Prepare

Posted on December 20th, 2009 by fatherneo.
Categories: Uncategorized.

As we ‘prepare’ for our yuletide celebration, we must remember what it is to prepare for the coming of Christ.

John the Baptist was born into a world of conflict, politics and religious turmoil.  King Herod was a puppet king for the Romans who began a great reconstruction of the Temple, but only to appease the people.  He built temples to any god or goddess that gave him favor among the people.

John’s father was a priest, his mother the daughter of a priest.  The angel Gabriel announced his birth in the Temple during John’s father Zechariah’s offering of incense.  The offering of incense was in itslef a once in a lifetime event surrounded by the holiness of God.  How much more terrifying was the appearance of Gabriel, the one created to serve directly in the presence of God.

John grew hearing about the holiness of God’s presence and witnessing his father’s frustration with the religion of the day.  John was driven to the wilderness to preach against the religion and Herods of his day.  This was how he prepared.

John’s message was universal repentence, whether you were a priest, a Pharisee, a king, a tax collector or a farmer.  His texts were the prophets and the words given him by the Spirit. 

 ”You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John prepared the way of Jesus in righteousness and holiness and in the Spirit of God. 

How will you prepare?

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