening the Lord may find in my heart a highway made ready by His grace, that He may make a triumphal progress through the utmost bounds of my soul, from the beginning of this year even to the end of it.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Make a conscious effort to exalt your thoughts of God and lay low your pride.
- Seek to remove stumbling-blocks of sin and make a straight path of decision for God and holiness.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to set you right in the areas where you need to be corrected.