Malachi 3:1-5 | Luke 1:57-66 | Psalm 25:1-14

What is purer than something that has been refined? When God refines something it is as pure and good as it can possibly be. Fullers’ soap was used to clean the sheep’s wool to prepare it to be made into something useful. These examples are meant to call our attention to God and his plans for us.

We are cleaned by the blood of Christ. Our sins are washed away so we can be useful in serving the kingdom of God.

A few hundred years after Malachi received his prophetic words from God, John the Baptist was going from place to place baptizing people who repented from their sins. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah who would become the perfect sacrifice approved by His Father in Heaven to complete God’s plan for our salvation. He was given his name John (Jehovah is gracious) by Gabriel, the angel who also named Jesus (Jehovah is salvation). The message is clear: Jesus, the promised Messiah was among the people

We share in that wonderful proclamation of God’s love for us every time we recite the words “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ…”   Our part is to pass it on.

ALLELUIA!

Judy Stenberg