JOHN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 MATTHEW 3:1-6 Once again we hear the word of God spoken as a word of hope into an era of degradation and hopelessness. Rome’s occupation of Israel had left the people crying out for redemption and vindication. John the Baptist entered the scene as a prophet, foretold by Isaiah and aligned with Elijah. His message is clear and concise: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near.” As a sign of repentance, John called all people to be baptized. John’s baptism has its roots in the Qumran community, rather than Jewish tradition, and practiced daily baptism, or ritual washing, to symbolize an internal cleansing from sin. The verbal tense for “repent” is present, implying continual (daily, regular) action. John is not calling for a one-time repentance but a life of repentance, of consciously turning from sin. In your life, what do you need to repent (turn around) from? Is it important to do this daily? Ask the Holy Spirit to allow the work of repentance to transform you. Amid our expectations of the “perfect” Christmas, Christ comes and gives us a new picture of what righteousness looks like. This week devotions are provided by: PRINCE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 13:30:00 +0000