Preparing For Christmas - Pastor Greg Jones

Devotional

Day 1: Repent — prepare the way of the Lord.

You are called to pull up the weeds and make His path straight in your own life; true preparation for Christmas and His coming begins with repentance that changes the heart, the mouth, and the life. Repentance is not merely feeling sorry or saying words — it is turning away from sin, producing fruit that proves the change, and standing ready because the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Make no mistake: this is for every one of us, church folks and sinners alike, because God can raise up children where there is none. [02:09]

Matthew 3:1-12 (KJV)

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan. 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Reflection: What is one specific attitude, habit, or secret you must renounce this week so that you can "make his path straight" in your life? Name the first two concrete steps you will take by Friday.

Day 2: The Spirit baptizes believers with power.

God pours out His Spirit to empower and transform those who seek Him, not as a theological idea but as an experience that changes daily living; Pentecost was not a one-off show but the pattern God intends for His people. The baptism of the Holy Ghost brings a filling that equips to speak, witness, and live differently — it is God's doing, not human cleverness, and it is available when the church prays and seeks Him with expectancy. Open your hands and heart; God is mightier and will do what people cannot. [35:42]

Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)

1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Reflection: When was the last time you asked God to fill you with the Holy Ghost with expectation? What will you do differently this week—who will you ask to pray with you and when—to position yourself to receive that filling?

Day 3: Repentance and baptism for remission of sins.

Turning to God and obeying in baptism are tied together as the first concrete responses to the gospel; repentance without obedience leaves no fruit, and faith that does not move toward God is incomplete. Peter’s call on Pentecost shows that forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit flow when people repent, are baptized, and receive God’s gift — it’s not about ritual for show but about an obedient heart meeting God’s provision. Choose to be obedient, because salvation is a living, active response, not a passive wish. [18:08]

Acts 2:38 (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Reflection: If repentance and baptism bring remission and the Holy Ghost, what concrete fear or excuse has kept you from obeying? List one practical step you will take this month to move from belief into obedient action.

Day 4: Baptism must be in Jesus' name; receive the Spirit.

Obedience must match God's pattern — being baptized as the apostles taught and seeking the Holy Ghost are not optional add-ons but essential steps toward the power God intended for the believer. The men in Ephesus needed more than John's baptism; when they heard and obeyed God's way, they received the fullness of what God had for them. Check your own walk: has it been shaped by human tradition or by the Bible’s pattern for receiving Christ and His Spirit? [22:13]

Acts 19:1-5 (KJV)

1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Reflection: Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? If you have not, who are two people you will ask to pray with you this week to seek God for that gift?

Day 5: Belief and baptism determine salvation's response.

Faith that saves moves into obedient baptism; belief without action is an empty shell and baptism without belief is not the point — together they are the response God expects. Mark’s blunt word warns that acceptance of Christ must show itself in obedience, and that obedience is the church’s call as it prepares for His return. This season is a time to choose obedience over convenience and to get right with God before He comes. [21:26]

Mark 16:16 (KJV)

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Reflection: Which part—belief or baptism—have you been treating as optional in your life? Identify one concrete step you will take this week to obey both: who will you tell, and when will you act?

Sermon Summary

Everywhere you look, people are preparing for Christmas—lights, parades, cookies, and lists. I enjoy it all. But the Spirit kept pressing a different question into my heart: are we prepared for Jesus? John the Baptist stood in the middle of holiday-like crowds and said, “Repent…prepare the way of the Lord.” That word still cuts through the noise. Preparation for His first coming pointed to preparation for His second. He came once in a manger; He is coming again in glory. Judgment is real, and so is mercy. So this season, I’m asking us to do the real work of getting our hearts ready.

Repentance is not a relic or a one-time event; it’s the first step and the ongoing posture of a people who want God more than we want our sins, our pride, or our preferences. John didn’t just speak to “sinners”; he told the religious to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. Saying “sorry” without changing is just sentiment; repentance bears fruit—words cleansed, habits surrendered, relationships repaired, patterns uprooted. The axe is laid to the root.

