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God’s clear message in his Word directs us as we prepare for Jesus’ second coming.
My hometown of Edna is full of sidewalks. Thanks to a grant from the great state of Texas, my little town has been building sidewalks on all major thoroughfares.
A misunderstood message
As I’ve watched the shiny, white-washed sidewalks slowly appear around town, it reminded me of a story I heard years ago when I lived in Mexico. A fellow pastor once told me a tale about his tiny hometown of Nueva Rosita, Coahuila.
It seems that many years ago, the president of Mexico decided to take a tour of the republic by train—a tour that would stop at Nueva Rosita. A telegram was sent months beforehand, giving instructions to the townspeople on how to prepare for the visit.
The main purpose of the telegram was to tell the people to prepare banquets—banquetes in Spanish—in honor of the president. Due to poor print quality, however, the telegram appeared to read, “Prepare banquetas for the president.”
Banquetas are sidewalks.
Because the town was small and had few sidewalks, the townspeople immediately went to work building sidewalks on every street in their town. When the president arrived, the people proudly took him on a tour of their new sidewalks, but they had no banquets prepared in his honor. They weren’t prepared for the president’s arrival because they didn’t understand the message that preceded it.
Repent and rejoice in your baptism. Because of Jesus, God has completely forgiven every sin you have committed and will ever commit.
A message to remember
Before Jesus began his public ministry, God sent a messenger ahead of him to prepare the people for his arrival. That messenger was John the Baptist. His message was simple: Repent and be baptized.
Repent. Recognize how far you have fallen short of what God expects and commands. Admit what you’ve done. Ask him to forgive you.
Be baptized. The word baptize means “to wash.” In Baptism, God washed you clean of all your sins because of Jesus. You are forgiven.
Repent and be baptized. That was the message God used to prepare people for Jesus’ first coming.
And it’s a message that serves us well as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ first coming at Christmas and to receive him when he comes again at the end of the world.
Jesus is coming again to judge the living and the dead. No one knows the day or hour of his arrival, but he has given us specific instructions so that we are ready.
Repent and be baptized. Repent of all the dumb things you do every day. Tell God you’re sorry for your lies and gossip and cursing, for your sexual sins and excessive drinking and laziness, and for your worry and doubt and fear.
Repent and be baptized. Repent and rejoice in your baptism. Because of Jesus, God has completely forgiven every sin you have committed and will ever commit. By knowing that and trusting in Jesus, you will be ready for him whenever he arrives.
So carefully read the telegram God has given you in his Word to prepare for Jesus’ second coming. Repent and be baptized. Prepare your heart and mind. Jesus is coming.
You don’t want to be left there, standing on a shiny, new sidewalk, totally unprepared.
Author: Andrew Schroer
Volume 111, Number 12
Issue: December 2024
