PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD (SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT)

Theme: Prepare The Way Of The Lord Scripture Readings: Sermon Reflection “Prepare the way of the Lord” is the clarion call for our reflection today. To prepare means to make something ready for use or consideration, or to make someone ready to deal with a future event. In ancient times, when a King was visiting…

Jean-Paul Agidi

Dec 5, 2025

4–6 minutes

bible, christianity, faith, god, jesus

Theme: Prepare The Way Of The Lord

Scripture Readings:

Malachi 3:1-4
Philippians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 3:1-6

Sermon Reflection

“Prepare the way of the Lord” is the clarion call for our reflection today. To prepare means to make something ready for use or consideration, or to make someone ready to deal with a future event. In ancient times, when a King was visiting a city, a messenger was sent ahead to ensure the roads were fixed, the potholes filled, and the debris cleared so the King’s arrival would be smooth and majestic.

In this season of Advent, we are not just waiting passively; we are active road-builders. We are called to prepare our hearts for His first coming at Christmas, but even more importantly, we must prepare our lives for His second and final coming.

Beloved in the Lord, our theme presents to us three critical ways we must prepare:

Prepare the Way by submitting to God’s refining fire for purification.
Prepare the Way by removing the obstacles of sin through genuine repentance.
Prepare the Way by abounding in love and righteousness until the Day of Christ.

1. Prepare by Submitting to Refining and Purification

First, beloved in the Lord, to prepare the way for the King, the vessel must be clean. We cannot invite a Holy God into a cluttered, impure heart. Malachi prophesied regarding the coming of the Lord, stating that the Lord “… will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offering in righteousness to the Lord” (Malachi 3:3).

Preparation involves a process of heat and scrubbing. Just as silver must be put through the fire to remove the dross, we must allow the Holy Spirit to burn away the impurities of our lives—our selfishness, our hidden sins, and our pride.

The Goal: To offer a life of righteousness that is pleasing to Him.
The Action: We must not resist the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Instead, we must present ourselves to God saying, “Lord, cleanse me, so that I may be a fit temple for Your residence.”

As Paul admonishes in Romans 12:1, we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. You cannot prepare the way of the Lord while holding onto the filth of the world. Let Him refine you today.

2. Prepare by Removing Obstacles through Repentance

Secondly, preparation requires the heavy lifting of repentance. We must look at the landscape of our lives and fix what is broken. In our Gospel reading, John the Baptist echoes the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways” (Luke 3:4-5).

What does this mean for us practically?

Valleys: These are the places of despair and hopelessness that need to be filled with faith in God’s promises.
Mountains: These represent our pride and ego that block us from seeing God. They must be brought low through humility.
Crooked Paths: These are the deceitful ways, lies, and dishonesty in our lives that must be straightened by truth.

We are in the era of grace, and the best way to prepare for the Lord is to heed the call of John the Baptist: “proclaim a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin” (Luke 3:3). We must also take up the mantle of John to prepare the way for others. We must engage in evangelism, pointing our neighbors to Christ, helping them remove the obstacles in their own lives so that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6).

3. Prepare by Abounding in Love and Blamelessness

Thirdly, after we have been purified and have straightened our paths through repentance, we must maintain our readiness by growing in spiritual maturity. Preparation is not a one-time event; it is a lifestyle of abounding love.

Paul’s prayer for the Philippians is the blueprint for our preparation: “… that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

To be ready for the “Day of Christ,” we cannot be stagnant.

We must grow in knowledge (studying His Word).
We must grow in discernment (knowing right from wrong).
We must be filled with the fruit of righteousness.

Beloved, wherever you find yourself—at work, at home, or in the community—prepare the way by letting the love of Christ flow through you. A heart full of hatred or unforgiveness is a blocked road; a heart full of love is a highway for God.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my dear friend in Christ, the King is coming! We must Prepare the Way of the Lord.

It is not enough to simply wait; we must work. We must submit to God’s refining fire to be purified like gold. We must level the mountains of pride and straighten the crooked paths through repentance. And finally, we must ensure our lamps are trimmed and burning by abounding in love and remaining blameless.

Let us clear the road and open the gates of our hearts, so that when the King of Glory comes, He finds a people ready, watching, and waiting.

May His grace strengthen your hands for this preparation. Amen.