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Tag Archives: John the Baptist

Zephaniah 3:1-13

01 Feb

3 What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem,
    the city of violence and crime!
2 No one can tell it anything;
    it refuses all correction.
It does not trust in the Lord
    or draw near to its God.
3 Its leaders are like roaring lions
    hunting for their victims.
Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time,
    who by dawn have left no trace of their prey.
4 Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain.
    Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God’s instructions.
5 But the Lord is still there in the city,
    and he does no wrong.
Day by day he hands down justice,
    and he does not fail.
    But the wicked know no shame.

6 “I have wiped out many nations,
    devastating their fortress walls and towers.
Their streets are now deserted;
    their cities lie in silent ruin.
There are no survivors—
    none at all.
7 I thought, ‘Surely they will have reverence for me now!
    Surely they will listen to my warnings.
Then I won’t need to strike again,
    destroying their homes.’
But no, they get up early
    to continue their evil deeds.
8 Therefore, be patient,” says the Lord.
    “Soon I will stand and accuse these evil nations.
For I have decided to gather the kingdoms of the earth
    and pour out my fiercest anger and fury on them.
All the earth will be devoured
    by the fire of my jealousy.

9 “Then I will purify the speech of all people,
    so that everyone can worship the Lord together.
10 My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
    will come to present their offerings.
11 On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed,
    for you will no longer be rebels against me.
I will remove all proud and arrogant people from among you.
    There will be no more haughtiness on my holy mountain.
12 Those who are left will be the lowly and humble,
    for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong;
    they will never tell lies or deceive one another.
They will eat and sleep in safety,
    and no one will make them afraid.”

Zephaniah 3:1-13

Dear God, the verses for the Catholic church this morning are just 12 and 13. When I read them, it made me think of a group of people I heard about recently called the Essenes. Apparently, they fancied themselves as a sect of Jews who were holding true to your law and preserving who you are to the Jewish people in the midst of what they saw as ungodliness. And they were doing this about 100 years before Jesus. I think they are thought to have preserved the Dead Sea Scrolls. I’ve even heard it suggested that John the Baptist might have been following in their ways as he lived int he wilderness and tried to bring Israel back into true devoutness to you.

One thing that really comes across in this passage is your exasperation with Israel. It made me wonder if you get exasperated with me. I hope not. I mean, I’m not here to keep you from being exasperated with me. I’m not here to check off the box so that some big bad God in the sky won’t come down on me in fury and anger. I’m here because I love you and you make me better. It’s my love for you and worship of you that makes me hope I don’t exasperate you with my foolishness.

And then I swing around and think of my exasperation sometimes. The hurt that has been caused to me by others. How do I respond to that? Do I respond in anger and impatience, or do I offer mercy? Am I what you need me to be for them, or does my own agenda start to get in your way?

Father, please reveal to me any ways in which I might be exasperating you today. Whether it be by my own actions, or by how I respond to others. If I am getting in the way of your plan in any way, please show me plainly so I can correct it. Show me where I need to improve. Teach me to love.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on February 1, 2026 in Zephaniah

 

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John 3:22-36

10 Jan

Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.

At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. (This was before John was thrown into prison.) A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

“He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

John 1:22-36

Dear God, why were people finding John to be baptized? What were they looking for? What was the itch they were scratching? Was it just conviction and repentance? I mean, if I’m sitting in my town and I start to hear word about a prophet-like guy in the wilderness baptizing people in the river, why would I be compelled to go? Maybe I saw a change in my friend. A rededication to you that I want for myself. It makes be think of when revival goes viral. The revival at Asbury College almost three years ago. The Jesus movement back in the seventies. In Israel at the time, the people had John the Baptist and Jesus in their midst. I suppose there couldn’t help but be some amount of revival.

The other part of this story is the rivalry that some wanted to create between John and Jesus. Even John’s disciples brought it up to John. And had it been going the other way, I’m sure Jesus’s disciples would have been upset too. Why are we such insecure children, falling into sibling rivalry? I’m at a men’s retreat right now, and I confess that there’s a part of me that measures my “spiritual maturity” against the other men here. It’s a competition, and I want to be your favorite.

