We live in a world that is constantly calling us to “change.” Politicians promise change, advertisers sell us products that will “change our lives,” and self-help articles tell us to “become the best version of ourselves.” Yet in spite of all the call for change, many people feel stuck - stuck in habits, sometimes stuck in guilt, sometimes in a feeling that they will never be good enough, whatever that good might mean.
I wonder if people had those same feelings when John the Baptist came speaking his message of change: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” How welcome would that message have been for some? But his message though is something very different. It is God’s invitation to real change - change that begins in the heart, change that lasts, change that brings hope, whatever situation we find ourselves in.
Advent is the season when we hear that call afresh, and when we prepare not only to celebrate the birth of Jesus but also to meet him face to face.
John’s word “repent” can sound harsh, even threatening. But in the light of Jesus, repentance is not condemnation and harsh judgement - it is invitation. It is God saying, “Come home. Turn around. Recognise and accept my love.”
Repentance is more than being sorry. It is a real desire for transformation. It is becoming vulnerable so that God’s strength can fill us. It is saying, “Lord, I cannot do this on my own, but with you all things are possible.”
And yes, repentance can even be preached with humour. You may know the story of the painter, who thinned his paint to save money. When a storm washed it all away, he cried out to God, “What should I do?” And out of the thunder the reply came: “Repaint! Repaint! And thin no more!”
It’s a silly joke, but it reminds us: repentance is not about covering over the cracks with thin paint. It is about letting God rebuild us from the inside out… Repentance leads to preparation. John prepared the way for Jesus, and we are called to prepare too.
Preparation means prayer, study of the Bible, worship, fellowship. It means opening ourselves to God’s promises. Too many people miss out on the fullness of life God offers simply because they do not know what he has promised.
Preparation also means readiness to share good news. Like John, although we might do it a bit differently and wear different clothes and eat different food, we are called to be voices in the wilderness, pointing others to Jesus.
Preparation is important - There’s a story of a couple at the airport and the man says he wished they had brought the piano. “Why?” asked the wife. “We’ve already got 14 bags!” “Yes,” said the husband, “but the tickets are on the piano!”
Preparation matters. Without it, we miss the journey. With it, we are ready to walk with Jesus and invite others to join us.
Advent is not a time of passive waiting. It is about active preparation. John promised that one greater than he was coming. Jesus has come, and he will come again. In the meantime, we wait - but we wait by trying to live lives that show Jesus to the world through our words and actions.
Too often we underplay what Jesus can do. In church we do it a lot as we worry about attendances, lack of money, lack of young people. We also look at the problems of the world and feel miserable or like there’s nothing that can be done. But who will be attracted to good news if we ourselves look defeated?
The gospel is not a message of despair. It is a message of hope. It is the announcement that Jesus is alive, that his kingdom is near, and that nothing is impossible with God.
Isaiah paints a picture that seems impossible: wolves living with lambs, lions eating straw, children playing safely with snakes. Yet he says this will happen when the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord.
The God who fulfilled his promises in Jesus can deliver hope, peace, reconciliation, and love. And that love should be revealed through us. When we fail to live like Jesus, when we fail to love, welcome, and forgive, people judge him by looking at us.
Changed lives are not easy - we are human and we will get things wrong. But we keep trying. We repent. We seek God’s strength. We proclaim hope and peace and reconciliation wherever we can, and we do it with love.
A missionary once visited a Chinese town destroyed by a gang. A Christian showed her the ruins of his home, his burnt Bible, his destroyed hymn book. Only one page survived: “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”
Joy in the middle of destruction. Joy in the midst of sorrow. Joy because Jesus has come. That is the heart of Advent. Whatever heartbreak or pain we face, we can have joy because Christ is with us.
So what does this mean for us today?
- First, it’s about Repentance: Perhaps this Advent is the moment for you to turn back to God, to let him change your life, to step into his light for the first time—or to renew your walk with him.
- Then it’s about Preparation: Perhaps this Advent is the time to prepare your heart, to pray, to study, to worship, to grow closer to God.
- And finally it’s about Witness: Perhaps this Advent is the time to share good news with someone who desperately needs hope.
The kingdom of heaven has come near. Jesus has come, and he will come again. The invitation is open: will you repent, prepare, and follow him?
Advent is not just about candles and carols. It is about changed lives. It is about joy in the midst of sorrow. It is about hope in the midst of despair. It is about Jesus breaking into our world and into our hearts.
This Advent, may we enjoy lives changed by him. May we prepare to meet him whenever that day may come. And may we prepare the way for others to see him too. Amen.
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