Luke 3: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
5 Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”
Let’s begin with a thought experiment. Imagine I’ve just received a message from the Lord: He’s coming tomorrow. Tomorrow marks the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the final judgment for all mankind. I am the messenger tasked with informing you so that you have the mercy of one day to prepare.
Take a moment. One minute. Imagine this is real. What would you do? How would you feel?
(Pause for a brief moment.)
If I’m honest, my first response would be denial:
“Really? Is this real? Maybe I’m imagining things.” If I shared this news, I suspect many of you would also question it: “Are you sure? Did you double-check with God?” Seriously, I won’t blame anyone for doubting the messenger, because I, the messenger, will also doubt myself. If I received a message like this, my first thought is to think I must be hallucinating.
In times like this, I wish I’m John the Baptist. Because John the Baptist had been prepared for such an exact divine moment since the day he was borne. Everybody close to his family knew of his miraculous birth from his elderly parents. We are told in Luke 1: 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. Brothers and sisters, that’s the first 30 years of his life. And he kept himself holy, 15 He is never to take wine or other fermented drink. Mark 1: 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. This guy basically cosplayed Prophet Elijah the entire time (2 Kings 1:8). John the Baptist was widely regarded by the people as a prophet (Mark 11:32). I’m sure there were a lot less self-denial and denial from others, as compared to a messenger like me. In short, John the Baptist knew it was the word of God when it came to him, and in a way, the people knew that he knew it too.
My second thoughts after the initial moments of denial would be anger. I immediately think of the disruption to all the plans for my life. “Seriously, God. Tomorrow? I just moved house.” Again, how many of you had such a response? God, if you said this earlier, I won’t have studied so hard for PSLE. Or maybe, God, if I knew it was going to be tomorrow, I won’t have wasted all my time investing in this or doing that. The anger comes from God’s sudden interruption to our well-planned lives. I think many of us would have regrets on how we have spent our time if we only knew how precious they were in hindsight. God, if you want to come, please make a booking first, so that I can slot you nicely into my calendar.
To those of us who feel upset about God’s sudden coming. Let me tell you, God is even more upset. How do I know? The same thing happened in Malachi 2: 17 You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
Malachi 3: “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
According to Malachi, why is God coming? God is coming because we are asking him to come all the time. Think about it: Whenever we encounter injustice in this world, we cry out, “Where is God? Where is God? Why is life so unfair?” When we say that, we subtly imply that it is God who is unfair; God who is unjust. We complain when we see something horrible. We feel angry at God for letting such things happen without consequences. Guess what? God is angry too. However, God is not only angry with the injustice, but his anger is also doubled by the fact that he has to listen to us, the ones who complain, blame God, grumble, and vent our anger without actually doing or contributing anything to the situation. It is convenient to just question “Where is God?” for everything we feel is unfair.
And do you even know why God was holding back his coming all this while? You think God likes to hold back when he sees injustice?
Malachi 3: 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
Refining silver involves intense heat to remove impurities, leaving behind pure silver. Similarly, God desires to remove what doesn’t honor Him from our lives.
In short, God was holding back his coming, because he knows when he really comes, the judgment will be tough on everyone. Seriously, perpetual complainers, are you able to withstand his coming? So, despite all the injustice he sees, each time God holds back his coming, he decides to be patient with us for a little longer. 2 Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
This is the sad truth about we humans, right? We want God to come to fix the wrongs of this world. But we forget that we are also part of the problem. We want God to come, but if he really comes, we wonder why he is coming to disrupt our lives. The fact is that God’s coming is because of us, that his judgment also includes us, and we have no right to be angry or even to bargain.
So, after my initial denial and anger, I reach a moment of acceptance. I start to think about what I would do if the Lord is coming tomorrow. The good thing is when I think about it, one day is truly the grace of God, enough to do the things that are truly important. I would tell my loved ones how much I love them. I will probably make amends with those I have wronged in the past, so that my enemies only have good things to say about me before God. I think I should be able to settle these in less than half a day.
