Coming Home Takes Preparation

As we continue to focus on our theme of "Coming Home for Christmas" this week we turn our attention to the preparation required in order to go home for Christmas. More specifically, what does it take to spend quality time with God and our Christian family this season?

The passages for Sunday are:
Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Luke 3:1-6

These passages all focus on John the Baptist's coming. As you probably know, John the Baptist is the messanger who came in order to prepare the way for Jesus. John the Baptist is an interesting character. He is rough and gruff and does not worry about being pretty. Next week we get a taste of his sermon style, but even this week as he is introduced we get the idea that this messenger isn't preparing the way for Jesus by sprinkling rose petals.

Malachi writes, "who can endure the day when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and a fuller's soap." Zechariah says of his son, "you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins." No matter how you look at things, John the Baptist requires you to get ready for Jesus by doing some cleaning up and examining your sins.

This is important for us, too. Sometimes, we need to look at our lives and do a little cleaning. We need to throw out the bad habits and make way for new. We need to clear off our schedule so that we can find time to spend with Jesus.

And while it's true that the cleaning process is rarely easy, it is equally true that being clean is worth all the effort.

Questions to ponder?
Why is John the Baptist's message important during Advent? Why do we need to look at our own sins in order to focus on Jesus' return?

John the Baptist reminds us to prepare the way for Christ. What do you need to do to prepare to see Jesus during this Advent season?

What things are cluttering your life and preventing you from finding true worship this Advent? What can you do to change this? Is their anything your Christian family can do to help?

May God bless you in your Advent preparations this year!