Welcome to the defender podcast, a resource to help mobilize and equip the body of Christ to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children Services, and I'm your host, Herbie Newell.

This is the Defender Podcast Advent Edition, and this is week 2 as we look at the theme of preparation. You see, what does it mean to prepare our hearts for Jesus, and how do we make space for him during this busy season? The truth of the matter is, especially in the western part of the world, Christmas has become a commercial season, filled with gatherings and filled with concerts and hectic schedules. The truth of the matter is it's hard to even just find some time for space. It's hard to find some time for downtime during the Advent season nowadays because of how commercial and busy it's become, but we are called through Advent to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.

I remember around Christmas time of 2024, my sweet wife, Ashley, was expecting our first child, Caleb, and it was the 20th December, and she was nesting. She was preparing everything, washing every dish, sweeping every floor, vacuuming. I remember coming home and all the different chores that I needed to do, and there was that moment that I knew she was preparing to bring a baby home. We even went to Walmart that night to make some returns, to order some things, to get things ready. It was like a mom's intuition.

She knew that her baby was coming. And, sure enough, that night, we were awoken by labor pains, went to the hospital, and at just after 6 AM, our first child, Caleb, was born. Just like a mom is nesting, preparing, getting her home ready to bring home a new child, we must prepare and break through the busyness of our lives and the season to prepare for the coming of Jesus. We need to make space for Jesus in the midst of all of our busyness. Beloved, if we're true with ourselves, it's not just the Christmas season that's busy, it's also our lives that are busy.

We have smartphones and technology to try to make things more efficient, but ultimately, all it does is make things even busier. We don't wanna miss out. We don't wanna to not view something, or see something, or miss a message, or not communicate with someone. We are busy people, and as we prepare for Advent, let us remember to prepare our hearts for the ultimate coming of Christ. The prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah 40, as he prophesies the way of the Lord coming, but also prophesies John the Baptist.

This is what Isaiah 40 verse 3 says, it says, 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.

You see, preparing for Jesus involves clearing the obstacles in our lives to make room for him. The prophet Isaiah foretelling of John the Baptist says that he would prepare the way of the Lord, he would make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Brothers and sisters, we need to prepare for the coming of Christ. We need to prepare each and every day to make space, to make wholeness for the coming of Christ. And so, this Advent season, as we prepare for the coming of Christ, what are the valleys?

What are the mountains? What are the rough places in our lives that need the transformation of Christ? What are the straight ways that need to be made in our heart? What are the things that are distracting us from devotion to the Lord? What are the distractions that continue to veer us away from giving the lord our all from sacrificing to him every moment of our day?

Let's take this Advent to prepare the way of the lord, to cut through the busyness. As we think of the coming of Christ, even the birth of Jesus came upon a very, very busy time. The world was unprepared for the messiah. While the world slept, while the world was was moving around for the busyness of a census, in very humble circumstances, Jesus came. He came quietly, and he came in the margins.

Luke tells us in his gospel, Luke chapter 2 verses 1 through 7, he says, in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world, all the Roman world should be registered. And so, even in the first verse of of Luke chapter 2, we see busyness, we see activity, we see movement. We know in verse 2 that this was the first registration when Cornelius was the governor of Syria and all went to be registered each to his own town. In other words, there was movement and Joseph and Mary had to leave Nazareth and go to Bethlehem. Many people were moving around in this time.

It was busy. They had a marked out time to get to the place of their birth in order to be counted. Verse 4, Joseph went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. Why? Because he was of the house and the lineage of David, and he was to be registered with Mary, his betrothed who was with child.

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. In other words, while they were there, amidst the busyness, amidst the chaos, she gave birth. And we know that that they had a hard time finding a place because of how busy the town was. Bethlehem was brimming over, there was no room in the inn because of the busyness of the time. Verse 7 says she gave birth to her first born son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the end.

Beloved, as we prepare for the coming of Christ, is there a time for Jesus in our schedule? Is there a time for Jesus in our heart? Is there a time for Jesus in our family? Is there a time for Jesus in each and every day? In the middle of life's chaos, are we prepared each and every day to receive him?

Are we prepared like we read in verse 14 as the angel said to worship him? Are we prepared to worship him? Verse 14, glory to god in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he has pleased. Beloved, how do we get peace? By preparing for Jesus.

Peace only comes in making a way through our busyness for Jesus. We will not find peace in the next activity. We may not find peace in the next baseball, football, basketball season. We will not find peace in youth sports. We're not gonna find peace in running from here to there.

Peace can only be found at the feet of Jesus. And so in the middle of your busyness, are you like Mary who took a bottle of pure nard and poured it and anointed it on Jesus' feet? Are you sitting at the feet of your savior? As Advent season and reflection comes, we need to know that there's a readiness for the coming of Christ. Just as there was a readiness for his birth, are we ready for his promised return?

Spiritual preparations helps us avoid being spiritually crowded out by worldly distractions. You know, a good thing becomes an idol when it becomes the main thing, But we need Jesus to be our main thing. We need Jesus to be the one whom we adore. And so what does it look like to prepare our hearts for Jesus? What does it look like each and every day to prepare and to make way through the busyness for Christ Jesus?

