Repent -
Prepare Yourself for Christmas

Mark 1: 1 - 8 December 4th 2005

Audio Link: Repent - Prepare Yourself for Christmas

As I shared before with you, I love to watch movies. Every year actors, actresses, directors, and related movie people celebrate “The Academy Awards.” This is the biggest event for everyone in the movie industry and awards are given in every conceivable area of filmmaking. Some receive “best actor”, some receive “best actress”, and another receives “best picture” and yet another “best director.” One of the categories that always catch my attention is “best supporting actor and actress.” I am always excited to see who will win the “best supporting actor and actress” Academy Award. Meryl Streep, Gene Hackman, Susan Sarandon, Samuel L. Jackson, and Morgan Freeman are the most well known names for this category.

There are a few things that I have observed about supporting actors and actresses; first of all, they are all good at acting. Even though they are not handsome, beautiful, or sexy, but they are interesting and entertaining. They are the salt and pepper in every movie and they make the hero and heroine to shine. Second, their role in the movie is that they hold the key in developing the storyline, for instance, they may give some clue to solving a problem, or they may give a strong warning or message concerning the future, but mostly they reveal a sacrificial character. They are usually dead by the middle of movie or disappear until the end of movie. Even if they don’t receive the spotlight from the media, get the big money, and are not famous faces as much as the heroes and heroines, we cannot imagine a good movie without them. So, whenever I choose a movie to watch, I have a habit to look at who is the supporting actor or actress.

Today’s Scripture tells us about a man who is “a shining supporting actor” in Jesus’ time. His name is John the Baptist. All four Gospels present John as a preacher in the wilderness. Even in his own day he must have seemed odd. He lived in the wilderness. He ate locusts and honey. His message was simple, vivid and strong. “Repent and be baptized! His message seems out of season for the Advent and Christmas at first glance, however, we do know that his message is absolutely fit for the season of preparation.

Today’s scripture shows us the fulfillment of God’s prophetic promise to send a messenger to prepare the world for the advent of the long-awaited Messiah. It is a fact that the ministry of John the Baptist was a direct fulfillment of the ancient promises made in Malachi 3 and Isaiah 40 regarding the coming of one who would prepare the way for the advent of the Messiah. “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’”

John’s message was effective because he was completely humble. For example, declaring that “Jesus must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30), and that he was not worthy even to loose Jesus’ sandal strap (1:27). His own verdict on himself was that he was not fit for the duty of a slave. John focused not on himself but pointed everyone to Christ whom he proclaimed.

Dr. G.J. Jeffrey had a favorite illustration. When he was making a telephone call through the operator, the operator would often say, “I am trying to connect you.” Then, when the connection had been effected, the operator faded out and left him in direct contact with the person to whom he wished to speak. John’s one aim was not to occupy the center of the stage himself, but to try to connect people with the one who was greater and stronger than he; and people listened to him because he pointed, not to himself, but to the one whom all people need.

Although John the Baptist was the first genuine prophet in 400 years, Jesus the Messiah would be infinitely greater than he. John was pointing out how insignificant he was compared to the one who was coming; John was not even worthy of doing the most menial tasks for him, like untying his sandals. What John began, Jesus finished. What John prepared, Jesus fulfilled. He fulfilled the purpose for which he was sent—to pave the way for Jesus.

The main thing that impressed people about John was that he fearlessly preached a message of repentance to any who would listen—and many did. Unfortunately sometimes preaching has been described this way: “A mild-mannered man standing up before mild-mannered people and exhorting them to be more mild mannered.” The true function of preaching is to disturb the comfortable and to comfort the disturbed. John had no fear of preaching to everyone, the need for repentance which would lead to forgiveness of sins by God, even to those who believed they were the chosen people. His message was always, “Repent and be baptized!” You should pray for me to preach like John the Baptist even though it may sometimes bother and disturb you.