Then obedience continues in the waters of baptism—in the name of Jesus Christ—because Scripture doesn’t treat baptism as an accessory but as a command. The apostles re-baptized sincere believers who only had John’s baptism, and Jesus promised more: the Holy Ghost and fire. Belief that never moves into obedience and Spirit-empowered transformation is a belief that never really moved at all. God is still filling people—right now, around the world—because He’s mightier than our talent, tech, or timing. When we make room, He moves.

And this must live at home. We can raise kids who can quote verses and still never see them pray. Our children need to inherit a relationship, not just rules. Let them catch us praying and watch God answer. Let them see us repent quickly, forgive deeply, and worship honestly. If we want them to stay, we must give them something real to hold.

I love Christmas. But I love Jesus more than a date on the calendar. So here’s how I’m preparing: repent, be buried in His name, be filled and refilled with His Spirit, and keep walking in the fruit that proves it’s real. That’s the preparation that will matter when He comes.

Key Takeaways

1. Prepare hearts for Jesus’ return Christmas bustle can hide the deeper work of readiness. Scripture ties His first coming to the urgency of His second—mercy offered now, judgment certain then. Preparing means facing Him honestly and ordering our lives toward His appearing, not just toward a date on the calendar. [09:47]
2. Repentance is the first step God’s people never graduate from repentance. It isn’t wallowing in guilt; it’s turning decisively—mind, mouth, body—toward God. Real repentance clears space for His presence and breaks the cycle of self-justification that keeps us stuck. [10:26]
3. Bear fruit that proves repentance John demanded visible change, not to impress him, but because God deserves truth in our inward parts. Fruit looks like new speech, new priorities, reconciled relationships, and cut-off roots of sin. If nothing changes, nothing changed. [19:11]
4. Be baptized in Jesus’ name The New Testament never treats baptism as optional; it is the obedient response to the gospel. Even sincere believers were re-baptized into the name of Jesus to align with the full revelation and receive the Spirit’s work. Obedience here is not legalism; it’s covenant loyalty. [22:26]
5. Make prayer our lived inheritance We don’t just want kids who can recite verses; we want sons and daughters who have met God. Let them see us pray, and let them experience answers with us. A lived relationship outlasts pressure, trends, and college classrooms. [29:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:09] - Preparing for Christmas
[05:21] - City lights and festivities
[08:19] - Are we prepared for Him?
[10:26] - Repentance: first order of business
[12:23] - Noah, warnings, and judgment
[14:40] - Jonah, Nineveh, and mercy
[17:14] - Jesus starts with repentance
[20:55] - Baptism and obedience
[22:26] - Baptized into Jesus’ name
[24:40] - Not easy believism
[27:36] - Teach our kids to pray
[31:52] - Holy Ghost and fire promised
[41:19] - Church-wide call to respond

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 3:1–12 (ESV)
1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
2 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
3 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
4 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
5 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
6 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
7 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
8 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
10 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
11 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
12 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

Observation questions (look closely at the text and the teaching)

What is the first demand John makes to the crowds, and how is that urgency described in the passage? [10:26]
Who does John specifically rebuke when they come to be baptized, and what words does he use to describe them? [11:19]
What visible things does John say will show that repentance is real (what is “fruit” in this passage)? [19:11]
How does John contrast his baptism with the coming one who will baptize "with the Holy Spirit and fire"? What difference in outcome does the text imply? [31:52]

Interpretation questions (dig into meaning)

What does the image “the axe is laid to the root of the trees” imply about the seriousness and finality of God’s judgment and the expected response from people now? [02:09]
How should the rebuke to the Pharisees and Sadducees shape the way religious people evaluate their heart and behavior (rather than rely on heritage or outward status)? [11:19]
What does being “baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire” signal about the nature of the change God intends to bring—personal power, purification, or both? [31:52]
How does linking repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit help explain the relationship between belief and obedience in the life of a follower of Jesus? [22:26]

Application questions (personal, specific steps)

