The Pilgrim Path---Isaiah 40: 1—5

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

COMFORT…

When I served my second church, I lived close to the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. I have some fond memories of that prison. The chaplain was a dear lady (a member of a local PCA Church---and she was originally from England). She worked with one of our deacons so that we could start a Promise Keepers group in the prison. We met on Tuesday evenings. Most Tuesdays---I could normally think of a host of reasons why I should not go to the prison that night: I was too tired / I had too much to do / my heart was not “in it” / I did not “feel” spiritually energized / I wanted to watch TV----hey I had all sorts of excuses. I usually went anyway---By the Grace of Almighty God---and was genuinely blessed. Here is the thing: We simply supported the inmates who lead the program. There was no great weight upon us We sang, and prayed, and counseled, and contributed---as we could. We were encouraged in our Holy Faith each week! It seems I would, “drag in---and float right out.” I am thinking I was more enriched in matters of the soul---than the inmates---each time I showed up. I seem to have been comforted---as much, if not more---than all the prisoners. Here is a secret: When you are discouraged and down as a Follower of the Risen Christ---as you are able, try helping someone “pull themselves together”---just a bit. It might just help you begin--- to pull yourself together. As you are able---Help someone else collect themselves ever so slightly---it might well help you begin to “collect yourself” just a bit better.

Oh---the prison housed approximately 2,400 inmates---400 men, the rest ladies! On occasion I had the privilege of preaching in the Women’s Chapel Service on Thursday Nights---maybe around 135 ladies. Now that was a soul JOY. They would “talk” to me while I was preaching: “Come on now!” And guess what---I did! We comforted one another in the glorious truths of the grand Gospel of Jesus Christ Our LORD.

We are in the midst of Advent---You need to think about the people You can bring “comfort” to in Jesus’ Name. There are a lot of needs out there---How can You bring the savor of Heaven to some discouraged souls?

When You bring some Help---Leave them some Scripture. The Word of God “is” what the Holy Spirit Uses to change people. Isaiah reminds us in this same chapter, verse eight,

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Give folk some of that WORD---and remind them, Jesus is the WORD made flesh!

From Thomas Case: The air we breathe will as soon fill a hungry belly as creature-comforts will satisfy the spirit. In the hour of trial, the soul says, “Miserable comforters you all are, you are physicians of no value” (Mark 5: 26). Ah, but there is infinite fullness in Jesus Christ. He is suited to all the needs of poor undone sinners. No king was anointed with such power; no prophet with such wisdom; no priest with such grace, for God gave him the Spirit without measure (John 3: 34), and of his fulness we receive grace for grace. If we fill ourselves with the world, the less we will delight in Christ. This is our sin and folly. But when God spreads sackcloth on the earthly, we discover the beauty of Christ and can taste his sweetness. He infinitely transcends all the beauty and glory of the world. He is our King to govern; our Prophet to teach; our Priest to save. How precious! Give me Christ, or else I die!

From Charles Spurgeon: This voice was John the Baptist’s who came to proclaim the coming Savior. That was the best comfort God’s people could have---the coming of the Lord. So, it is now. The joy of the Church is the coming of the Lord, and the greatest source of joy is the drawing near to us of our Lord.

HYMN

Comfort, comfort ye my people, speak ye peace, thus saith our God;

Comfort those who sit in darkness, mourning ‘neath their sorrow’s load.

Speak ye to Jerusalem of the peace that waits for them;

Tell her that her sins I cover, and her warfare now is over.

Yea, her sins our God will pardon, blotting out each dark misdeed;

All that well deserved his anger he no more will see or heed.

She hath suffered many a day, now her griefs have passed away;

God will change her pining sadness into everlasting gladness.

For the herald’s voice is crying in the desert far and near,

Bidding all men to repentance, since the kingdom now is here.

O that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God away;

Let the valleys rise to meet him, and the hills bow down to greet him.

Johannes Olearius, 1671 / translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1863

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason