Advent resources to share with your worship community for use at home through the week

The prophet Isaiah wrote, ‘See! I am sending a messenger, to make the path ready for you. He will be a voice crying out in the wilderness, saying, “Prepare the way of the Lord”.’

And when the messenger came, that was the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Son of God.

The messenger appeared in the desert, dressed in camel-hair with a belt round his waist. His name was John and he ate locusts and wild honey. He baptized people, telling them that when they said sorry, their sins would be forgiven.

And all the countryside of Judea responded to John. People came pouring out of their homes to the river Jordan. Even people from the big city of Jerusalem came to see him. ‘We have sinned,’ they said. ‘And we’re sorry.’

John baptized the people who came, but he told them, ‘Somebody more powerful than me is coming. I’m not even important enough to take off his sandals. I have baptized you all with water, but he will come and baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

Glossary

prophet: someone who receives messages from God to pass on to the people;
to baptize: to immerse in water as a sign of God’s forgiveness and a fresh start.