REPENT

(Post by: Scott Hobbs) Blogmas Day Four 2024

“… to make ready a people (perfectly) prepared (spiritually and morally) for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)

Here we are in the first week of the season we call Advent. This is a very churchy word to most of us, and I’m not sure how long it took me to really understand what it meant. 

I remember hearing it those many years ago when I was a new Christian. It seemed to be one of those church words that everyone nodded their head and acknowledged leading up to Christmas; but I quickly learned that like many church things it was just a “church thing” that little was done with.

Advent, in the truest sense, means preparation. But preparation of what? For what? Let’s see what this looks like in the example we have from Luke in Chapter 1 of his gospel. Because, you see, Chapter 1 prepares us for Chapter 2; Jesus birth.

You will remember, that in Luke 1, we have Zechariah going into the temple to perform his priestly duties when he is encountered by the angel Gabriel. He is told that his wife, Elizabeth, will bear a child in her old age, and that he will be named John and be a forerunner to prepare the hearts of the people for the coming of Messiah. 

Jesus is about to make His entrance; Luke 2. We will get there. But before we all rush into the Jesus part, which is what we normally do this time of year, we must understand what the preparation looks like.

John, according to Gabriel, was tasked with preparing the people for Jesus coming ministry. We see him come on the scene, beginning his ministry in Luke 3, as he begins to prepare the way. 

I always thought it would be great to preach like John the Baptist; he only had one thing to preach. No sermon prep each week, trying to come up with the latest and greatest thing so people would leave the church patting him on the back and saying, “Another great message pastor. Way to go.”

No, John just preached one thing; repent! Every message. Every service. Repent!

For some it was repentance of their reliance on their heritage. Others needed to repent of how they were caring for others, how they were cheating at their jobs, or how they were taking advantage of people.

See, repentance is not just for murder, adultery, and stealing. Repentance is also about trading a former thought for a new thought; changing whatever it is God is calling us to change. If it’s stealing, by all means get to repenting. 

But if it’s putting the emphasis on everything but Jesus this Christmas; get after repentance for that just the same.

Zechariah had to repent for his unbelief and lack of faith back in Luke 1. He had to get his heart right; and when he did, he confirmed the boy’s name would be John, and his voice was restored.

John was telling the folks coming out to be baptized to give up the old thought for a new thought. What they had been doing was about to change. Jesus was coming, and He had a new thought; a new way that would be better than anything before.

I think if I’m understanding this Advent season thing, this season of preparation is supposed to be about me preparing my heart for His coming and His Messiahship.

Like I’m really supposed to be asking Him what it is I need to do so I can be ready for what He is about to do in my life. Christmas, the birth, is like this new beginning for each of us to let Him really be Lord of our life. The all in, sold out, fully embracing thing we call Christianity. Repent! 

It doesn’t always mean the old thought was bad; but if Jesus has a new thing for you and you don’t move into it, you are missing what He has for you. Repent! 

Prepare your heart for the coming of Messiah. Not just for His physical birth celebrated this Christmas season; but for His coming fully into your heart and changing your ways to His. 

What could be better this Jesus season? Repent!

Isaiah 40:3–5 (NIV84)
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.”