Dear Christian friends:

In the early years of my ministry, when I didn't yet have a car, I was riding on a city bus in Spokane, Washington, shortly before Christmas. Two women got on the bus at one of the downtown stops, loaded with full shopping bags. After they were settled in one lady said to the other, "I don't enjoy Christmas anymore. When I was a child I really looked forward to it. Christmas is for children." In another city, also shortly before Christmas, I was in the post office standing at a table putting stamps on my Christmas cards. Suddenly a lady came up to the table, plopped her purse down on it, and began searching frantically for something. When she found it, she gave a sigh of relief, saying to me, "I thought that I had lost my money. If I had lost it, there would be no Christmas for me."

I'm afraid that many people prepare for Christmas like these women, with emphasis on the externals. Christmas is not just for children; the real Christmas does not depend on money. Jesus makes Christmas! We need to prepare our hearts, not just our homes and our gifts.

Our text, which is the gospel lesson for this Sunday tells us about John the Baptist whom God sent to prepare his people, Israel, for Christ's coming. (v. 2) John can also help prepare our hearts for a truly joyous celebration of Christ's coming.

I. By confessing your sins.
From John's preaching we learn that we prepare our hearts for Jesus by repenting of our sins. (read vv. 2-3)

A. This is a serious matter.

1. Many people make light of sin. The sitcom, "Soap," which was on T.V. several years ago made a lot of jokes about marital unfaithfulness and other flagrant sins. That is one way that people attempt to deal with sin. Today also, we tend to brush aside sin by not calling a spade a spade. We say, "He misspoke," instead of saying, "He told a lie." When a government agent tells a flagrant lie to the people it is called "misinformation." Today many call taking the life of the unborn a woman's choice. In general many pretend that sin is no big deal.

2. But that isn't the impression we get from John the Baptist. John's preaching and appearance impress upon us that sin is a serious matter with dire consequences. John preached in an austere place, the desert. He was dressed in an austere manner, with a camel-hair coat and a leather belt: he ate austere food, locusts and wild honey. John deliberately rejected material things of this world. He wanted to impress upon the people that he was deadly serious about what he preached, that he was sent by God with a life and death message.

Consequently, he baptized only those who confessed their sins, among whom were notorious sinners such as the tax collectors and the prostitutes. "Confessing their sins they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." (Matthew 3:6) He did not baptize some of the respectable people, such as the Scribes and Pharisees, for they contended with him and refused to confess their sins, having deceitful, arrogant hearts. He said to them: (read v. 7)

3. John, "the voice of one calling in the desert," cried out to the people, "Prepare the way of the Lord make straight paths for him." (v. 4)

Sin has made the way into our hearts crooked and difficult; made us dishonest, deceiving ourselves and others. To confess one's sin requires honesty and self-disclosure which can be disturbing and threatening. So, we really don't want to confess our sins. We'd rather hide them, deny them or rationalize them away, just as Adam and Eve did after they committed the very first sin in the Garden of Eden.

B. Yet, honest confession of sins is a freeing experience, and prepares the way for Jesus.

1. We no longer have to live a lie, hiding our sin, feeling guilty and depressed worrying about being found out and that God will get us.

2. King David experienced this freeing nature of confession. After he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in battle to cover up, he did not confess his sin for one whole year, until God took pity on him and sent the prophet Nathan to confront him with his sin. David writes of this freeing experience in Psalm 32: "Happy is the man whom the Lord does not accuse of wrong, who is free of deceit. When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long, day and night you punished me, Lord, my strength was completely drained, as moisture is dried up by the summer heat. Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrong doings; I decided to confess them to you and you forgave all my transgressions." (Living Bible)

3. By honestly confessing our sins to God, which he alone can help us do, the crooked paths to our heart are made straight; the hills of pride and arrogance are made low, and the valleys of despair are filled in, and there is a smooth highway for Jesus to come into our hearts.

Transition: We prepare for Jesus to come into our hearts by honestly confessing our sins to God and to one another.

II. We also prepare for Jesus' coming by accepting His forgiveness.

A. Forgiveness of sins was the chief purpose for John's preaching, and baptism was the means of bringing forgiveness to each confessing sinner.

1. In our text we read, "He (John the Baptist) went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (v. 3)

2. John was not just a "fire and brimstone" preacher, but primarily one who pointed to the forgiveness of sins in the Christ. He preached that Christ is the Son of God. He said, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me that has surpassed me because he was before me. The thongs of his sandals I am unworthy to untie." (John 1:15, 26) "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." When Jesus himself finally cam to the Jordan to be baptized by John, John said of him, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) For John baptism was the means of forgiveness, and he did a lot of baptizing.

B. Forgiveness of sins is brought to us today, also through means, the means of grace.

1. Baptism is probably the first means that we use also. Our baptism, the one that Jesus himself commanded us to use, is very similar to John's. He used water; we use water. His baptism washed away sins, even as our does. The only difference is that John's baptism presupposed the sacrificial death of Christ while ours looks back to it. For us today Baptism works forgiveness of sins; rescues us from death and the devil and gives eternal salvation to all who believe." (Martin Luther) While we are baptized only once, we should not forget our baptism, but remember it each day. As we arise in the morning we might make the sign of the cross and say, "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." (We were baptized into that glorious name) and say, "Thank you God that through Holy Baptism all my sins have been washed away and I have become your reborn child. Help me to live as your dear child this day." Amen.

Also, each day we should remember the significance of our Baptism as our teacher, Martin Luther, admonishes us in his Small Catechism, saying, "Baptism signifies that the old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts: and again a new man daily comes forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and true holiness." The "new man" one made alive in Christ by his love and forgiveness.

2. The other means of grace are the Gospel Word and the Sacrament of the Altar. All three give the same blessings: forgiveness of sins, new life and salvation from all evil. We need to faithfully use these means of grace, these ways for for Jesus to come into our hearts. Then we are prepared for his coming at Christmas and at the End.

Conclusion:

Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him!
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
And all mankind will see God's salvation!"
(Luke 3:4-6)

Amen