December 7, 2017

Dear St. Andrew’s Church Family,

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way’ –
3 ‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.”’
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:1-4 NIV)

Mark is the second book in the New Testament. Mark has a unique way of telling us the Christmas story. The first 12 verses of Mark 1 talk about John the Baptist and Jesus being in the wilderness. When we think of Christmas, the wilderness is the last thing on our minds. Yet the wilderness can be a metaphor for some of us at Christmas time. This might be the first Christmas you celebrate without a loved one you might have lost in the last year. This might be a year you have health problems at Christmas. You might be looking for work. John is the voice calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for him”. The Lord means God. Therefore, John makes a case that God will come to meet us in the wilderness. We need to prepare for him. Make straight paths for him. In the midst of the busy Christmas season, remember that Jesus is coming out to meet you.

Sincerely,
Pastor Pye