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Prepare the Way
Prepare the Way
Series: Christmas Through Matthew's Eyes (Week 2 of 5)
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
Summary
Continuing our journey through Matthew's telling of the Christmas story, Week 2 focuses on an unlikely figure: John the Baptist. He doesn't appear in Christmas pageants or on greeting cards, but Matthew includes him prominently because his message is essential to understanding Christmas—before you can truly receive Jesus, you must prepare the way.
We spend weeks preparing for Christmas: decorating houses, shopping for gifts, planning meals, organizing events. But have we prepared our hearts? John the Baptist's message answers that question with an uncomfortable but necessary truth: true preparation begins with genuine repentance.
Key Points:
1. True Preparation Begins With Repentance
John's first words set the tone: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Not "Get excited" or "Prepare a celebration"—repent.
The Greek word metanoeo means to change your mind, to have a fundamental shift in thinking that leads to a change in direction. It's not just feeling sorry for sin or admitting mistakes—it's recognizing you've been going the wrong direction and turning around to go God's way.
John quotes Isaiah 40:3: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.'" In ancient times, when a king was coming to visit, messengers would go ahead to prepare the road—filling potholes, leveling rough spots, straightening crooked paths. John is saying: The King is coming. Prepare the way. Get your life ready through repentance.
The Christmas connection: When Jesus came the first time, many people weren't ready because they wanted Him on their terms—a political deliverer while letting them keep living their own way. But Jesus didn't come on those terms. He came calling people to repent, to surrender, to follow Him completely.
The same is true today. Many people want to celebrate Christmas without surrender. They want Jesus as a baby in a manger—safe, non-threatening, warm feelings and traditions. But you can't have Jesus without repentance. You can't receive the King without bowing to His authority.
2. Genuine Repentance Produces Visible Fruit
When the religious leaders came to be baptized, John confronted them: "Bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'"
The Pharisees and Sadducees believed they were right with God because of their religious credentials—the right bloodline, Scripture knowledge, traditions. But John says that's not enough. What matters is genuine repentance that produces real change.
The principle: True repentance always produces visible fruit. If your heart has genuinely changed, your life will show it. Not perfection, but direction. Not sinlessness, but transformation.
What does fruit look like? Evidence of genuine life change:
The Christmas connection: When Jesus was born, the religious leaders had all the credentials—Scripture knowledge, traditions, righteous appearance. But they rejected Jesus because they had never truly repented. Their religion was external, not internal. When the Messiah they claimed to be waiting for actually showed up, they didn't recognize Him because their hearts weren't prepared.
Many people increase their religious activity at Christmas—attending church, singing about Jesus, putting up nativity scenes. But has your heart actually changed? Have you genuinely repented?
3. Jesus Brings Both Transformation and Judgment
John makes a crucial distinction: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
For those who genuinely repent and believe, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit—He gives new life, transforms from the inside out, indwells believers with God's presence. But for those who refuse to repent, Jesus brings judgment—separation of true from false.
John uses an agricultural image: A farmer with a winnowing fan throws grain into the air. The wind blows away the chaff (worthless husks), and the wheat (valuable grain) falls to the threshing floor. John says: Jesus will separate wheat from chaff. He will gather genuine believers. He will judge the false and fruitless.
Yes, Jesus came in humility, born in poverty, laid in a feeding trough. But even as a baby, He was the King who came to transform and judge. And one day—maybe soon—Jesus is coming back as the Judge of all the earth. When He comes, He will separate the genuine from the fake.
The question: Which are you? Not "Are you religious?" or "Do you celebrate Christmas?" but "Have you genuinely repented and surrendered to Jesus Christ?"
The Closing Illustration:
A missionary in Africa was preparing to return home after years of service. The village chief asked to see the missionary's house one final time. As they walked through, the chief examined every room carefully. Finally, in the kitchen, he stopped and pointed to the missionary's broom in the corner.
"May I have this?" the chief asked.
The missionary was surprised but agreed. "Of course, but why do you want my old broom?"
The chief replied, "Because a broom sweeps clean before the master arrives. And you have taught us that Jesus is coming. I want to remember that I must prepare the way—I must sweep my heart clean before He returns."
That humble chief understood John the Baptist's message: Prepare the way. Make His paths straight. Sweep clean before the Master arrives.
The Bottom Line: This Christmas season, we'll prepare many things—houses, meals, gifts. But the most important preparation is preparing your heart for Jesus. John the Baptist shows us how: Repent. Turn from sin. Surrender to Jesus. Bear fruit worthy of repentance. True preparation begins with genuine repentance. Genuine repentance produces visible fruit. Jesus brings both transformation and judgment. Prepare the way for the Lord. Make His paths straight. Because Jesus is coming—to celebrate His birth and, one day, His return.
