Dare to Be and Do: Preparing the Way
Rev. Dr. Roger Haskins, Regional Superintendent/Bishop Emeritus Sept. 7, 2025
“‘Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” - Malachi 3:1
God sent a messenger.
Malachi 3:1 was a prophecy. It was fulfilled by John the Baptist. But is also still being fulfilled by our obedience today to be His messengers - His sent ones preparing the way for Jesus in our world today.
Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
As we will see, this is always best fulfilled with “Be” and “Do.”
Fulfilling the Great Commission by Living the Great Commandment - the best way to do this in today’s world is to offer living proof ... of a loving God ... to a watching world.
Malachi 3:1 - “‘Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
This morning, the Spirit desires to speak into our hearts that we must first “become someone, so that you can do something.”
Three action steps to help us be prepared to better prepare the way:
1. First, the Spirit calls us to be “a holy fool” for Jesus.
2. Second, I believe the Spirit is calling us to Love God with a reckless abandon.
3. Third, let’s learn to live in the “thin spaces.”