The King is Coming!

Sermon December 7, 2025 Matthew 3:1–12

The King is Coming!

Pastor Fred Okello

The people of God have always been ready. When God is about to move, He first tells His people to prepare their hearts, homes, and lives. One of the best examples of this is the night of the Passover in Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus.

For hundreds of years, Israel had been enslaved. Their cries had reached God, and it was time for them to be saved. But before God brought them out with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, He told them exactly what to do. Every family had to pick a perfect lamb, kill it at dusk, and then use some of the blood to mark the doorposts and lintel of their home. They were told to make unleavened bread because they wouldn't have time to wait for the dough to rise before they were free. They were supposed to eat the meal with bitter herbs to remind them of how bitter their slavery was. And they were told to eat the meal with their belts tight, their sandals on their feet, and their staff in their hands.

This meal was not like any other. It was a sign that they were ready. God said, "You need to be ready because everything will be different tonight." Families that listened and got ready were safe when the angel of death passed over; they were not judged. However, there was a lot of sadness in the homes where no preparation had been made. Preparation was the difference between life and death, between being a slave and being free, and between the old world of slavery and the new world of promise.

In the wilderness of Judea, a call from God to prepare echoes centuries later. This time, it comes from a strange prophet named John the Baptist. He doesn't show up in the palace or the temple; instead, he shows up in the wilderness to call people to be spiritually ready. "Prepare the way of the Lord!" is a simple message that shakes the nation. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close."

John tells Israel to get ready for the Messiah, just as they had to prepare their homes and hearts for Passover. God is always the same: God tells God’s people to prepare before God acts.

John's message begins with a request for forgiveness. Feeling bad or emotional is not enough to show true repentance. It is a turning point—a change in direction that brings one's life back to God. It is making the heart's path clear, removing the obstacles that get in the way, and smoothing out the rough spots. John quotes Isaiah, who says, "Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight."

Before a king traveled through an area in ancient times, workers were sent ahead to level the road, fill in the holes, remove boulders, and ensure the king could see where he was going. John says, "Do the same in your heart because the King is coming."

Matthew says that the people were humble in their response. They came to confess their sins and start over. They knew that getting ready starts in the heart, not in the body. However, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who were the religious leaders, approached with a different attitude.

They didn't come to repent; they came to watch and judge. They relied on their culture, customs, and religious beliefs. John talks to them directly:

"Don't think you can say, 'We have Abraham as our father.' "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."

This means that God doesn't care about titles or traditions; He looks for fruit. A heart that has changed will lead to a life that has changed. You can tell if someone has truly repented by how they live, how they treat others, how they speak, how they forgive, how they give, and how they grow.

John then points to the One who is coming, who is Jesus Christ. John says, "I will baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." The Holy Spirit gives you new life and power, while the fire cleanses and improves. Jesus comes to save us and to judge us. John uses the picture of a farmer separating the wheat from the chaff. The barn is where the wheat goes, and the chaff is burned away. This is a reminder that we need to take action regarding Jesus' coming. No one meets Christ and stays the same.

So the question today is easy: How do we prepare the way for the Lord in our own lives?

We prepare ourselves by truly repenting and letting go of anything that keeps us from God. Repentance is a present. It is a chance to let go of sin, anger, pride, or anything else that gets in the way of our relationship with God.

Second, we prepare ourselves by cultivating spiritual fruit. Fruit doesn't save you, but it does show that you are saved. We show that Christ is in us by what we do.

Third, we prepare ourselves by allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us. The Spirit cleanses our hearts in the same way that fire cleanses gold. Getting ready means letting God refine us, shape us, and mold us into more Christ-like individuals.

Finally, we prepare ourselves by living with hope. Israel ate the Passover meal and was ready to go when God told them to. We are also ready for God's guidance. We are ready for His voice, His coming, and His work in our families, church, and community.

God's message has been the same since the night of Passover: "Get ready, for I am about to move."

We should open our hearts, straighten our paths, and bear fruit that shows we belong to Christ as we listen to John's call today. The King is close. May He find us ready.

Amen.