Advent: See and Lift Up Your Voice

Read Isaiah 40:1-11

I remember many years ago when I was living in Bakersfield California Michael Dukakis, the governor of Massachusetts who was running for President, came to Bakersfield for a campaign stop. He was beginning a train ride up the San Joaquin valley. I went because I thought it would be fun to see a presidential stop. I don’t remember at all what was said but I remember vividly how it was staged. They had blocked off a street and the train caboose was backed up right to the middle of the street. When we arrived there was a rope across the street about 100 years away from the train and I thought it was too bad we couldn’t get closer. But then just as the candidate was ready to step out and speak the rope was dropped and the crowd surged forward to get a better view. A friend told me later that they do that so the crowd gets excited and so that the TV crews get a picture of an excited, moving crowd. Even though I was in the middle of the crowd I had a great view of the candidate. After it was over there were people in the crowd passing out flyers with important facts about Governor Dukakis and they were telling us to go home and tell our friends. We had a great view and now we were to go tell our friends.

Isaiah 40 begins with comforting words about comfort coming for the people who have been struggling. Verse 2 proclaims that their hard service is completed, their sins have been paid for. Great news – but the question is how? Where?

Verse 3 begins the answer. Prepare the way for the Lord. This verse is quoted in the New Testament in talking about the ministry of John the Baptist. It’s a great image. When a king comes through he would send out advance teams of people to make sure the road was ready for the king and so that the people could get a good view of the king. John the Baptist’s job was to get people ready to receive the king Jesus. In Isaiah the goal is clear – look at verse 5: The glory of the Lord will be revealed and all the people will see it!

“Seeing” is so key to this passage. Look at verse 5, 9 and 10. (in Verse 9 the word “here” is the same Hebrew word used in verse 10 for “See”.) See you Lord comes with power. See his reward is with Him. As we approach Christmas, the coming of our Lord Jesus, look for how he comes to provide comfort. Look at the good news of a Savior who is coming to save us all from our sins. To save us all from our “hard service”. Jesus comes to save and we must see Him.

But this passage doesn’t just tell us to see the good news. Look at verse 9: Go on top of a mountain and lift up your voice! Lift it up with a shout! Don’t be afraid but lift up your voice and proclaim the Good News of the savior Jesus coming. Lift up the great message of sins being forgiving. Lift up the message of comfort. For all of us who have seen Jesus and chosen to follow him we have a mission- lift up your voice and proclaim the real reason for Christmas – the coming of the savior is brings forgiveness and comfort. He will comfort us like a shepherd. He will lead us like a shepherd.

So go, see Jesus this Christmas and then make it easy for others to see Jesus and proclaim to all around the great message of comfort. It’s an amazing message that this world needs to hear.