Mark 1:2-3

John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, the Messiah. 

It is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way – a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'”  

Are we also supposed to prepare the way of the Lord?  In some ways, I believe we are.  Many don’t know Jesus, the Messiah.  If we are walking with Jesus, sensitive to Holy Spirit, people will be touched.  The verse in Isaiah, quoted in Luke 3, goes on to say “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill make low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.” 

Maybe we can straighten rough ways by keeping the gospel simple and uncomplicated.  Valleys – low spots in people’s lives, are filled in when we tell that no valley is so deep that Jesus can’t reach them there.  After all, Jesus reached down into the pit to pull us out.  He did with us and He can do it with them.

Mountains are brought low when we explain that no one is so high, so good, so important that they don’t need a Savior. 

But, I think the biggest way we “prepare the way” is by not  being a stumbling block.  Don’t be a hypocrite.  Don’t act better or more important that we really are.  Watch our mouths!  Love and serve those who are lost.  Jesus did.

Exodus 39:22-26

They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth – the work of a weaver – with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear.  They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe.  And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates.  The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the LORD commanded Moses.

What’s with the bells and pomegranates?  I think we get some idea from the New Testament.  In Galatians 5:22 lists the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

These are represented by the pomegranates.  Fruit grows.  It isn’t not there one minute and there the next.

There are several lists of gifts of the Holy Spirit.  I Corinthians 12:4-11 lists these.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:3-8 lists these gifts.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

The gifts are “noisier,” represented by the bells.  Gifts are given by Holy Spirit.  They can be there one minute and gone the next… or they can be given and stay.  Either way.

The GIFTS and FRUIT alternate on the hem of the priestly garment because both are needed, and both balance each other.  Someone walking in a gift of the Spirit, with no fruit, does not accurately represent the character of Jesus.  For example, a great teacher, without patience, or with a bad habit, like anger, or infidelity will become a stumbling block to others.  A person growing in the fruits of the Spirit, will be developing the character of Jesus, without the power to do what He calls us to do.  In Matthew 10:8 Jesus told the disciples what He wanted them to do.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

We have been made a holy priesthood.  God wants us to have both!  Fruit of the Spirit and Gifts of the Spirit.

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