Father, thank you that you see through my pettiness and love me anyway. Thank you that, at least at some level, you give me eyes to see just how insecure and petty I can be. And regarding my request to teach me to pray this weekend, you are showing me all kinds of things just in my family that need more prayer. I need to be better at intercessory prayer. Show me how to do this effectively so that your kingdom will come and your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven. If my prayers can be part of that, teach me to pray.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 10, 2026 in John

 

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John 1:29-34

03 Jan

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ 31 I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

John 1:29-34

Dear God, Jesus and John had an interesting relationship. I wish I knew more about how they knew each other over the previous 30 years. We never see them together before this, but I’m sure this isn’t the first time they met. After all, their mothers were cousins and they certainly would have sought each other out over the years. So I wonder what kinds of conversations John and Jesus had as they grew up. The way John describes it here, John knew Jesus but it hadn’t been revealed to him who Jesus was until he had the prophecy fulfilled that you had given to him. It took the Jesus he knew and made him Jesus the Messiah. It all changed.

I’m also impressed that his leadoff description of Jesus is that he said Jesus was about taking away the sins of the world. He didn’t say, “Here comes our conquering Messiah!” He called him the “Lamb of God,” your lamb. He might not have completely understood how this would all play out because later, when John is in prison, he will question if Jesus is the Messiah or if there is someone else coming (Luke 7:20). But he also seemed to know that there was more to this Messiah thing than making Israel great again. He knew you were trying to rewrite the covenant between you and your creation. He just didn’t have the picture of what that would look like.

So I don’t know what you’re doing either. I mean, I think I know what you were doing through Jesus, but even that gets convoluted in our modern Christianity. Some would say that Jesus came to save us from hell and eternal torment and damnation. To save us from suffering by forgiving us of our sins. But that seems ridiculous to me now, even though that’s what I was sold as a child. Not that there won’t be a sorting one day. Jesus was clear there would be. But if you wanted to save us from eternal damnation you’d have just let our souls die when we die and be done with us. No, you wanted relationship with us. I don’t understand why, but you want to love us and you want us to love you. You want relationship with us. You took away my sin not so that I would get a great perk after my death, but so that I could learn to walk through the narrow gate.

Father, I give you this day. I’m about to spend a few hours with a friend. Sharpen him through me and me through him. My wife and I will spend time together this afternoon. Sharpen us through each other. We will spend some times with friends over dinner. Sharpen us through each other. We are about to start working with a couple who is contemplating marriage. Make our relationship with them part of all of our journeys. Teach me to walk this narrow path through this narrow gate. Oh, and I just learned yesterday that a friend lost her brother to death. I’m so sorry for her. Please comfort her and her family through this tragedy. Show me how to be her friend through this. Raise up people around her who will love her with your love.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2026 in John

 

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John 1:19-28

02 Jan

19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”

21 “Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No,” he replied.

“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”

“No.”

22 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”

23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,
    ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

24 Then the Pharisees who had been sent 25 asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”

26 John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”

28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.

John 1:19-28

Dear God, the thing that struck me this morning as I read this passage is that John denies being Elijah when Jesus says John is Elijah (Matthew 11:14). Is this false modesty? Is this him not being willing to claim something for himself and feeling like someone else (namely Jesus) needs to be the one to bestow that label on him? Is he still trying to figure out exactly who he is in your plan? He knows he’s the voice crying in the wilderness. He knows Jesus is the Messiah. But how much more does he know.

One thing that also stands out to me this morning is that he had a great responsibility to speak your words to the crowds. He had an important message for the people. For all of the people, including the Pharisees. My wife and I are going to be starting some premarital…I don’t want to call it counseling because we aren’t counselors. Let’s call it curriculum. We are going to be taking an engaged couple through a pre-marital curriculum that will give them a lot of things to think about, talk about, and work through as they prepare to get married. It intimidates me to have such an important responsibility, and I don’t think I’ve spent enough time in prayer, preparing my heart for our time with them or even praying for them and their hearts. I’ve prayed a little, but not enough.

Father, I’m no Elijah. I’m not a voice crying in the wilderness. But you have put people in my path, and you have messages for them through me as well as having messages for me through them. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see, a heart to discern, and wise words to share. And prepare my wife’s heart in the same way. Help her to have an insightful heart as we go through this process. And help them couple to come in with hearts that are open to hearing from you. Let your Holy Spirit be in the room with us today. Guide the four of us through this process. Give us all breakthroughs in our lives and use this process to draw each of us closer to yourself as individuals as well as closer to you as couples.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 2, 2026 in John

 

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Luke 1:57-66

23 Dec

57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

Luke 1:57-66

Dear God, the question in verse 66: “What will this child turn out to be?” How long did it follow John? How old was he before people stopped asking it? Or did they never stop and it followed him for the next 30 years until he started doing his thing at the Jordan? I wonder what John was like as a child. I wonder how old he was when his parents died.

