Prepare the Way

Preparation Begins

Well it’s official, we’re in the crazy season. Schools are bringing things to a close and we’re getting the end of year presentation assemblies.

Everyone’s planning a Christmas party, whether it’s the class party for those in school, or the work party for those who work, or the party for whatever club you’re a part of, or just some friends or family getting together to celebrate this time of year.

On top of that, many of you will be flat out trying to finish those tasks that you really wanted to get done before the end of the year. Work places can become really hectic as you try to meet those dead lines.

And then we all have our eyes on Christmas Day. For the kids, that’s likely an anticipation of joy. For many adults, however, that anticipation is perhaps mixed with many other emotions. Firstly, the panic of thinking of everything you need to do before you get there. The organizing of who’s bringing what to the Christmas lunch. Making sure you’ve bought all the presents, and that they’re wrapped and ready to go.

But then there is also just the emotional preparation, because, let’s face it, family gatherings can sometimes come with a bit of tension.

Or there might be sadness, as a beloved family member isn’t able to be there.

Welcome to this season of the year. The time of the year that can somehow become the most wonderful time of year and the hardest, all at once.

So how do we prepare ourselves for this time of year?

For some of you, when I ask that question, you might be thinking of some of the logistics I mentioned a moment ago, that is, preparing for the Christmas lunch and the presents and so forth.

For others, you might be thinking about the emotional preparation that you need.

Preparing for a deeper presence

But I want to think more holistically. You see, part of the appeal of Christmas is the idealism we place around it. Even if Christmas is a painful time, yet we still hold on to the ideal that Christmas is about joy.

Though true peace might feel absent on the day, yet there is this ideal that at Christmas, we have peace.

What if it were actually possible that you could really experience joy and you could really know peace?

Even for those with families where there is very little tension, what if I said that joy and peace can be extended beyond anything this world can offer?

How would we prepare for that?

How would we get ourselves ready for this kind of celebration?

You see, let me let you in on a little secret, although it’s not actually a secret, its actually something that’s been proclaimed throughout the world for the last 2000 years.

Christmas is more than just a yummy meals with family and some wrapped up presents.

Christmas is even more than just remembering that some baby was born 2000 years ago - although that’s starting to get closer.

Christmas is actually about knowing that God has entered this world in the form of a person, and established a kingdom that you can be a part of. A kingdom unlike any other. A kingdom where there is joy and peace and hope.

Christmas is an invitation that you can be a part of this kingdom.

So when I ask, how do we prepare - yes the questions of logistics and emotional readiness still exist, but you can prepare yourself to be part of this greater kingdom. Something far bigger than ourselves.

How do we prepare for that?

John the Baptist

Well, let me introduce you to a character from the Bible who had the job of preparing people for when Jesus came to earth.

His name is John the Baptist, and while we are in a Baptist Church this morning, unfortunately he didn’t attend a Baptist church, on account of the fact that Baptist Churches won’t exist until 1600 years later. He was however a bit weird, so perhaps he might have fit in a Baptist Church, after all, we can be a bit weird here too.

His weirdness came from the fact that he wore camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey.

But there was something more than just his odd choice of clothes and limited diet. There was something about him that attracted people.

People would go out and find him where he would often be around the Jordan river.

There they would find him preaching a baptism of repentance.

Baptism of Repentance

Now, let me pause there, because I want to briefly unpack this idea of a baptism of repentance.

Firstly, the word baptism is derived from the word that literally means to immerse or to wash. By the time of John the Baptist, it had become a religious practice where people would be fully dunked under water in a highly symbolic fashion.

The word repentance, then, refers to changing your way of thinking. It’s acknowledging that we’re not doing things the way God wants us to do it, and saying, I want to choose God’s way.

Baptism of repentance then, is a symbolic act of preparation.

It’s saying to God, okay, I’m ready.

You see, here’s the thing… Our natural inclination when get ready is to think we have to do everything ourselves. But, the problem is, we also have a tendency to muck things up. And as much as we want to blame other people - you know, when we say everything would have been fine if it wasn’t for such and such over there! - the reality is, even if such and such didn’t muck things up, we would have mucked it up any way.

My point is not that you are incompetent - I’m sure we’re all very competent people around here - my point is that if we’re talking about entering the kingdom of God where there is true joy and real peace, we can’t do it by our own abilities.

The first step in preparation for it, is recognizing this.

Once we recognize this, then we’re in a place where we can allow God to help us.

You see, Christians are not people who have everything together. Christians are actually people who recognize they don’t have it all together and that they need help.

Invitation

This is the starting point, but it’s not where it ends.

You see, there is an invitation here. An invitation to be part of a kingdom full of real hope, joy and peace.

That’s not to say, if you accept this invitation then suddenly all your problems will vanish. That’s because we’re still part of this earthly world that we live in - a world full of pain and sorrow.

But the Kingdom of God is breaking into this world. We start to see miracles happen. We start to see a deep seated joy even in the midst of turmoil. We start to see reconciliation where there had once been hatred.

You are invited to be part of this kingdom that is breaking in.

Christmas is a reminder that God has come to live with us to invite us to be a part of it.

To accept the invitation, we start with repentance, and then we say to God - transform me and make me new.

For anyone here this morning who is not quite sure if they’re part of this kingdom of God or not, I want you to know that you can be. Talk to me afterwards.

Conclusion

Christmas is coming, and of course, we’re not going to forget the logistics and whatnot that’s going to go with that.

But this morning, I want to encourage you to think about a different kind of preparation that is needed - one that will result in a joy that will far exceed the best Christmas Day celebration that you can possibly imagine.

Because God’s kingdom is breaking through, and you can be a part of it.

Let me pray...