Sunday Rewind 12.10.06

There are 15 days left until Christmas. 15 days to prepare for the annual celebration of Jesus' 1st coming. There are still cookies to bake, cards to address, and presents to buy. That's a lot of preparation.

And preparation is the theme for the 2nd Sunday in Advent, specifically the way John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. Read Luke's account here.

Luke's account has two primary themes. He is setting John's ministry within its historical context. That's an important thing to do when you are writing an "orderly account". But Luke is also setting John's ministry within God's universal plan. John's ministry fulfills prophecy. He is the voice crying in the wilderness, pointing people toward Jesus.

As we anticipate Christ's return, this passage also gives us some important things to remember:

• The gospel is a gift. All of us have sinned, but Jesus came to provide the solution for sin. And if you receive God's gift, you're prepared for Christ's return.
• The gospel belongs to God. The gospel is simple; we must not complicate it. The gospel is available to everyone; we must not restrict it.
• Everywhere the gospel is received, God's peace follows. That's a message we need to remind ourselves of. But it's also a message the world needs to hear.