In John’s ministry, baptism was a visible sign that a person had decided to change his or her life, giving up a sinful and selfish way of living and turning to God. The total change of heart signified by repentance was to be shown by accepting baptism. Even more, what was new was that he announced that someone far greater than himself was coming after him. John could only baptize with water, but the one coming after him would cleanse and renew hearts by the Spirit. That is what made the work of Jesus completely different from the work of John.

He told people that his baptism drenched them in water, but one was coming who would drench them in the Holy Spirit; and while water could cleanse a man’s body, the Holy Spirit could cleanse his life and self and heart. John’s baptism with water prepared a person to receive Christ’s message. This baptism demonstrated repentance, humility, and willingness to turn from sin. This was the beginning of the spiritual process. When Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, however, the entire person is transformed to a new person by the Spirit’s power.

When John challenged the people to confess sin individually, he signaled the start of a new way to relate to God. We have to admit that we need forgiveness before we can accept the salvation. We have to believe that we need repentance before we can meet the coming Messiah. I strongly believe the first step to prepare to receive the coming Christ, is to repent.

When I was served another church, I knew of an ex-church treasurer who misappropriated church funds and was taken to court. Fortunately, his case was resolved in court; he didn’t have to go to prison. Certainly, the former pastor and Administrative council forced him to quit his official position as church treasurer. He then quit going to church.

After I arrived at that church as a new pastor, he came to me to defend himself. He said, “I have been in mental anguish for the last three years, now that I have cleared up all the legal problems, I want to return to church.” At that time I said to him, “That is good. God will forgive whatever you did. But I want to know this, have you repented before God for this problem?”

His answer was “I didn’t get that much money from the church fund, I just using church funds for another purpose without permission, I was trying to make up that money at a later time, so I don’t think I am a big criminal. Furthermore, I am clean, legally speaking.” I told him, “The most important thing before God is not in resigning your position, or resolving a legal problem, but it is repenting for your sin before God.” Eventually his unrepentant attitude about his fault made him fail to return to church.

If we want to prepare the way of the coming Christ in this advent season, first of all, we have to repent. Just as every Jewish penitent who came to him received John’s baptism, so every believer in Jesus will be baptized by Jesus with the Spirit. The best way for preparing in this waiting season is by repenting. The most urgent thing that we have to do in this advent season is to cleanse our hearts and souls through repentance. In this advent season, the only reason for celebrating is the baby Jesus. Jesus Christ is all about Christmas and the only reason for Christmas. Just as John pointed out how insignificant he was compared to the one who was coming, we have to think about who has the leading role and who has the supporting roles in this Advent and Christmas season. Any other figure like John the Baptist, or the Angels, Shepherds, and Wise men are just supporting actors or actresses. Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Reindeer, and the Grinch, are definitely not the main characters of Christmas.

The only one who can be the leading actor is Jesus the Messiah. However, God needs supporting players to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. In this Advent season, God still needs heralds to proclaim good news ahead of the coming of Jesus. God needs us to spread the good news of the coming Jesus to our community and the whole world. Let us be the supportive people who prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, just like John the Baptist, in this season of waiting and preparation.

Advent season is a time of preparation. Let us think about this. What is the best preparation we can do during this Advent season? What is the most urgent thing we need to do to prepare for the coming Christ? Did you finish the decorations outside your house? Did you put up a Christmas tree already? What about the Christmas shopping and cards? I hope you are well prepared for Christmas and everything is in order. But I hope you will not forget the most important preparation of Christmas because you are too busy and stressed out with the small and insignificant things.

Let us prepare not only material, physical, and outside things, but also the spiritual and the “inside” of our lives. I believe, as John the Baptist proclaimed, that getting cleaned up inside and recognizing our sinful nature, in a word, repentance, through prayer or silence, is the best and most urgent thing to do in this Advent season. Let us prepare and pave the way through repentance from the bottom of our hearts and souls for the coming Jesus!

Repent - Prepare Yourself for Christmas

Repent - Prepare Yourself for Christmas - Audio Sermon On-line - Reverend KyungMo Koo

Repent -
Prepare Yourself for Christmas