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By Plymouth Church of ChristPrepare the Way
Series: Christmas Through Matthew's Eyes (Week 2 of 5)
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
Summary
Continuing our journey through Matthew's telling of the Christmas story, Week 2 focuses on an unlikely figure: John the Baptist. He doesn't appear in Christmas pageants or on greeting cards, but Matthew includes him prominently because his message is essential to understanding Christmas—before you can truly receive Jesus, you must prepare the way.
We spend weeks preparing for Christmas: decorating houses, shopping for gifts, planning meals, organizing events. But have we prepared our hearts? John the Baptist's message answers that question with an uncomfortable but necessary truth: true preparation begins with genuine repentance.
Key Points:
1. True Preparation Begins With Repentance
John's first words set the tone: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Not "Get excited" or "Prepare a celebration"—repent.
The Greek word metanoeo means to change your mind, to have a fundamental shift in thinking that leads to a change in direction. It's not just feeling sorry for sin or admitting mistakes—it's recognizing you've been going the wrong direction and turning around to go God's way.
John quotes Isaiah 40:3: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.'" In ancient times, when a king was coming to visit, messengers would go ahead to prepare the road—filling potholes, leveling rough spots, straightening crooked paths. John is saying: The King is coming. Prepare the way. Get your life ready through repentance.
The Christmas connection: When Jesus came the first time, many people weren't ready because they wanted Him on their terms—a political deliverer while letting them keep living their own way. But Jesus didn't come on those terms. He came calling people to repent, to surrender, to follow Him completely.
The same is true today. Many people want to celebrate Christmas without surrender. They want Jesus as a baby in a manger—safe, non-threatening, warm feelings and traditions. But you can't have Jesus without repentance. You can't receive the King without bowing to His authority.
2. Genuine Repentance Produces Visible Fruit
When the religious leaders came to be baptized, John confronted them: "Bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'"
The Pharisees and Sadducees believed they were right with God because of their religious credentials—the right bloodline, Scripture knowledge, traditions. But John says that's not enough. What matters is genuine repentance that produces real change.
The principle: True repentance always produces visible fruit. If your heart has genuinely changed, your life will show it. Not perfection, but direction. Not sinlessness, but transformation.
What does fruit look like? Evidence of genuine life change:
The Christmas connection: When Jesus was born, the religious leaders had all the credentials—Scripture knowledge, traditions, righteous appearance. But they rejected Jesus because they had never truly repented. Their religion was external, not internal. When the Messiah they claimed to be waiting for actually showed up, they didn't recognize Him because their hearts weren't prepared.
Many people increase their religious activity at Christmas—attending church, singing about Jesus, putting up nativity scenes. But has your heart actually changed? Have you genuinely repented?
3. Jesus Brings Both Transformation and Judgment
John makes a crucial distinction: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
For those who genuinely repent and believe, Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit—He gives new life, transforms from the inside out, indwells believers with God's presence. But for those who refuse to repent, Jesus brings judgment—separation of true from false.
John uses an agricultural image: A farmer with a winnowing fan throws grain into the air. The wind blows away the chaff (worthless husks), and the wheat (valuable grain) falls to the threshing floor. John says: Jesus will separate wheat from chaff. He will gather genuine believers. He will judge the false and fruitless.
Yes, Jesus came in humility, born in poverty, laid in a feeding trough. But even as a baby, He was the King who came to transform and judge. And one day—maybe soon—Jesus is coming back as the Judge of all the earth. When He comes, He will separate the genuine from the fake.
The question: Which are you? Not "Are you religious?" or "Do you celebrate Christmas?" but "Have you genuinely repented and surrendered to Jesus Christ?"
The Closing Illustration:
A missionary in Africa was preparing to return home after years of service. The village chief asked to see the missionary's house one final time. As they walked through, the chief examined every room carefully. Finally, in the kitchen, he stopped and pointed to the missionary's broom in the corner.
"May I have this?" the chief asked.
The missionary was surprised but agreed. "Of course, but why do you want my old broom?"
The chief replied, "Because a broom sweeps clean before the master arrives. And you have taught us that Jesus is coming. I want to remember that I must prepare the way—I must sweep my heart clean before He returns."
That humble chief understood John the Baptist's message: Prepare the way. Make His paths straight. Sweep clean before the Master arrives.
The Bottom Line: This Christmas season, we'll prepare many things—houses, meals, gifts. But the most important preparation is preparing your heart for Jesus. John the Baptist shows us how: Repent. Turn from sin. Surrender to Jesus. Bear fruit worthy of repentance. True preparation begins with genuine repentance. Genuine repentance produces visible fruit. Jesus brings both transformation and judgment. Prepare the way for the Lord. Make His paths straight. Because Jesus is coming—to celebrate His birth and, one day, His return.