Advent

Advent

December 4, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
   make his paths straight.” ’

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

‘I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ –Matthew 3:1-6, 11-12

Bear fruit worthy of repentance. One of my favorite stories of faith is John Newton’s. He is the author of the hymn Amazing Grace. Growing up, he had little or no faith-based background. After being conscripted into the English navy as a young man, he continued a career in sailing. Upon discharge, he became involved in the lucrative business of transporting slaves. On one treacherous trip, his ship was caught in a massive storm. John Newton found himself praying to a God he barely knew, committing his life to the Lord if he were saved. He survived the storm and keep his promise. Another ten or so years passed before he was convicted of how wrong the slave trade was. He was ordained in the Anglican church and became an ardent abolitionist. He bore fruit worthy of repentance.

While we may never have been caught up in such evil itself, we have a responsibility to address evil as it impacts others. We are called to do justice and not just ignore the evil that surrounds us.

Prayer: Lord, as you opened John Newton’s heart to the evil that surrounded him, open ours to the injustice that is in our world today and show us the way to overcome it for all people. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.