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INTRODUCTION
Do you know what you were born to do?
Many people don't. Some do – John the Baptist was one of them.
What he was born to do was foretold even before his birth.
Zechariah and Elizabeth – righteous but no children. Promise to Zechariah:
But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Zechariah said to the angel, How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years. (Luke 1:13-18)
To make ready a people prepared for the Lord. That was what John was born to do.
When he became an adult, his ministry became a very powerful movement. People came to him from all over the countryside.
Many even thought he might be the Messiah who saved them from their troubles.
But John was very clear about who he was:
John answered all of them by saying, I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16)
His role was to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
John the Baptist plays a prominent role in all of the gospels.
His role is very important. He comes before Jesus to prepare us for him.
Preparation for Jesus is a very important thing.
As we approach Christmas, we prepare many things. Gifts, parties, get togethers.
What is it that we're preparing for?
Yes, we are preparing for the birth of Jesus. Birth of not just any person.
Birth of the one who would give life:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)
Birth of the one who would show us the way:
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Birth of the one who would satisfy all of our needs:
Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)
Birth of the one would give us eternal life:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)
John came to prepare us for life itself.
Let me ask you this question: have you prepared yourself for the best life ever?
That is what John came to do.
MOVEMENT 1: PREPARATION
In Jesus, God promises us the best life ever.
The most fulfilled life. The most meaningful life. The complete life.
That sounds like a great promise to me.
But it doesn't just happen. It doesn't come out of nowhere.
It comes when we are prepared for it.
The best things in life don't just fall into your lap. They come to you when you're ready for it.
There is a show called Band of Brothers. Company in the 82nd Airborne Regiment in WWII. Two years of intense training.
Can't predict situation in combat. Nerves and fear can take over. But training enabled them to stay calm.
Led by officer who remained cool and applied training. Because of preparation, able to achieve objective.
If you want the best life that Jesus offers, need to prepare yourself.
MOVEMENT 2: I NEED TO CHANGE – REPENTANCE
Crowds were coming out to be baptized by John. It was a frenzy. Like a Taylor Swift concert.
What were they seeking? Why did they make all this effort to go out there? Not easy to get there.
THEY WERE SEEKING CHANGE.
Change because life had become so hard.
Roman rule: appointed ruler of region – Herod Antipas. Born in Palestine but educated in Rome.
Ambitious. Had greater aspirations, but had to prove himself in Palestine.
Providing taxes to Rome. Set up an efficient and effective system of tax collectors.
Support of populace by becoming benefactor to Temple. Supported temple tax system.
Crushing tax burden. Debts, loans, loss of land. Old ways of life, communities broken down. Relations torn apart.
People came to John in hopes of change.
God would do something. Take down corrupt rulers. Drive out oppressive Roman system. Make Israel great again!
They were hoping John would be the one to lead this change.
But message of John very unique:
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? (Luke 3:7)
He's saying: What are you doing here, you snakes! Why are you trying to escape? What were you hoping to find here?
He wasn't offering comfort and an outlet for their frustrations. Instead, he had harsh words of judgment.
Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our ancestor,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Luke 3:8-9)
All of your problems: stop blaming others for them. Change yourself!
That was his message: CHANGE YOURSELF!
Just because you're a child of Abraham, don't think you're innocent.
Just because you call yourself a Christian, don't think that you're righteous.
God can create Christians out of the stones here. God is ready to chop you down and throw you into the fire.
He wasn't excusing the hardships caused by others.
He was very critical of Herod Antipas and was eventually executed because his criticism became a threat to him.
But his message is that change starts with yourself.
When things are difficult, the easiest thing to do is to blame others.
But all this will do is make you angrier and more bitter. It won't change anything.
Preparation for the best life ever begins with recognizing that YOU need to change.
Don't take the easy way of blaming others.
Don't be so blind to think you're righteous and innocent. Open your eyes and see how you are contributing to the problem.
John's harsh words of judgment pierced the hearts of people.
They saw that they needed change.
MOVEMENT 3: TAKE CARE OF OTHERS
Their natural question was: what then should we do?
John's instruction was simple: go back home and be different.
And the crowds asked him, What, then, should we do? In reply he said to them, Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise. Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, Teacher, what should we do? He said to them, Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you. Soldiers also asked him, And we, what should we do? He said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages. (Luke 3:10-14)
Go back and right your wrongs. Go back and repair relations. Go back and be the change that the community needs.
The crowds were gathered by the Jordan river.
This is where many centuries ago, the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land.
When they escaped Egypt, they were just a loose group of fugitives. But after 40 years in the wilderness, they made a covenant with God at Mount Sinai and became the people of God.
The covenant was this: they would honour God.
They would honour God by how they treated one another. They would show mercy, justice and kindness to others.
Through baptism in the Jordan river, John was sending them back as people of God once again. To live as people of the covenant.
When things are good, when they're plenty to go around, it's easy to be generous, fair and compassionate.
The real test comes when things become difficult. When times are tough.
Even though times were tough, John was sending them back to live as people of God. This is how they would prepare for the coming of the Lord.
Canadians have prided themselves on being a generous, fair and compassionate country.
We have welcomed many immigrants. We have been tolerant and embrace diversity.
But our identity as a welcoming country is being strained and challenged.
Recent survey: people not proud of Canada or being Canadian. Correlates to tough times.
Something snapped after COVID pandemic. Everything became shaken. Life has been hard.
With that, the values we once embraced are shaken.
In this world, how do we prepare for Jesus?
We turn from the way we've been living.
Especially in times that are challenging, we take care of the weak and vulnerable. We treat others with respect and dignity. We live as people of God.
Resist the thinking of this world.
St. Paul said it clearly:
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
Do not be conformed to this age of meanness, selfishness, self-centredness.
But be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Let us see and think clearly!
Do not fall into the behaviours and patterns of this world.
Taking care of the weak, being with the vulnerable, who did that?
He cared with compassion, he took care of the weak and vulnerable.
By doing as John says, we are preparing to follow the way of Jesus.
We begin forming the spiritual muscles to live as Jesus did.
Jesus identified himself in this way:
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
Following Jesus is not about having your spiritual needs met. It is not about feeling good or connected to God.
It is ultimately about giving yourself for others as Jesus did.
In the process of following Jesus, he supplies all of our needs. He fills you up and you are connected with him.
But that is the blessing you receive as you follow him in being a blessing for others.
Following Jesus is not an easy journey.
It is not a popular path. It will lead to difficulty.
That is why it requires preparation to take this journey.
Change yourself. Change how you treat others. Especially when things are difficult for you.
You will see how hard this is.
That is when you will be ready to meet Jesus.
John said that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and fire. He will give us the power to be like him.
When you prepare the way by acting justly and loving kindness, that is when God will come to you.
CONCLUSION
Christmas is a time to feel joy. It is a time for family and friends.
But it is a season to prepare ourselves for the gift of Christ.
It is a season to repent.
Who have you mistreated this past year? Whom have you caused hardship?
In the midst of your difficulties and challenges, how have you instead hurt others? How have you become selfish?
We give gifts to others. The greatest gift we can give to God is our contrite hearts.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)
This Christmas, prepare your heart for the Lord. Give him your contrite heart and ask for the power to change your ways.
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