Two Old Friends

     It is time for a dose of good ole' John the Baptist and the "R" word this Sunday, as I preach on repentance from Matthew 3:1-12.
     Repentance and John the Baptist have a lot in common. They both stand out as "freaks" to the culture at large. John ate locusts with wild honey, wore garments made from camel hair, and probably looked like a wild cave man. Repentance tells us that we are sinners who need to change our behavior. Repentance tells the world that some things it calls "good" are no good at all.
     The world today might actually embrace a character like John the Baptist, or at least his outward appearance would be accepted. Repentance, though, I don't think will ever be able to make a home in this world. It is up to the Church to give it a home, along with grace to match.
    Anyhow, I give thanks for the chance to preach on repentance this Sunday. It's the start of a new year. It's an opportunity to abandon actions, attitudes, and in-actions in our lives that are flat-out not helpful to us and others.
    It is a time to discover a plan that God has in store for our lives. It's a plan we may have been missing out on for too long.