Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Word of the Lord which engages us this morning comes from our Gospel lesson (Luke 3: 1-6), especially these words "(John) went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" and "Prepare the way for the Lord".

Carl Michalson, a bright young theologian who died in a plane crash some years ago, once told about playing with his young son one afternoon. They were tussling playfully on their front lawn when Michalson accidentally hit the young boy in the face with his elbow. It was a sharp blow full to his son's face. The little boy was stunned by the impact of the elbow. It hurt, a lot, and he was just about to burst into tears. But then he looked into his father's eyes. Instead of anger or indifference, he saw there his father's sympathy and concern; he saw there his father's love and compassion. Instead of exploding into tears, the little boy suddenly burst into laughter. What he saw in his father's eyes made all the difference in how he understood his father's sharp blow! The sharp blow of God's message to us is: Repentance. But, look into your father's eyes. What he offers you is forgiveness and that makes all the difference. Repent and be forgiven. (modified from James W. Moore, Some Things are too Good not to Be True, Nashville: Dimensions, 1994, p. 43.) We confessed our sins, repented of our waywardness just 15 minutes ago. Did you feel the sharp blow of that process at the time? Did it pain you to consider how you have fallen into sin again this week? Or did those words seem more like a formal rite, like absentmindedly saying the Pledge of Allegiance. When we paused for self-examination and reflection on God's Word before our public repentance, what did you examine? Were you thinking about where you're going to have lunch or about the ball game last night? Or did you use that time to examine yourself and your sinfulness and your inability to save yourself? What did you examine? Did you ponder your own resistance to loving your neighbor, even when they don't deserve love? Did you ponder your own willingness to grumble about and gossip about others? Did you ponder your propensity toward sexual sin, toward misusing your own or others' bodies for your mental or physical pleasure? Did you examine your own covetousness, your tendency to overly desire others things and to not be satisfied with the gifts God has given to you? Did you ponder how you have disrespected your parents or other authorities in your life? Did you examine your own tendency to love yourself more than you love your God, to listen to yourself more than you listen to him and His Word?

My illustration of Rev. Michalson's love and compassion for his son's pain is a good example of God's love and compassion for us after the sharp blow of repentance, but I need to clarify that the paradox of God's relationship with us is that the blow of His Law is NOT an accidental one. He means to strike us with His Word of Law so that we feel it, so we know we've done wrong. But that Word of Law is not done to permanently injure us, but to get our attention so we will turn and see his loving face.

Unfortunately we become too skilled at dodging God's Law and our need for repentance. We duck and weave, try to "float like a butterfly" to deny our own sinfulness. But here during Advent we return to the preaching of John the Baptist, a "preaching of a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." "Prepare the way for the Lord." John was sent as a prophet to prepare the way, to prepare the people for the coming of God's anointed Savior. People often wonder how to best get ready for Christmas, and when they prepare they talk about presents and parties and decorating the tree. But in reality the best preparation for Christmas is repentance, to look at ourselves and our propensity to sin, but then not to stop there. Repentance is a two part process, first contrition or feeling sorry for our sins, and then second, to turn and trust the one, the only one who can bring forgiveness of those sins. Christ brings that forgiveness by becoming one of us, God becoming human, even a poor baby in a backwater little town, so that He can grow to become the man who gives His life on the cross for us. Whatever our sin, we can be confident that He is trustworthy to complete the transaction, strong enough to bring that rescue necessary for sinners.

Many of you will remember Terry Anderson. He was the journalist who was held as a hostage in Lebanon along with others we don't remember for 2,454 days (nearly 7 years)! But few know that he had been raised as a Christian in the Catholic Church. Even though he had not been a practicing Catholic for years, a Bible was given to him during his captivity. He said it came to him as a gift from heaven (would that more of God's people thought that way). He read. He pondered his life. He had lots of time to ponder his life. Too much time to ponder his life. He began a litany of confession in his mind. He confessed that he had hurt his first wife and daughter. He had made many mistakes. He had been a very arrogant person. He wasn't sure that people liked him much. He wasn't sure he liked himself very much. Later in the first year of his captivity Anderson became aware of the fact that other hostages were living next door. One was a priest: Father Lawrence Jenco. He asked his captors if he could see the priest. "I am a Catholic," he told them. "I want to make a confession." His wish was granted. Father Jenco came to his room. They both took off their blindfolds. Anderson hardly knew where to begin. It had been 25 years since he had last made confession. Father Jenco was encouraging. Anderson began reciting to this priest the sins he had been reflecting upon. There was much to confess. A bad marriage. Chasing women. Drinking. Anderson found it a very emotional experience. When he finished both he and Father Jenco were in tears. Father Jenco then laid his right hand upon Anderson's head. "In the name of our gentle, loving God, and for the sake of Christ, you are forgiven," the priest proclaimed. Terry Anderson's faith deepened immensely in his hostage years. This moment of confession with Father Jenco, however, was his first formal step back into the church. Self-reflection had grown within him out of the darkness of his hostage encounter. God's Word of Law and Gospel, repentance and faith in his heart. It was time to face the light. It was time in his life for a turn around." (modified from Richard A. Jensen, Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit, CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, 1994.)

I pray that none of us will ever have 7 years of captivity and loneliness to ponder our need for repentance. But I thank God that Terry Anderson did, and that it led him not just to feeling bad and empty reflection. I thank God it led him to the arms of a forgiving Father, to see in God the Father's face the love and concern that were always there? Where does your self-examination and reflection lead you? While you're not being held captive in Lebanon, do you give yourself time to ponder your own need for repentance? I do pray that each of us here will prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts by pondering our need, our daily need for our Savior who is coming. If once per week sitting among 150 other people doesn't feel like it is reflection enough, know that you can come, like Terry Anderson did, for private confession. If your conscience is still stricken with issues of guilt know that you can come privately for repentance as well � Too many Lutherans think that private confession is something only Catholics do. But Luther called private confession "a cure without equal for distressed consciences" (Luther's Works, 36: 86). He said "I will let no one take away private confession and would exchange it for all the wealth of the world, for I know what strength and comfort it has given me" (Treatise "On Confession"). Other Protestant churches have often done away with private confession, but we Lutherans never have. It is still a precious option, and you might be surprised to know how many of your brothers and sisters in Christ avail themselves to this option. ��

I am always available for this.

So, prepare yourself for Christmas, but let your primary preparation be repentance. Don't bob and weave. Let his Word of Law smack you full in the face, but when it does, look then to the Word of his Gospel. Look into the face of your Father and see his love and compassion for you, shown most directly through Jesus Christ birth, death and resurrection. In Him we prepare our hearts.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4: 7)