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[ Silence ] [MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ The blood that Jesus shed for me ♪ ♪ Way back on Calvary ♪

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♪ The blood that gives me strength ♪ ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never lose ♪ ♪ Its power ♪

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♪ It soothes my doubt ♪ ♪ And calms my fear ♪ [MUSIC] ♪ My tears ♪

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♪ The blood that gave me strength ♪ ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never lose ♪ ♪ Its power ♪

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♪ Oh, it reaches ♪ ♪ He reaches to the highest mountain ♪ ♪ And the road is long to the lowest valley ♪ ♪ The love of Jesus we spread ♪

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♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never lose its power ♪ ♪ Oh, it reaches ♪ ♪ It reaches to the highest mountain ♪

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♪ And it flows to the lowest valley ♪ ♪ Of love that is missed ♪ ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never be ♪

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♪ Jesus Christ ♪ - Amen, amen. Hear this word recorded in Isaiah, the 40th chapter and the third verse.

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The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A voice crying in the wilderness.

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Amid the crowded waves of life, a multitude of voices Seek our love and loyalty. Words of our text come from an unknown prophet of the Babylonian exile, who for want of a better name,

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we call Deutero-Isaiah, or Second Isaiah. He appears as a herald of hope. He sees the grim shadows of slavery disappearing and proclaims the dawn of freedom's holy light.

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The long night of Babylonian captivity is ended. is ended. It is time to return to Jerusalem. It's time to go home. The homeward journey requires special preparation. As prisoners of war, they have been uprooted from their native land

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and exposed to excruciating experiences in a far country. Now the night has passed and morning has come. And with the coming of freedom is the privilege to go back to Jerusalem. But the long and difficult journey home is fraught with many obstacles.

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A wilderness separates Babylonia from Palestine. The wilderness referred to by Deutero-Isaiah is a desert. It is a hot, dry, depressed and deserted region enclosed between these two countries. The wilderness is an arid wasteland.

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The wilderness is a sandy desert. The wilderness is a desolate mountain terrain. The wilderness is the land of burning sun. Temperature reaches 120 degrees in the wilderness.

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So the question comes, why must the travelers have the wilderness experience? The answer is it's the only way home. Those who would make the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, from bondage to freedom, must have a wilderness

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experience. In the journey from Egypt to Canaan, the children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness. It is the special discipline God's people must endure, the wilderness experience. Before Moses was ready to lead the Israelites, he had to endure the

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of the wilderness. Before Elijah confronted Ahab, he was trained in the discipline of the wilderness. And before Jesus began his public ministry, he spent 40 days in the wilderness where he was schooled in the discipline of the desert. Before Paul went forth to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, he spent

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three years in Arabia where he was trained in the discipline of the wilderness. So I wonder about this voice crying in the wilderness. Who is this crying, this lonely prophetic voice in the desert, in the isolated regions of human existence. Who is this cry in the desert? Is it the prophet Deutero Isaiah,

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one whom God has sent to warn, to convict, to convert and comfort the desert travelers. Who is this? Is it the desert prophet seeking to prepare God's people for the wilderness journey especially for the coming of the King? In those days it was the practice in the East whenever the King entered upon an expedition or

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took a journey especially through the desert he sent messengers before him to to accompany the way, or to prepare the way for his coming. They were to open the passes, level the ways, and remove all impediments.

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Drops, rubbish, and other hindrances were pushed aside, and all things were made ready for the coming of the king. So this prophet, he doesn't give us the name of this voice, the one who is the voice. We later read that John the Baptist comes to fulfill this prophecy, but he focuses upon

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what it means to be wandering through the wilderness. You see, the journey through the wilderness is the call to live life at its best. Many have died in the wilderness,

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without water to cool their parching tongues and without bread to satisfy the pains of hunger. They have died in the wilderness. So it's not wise to attempt to travel

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through the desert alone. Some years ago, Bishop James Pike of the Episcopal Church and his wife went to Palestine and they wanted to go into the wilderness.

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They were warned by those who were quite, somewhat acquainted with that journey through the wilderness that it would be unwise to go into the wilderness without a guide.

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But the wife of the bishop decided that she wanted to go one way into the wilderness and Bishop Pike decided he wanted to go another way. And so they both were lost.

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And after some time, Bishop Pike's wife was rescued, but when they found Bishop Pike, he was dead. It's a dangerous thing to go into the wilderness without a guide.

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You can easily become lost and faint and die. and die in the wilderness. So death in the desert, the very thought of it, makes us apprehensive and anxious.

