Getting ready for Christmas
by Pastor Mark Lieschke
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And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).
Read Mark 1:1–8
We can get a lot of encouragement, instruction and advice from many individuals and groups around us – Christians and non-Christians alike – about keeping the law, being fair, and loving our neighbour. Most groups concerned about the wellbeing of society can tell us that. And that’s fine – there is nothing wrong with that at all.
But there’s no other place than the Christian church that calls us to repent from our sins, and there’s no source of freedom from our sins other than Jesus Christ. That’s what makes Christianity unique. And that’s why the message of the forgiveness of sins is so important.
Part of the purpose of God’s word is to make us realise our condition – our utter hopelessness and helplessness because of our sin. But that’s not the end purpose.
The law does cut us down to size. It makes us see the rotten nature we’re born with and the sin we continue to do every day. But its ultimate purpose is not to condemn us but to point us in the direction of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ.
The word of God calls us to repentance and comforts us with the forgiveness of Christ. We have that word. And, because of it, we have the assurance of being at peace with God.
We repent by admitting and confessing the abhorrence of our sin – then letting Christ take over from there, trusting that he can do – and, in fact, already has done – something about it.
It’s not long until Christmas. But before it comes, and before we can really enjoy celebrating it to the fullest, we need to hear those words: ‘Sinner, repent’. If there’s no acknowledgement and repentance from sin, then we may feel no need for a Saviour and have no great joy in celebrating his birth.
But as we go to our Lord and say, ‘Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner’, we can be assured that we will once again hear his words to us: ‘Your sins are forgiven you. Go in peace.’
Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner. Assure me that, despite my sinful nature and daily falling short of your expectations, you are gracious and compassionate, and you have come and continue to come to wash me clean and give me a new start every day. Let me go in peace again today. Amen.
Mark Lieschke is a retired pastor living on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. He served in parishes in Adelaide, Palmerston North and Marton (New Zealand), and Wagga Wagga (school and congregation), before being elected as bishop of the NSW District of the LCANZ. He and Meredith have four children (two live in Canada) and two grandchildren. Mark enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, walking on the beach and resting.
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