But I guess we all look at our children and wonder what they will turn out to be. Of course, we don’t even know what we ourselves will turn out to be. I’m 55, and I don’t even know what I’ll be at 56. I don’t know what the rest of even today hold. I don’t even know what I’ll do for lunch.

But I think with our children we often make the mistake of overlaying our expectations on them (and maybe even their parents). I remember when our daughter was picking her major in college and I saw something different for her. Of course she did what her heart felt led to do.

Father, I confess that I have greatly sinned. In my thoughts and in my words. In what I have done and what I have failed to do. through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask blessed Mary, all the angels and the saints, and for my brothers and sisters to pray for me to you. And please give my children they grace the need to have to live out everything you have for them whether it includes me or not.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 23, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 1:5-25

19 Dec

5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Luke 1:5-25

Dear God, this is the New Testament reading of the day, but I have to admit I stopped reading at verse 7. I just want to sit with Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s infertility. I listed Zechariah’s name first because it was assumed back then that it was the female’s fault they couldn’t have children, but it could have been Zechariah’s issue. But this reminds me of the disciples, after seeing a man who had been born blind, who had sinned, the man or his parents, to cause the man to be blind. Jesus replied that none of them had sinned, but the blindness was for your glory. (John 9:1-3) Of course, Elizabeth’s soon-to-be child was for your glory too. But they had no way of knowing that.

What if you hadn’t had Elizabeth be barren before John? What if John had had older siblings or younger parents? How might that have impacted or changed his trajectory? I think we can get a look at that with the stories of Mary and his brothers and sisters coming to try to get him after they thought he was going ’round the bend. How much more so would John have had to endure influence from siblings or parents when we was much more provocatively out there than Jesus was?

So Elizabeth had to live in lament because she was barren and judged for it. She had a longing for a child. I’ve seen couples who suffer with infertility, and the stress of it is difficult. They will spend tens of thousands of dollars on infertility treatments. They will read books on ways to enhance the chances of conception. They will cry and lament.

But there are parts of our lives–of my life–that are like that too. There are things I lament. There are things others judge me for. There are people who look at my wife and me and some of our circumstances and wonder how we sinned to end up where we are. And there are times when we ask ourselves the same questions. Which of us sinned so that this happened? Or did both of us sin?

Father, Elizabeth and Zechariah were found faithful when Gabriel showed up to encourage them. I hope that you will find me faithful today. I love you. I worship you. I trust you. I heard someone say recently that the opposite of faith isn’t doubt but certainty. That plays nicely with the idea that we want to make an idol out of certainty. So I will put my faith in you and walk away from the certainty in my life.

I pray and offer this in the name of Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2025 in Luke

 

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Matthew 21:23-27

15 Dec

23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

24 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26 But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”

And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

Matthew 21:23-27

Dear God, I was asking yesterday about the purpose of John’s ministry as it relates to Jesus and wondering if he was more for the moment or for us now. I kind of concluded it was more for that moment than for us (although it’s impossible to know how much he actually does impact me), and this certainly affirms that his ministry was important in Jesus’s time.

I wonder what the answer to the question was. Did they each have a different answer? Did some believe he was from heaven? Did some, like Nicodemus, secretly repent and believe? Were they just blowing John off and trying not to anger the people by blowing him off privately?

The truth is, John’s authority was from heaven. And Jesus’s authority was from heaven. John was from you. Jesus was of you. He was you. I really don’t envy the Pharisees back then because I would probably have been skeptical too. I wouldn’t have readily trusted you. At best, I would have been like Nicodemus and secretly believed and followed you, but I know I wouldn’t have just openly followed you in the moment. It was too strange of a plan. I’d never have been able to get my mind around it.

Now, Father, I pray for this day. I have work to do. I have some work to do that is critical to helping our patients. I have some work to do that is important to others. I have some work to do that I don’t want to do. Help me to do it all well. Help me to be your servant and to work cheerfully in everything. Help me to get done what you need me to get done today. And I’ll confess that my performance, or lack thereof, with the man I saw in public while I was praying who was seemingly homeless, is still haunting me a bit. I’m sorry for my inaction. I’m sorry for my fear and my dread. Help me to do what you need me to do in those circumstances.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 15, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 11:2-11

14 Dec

11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.

2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”

7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,

‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    and he will prepare your way before you.’

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

Dear God, I guess I’ve never thought of this before, but what does the Jesus narrative look like without John the Baptist? Does John’s presence and prophetic work lend credibility to who Jesus is for the people back then. I think he’s a piece of the story now, but not a critical piece. I think it still reads okay and Jesus has the same legitimacy with or without John, but for people then, I think John certainly helped to give Jesus some credibility.

