SCRIPTURES: 
Old Testament 
Ex. 19:9-23
New Testament 
Mt. 11:11; Lk. 1:8-17; John 3:29, John 5:33-35; 2 Cor. 11; Eph. 5:25-27; Php. 1:9-10; 1 Th. 5:23-24; Tit. 2:11-14; Re. 2:18-29, Rev. 19:6-8

Tim Miller

Church

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<li>“He will go before him…to make ready for the Lord a people prepared”</li>
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8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord (Gabriel; cf. v. 19) standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord (“great in the sight of the Lord” [HCSB, ISV, NET, NIV]; “great in the eyes of the Lord” [NLT]). And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him (“He will go as a forerunner before the Lord,” NET) in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared (Grk. kateskeuasmenon).” (Luke 1:8-17, ESV)
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<li>What is meant or implied by the idea of “preparation”?
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<li>Kataskeuazō: “to cause to be thoroughly prepared” (Louw-Nida) ; “to be or become completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress” (Bible Sense Lexicon, Logos Bible Software)</li>
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<li>“…to make ready for the Lord a people thoroughly prepared” (BHT)</li>
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<li>Prepare: “a: to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use, or activity &lt;prepare food for dinner&gt;; b: to put in a proper state of mind &lt;is prepared to listen&gt;”</li>
<li>Implied purpose and consequences (of varying degrees): Prepared for what? What is the consequence if the necessary preparations do not take place?</li>
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9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud,  so that the people will hear when I speak  with you and will always believe you.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord. 10 And the Lord told Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. They must wash their clothes  11 and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.  12 Put boundaries for the people all around the mountain and say: Be careful that you don’t go up on the mountain or touch its base. Anyone who touches the mountain will be put to death.  13 No hand may touch him; instead he will be stoned or shot with arrows. No animal or man will live. When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast, they may go up the mountain.” 14 Then Moses came down from the mountain to the people and consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 He said to the people, “Be prepared by the third day. Do not have sexual relations with women.” 16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire.  Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace,  and the whole mountain shook violently.  19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai at the top of the mountain. Then the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and he went up. 21 The Lord directed Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the Lord; otherwise many of them will die.  22 Even the priests who come near the Lord must purify themselves or the Lord will break out in anger against them.” 23 But Moses responded to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, since You warned us: Put a boundary around the mountain and consider it holy.” (Ex. 19:9-23, HCSB)

GABRIEL’S MESSAGE ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIZER

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<li>Jesus Is Coming for a Radiant Bride</li>
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25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church (“in splendor” [ESV, HCSB, NRSV], “as glorious” [NET], “in all her beauty” [NCV], “a glorious church” (NKJV), without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Eph. 5:25-27, NIV)
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Tit. 2:11-14, NIV)
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<li>Paul’s Godly Jealousy and Burden</li>
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11:1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy (“I feel a divine jealousy for you” [NRSV]), because I promised you in marriage (“betrothed you” [ESV]) to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 11:3 But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his treachery, your minds may be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it well enough! (2 Cor. 11:1-4, NET)
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<li>29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. (Jn. 3:29a, NIV)</li>
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27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn (“burn with indignation” [HCSB, NKJV, NET], “intense concern” [NASB], “burn with anger” [NLT], “feel upset” [NCV], “filled with distress” [TEV])? (2 Cor. 11:27-28, NIV)
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<li>How Serious Is Jesus about This?</li>
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2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Son of God (“Thus says the Son of God,” [BHT]), the one who has eyes like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished bronze (“like bright, glowing metal” [BHT]; cf. puro at Re. 1:15): 2:19 ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones. 2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 2:21 I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 2:22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness (Lit “throw her onto a bed”; “I am about to strike her with severe illness” [BHT]), and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds. 2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease (lit “and her children I will kill with death”; “I will strike her children dead” [ESV, NIV, NRSV]; “And I will kill her children with pestilence” [NASB, NLT]; “I will also kill her followers” [NLT]; “Yes, her followers I will slay with a deadly plague” [BHT]), and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve. 2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. 2:25 However, hold on to what you have until I come. 2:26 And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations— 2:27 he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, 2:28 just as I have received the right to rule from my Father—and I will give him the morning star. 2:29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Re. 2:18-29, NET)