1st, we have to repent. Clearing the way for Jesus means turning from our sin and renewing our focus on him. Just like Isaiah chapter 40 says, we make a straight path in the desert. The desert would have been the wilderness, would have been the deep, dark places where there was no civilization, where there was no light. Beloved, let's repent from living in darkness.

Let's repent of our wicked deeds and let's turn to the face of Jesus. Let's make straight a path in the desert. We need to repent, daily confess of our sin, and turn away from our selfishness and selflessly serve Jesus. But then second, the second way it looks like to prepare is to practice humility. We recognize our need for a savior, and we embrace Jesus' humble arrival in a manger, the king of the world.

Didn't come in Jerusalem, didn't come with pomp and circumstances, didn't come with an army, didn't come with chariots, didn't come with fanfare, but came in a humble way. And attending the birth of the king of the world was not nobles, was not dignitaries, was not diplomats, but were cows, chickens, and goats, a smelly manger, and some smelly shepherds who are watching their flocks by night. Beloved, if the savior of the world comes in the busyness of his senses, in a humble way on the margins, we must practice humility. We must realize that we must decrease, as John the Baptist says in John in John 3:30, we must decrease so that he can increase. And so, 4 practical ways to make space for Jesus during the busy season of Advent and the busy days of everyday life.

1st, we must simplify and prioritize time with the Lord. We need to spend time alone with the Lord. We need to read God's word. We need to treasure his word, we need to store up God's word in our heart so that we may not sin against him. We need to prioritize speaking God's word to our family.

We need to prioritize worshiping daily and in community worshiping together in church. We need to really spend time and identify those things that really matter. We need to let go of the unnecessary busyness that distracts us from intimacy with the Almighty. So, let's simplify and prioritize. And, even during this Advent season, what are you doing?

How are you preparing your hearts daily for the coming of Christ? How are you preparing your family for the coming of Christ? Are you reading an Advent devotion to your family? Are you practicing the simplicity of reflecting on the goodness of Christ and worshiping God? But then, second, not only do we simplify and prioritize, but we make intentional time with God, we make space for scripture and prayer.

We reflect on passages like Luke 2 and Isaiah chapter 40. Again, like we said before, we use Advent devotionals or family traditions that focus not on the commercialization of the season, but but focus on Christ and his coming. Hopefully, even the advic guide that you've received from Lifeline and this podcast are ways for you to reflect on god's word, for you to reflect on what it really means to wait but also to prepare. Then, we need to create sacred moments. We need to establish moments of quiet reflection during the day.

May that be worship in our hearts or worship with our family. May it be celebrations of time to reflect on the goodness of God. Let's create those sacred rituals that we do as a family that are not revolved around Christmas trees or Christmas lights or hot cider or hot cocoa, but that are revolved around loving Jesus. I pray that our children one day will look back and then reflect on the times, the simple times, the sacred times where we worship Christ during the season. And then 4th is we need to serve others.

Preparing for Jesus means emulating his love. It means volunteering. It means supporting those in need. It means extending kindness to our neighbors. When Jesus tells His disciples to be ready, to be waiting, He doesn't tell them to go up on the rooftops and wait.

What does he say? He says, be busy about the kingdom. Do the work of the kingdom. Be active in the coming and waiting of Christ. Beloved, we need to serve others.

There's no better way to prepare than to serve others, than to preach the good news of the gospel, than to open our homes to the vulnerable. And so preparation, beloved, this season, it's not about perfection, but it's about our intention. Glory to god in the highest. Peace among those with whom he is pleased. The lord is not pleased by our perfection.

He's pleased by the perfection of Christ. And so let's be intentional as we prepare for the coming of Christ. I wanna ask you, how will you prepare? How will you commit to prepare your hearts for the coming of Christ? Let's make room for Jesus every day, not just during Advent, not just during this season, but every day, let's prepare for the coming of Christ.

Let's pray. Father god, thank you for the gift of Christ Jesus. Would you allow us to prepare our hearts and our homes in order to receive you? Would you give us peace and focus during this busy and hectic season? Would you help us not to look to the busyness and the things on our schedule, but look to the simplicity of devotion to you.

Oh lord god, would you give us obedience to come to your word each and every day? Would you help us to simplify and prioritize? Would you help us to make intentional time with you? Would you allow us to make and create sacred and memorable moments of worship in our families? And, lord god, would you clear our schedule of things that we have reserved for ourselves and make time for others?

Lord god, you're the meaning of Christmas. We love you. Thank you for Christmas, and thank you for Jesus. It's in your great name that we pray, the name of Jesus. Amen.

Well, thank you for listening to the Defender Podcast Advent Edition. Make sure you are looking for 2 more that will drop as we prepare for the coming of Christmas. Please share this podcast with others that might enjoy it and reflect on the joy of preparing our hearts for Christ this Advent season. God bless and Merry Christmas.

Thanks for listening to the Defender Podcast. If you enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the Defender Podcast to make it easier for more people to find. For more information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, visit us at lifelinechild.org. If you want to connect with me, please visit herbynewell.com. Follow us at Lifeline on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child.

You can email us directly at info at lifelinechild.org. Beloved, will you allow god to use the gospel to you to impact the life of a child? Please contact us because we are here to defend the fatherless. We'll see you again next week for the Defender

podcast.