The second candle on our Advent banner says our theme for this Sunday is. What does it mean to prepare? We think of preparing as doing.

Transcription

1 1 Advent Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio Pastor Kevin Jud December 6, 2015 Malachi 3:1-7, Philippians 1:2-11, Luke 3:1-20 The second candle on our Advent banner says our theme for this Sunday is PREPARE. What does it mean to prepare? We think of preparing as doing. The Germany trip is 21 days away and a lot of preparation has already been done. We have been preparing for four years. Money has been raised, the bus is booked, the airline is booked the tour company is booked, passports have been obtained. And there is a lot of preparation still to be done. There are all those cookies to be baked for next Saturday s cookie sale. There is luggage to find or buy, there are Euro s to get, there is clothing to be packed. There is the passport not to forget. We prepare for the trip. There is a lot to do. We also prepare for Christmas. Christmas comes in 19 days and there is a lot of preparation to be done; decorations to be put up, presents to be purchased and wrapped, travel plans finalized, advent services; parties; lots and lots of preparation. Things to be done. As a child December seems like the longest month of the year, but as an adult it flies by with amazing speed and stress and preparation. There is a lot to do. Today is the Sunday of PREPARE in Advent. What does that mean for us? What are we preparing for? What do we need to do?

2 2 Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Prepare. Prepare for Jesus to return. Be ready for Jesus to come back. Prepare. John the Baptist comes to prepare the way for Jesus. It is interesting to note in the Gospel of Luke how many historical references Luke uses. This is unique among religious books of the world because the Bible is a true account of things that really happened. The Bible tells of things that happened in real places with real people during the reign of real kings and real governors, real priests. The beginning of Jesus ministry takes place not a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. It happened in Israel In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas [At this time,] the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 1 John is the messenger spoken of by the prophet Malachi sent to prepare the way of the Lord. John prepares the way for Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Repentance is part of what it means to be prepared. Repentance is knowing that you are a sinner and being sorry for your sins. This is a very difficult thing to do. In this world you are taught to ignore sin, excuse sin, rationalize sin, explain away sin, learn to live with sin, be secure in your sin, don t even call it sin. But repentance means you admit you are guilty, admit you are wrong, you feel remorse, you feel guilty about sin, 1 The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001

3 3 you are sorry about sin, you confess your sin, you undo sinful situations even if it causes you great pain. John calls people to prepare for Jesus by admitting they are sinners and being baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Being prepared for Jesus is to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins. Being prepared for Jesus is to know that you are a poor, miserable sinner and know that you need Jesus. Being prepared for Jesus is to know that you cannot do it on your own; it is to know you need help. To prepare for Jesus you admit that you not some kind of spiritual giant. You admit you are not good enough; you do not have it altogether; you struggle against sin daily. No matter how hard you try to be the person that God wants you to be you fall so far short in big ways and in little ways. To be prepared for Jesus is to admit you need Jesus and you need to receive Jesus gifts. To prepare for Jesus is to admit your sins, admit your need for Jesus and receive Jesus gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. To be prepared is to know you are poor in spirit and to know, Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is the one who makes you holy. Jesus is the one who takes away all your impurity. You cannot do it. You cannot purify yourself. It is humbling to admit you need a savior, but you admit it because it is true. Alone, you cannot bear the return of the Lord. You need Jesus. Malachi 3:2 (ESV) 2 who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner s fire and like fullers soap. 2 Jesus purifies Jesus cleanses He washes you with the waters of Holy Baptism, He cleanses you with His word of Absolution, He purifies you with His own body and blood given for you on the cross of Calvary. Jesus cleans you. Jesus purifies you. Jesus makes 2 The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001

4 4 you holy. You need Jesus and Jesus is here for you. That is being prepared for Jesus return. Live in this great Good News. John the Baptist gets the reputation of being the bearer of bad news, but we see in Luke 3 verse 18, So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. John prepares the way for the Lord by preaching the Good News that Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming; the one who purifies you from immoralities. Jesus is coming who will save you from your sins. Jesus is coming to make you holy. And that same message is preached today; Jesus is coming. And it is still good news because when Jesus returns there will be no more sickness, no more evil, no more death, no more sin. No more sexual immorality, no more exploitation, no more anger. No more mass shootings, no more terrorism, no more war, no more little girls beaten, no more child abuse, no more, no more, no more. It will all be purged from the world. And that is good. Come Lord Jesus! Come! Jesus is coming be prepared. Receive the gifts Jesus has for you; receive the gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation so that you can bear the fruits of repentance. And what do the fruits of repentance look like? Be generous with those in need. If you have extra clothes and someone has none, share with them. If you have extra food and someone else has none, share with them. Be generous. Let the love of Jesus which is given to you flow out from you to others. Do your job well. Whatever it is that you are given to do, do it well. John the Baptist gives examples for tax collectors and soldiers. Be honest in whatever you do. Don t steal from people. Be content with your pay. Serve well in whatever you are

5 5 given to do. This is the fruit of repentance. Knowing how much Jesus has done for you, let that love flow to others. Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Prepare for Jesus to return. This preparing is not about what to do. Being prepared is knowing you are a sinner who needs Jesus. Being prepared is receiving from God the gifts of forgiveness. Being prepared is receiving forgiveness, life and salvation. Prepare by receiving His gifts so that the fruits of repentance can flow from your life. Prepare for Jesus return by remaining in Jesus. Amen.