Preparing the way for Christ

THE ANTHEM
Song by Planetshakers

By His stripes, we are healed
By His nail-pierced hands, we're free
By His blood, we're washed clean
Now we have the victory
The power of sin is broken
Jesus overcame it all
He has won our freedom
Jesus has won it all
Hallelujah, You have won the victory
Hallelujah, You have won it all for me
Death could not hold You down, You are
the risen King
Seated in majesty, You are the risen
King
By His stripes, we are healed
By His nail-pierced hands, we're free
By His blood, we're washed clean
Now we have the victory
The power of sin is broken
Jesus overcame it all
He has won our freedom
Jesus has won it all
Hallelujah, You have won the victory
Hallelujah, You have won it all for me
Death could not hold You down, You are
the risen King
Seated in majesty, You are the risen
King

Our God is risen, He is alive
He won the victory, He reigns on high
Our God is risen, He is alive
He won the victory, He reigns on high
Our God is risen, He is alive
He won the victory, He reigns on high
Our God is risen, He is alive
He won the victory, He reigns on high
Hallelujah, You have won the victory
Hallelujah, You have won it all for me
Death could not hold You down, You are
the risen King
Seated in majesty, You are the risen King
Hallelujah, You have won the victory
Hallelujah, You have won it all for me
Death could not hold You down, You are
the risen King
Seated in majesty, You are the risen King

Exalt: “The Anthem”
Empower: Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3; Mark 1:1-5,14-15,14:60-62; Luke 2:11; John 1:41,4:25-26, 14:6, 20:31; Matt. 16:16; Acts 2:36,5:42

Preparing the Way of the Lord (Jesus, the True Messiah)
Messiah - a title from Hebrew word “Mashiach” and Greek word “Christos” which means “divinely chosen and consecrated leader” or “the anointed one.”

Minsan pang natupad ang mga sinabi ng mga propeta (e.g. Malachi, Isaiah), tungkol sa isang mensahero na maghahanda sa daraanan ng Mesias. Ito’y isang katunayan na ang Banal na Kasulatan ay nagkakaisa (unified) sa isang mensahe – ang pagdating ng Mesias… ng Hari…ng Tagapagligtas – si Hesus.

John the Baptist was the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah (Isaiah 40:3). He was “the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”(Mark 1:3 KJV) Ang layunin niya ay ihanda ang puso ng mga tao (Jews) sa pagdating ng Mesias (“the anointed one” – a phrase that is associated to a king). Ang paghahanda sa daraanan ng hari ay karaniwang ginagawa (literally, an ancient practice) sa mga panahong iyon kapag mayroong haring darating o dadaan. Pinapatag ang mga daang (roads) may butas o mga bakobako upang maging maayos ang pagdaan ng isang hari. But “preparing the way of the Lord” has deeper spiritual meaning – it is preparing the hearts of people to receive Jesus as their Saviour and King.

Nangaral si John the Baptist: “Magsisi na kayo sa inyong mga kasalanan, dahil malapit na ang paghahari ng Dios. (Mateo 3:2 ASND)” (*slightly different wordings with that of Mark and Luke but carries the same meaning.) He was telling the people, “Messiah, the King is coming.” Nauunawaan ng mga Judio ang pahayag ni Juan Bautista(na kinikilala nilang isang propeta) na ang pangako ng Diyos tungkol sa haring darating ay matutupad na rin sa wakas. Kaya marami ang dumating sa ilog Jordan, nagsisi at nagpabautismo sa kanya. Subalit, ang kanilang inaasahan sa darating na Mesias o Hari ay nakaayon sa kanilang kalagayang pampulitika at pambansa.

Kaya, bagamat maraming Judio ang sabik sa pagdating ng Mesias, marami sa kanila ang hindi kumilala kay Hesus bilang tunay na Mesias, kabilang na ang kanilang mga religious leaders (scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees) dahil hindi tumugma ang kanilang inaasahan (expectation) tungkol sa Mesias o Haring darating – isang makapangyarihang haring katulad ni David na mangunguna sa isang rebolusyon at magpapabagsak sa imperyong Romano (Roman Empire) at magbabalik sa kaluwalhatian (glory) ng Israel.

John the Baptist message of repentance was not meant to condemn, but to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, the King! Ang pagbabago ng kaisipan o puso [repentance (Gk. “metanoia”)] ay tugon lamang sa mabuting balita na ang Haring matagal na nilang hinihintay ay dumating na! Sa panahong iyon, maraming Judio (particularly their religious leaders) ang binulag ng kanilang maling pang-unawa sa darating na Mesias at ng kanilang sariling katuwiran (selfrighteousness), kaya ang pagsisisi nila ay paimbabaw lamang [as shown by their fruits (evil)].

Jesus is the True Messiah! Siya ang katuparan ng mga sinabi ng mga propeta. Jesus directly identified Himself as the Messiah when He answered the Samaritan woman, “I who speak to you am He.” Andrew told Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Paul testified, “…God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ.” At lahat ng nanalig at sumampalataya kay Hesus na Siya ang Cristo ay may buhay na walang hanggan!

Elevate: Application/Question:
Paano naapektuhan ng iyong pang-unawa na si Hesus nga ang Mesias/Cristo ang iyong pananampalataya, lalo na sa mga pagkakataon o panahon (e.g. coming of a super typhoon) na kinailangan mong magtiwala sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos? 

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