Are You Ready?

Reading: Matthew 3.1-12

Christmas is coming – are you ready?

The shops are decorated in red and green, with streamers and baubles. “Is he here yet?” Yes, Santa has come with his helpers to the big shopping centres. Is your place decorated yet? Already some homes have their Christmas lights switched on at night. What about you?

Some folk have been quick to get their Christmas greetings in the mail. You can send e-cards over the internet if you wish. Have you got around to it yet?

And how about shopping for Christmas presents? It doesn’t get any easier, does it? There is so much clamouring for a part of our bank balance or credit limit. Have you begun? What can you afford this year?

Christ’s Birthday

Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of Christ over two thousand years ago. Are you ready for Christmas? Are you ready for Christ?

The Roman authorities weren’t ready. They “knew” that the most important event was the census ordered by Caesar back in Rome. They had to keep the peace by making sure nobody did the wrong thing and by seeing to it that the census was completed properly. It is thought it all had something to do with having a more effective tax system – so their wages may well have depended on it!

Herod wasn’t ready. He was an unpopular and cruel king. He was too busy trying to work deals with the competing factions.

The Pharisees and teachers of the Law weren’t ready. They knew the Bible backwards, but unfortunately didn’t know it “forwards”. In theory they were looking for the Messiah to come some time in the future, but in reality they didn’t want anyone to disturb their control of the system.

The ordinary people weren’t ready either – most of them. They were poor. Life was a struggle. For many of them, this order to go to their own town for a census was the last straw.

But it was God’s “right time”. Paul wrote, “when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him” (Gal. 4.4). God had made all the preparations, sent all the right messages for people to get ready. Some of them were ready – waiting for God to send his Messiah – not sure of all the details, but trusting in God.

John the Baptist

Another baby was born six months before Jesus. His mother, Elizabeth, was Mary’s cousin. Her baby was John. When he was born, his father, Zechariah, said, “You, my son, will be called a prophet of God in heaven above. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him. You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven” (Lk. 1.76-77). He was a special person – sent by God to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus.

When he was thirty, John started preaching in the desert of Judaea. He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here” (Mt. 3.2). He must have been quite a sight – “John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey” (v. 4). Many people came to listen to him. They took him very seriously – “They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptised them in the river” (v. 6).

But John could tell that some people weren’t really sincere. They wanted to be baptised too, but didn’t want to change. They came from the group that later opposed Jesus and worked to organise his death. They should have known. They should have been ready. Earlier, members of the same group had advised King Herod that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (2.4-6). They should all have been ready and welcomed him. Because they had no welcome in their hearts, no real willingness to turn back to God, John told them they were in danger from God’s coming judgment (3.7).

Getting Ready

As we get ready for Christmas, how can we be ready for Jesus? Here are a few points to ponder:

· Not just a baby. Jesus was born as a baby. The story that the inn was full, that he was laid in a manger, that the shepherds came, that wise men followed a star… – it all happened. It’s part of our history.

But he didn’t stay a baby – any more than you did. He had a life to live, work to do. It was only three-and-a-half years after he began preaching, teaching and healing that they crucified him. That wasn’t the end. Three days later, they found that God had raised him to life again. And then, forty days later, he disappeared – “ascended into heaven”.

It’s good to celebrate his birthday, but let’s remember that he’s not just a baby any more.

· Not just to make us happy. Jesus was special – God’s Son – and he came to do his Father’s special plan – Joseph was told to “name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (1.21). Jesus knew that. From time to time he talked about it, but his friends didn’t understand.

John was telling the people to be sorry for their sins and turn back to God so they would be ready for Jesus. The angel said to the shepherds, “This very day in King David's hometown a Saviour was born for you. He is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2.11).

Of course, Christmas is a happy time – because Jesus was born to be our Saviour.

· Not just in the manger. Another John – one of Jesus’ disciples – wrote, “Yet some people accepted him and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God. They were not God's children by nature or because of any human desires. God himself was the one who made them his children” (Jn 1.12-13).

The Jesus who was born as a baby, who is Lord of all in heaven, wants to live in our lives. He is saying, “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together” (Rev. 3.20).

If you want to be ready for Christmas, don’t keep Jesus in the manger. Invite him into your life as your Saviour and Lord.

© Peter J. Blackburn, Home Hill & Ayr Uniting Churches, 5 December 2005, Family Worship
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Contemporary English Version, © American Bible Society, 1995.

Back to Sermons