October 6, 2024 "We Prepare Through Repentance"

ReNew Ames Messages

Mark skips any kind of birth narrative in his story about Jesus. He starts with John the Baptist. And J the B is all about preparation. If you want to meet this messiah, you've got to be prepared! John was probably a member of the Jewish sect known as the Essenes. Too much to write in here - suffice it to say they were kinda like the Jewish version of the Amish - only super extreme! They focused on a strictly ordered life of spirituality off in the desert. They wanted to be ready when the messiah came - they wanted to be ready. We do the same when we are preparing to welcome a baby, either through birth or adoption. How do you prepare for a baby? First, you prepare to have your life completely changed - totally transformed. That's what this idea of repentance is. We don't turn our lives around because we're afraid of the divine. We turn our lives around because God is so good. We turn around because we're confident that God will forgive us and offer us grace that transforms. How do you prepare for a baby? You create an environment that is best suited for the baby to grow. How do we prepare our lives so that we're in the best position to grow and experience transformation? Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Mark 1:1-8 http://bible.com/events/49329292