Repentance
Good Morning Friends,
I have been asked to be John the Baptist in a children’s chat in a couple of weeks and by then the hope of Christmas will be coming alive in the minds of the kids. The stores are already in Christmas mode. But here on the 60th anniversary of my birth in November, I cannot help but be pleased that I would be cast in the part of the John that baptized Jesus in the Jordan. John the Baptist would have been half my age. Still if you have any ideas about what to share with the little kids about Jesus’ cousin, please let me know. My initial thought was of how I might bring a less frightening, a more appealing, experience to the word Repentance.
Scripture: who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 3:20-21 (NRSV)
But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “”Abba”, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Galatians 4:4-7 (NIV)
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.
Matthew 3: 1-6 (NRSV)
Message: Repentance is a positive word that people tend to avoid. The way to its sweetness has to be prepared. One has to get past the sting of the wild bee before one gets to the honey. I know for I have been stung. You see as we walk in repentance it is like clearing the path on the journey to Christmas, it is like clearing the way of bees to get to the honey. The way must be prepared, the path cleared and repentance and baptism do just that. The rewards really are refreshing, restorative and give us a sense of revival. I do hope the children realize that the first gift of the Christmas season is repentance for when it is opened it makes all the others so much more enjoyable. I do hope the children realize that John the Baptist had the same heart as Jesus. Indeed in some ways they must have been a lot alike. They were after all cousins of about the same age. Both men preached the same basic message; both preached it outdoors; and both taught their disciples, or followers, a prayer. Both men told of a just God who would eventually give an accounting to each person. Interestingly, by living in the wilderness John and Jesus contradicted everything the city represented. And the most astounding thing they shared was that each was born through an uncommon act of God, and both died from provoking an uncommon rage among the people who simply didn’t want to hear a message about change. John said his sole purpose in life was to point the way to his younger cousin, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said that among all men who were born of women, none were higher than His older cousin, John. Friends, “John” means “gift of God.” This gift, however, didn’t come with the pretty ribbons and bows and fancy gift-wrapping. This gift came in a plain brown wrapper.
Pray our hearts and lives are decorated with true and real repentance. Pray our repentance paves the way for Jesus to come into our lives. Pray we have patience as God has patience. Pray our hearts are prepared for the coming kingdom. Pray our hearts are prepared for the birth of a child. Pray we believe in a city of salvation. Pray we realize that the path to salvation begins in the wilderness away from the corruption of man. Pray we repent.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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