Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Call to Repent

John just appears in the desert. And his first word is, “Repent”. For years God sent no prophet to Israel, unexpectedly, there is a prophet.

John completes the series of Old Testament prophets, sent by God to call his unfaithful people. Up until John the prophets had to remind the people, Israel, that they belong to God, that they have a covenant with Him. And this relationship of belonging could only be maintained if they followed the Law.

John himself was pointed to by the Old Testament, as the last prophet. John is the last prophet because it is his unique role to announce the coming of the Lord Himself. God is to come to his own, on a rescue mission, because they are lost.

John’s message is threatening even to the leaders, Pharisees and Saducees, who have come to listen. “The axe lies at the root of the trees.” But he knows that he is the last prophet. Because the one coming after him is “mightier”.

Jesus is coming! How to prepare for the arrival of God in the flesh. John is “baptizing with water, for repentance”.

To repent starts by recognizing that you are off track: that you have chosen to turn away from God, that you have been rebellious. It is very important to know that Israel, who had been given the Law, was held accountable to the Law, the Ten Commandments.

All of us know the law in our hearts (Romans 1, 2). But: we are prone to ignorance and hardness of heart.

Jesus comes to each one of us, calling us to repent. John tells us that Jesus will gather in the “wheat”, the harvest of goodness. But he will also separate out the chaff with his winnowing fan for burning.

Jesus is absolutely unique in his call to repentance. Jesus will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire”. Jesus comes unexpectedly to us, with his divine fire, which purifies and renews (1 Cor. 3). Nothing we can do will prepare us for this encounter. Jesus, the unexpected guest brings salvation.