12-7-25 “A Baptism of Repentance: Turning Toward the Light”
“A Baptism of Repentance: Turning Toward the Light”
I want to start with something funny that I found on a website: Fred is 32 years old, and he is still single. One day a friend asked, “Why aren’t you married? Can’t you find a woman who would be a good wife?” Fred replied, “Actually, I’ve found many women I wanted to marry, but when I brought them home to meet my parents, my mother didn’t like them.” His friend thought for a moment and said, “I’ve got the perfect solution. Just find a girl who’s just like your mother.”
A few months later, they met again. His friend asked, “Did you find the perfect girl? Did your mother like her?” With a frown, Fred replied, “Yes, I found the perfect girl. She was just like my mother. You were right. My mother liked her very much.” His friend said, “Then what’s the problem?” Fred answered, “My father doesn’t like her.”
Hearing this, I wonder if there is a perfect person in the world. You may think, “My spouse is perfect to me,” or “My significant other is perfect to me.” That may be true. I don’t think you’d be lying. But if you feel they are perfect, it’s because you love them. There is a saying, “If you fall in love, it makes you blind.” In other words, “love is blind,” or “you see someone through rose-colored glasses.” The disciple Peter says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).
My dear family in Jesus Christ, as we gather on this Second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Peace—a soft, steady flame that reminds us that God’s peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of Christ in the midst of our lives.
Today’s Gospel does not bring us to a peaceful manger scene but to the wilderness, where John the Baptist cries out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!” Advent often invites images of warm lights, soft music, and gentle expectation—but today John’s voice disrupts the calm. His message is urgent, sharp, and direct. And yet, this fierce call is a message of peace, because repentance is God’s gift that brings us back to wholeness.
Advent is a season of preparation. We prepare our homes, our streets, our worship spaces with beautiful and bright Christmas trees and decorations—but John reminds us that the most important preparation happens in our hearts. John the Baptist shouted, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. It literally means “a change of mind” or “a transformation of heart.” Repentance is more than feeling sorry for our sins—it is turning our whole life toward God, a complete reorientation of our thoughts, desires, and actions. When John calls us to repent, he is inviting us to metanoia: to change our direction, to turn from what harms us toward the light of Christ.
Again, repentance is turning—turning from darkness toward light, turning from what harms us toward what heals us, turning from fear toward trust, from self-focus toward God. Yes, repentance means changing our direction from the world toward God. Repentance is like a prodigal son returning home (Luke 15:12–32).
John calls us to “prepare the way of the Lord,” which means clearing the obstacles that keep Christ’s peace from reaching us. What are those obstacles? They may be habits that drain our spirit, words we regret, unforgiven wounds, hidden resentments, busyness that squeezes out time with God, or a negative mindset.
We had heavy snow last week. Some of you missed Sunday service. I was stuck at home because snow piled up against my garage doors until my neighbor plowed my driveway. Just as Wisconsin roads must be cleared after a heavy snowfall, our hearts sometimes need clearing so Christ’s hope can come through. Repentance is the spiritual snowplow that prepares the way for Jesus.
John the Baptist points us toward the approaching Light—the One who is coming, the One who brings peace not as the world gives but as God gives. Repentance opens our lives to that Light. We turn toward the Light so that when Christ comes, we are ready to receive Him.
John warns the religious leaders not to rely on their titles or traditions. He says, “Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.” In other words, being Christian is not about outward appearance but inner transformation. Being a Christian is not about attending church services, not because we were raised in a Christian family, and not simply because we were baptized. To be Christian is to live visibly changed by Christ—to let Christ’s light reshape our character, our words, our choices, our relationships—and to bear fruit: kindness, mercy, generosity, forgiveness, justice, humility.
Nobody is perfect, but we are growing toward the perfection of Christ. Let our lives show that we have turned toward God. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, disciples of Jesus are known not by what we say but by how we live.
Let me share a story Jesus told (Matthew 18:21–35) to help us understand how to remove the obstacles on Christ’s way. There was a man who owed his master ten million dollars. Unable to repay, the master ordered that he, his wife, his children, and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The man fell on his knees, begging, “Be patient with me. I will pay you back everything.” His master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go.
But when he went out, freed of this debt, he found a friend who owed him a hundred dollars. He grabbed him and began to choke him, demanding, “Pay back what you owe me now!” His friend begged, kneeling, “Be patient with me. I will pay you back.” But he refused and imprisoned him until he could repay. Others saw this and told the master. Then the master called him in and said, “You wicked servant! I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your friend just as I had on you?” In anger, his master handed him over to be punished until he could pay back all he owed.
The love of Christ is the love of forgiveness. Loving others as Jesus loves us means forgiving others—even seventy-seven times—those who trespass against us. Every Sunday we pray the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It is not just liturgy; we should practice it daily. As we remember that God forgave our sins, we should forgive others who have sinned against us, made things difficult, or hurt us—and then love them as Jesus loves us. Jesus canceled our debt of one million dollars; we can forgive others’ debts of one hundred dollars. That is the Christian life. If you carry unforgiven wounds or hidden resentments, repent in Jesus Christ and forgive those who wounded you. This is how we prepare for the coming Christ.
John says, “One who is more powerful than I is coming.” John points to the Light, but Jesus is the Light. Jesus comes not only to forgive our sins but to transform us, to clothe us with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the warmth in our cold places. Jesus is the peace that covers our anxious hearts. Jesus is the Light that guides our turning.
May Christ find in us a people ready—ready to receive His peace, ready to share His love, ready to turn again toward His Light.
Thanks be to God. Amen.