Good day brothers and sisters, it’s the Second Sunday of Advent. Before the first coming of Christ there were many Anti-Christ’s. Then came along John the Baptist who spoke of the true Christ’s coming even as many thought he was the Christ. Let’s see what the Smart Book has to say;
The Preaching of John the Baptist Mathew 3:1-12
3 In those days [a]John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the Wilderness of Judea [along the western side of the Dead Sea] and saying, 2 “[b]Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 This is the one who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“THE VOICE OF ONE SHOUTING IN THE WILDERNESS,
‘PREPARE THE ROAD FOR THE LORD,
[c]MAKE HIS HIGHWAYS STRAIGHT (level, direct)!’”
4 Now this same John had clothing made of camel’s hair and a [wide] leather [d]band around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the [e]Pharisees and [f]Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the [divine] wrath and judgment to come? 8 So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]; 9 and do not presume to say to yourselves [as a defense], ‘We have Abraham for our father [so our inheritance assures us of salvation]’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children (descendants) for Abraham. 10 And already the axe [of God’s judgment] is [g]swinging toward the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “As for me, I baptize you [h]with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with [i]fire (judgment). 12 His [j]winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (believers) into His barn (kingdom), but He will burn up the chaff (the unrepentant) with unquenchable fire.”
Now John the Baptist was one strange looking and acting dude. Maybe those things drew attention to him, but his message was on the mark. He preached about the need of repentance and he spoke of the Messiah that was about to hit the scene and how He will baptize His followers with the Holy Ghost and Judgment to those who remain unrepentant. They thought John the Baptist was a fiery preacher….ha! The Lord is going to return again and we will see one much like John the Baptist again preaching repentance, looking weird, and acting funny. He will be killed and left in the street for 3 days. They may have gotten John’s head on a platter and the witness dead and exposing in the street for 3 days, but Yeshua the Messiah came and is coming again. All praise to the Lord Almighty for His Advent into this world.
The Lord bless and keep you, His face shine upon you,
Chaplain Loehne