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We enter the desert fearful of what we may encounter. We enter the desert thinking that we have left behind something that is better than what we confront. Can't you hear the Israelites as they enter the desert one of the tests that they face is that they are hungry

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And they cry out. Oh if we were just back in Egypt Where we had food to our stomachs delight it's a mark of Strength and fortitude to be able to stay in the desert

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To be prepared for the wilderness experience the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord To be prepared for the wilderness experience whether it's 40 days or 40 years

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Denotes spiritual growth It's a sign of maturity Now the time comes for us to get out of the wilderness. We go into the wilderness, we stay in the wilderness, and there comes a time to get out of

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the wilderness. Just this past week there was an account of a man by the name of Vincent Jenkins who spent

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17 years in the penitentiary for a crime that he did not commit. They gave him a DNA test and they found out that he was not the person that raped the woman. But he had spent 17 years in the wilderness.

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And I could go on and on of what happens in the wilderness. seemingly wasted years, but they can be made fruitful years if used in the right manner. I think our ancestors understood it well

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when they related the wilderness experience to our Christian journey. And they said, "Tell me, how did you feel "when you come out the wilderness?

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"Tell me, how did you feel when you come out the wilderness?" Tell me how did you feel when you come out the wilderness leaning on the Lord? And then there's a verse in the sermon,

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"Oh, I felt like shouting when I come out the wilderness." "Felt like shouting when I come out the wilderness "leaning on the Lord." Now my brothers and sisters,

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we are pilgrims in the desert, traveling through the wilderness of this world on our way home. The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

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prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Now, the desert is a lonely place. There are times we feel forsaken, that's a desert experience.

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There are times we feel isolated from the main traffic of human existence, that's a desert experience. There are times when we feel deserted by family, deserted by our friends,

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and left to go it alone all by ourselves. That's the desert experience. And we find that we must pass through the desert in order to get home.

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At times, we've got to go through the desert of sickness. It's a desert. It is there, and there is no way to make this journey safely from Babylon to Jerusalem without going

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through the desert of sickness and disease. But in the midst of the desert, there is a safe and sure guide. You can rest assured that in the desert experience

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that you have a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide us on our journey. The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

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prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Yes, loneliness is a desert experience. Sickness and disease, a desert experience.

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Grief is a desert experience. Grief robs us of the moisture and refreshing rain of God's comforting spirit. Grief. Death is the ultimate. We dread death. We don't like to talk about it, yet we can't escape it.

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There's no way around the desert of death. Prepare for the journey. Some say, "Oh, I'm ready for death. I have sufficient insurance.

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I've made my will. I've fixed everything. It's airtight. I'm ready for death."

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But that's not the kind of readiness I'm talking about. I'm talking about a different kind of preparation. We need a highway that travels through the desert of death. A highway that travels through the desert of loneliness.

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A highway that travels through the desert of sickness and disease. A highway that travels through the desert of grief. Yes, a highway that travels through the desert of death. Prepare a highway in the desert.

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Prepare for the victorious advance of the conquering king. For in those days, when the people were expecting the coming of the king, they made special preparations for his arrival. So in these days while we are busy shopping for gifts and making

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plans for the celebration of Christmas we would do well to prepare for the King's coming by making a highway in the desert. Now you see the desert is not an impassable obstacle. That was a time in America

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when the 13 colonies along the Atlantic seaboard were considered the primary safe places for people to live. But in the course of time they began to explore the territory of the West, which was considered a wasteland and a howling wilderness.

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So there were the strong stalwart adventurous pilgrims who made a path through the wilderness. They experienced new horizons of faith by preparing a highway in the desert. Now you know much attention is given to the construction of

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highways. That's one of the main businesses in this state, the Highway Commission. The highways are designed to provide safe and smooth transportation from one place to another. So Deuteronomy here sets forth conditions governing the construction of the highway in the desert.

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All obstacles are to be removed before the road is built. Trees and stumps are cut down and uprooted. In modern highway construction, the bulldozer pushes aside these obstacles. The low places are filled.

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The high places are made level and the rough places are made smooth. Every valley must be exalted. The low places must be filled. Low places in our lives, those points where we are below the standards, those places are to be filled.

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Every mountain must be made low, the high and mighty must humble themselves to prepare for the coming of the King. These are some changes and they're changes that are not just recommended, they are changes that are demanded. They are the demands of God. So the highway is for our God.

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And this is the highway that the Lord God is to travel upon in the wilderness experience. And the wonderful thing about the wilderness experience is that we are really never alone.

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God himself comes and encounters us when we are wandering in the wilderness. God comes, he comes himself. And what the prophet is crying about

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and mentioning and lifting up here is the voice in the wilderness that speaks saying, prepare ye the way of the Lord. Get ready for his coming.

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This is an Advent season, you need to get ready. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming with all of his power.

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He's coming. He's coming with all of his grace. He's coming. He's coming with all of his mercy.

