A Voice in the Wilderness (V2)

My mother was a very good housekeeper, and although our house always looked great to me, I can still remember what happened if my mother found out that company was coming. She brought out the broom, the mop and pail, sponges, window cleaner, bathroom cleaner, dust rags, and furniture polish. Then she called all the children together and assigned each of us the jobs that we were to do. When we were finished, she checked to make sure that not a speck of dirt or dust remained.

Think about this: Why do we clean differently when someone important is coming? Maybe it's because we want to show respect, or we're worried about what they'll think of us. We want to make a good impression. But here's something interesting to consider - what if that important person loved us so much that they didn't care about the mess? What if they were more interested in spending time with us than judging our housekeeping?

Can you imagine what it would have been like around our house if we had been expecting somebody really important -- someone like a king or queen? Well, that is what our Bible lesson is about this morning. The coming of a King. Not just any king -- the King of Kings! Jesus!

The Bible tells us that in the days before Jesus began his ministry, a man called John began preaching and telling the people to prepare for the coming King. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, wore clothes made of camel's hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. He was quite different from the religious leaders of his time who wore fancy robes and lived comfortably in the cities. John's message was radical and challenging.

When John told people to prepare for the King, he didn't mean that they should go home and sweep the floor, pick up their toys, and make their beds. He meant something much deeper - they should prepare their hearts. How? By repenting of their sins and turning toward God. The word "repent" means to completely change your mind and direction. It's like if you were walking north and suddenly realized you needed to go south - you'd turn around completely and head the opposite way.

When people truly repented, John would baptize them in the Jordan River. That is how he got the name, "John the Baptist." Baptism was like a public announcement that said, "I'm starting fresh with God. My old way of living is behind me, and I'm ready to follow God's way."

But here's something important to think about: Why did people need to prepare for Jesus at all? Jesus came to earth as a baby, grew up in a regular family, and worked as a carpenter. He wasn't scary or demanding. The answer is that preparing our hearts isn't about being afraid of God - it's about being ready to receive the incredible gift of His love and forgiveness.

Think of it this way: If someone wanted to give you a wonderful gift, but your hands were full of junk, you wouldn't be able to receive it. Preparing our hearts is like emptying our hands of the things that keep us from receiving God's gifts of love, forgiveness, and new life.

It is important for you and me to make our hearts ready for the coming King too. We do that by confessing our sins and asking God to forgive us. Confession means being honest with God about the wrong things we've done and the right things we've failed to do. It means admitting when we've been selfish, unkind, dishonest, or disobedient.

But here's the amazing part - if we will do that, the Bible tells us that God will forgive us and make our hearts clean. First John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Then we will be ready for Jesus when he comes.

Let's think about some questions together: What are some "messy" areas in your life that might need cleaning up before Jesus? Maybe it's how you treat your siblings, or being truthful with your parents, or having a grateful attitude instead of complaining. What would it look like to "turn around" in those areas?

Remember, preparing for Jesus isn't about being perfect - it's about being honest with God and being willing to let Him change us from the inside out. Just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus long ago, we can prepare our hearts for Him today.

Father, every day we do things for which we need your forgiveness. Help us to be honest about the areas where we fall short. We ask you to forgive us and make our hearts clean so that we will be ready to welcome Jesus not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives. Give us the courage to turn away from sin and toward you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.