The other half of the day I’ll prepare myself for the Lord’s arrival. Thankfully, I roughly know how to prepare myself for the second coming because I can refer to the first coming. As the second messenger, I can improvise based on the works of the first messenger. This is the job description of John the Baptist in Luke 1: 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
There is a word for bringing people back: repentance. The English word means feeling sorry. But the original Greek also has the meaning of reorientation. To repent means you turn your direction. John the Baptist has to facilitate two turnings.
John the Baptist’s call to “turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous” (Luke 1:17) highlights reconciliation as a critical step in preparing for the Lord’s coming. This is rooted in the prophecy of Malachi 4:6, where the prophet warns of the brokenness that arises from fractured relationships, particularly between generations.
In times of great moral confusion and societal upheaval, generational conflict often intensifies. The younger generation, filled with idealism, looks to the older generation and asks, “Why did you let the world become like this?” The older generation, weary from years of striving, responds, “Change is harder than you think.” The result is a standoff, with both sides blaming each other, further deepening the divide.
Yet, for true transformation to occur, we need both the idealism of the young and the wisdom of the old. The younger generation brings energy, fresh perspectives, and a vision for what could be. The older generation brings experience, grounding, and a deep understanding of the complexities of life. If these two generations remain estranged, the potential for positive change is squandered.
Practical Steps for Reconciliation
- Acknowledgment of Faults
Reconciliation begins with humility. As a middle-aged adult, I recognize the need to repent both to the generation before me and the generation after me. To the elderly, I must confess my moments of arrogance, where I assumed I knew better than those who had lived and learned through life’s trials. To the young, I must admit the times I resisted change or dismissed their voices and visions. - Intentional Communication
Parents and children, elders and youth, need to come together in honest dialogue. Misunderstandings often fester in silence, so the act of sitting down to listen—truly listen—to each other can be transformative. Parents, seek to understand the challenges your children face in today’s world. Children, seek to appreciate the sacrifices your parents have made to give you a better life. - Building Trust Through Small Acts
Reconciliation isn’t achieved through grand gestures but through consistent, small acts of kindness and understanding. A simple apology, a thoughtful word, or even spending time together can build bridges.
A Vision of Unity
Imagine what the world could be if parents and children, elders and youth, were united in love and respect. The wisdom of the older generation would guide the passion of the young, and the energy of the young would breathe new life into the dreams of the old. Together, they would prepare not just their families, but their communities, for the coming of the Lord.
This Advent season, let us take this call to reconciliation seriously. Whether it’s reaching out to a parent or child, a mentor or mentee, a teacher or student, let’s make the first move towards restoring relationships. As we prepare for the Lord’s coming, may we reflect His reconciling love in our homes and beyond.[i]
The second turning that John the Baptist must do is the disobedient to the wise. Thankfully, we have just finished an entire sermon series on the law. We recognize the value of the law as guiding instructions to our lives, especially the principle of loving our neighbour as ourselves. Out of all the sermon, the one I remember the most is by Pastor Zhang Li preaching on James 1: 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. I hope we all looked at the law and did something about ourselves. And if nothing changed you, you have not turned at all. There was no repentance.
Brothers and sisters, my sermon today started as a thought experiment to reflect on the coming of the Lord. The Lord coming tomorrow may feel a little unreal. Thankfully today is the start of Advent, we have exactly 25 days till Christmas. Prepare for the second coming like how you would prepare for the first coming. Let today be the first day of transformation. First, begin with a heart of repentance. Your heart must be willing to turn towards God for change.
Second, revisit the 10 Commandments. Ask yourself:
- What do I need to stop doing?
- What should I start doing to honor God?
Repentance isn’t just about stopping sin but turning toward what is right.
Lastly, on Christmas candlelight service, come celebrate your month of preparation with us. May the Lord be gracious to you that night, saying: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)
This Advent season, let’s prepare our hearts for Christ. Begin with repentance, seek reconciliation, and live out the commandments in ways that honor God. As we gather to celebrate His first coming at Christmas, may we also look forward with hope and readiness for His return.
