Following Jesus Through MatthewSample

Matthew’s gospel is full of references to Old Testament prophecies to prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Today’s reading continues that theme. The Jews who first read Matthew’s gospel recognized this from Isaiah 40.

Isaiah served as God’s messenger, telling the people of Judah and Jerusalem that they would be taken into exile because of their sins. One day the Messiah would come to save them from their sins. Before the Messiah would come, though, there would be another messenger, “the voice of someone shouting, ‘Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!’”.

John the Baptist is that promised messenger. For followers of Jesus, baptism is a way for us to publicly proclaim our faith. To the Jews of Jesus’s day, baptism was used to mark a person’s repentance. This word “repentance” has two ideas attached to it: to turn from evil and to turn toward good. As far back as Moses in the book of Exodus, the people were taught to wash themselves to be ceremonially clean, able to come into the presence of God.

Jesus makes it possible for us to come to God. In 1 Peter 3, it says, “He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.” The call to repentance was John’s message to the people of Israel; it is still the call for us today: turn away from evil and toward good. Recognize your sin and turn to Christ. It is for you that he died.

Prayer: God, I believe that Jesus died for me. I know I can come to you with every worry, need, and dream I have, because Jesus cleared the way for me. Help me to turn away from my old ways and towards everything you call good. Amen.