So what do I think John’s existence adds to the story? Initially, his presence in Elizabeth’s and Zechariah’s lives put them in a position to be an encouragement to Mary when she went to them. Perhaps they were able to advocate for her to her parents.

Then John started stirring the pot with his provocative preaching, challenging everyone from peasants, to Pharisees, to kings. Everyone needed to be challenged, and challenged from a different perspective. Peasants needed to take worship of you seriously. Pharisees needed to look at the spirit of the law and not necessarily the letter–especially the laws they had added themselves. And kings needed to repent of their lust and quest for power.

Is it any different now? Us common folk need to worship you better, repent of our lethargy and how we’ve let sin into our lives, and move into discipleship. There are some pastors who need to look beyond the rules and get to the heart of what is keeping people from you. And kings/presidents/rulers need to repent of their lust and quest for power.

Father, I’ve been uncomfortable while I’ve been typing this because I decided to come to a public place this morning, and I saw a man who appeared to be homeless. I’d gladly have bought him food, but he had just eaten (empty food containers on his table). I thought about talking to him, but I’ve gotten involved with situations like that before, and I’m very aware of the limits an individual has when trying to help someone in that situation. So I remained silent and didn’t talk to him. Did I make the wrong decision. Did I justify selfishness or was I wise? Right now, I’m feeling more justification in my actions than wisdom. So I pray that you will forgive me if you were just here in front of me and I missed you. Even now, though, I’m still not sure what I would have said to him. What words? Maybe start with making eye contact and just saying hello. Yeah, maybe that’s what I should have done at just a basic human level. Yes, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, I am one of the peasants John called on to repent. Help me to be who you are calling me to be.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 14, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 11:11-15

11 Dec

11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Matthew 11:11-15

Dear God, I think my mind will be absolutely blown when I see the reality on the other side of the veil between this life and the life to come. The first thing I suspect is that we all feel so important in your hierarchy of creation, but verse 11 is a reminder that we are so small and part of something that is so vast and incredible. Beyond our faintest imagination.

This passage makes me think of the Matthew West song “You Are Everything.”

The chorus: 

You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me
With arms wide open all I know is 
Every day is filled with hope

'Cause you are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe you in and breathe again
Feeling all this life within 
Every single beat of my heart
You are everything

That’s my worship this morning. You are everything. I am so small. It’s amazing how self-important I get, but I am so small. Father, I submit myself to you today. I get the opportunity in the midst of my busyness to visit another ministry today to learn from them. Help me to learn what you want me to learn. Help me to know what you might be calling me to to meet the needs around me. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, serenity to accept, courage to change, and wisdom to discern.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 11, 2025 in Matthew

 

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Matthew 3:1-12

07 Dec

3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,

“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
    Clear the road for him!’”

4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

Matthew 3:1-12

Dear God, my inclination is to figure out how I am or want to be like John the Baptist. What is he doing that I should be doing? How should he be my example. Then I am reminded that there is only one John the Baptist, but there are a lot of Pharisees and people coming to him to repent. Maybe the question should be how I become a “repenter” and not a Pharisee.

I wonder why kinds of sins the Israelites who came to John were repenting of. And were there any Gentiles in the mix who were coming into the Jewish faith? They might have been repenting of the same old sins that must of us struggle with like selfishness, lying, lust, etc., but I wonder if it was more fundamental than that. Were some of them repenting of not following your commands? Tithing. Forgiving debt. Debauchery.

That leads me to the uncomfortable question of, if John the Baptist were down at my local river outside of town, what would I be repenting of? What should I repent of? What are you waiting for me to repent of?

I still don’t think the practice of “confession” or “reconciliation” in the Catholic church is a mandate as the Church believes, but I do see the value in it. I do see the value in being vulnerable about our sins to another person and saying it out loud. And while I don’t do that practice with a priest since I’m not Catholic although I go to a Catholic church with my wife, who is Catholic, I do have two friends who I’m able to tell about my failings–and sometimes I tell them everything. I think if we don’t have godly people in our lives with whom we can share our thoughts, mistakes, misgivings, and then even be vulnerable about the types of motivations and actions that we would normally keep hidden then we will keep ourselves clear with you and with our own consciences.

Father, I feel like I want to close with the penitent prayer Catholics say at just about every mass: I confess to Almighty God that I have great sinned in my thoughts and in my words; in what I have done and what I have failed to do through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I ask blessed Mary, all the angels and the saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2025 in Matthew

 

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