Advent week 2

Psalm: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Old Testament: Isaiah 40:1-11
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
Epistle: 2 Peter 3:8-15

Last week we reflected on waiting and watching. During Advent especially, although this bears on our whole Christian life, we are reminded that we are waiting and watching for the return of Christ. We also looked at the idea that watching is not a passive activity. But rather it is active, as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Just as I don't wait for Kelcey to come home doing nothing, I am preparing dinner for her return home.

This week we again reflect on how we wait. In many ways we find ourselves like the People of Israel waiting for the Messiah. In this week's gospel passage we read about the ministry of John the Baptist. (It's a good thing we have advent so John can have his moment to shine forth) John was waiting for the Messiah, but he was also preparing. It fell to John to prepare the way for the Lord. John fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah 40. We all know the story and role of John, so I think it is helpful for us to reflect what this means for us.

What is interesting to me about the story of John, is not the important and amazing role he played in the life of Christ, but that us, those in the kingdom of God, are called greater than John. (Luke 7:27; Matt. 11:11) Even the very least in the Kingdom is greater than John. What separates us from John? We live in a post- Pentecost world. I don't want to say that John didn't have the Spirit of God, but we live in the age of the Spirit, in ways John couldn't even imagine. We live also in a post-resurrection world. We live in a place where God has acted decisively in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this advent time we can draw some parallels to us and John. Like John, we are are also called to prepare the way of the Lord. What we first learn from John's ministry is actually that we have power that even John couldn't imagine. Acts 1:8 says we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us, and our response is to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Despite the ministry John had, we have power of Spirit to do even greater things. Secondly, we again see like last week that "waiting" is active. We are to prepare the way of the Lord, we are to witness and be Christ in a pagan and perverse world.

Thirdly, while we wait and prepare we must focus on our inward character. John preached a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Psalms 85:13 says that "Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps." Our passage from 2 Peter however is even more explicit in saying that as we wait for the Day of the Lord we are to be diligent in holy conduct, godliness, and to be found blameless before God. (Admittedly, these are not purely inward traits, but require us to reach out to others) As we wait for the Day of the Lord, we are to be about the business of our Savior. We too are called to prepare the way for his return. We do this by being obedient to God in our holiness. We also do this, as John did, in our public life and calling people to repent.

Both inwardly and outwardly, publicly and privately we are to be prepared and to prepare for the second coming of Christ.

I Hope this was helpful as we walk and grow in the Spirit of our Lord. Grace and Peace.