A PURE BRIDE

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<li>Jesus describes John as “a burning and shining lamp”</li>
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33You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34I myself do not accept human testimony, but I am saying these things so that you may be saved. 35That man was a lamp that burns and brightly shines (“a burning and shining lamp” [ESV, HCSB]), and for a while you were willing to rejoice in his light. (John 5:33-35, ISV)
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<li>That man was a burning and shining lamp, and ᵖyou were ready for a time to sing and dance for joy (Gk. agalliaō) in the light of his life and message (BHT).</li>
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<li>“Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire—and his word burned like a torch (“burned like a lamp” [Brenton]). (Sirach, 48:1, LES)</li>
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“For he [John] will be great in the sight of the Lord (“in the eyes of the Lord,” NLT). (Lk. 1:15a, HCSB, NET, NIV) 
11“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. (Mt. 11:11a, NLT)
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<li>Goal of this series: To carefully examine the life, message, calling, example, and ministry of John the Baptizer, as a springboard for growing in our understanding of the Lord’s priorities for His people prior to the return of Jesus. To produce a cry in our hearts for Jesus to make us a people prepared for His return.</li>
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19:6 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns! 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). (Rev. 19:6-8, NET)
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming  of our Lord Jesus Christ.  24 He who calls  you  is faithful, who also will do it. (1 Th. 5:23-24, HCSB)
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ (or “for the day of Christ” [NET]), 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Php. 1:9-10, NIV)

A “BURNING AND SHINING LAMP”

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<li>What do you think it means for the Body of Christ to be a “radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:25-27, NIV). Why do you think this is so important to Jesus and the apostles?</li>
<li>Paul clearly underscores God’s role in preparing His people for the return of Jesus (e.g., 1 Th. 5:23-24). At the same time, he also says, “I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2, NET). How do you think these two things came together in his mind? What role do you think that we might play in one another’s lives to the end of becoming “a people prepared”?</li>
<li>If Jesus were to include your church among those which he evaluates in Revelation 2-3, what do you think He would say?</li>
<li>Take some time now to come together and pray Philippians 1:9-10—for your own lives, for your families, for your church family, and for the Body of Christ at large.</li>
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND PRAYER

A People Prepared

In this introduction to the series A People Prepared, we look at Jesus’ zeal for a pure Bride, as...

Jesus’ Zeal for a Pure Bride

In this session we examine some of the formative elements in John the Baptizer’s life, asking the...

Becoming Strong in Spirit

Christ/Cross

When prophesying about John the Baptizer, Zechariah, John’s father, declared that John in...

God’s Day, God’s Summons

Full Gospel

In this session, we examine and discuss the various features and components that make up any...

What Makes Up a Kingdom

Jake Paurus

Instagram

Forerunners in the Wilderness Teaching

Creation

In this session, we will examine the various elements that make up the “Kingdom of Creation.”...

Kingdom of Creation

In this session, we will examine the various elements that make up the “Kingdom of Eden.” What...

Kingdom of Eden Part 1

Curse

In this first of two sessions on the Kingdom of Darkness, we will examine some of the various...

Kingdom of Darkness Part 1

In this session we will continue examining the Kingdom of Darkness, focusing especially on Genesis...

Kingdom of Darkness Part 2

Kingdom of Darkness Part 3

Covenant

In this week’s Emmaus Road Gathering, we will resume our discussion of the OT background and...

Kingdom of Israel

When John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed that the “Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt. 3:2, 4:14),...

Kingdom Promised

In this teaching, we step back into the New Testament and examine John the Baptist’s declaration...

The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand

In Matthew 11, John the Baptizer sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus,
“Are you the one who was...

Kingdom Coming

When the angel Gabriel met with Zechariah and foretold John the Baptizer’s birth, he said that...

Delighting in the Tenth Commandment

How is “love for God” defined according to the Scriptures? In this week’s Emmaus Road...

Love As Loyalty

In this week’s Emmaus Road Gathering, we will wrap up our series on the life, message, and...

Wisdom Vindicated

God’s Day, God’s Summons Q&A/Discussion

What Makes Up a Kingdom Q&A/Discussion

Kingdom of Eden Part 2 / Q&A

In this introduction to the series A People Prepared, we look at Jesus’ zeal for a pure Bride, as well Paul’s burden to present the people to whom he ministered as “a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:4, NIV).