Thoughts for the Day

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight" '.

John the baptiser appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins....He proclaimed, 'The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'

(New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

A normal Sunday morning in the village church in Worcestershire, we were well into the service when someone came rushing down the aisle shouting "He's coming!" and disappeared out the door. We'd hardly got started again when it happened again, the door flew open and a woman ran in crying "Quick! Get ready, he's coming!" After the chatter died down the service continued, then the door banged open once more and two people came in, the first ran ahead. "He's here!" he said, excitedly. Instinctively, the congregation looked back to the door and started clapping as another man entered, dressed in sacking, his beard unkempt, sandals on his feet, and a leather belt round his waist!

Well, ok, it was Advent and we were having a Family Service to look at the work of John the Baptist, but this little sketch reminded us all of how he prepared the way for Jesus' ministry. Only gentiles who wanted to embrace the Hebrew faith would have been baptised, but here John is expecting all of God's people to confess their sin and be baptised as a sign of their repentance. Then, they would be ready for the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

We need to be careful that we don't assume because we are Christians, we are saved. Jesus calls us also to repent!

Monday 10th August, follow up thoughts

Lord God,
John the Baptist came into the world
to call men and women to
confess their sin,
as a way of preparing for
the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.
As Christians, may we not relax
but remember that we too
need to look again at our lives
and repent.
Amen.