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He's coming. Get ready for his coming. Prepare a highway for the coming of the King. It was in the year of 1953 that we made a trip

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to California and before going on the trip, people had warned us about the desert. So when you get to the desert, be sure you get to the desert at night so you can drive to the desert when it's cool at night.

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But it so happened that in our driving we got to the desert just about midday. But before getting right into the desert, I remember there was a sign that said,

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"Last stop before the desert." And we stopped right there at that service station. It was the last stop. And we checked the water,

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put water, filled up the radiator with water, checked the gas, filled it up, Check the oil and then put ice in all of the bags we had, the thermos in the ice bags, we had everything ready.

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And then we drove through the desert. (audience laughing) And it was a comfortable ride. So the desert can be a good experience

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if you have preparation, made adequate preparation, and if you have a good companion. We drove through the desert. She drove half the way I drove the other half.

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- Yeah. - So, so, so, that there is one who comes as our eternal companion. There is one who loves us, who reaches out to us,

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and who goes with us every bit of the way. Thanks be to God. And all he asks us to do is to prepare. Just open yourself to him, and he does the rest.

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So as we sing the hymn of invitation during this Advent season, we extend the privilege to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you have not accepted him, this is a good time

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to build a highway in the desert for the coming of the King. If you're already a Christian and you wanna unite with the family of God here at Ebenezer, we invite you to come.

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It's an open door, may come by letter, by Christian experience, our own profession of faith. As we sing, the door is open. I heard the voice of Jesus say.

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♪ I heard the voice of Jesus say ♪ ♪ Come unto me, my friend ♪ ♪ Came down the hill before my God ♪ ♪ And hailed upon the plain ♪

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♪ I came to Jesus as a boy ♪ ♪ Weary and poor and sad ♪ ♪ I found in Him a resting place ♪ ♪ A needless place ♪

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♪ The earth of ours, the peace of Spain ♪ ♪ Behold, I will be king ♪ ♪ The living water thirst be gone ♪ ♪ To drown and drink and live ♪

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♪ I gave to Jesus and I pray ♪ ♪ The blood that filled this tree ♪ ♪ My heart was bit, my soul revived ♪ ♪ And now I live in faith ♪

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I heard the voice of Jesus say, I am this rock, this life. No one to be thy Lord shall rise, and all thy gain be bright. ♪ I look to Jesus when I'm down ♪ ♪ If He must come, must come ♪

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♪ And in that life of life of war ♪ ♪ New traveling grains are found ♪ (Singing) KENNETH: One of the wonderful things about the journey is that

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Jesus Christ prepares a table for us in the desert. Isn't that something? A table in the desert, so that in the midst of weaknesses in the midst of all of the challenges we face. There is strength provided for each one because the one whom we serve prepares a table for us.

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And so we come here at this time to observe this meal that he prepares and gives us the energy, grace, the hope, the faith, the love is all symbolized in this Let's bow our heads as we ask God's blessings upon the bread and upon the wine. We bless your name, oh God, that you prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies.

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We thank you for your creative power. We thank you for your abiding love. We thank you for your spirit of forgiveness. Bless us now as we commune at this table,

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acknowledging your care, your power, and your redemption. Bless the bread and bless the wine. And bless us as we rededicate ourselves to you and your will and way.

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Amen. Jesus took the bread, blessed it, break it, gave to his disciples, and ministering in his name, I give you this bread representing the body of our Lord. Take and divide it among yourselves.

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Likewise, also, he took the cup and gave to his disciples, and ministering in his name, I give you this cup representing his shed blood. ye all of it. (gentle music)

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[Music] Let us raise hands together for the living. Let us raise hands together for the living. ♪ When I fall on my knees ♪

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♪ Will I face to the rising sun ♪ ♪ Oh, how that mercy is for me ♪ Let us really fly together on our knees. Let us really fly together on our knees.

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♪ When I fall on my knees ♪ ♪ With my face to the rising sun ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, have mercy on me ♪ ♪ Let us praise God together ♪

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♪ For our King ♪ ♪ Let us praise God together ♪ ♪ For our King ♪ ♪ I'm home, home, home, my dear ♪

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♪ Where's my love? ♪ - Does anyone in the audience who has been omitted, who should be served, would you raise your hand? [Music]

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Step up for anyone who wishes. [ Music ] >> Let us commune together. Amen.

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♪ (soft music) Oh, how he loves you and me. Let us all stand and as we do so, engage in our ritual of fellowship.

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A holy hug, a holy handshake, a holy kiss. ♪ Oh, how he loves you and me ♪ ♪ Oh, how he loves you and me ♪ ♪ He made me cry but nobody knew ♪

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♪ How he loved you ♪ (people chattering) (people chattering) (people chattering)

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[MUSIC] [indistinct chatter] [Music] [Music]

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[ Silence ]