Prepare the Way

Prepare the Way

Matthew 28:16-20

            The musical Godspell is a retelling of Matthew’s gospel.  Written in the 1960’s, it tells the story of Jesus’ adult life through interactions between the actor playing him and those playing his disciples and other characters in his story. 

            It begins with actors quoting from a wide variety of philosophical viewpoints.  One by one they add their voices to the mix until they create a cacophony of unintelligible sound.  Suddenly, cutting through the noise we hear the voice of the actor playing Jesus.  He sings “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” over and over.  He is joined by the other actors and the band.  It becomes clear to the audience that Jesus’ voice is the one—the only one—we should be listening to.  The force of his voice drowns out all other philosophies.

            As the story develops, we see several of Jesus’ parables acted out.  We hear him teach.  The other actors play a variety of roles, sometimes listening to him teach, other times playing the characters in the parables.  Occasionally they become people allied against Jesus.

            The execution scene is played out with Jesus holding on to a chain link fence and gyrating as if he’s being electrocuted.  The music is loud and frantic.  Whenever it stops we hear Jesus utter some of his final words.  Finally, he dies.  The other actors pick up his body and carry it out, holding him over their heads.

            Suddenly he jumps down and begins singing.  And what does he sing?  “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”  The musical ends as it begins.  There has been no change—or has there?

            Easter changes everything.  The Messiah who was misunderstood and finally rejected during his life becomes the Lord and Savior of the world.  His disciples, having followed their teacher for three years, become apostles, those who bring the message of good news.  While the words the actors sing are the same as at the beginning, the message behind those words is different. 

We see that difference reflected in the final words of Matthew’s gospel.  Jesus meets the remaining eleven of his closest followers on a mountain in Galilee and gives them their marching orders.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always; to the end of the age.”

As Jesus made disciples of them, they are to make disciples of others.  It’s their turn to prepare the way of the Lord.  Instead of announcing that the Messiah has come to earth, it is their task to announce that Jesus has made reconciliation with God available to all.  Furthermore, Jesus will be returning to earth at some time in the future.  It is this event for which the apostles must prepare the world. 

This is our task as well.  These verses are called The Great Commission.  This commission wasn’t given just to those eleven who stood with Jesus on the mountain.  The task of preparation has been passed down through the centuries until it has fallen to us.  We are to prepare the way of the Lord.  We are to make disciples of all nations.  We are to baptize new believers in the name of the Trinity. 

We may not be great singers and actors, but we must be the body of Christ in this world, taking his message not only to the ends of the world, but to our neighbors next door.  Wherever God calls us to serve, there we must be about the business of preparing the way of the Lord.