Matthew 2:22-23; Luke 2:39-52; Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:19-28
All four Gospel writers speak of John the Baptist. All four identify him as fulfilling Isaiah 40:3: The voice of one crying in the wilderness… John does not come to be the star of the show. He comes to prepare the way for Another, the strap of Whose sandals [he is] not worthy to untie. (John 1:27; cf,. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16)
So what does John say to prepare the way? Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! Note that he does not say, “Repent so that the kingdom of heaven might maybe eventually come along.” No. His message is, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” We might also note that John is not at all namby-pamby in his call for repentance. He lays it right on the line, and he does so most forcefully toward the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, warning them to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. (Matt. 3:8)
So where are we with regard to repentance? Are we, like the crowd, asking what we need to do differently? And is there some way in which we need to take John’s advice? Or are we like the Pharisees, asking questions, but not really interested in the answers?
And insofar as we now stand in John’s place, pointing others to Jesus, are we willing to be as plainspoken as he? Do we call a spade a spade? Or do we pander to the world around us?
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!
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