The Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir sings, ‘This Is The Truth Sent From Above’.

This is the truth sent from above,

The truth of God, the God of love.

Therefore don’t turn me from your door,

But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I do relate

Is that God did man create;

The next thing which to you I tell,

Woman was made with man to dwell.

And we were heirs to endless woes,

Till God the Lord did interpose;

And so a promise soon did run,

That he would redeem us by his Son.

And at that season of the year

Our blest Redeemer did appear;

He here did live, and here did preach,

And many thousands he did teach.

Thus he in love to us behaved,

To show us how we must be saved;

And if you want to know the way,

Be pleas'd to hear what he did say.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.”’

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

In this passage, we are introduced to the figure of John the Baptist. Let’s go out to see him and listen to what he has to say.

We see John the Baptist wearing rather odd clothes (“camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist”) and eating a... peculiar... diet of “locusts and wild honey”. How does his appearance strike you? It’s baffling to behold and perhaps it even makes you feel uncomfortable. How does this affect the way you hear his words?

“Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” As you look at John, how do these words sit with you? What are you going to do about it?

As the story continues, notice the Pharisees and Sadducees in the crowd and listen to what John has to say to them.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume 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 axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

These challenging words may stir anyone out of indifference. Yet John says, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me”. How does it feel to know that one even “more powerful” is coming?

Notice what has stirred in you during this time of prayer. What might God be asking of you? Take a moment to speak with God about this.

O Wisdom

Lord and Ruler

Root of Jesse

Key of David

Rising Sun

King of the Nations

Emmanuel

Come, Lord Jesus