Sunday, December 15, 2024
Topic: “Let Us Prepare the Way of the Lord”
Text: Matthew 3:1-12
1. At that time John the Baptist came and preached in the wilderness of Judea. 2. And he said, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3. This is John, who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, This is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4. John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather belt around his waist; and his diet was locusts and wild honey. 5. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of all Judea, and of all the region around the Jordan, came to him; 6. and confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. 9. And do not think to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham to our father.’ For I say to you, God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10. And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and thrown into the fire. 11. I indeed baptize you with water to repentance; but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12. His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.
Let us remember:
Many of us have received the baptism of water which is the baptism of repentance. This is the baptism that John the Baptist spoke of to the Pharisees and Sadducees. The next step is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. We know that there are other names of baptism for those who really change their behavior and agree to follow the path of Jesus Christ. We can note in no particular order: the baptism of regeneration, baptism in the body of Christ, baptism in the death of Christ, baptism of suffering. All these names are summarized in these three main ones cited in the biblical text. Preparing the way of the Lord is agreeing to enter into the pattern traced by God. In the new covenant, baptism still exists but it takes on its meaning when the person experiences repentance. The example of the thief on the cross who accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, he recognized his lordship; Jesus saved him immediately. He did not pass through the waters of baptism but he went into the bosom of Abraham. On the other hand, a person baptized with water but who leads a pagan life, twists the neck of his baptism which becomes almost ineffective. Let us prepare the way of Jesus in order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and of fire. Repentance is not enough, we must exercise faith. This is conversion which is the association of repentance with faith (Mark 1:15). This is what Jesus expects from us which shows that we are preparing his way. Excellent Sunday. Amen
Alain Louz.-
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