Repentance must be more than words. Name one specific sin, habit, or attitude you need to turn from this week and one concrete step you will take to remove it from your life. [10:26]
Fruit proves repentance. Identify one speech pattern, one daily priority, or one damaged relationship that needs visible change. What will “fruit” look like in that area by next month? [19:11]
Baptism in Jesus’ name is presented as the obedient response to repentance. If you have not been baptized this way, what practical step will you take (ask a pastor, set a date, talk with a mentor)? If you have been baptized, how are you living out that covenant now? [22:26]
Openness to the Spirit matters. What spiritual practices (prayer time, waiting on God in a meeting, asking others to pray with you) will you commit to this week so you make room for the Spirit to fill you and shape your life? [35:42]
Children need a lived inheritance, not just verses. What one habit can you start this week so your kids (or younger believers you influence) regularly see genuine prayer, repentance, and answered prayer in your life? [29:16]
Prepare for Jesus, not just a calendar date. Looking at your schedule this season, what will you remove or rearrange so spiritual preparation (confession, time in the Word, worship, simple acts of obedience) becomes visible and regular? [40:38]

Use this guide to pray together, read Matthew 3 aloud, and let the group confess and name one concrete commitment they will follow up on next week.

Sermon Clips

But can I tell us that there is a day that it's coming, it's coming quickly, that Jesus is coming back. And we've got to be prepared for the rapture that's going to take place. And we've got to be prepared for him to come and bring us before him and judge us. I know we don't like that picture and we don't like that idea of judgment. But it's coming, people. And we've got to be prepared for that. And the first thing, first thing that hit my brain and I looked it up and it's the very first thing that John says, you've got to repent. [00:09:47] (50 seconds) #PrepareForRapture

``Pastor, I've been speaking in tongues for 543 years. Don't care. Don't care. You've got to repent. I've lived for God since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Don't care. You've got to repent. I want to ask you something. Was John the Baptist just talking to the sinners of that day? The Bible says he got meaner when the church people showed up. Did we reread it? Or you want me to quote it? Because when the Pharisees got there and the Sadducees got there, he called them a generation of snakes. And that was the church people. [00:10:35] (57 seconds) #RepentNotReligion

Oh, my, my, my. Lord, help us. We better not be a generation of snakes just because we're church people. It's good preaching, Pastor. Because it is. I'm telling you right now, we need to get our minds right with God. We need to get our hearts right with God. We need to get our mouth right with God. That's preaching, Pastor. We need to get our bodies right with God. We need to get everything about us needs to be right with God. Repent. Very first thing he says. Repent. [00:11:32] (47 seconds) #RepentWholeHeartedly

He finally goes to the city of Nineveh and he begins to preach. For three days he did this. Every day. Every day he walked the streets and he preached. Preached what? Repent! What Jonah began to preach and the king heard about it. And he called a fast and he said, everybody, even our dogs, our animals, our cattle, our sheep, everybody is going to fast for a few days here because we want to get right with God. Maybe, maybe God, if we'll repent and we'll fast and seek after God, just maybe he'll have mercy on us. And guess what? That's what God was looking for. [00:15:36] (41 seconds) #RepentAndReceiveMercy

They were talking about believing. Just, just believe and you're saved. And, and they were talking about leading thousands, thousands to Christ by just preaching that they believe. Well, they're leading thousands to hell is what they're doing. Amen. I want to go back one step. There's got to be some action with that belief. I'm not talking about works. I'm talking about being saved. I'm talking about being obedient to the Word of God. I'm talking about understanding and believing and, and, and being obedient to it. Amen. [00:24:18] (46 seconds) #FaithThatActs

She, she can say jump and I'll say hi, hi, and I, and you can laugh all you want to, but it's true. We do it. Amen. We do all kinds of crazy stuff for each other because we love each other. But there is one thing I will not do. And I'm in the Holy Ghost right now and saying, I will not go to hell for her. I love my kids. I love my son-in-law, my daughter-in-law. I love them dearly. They're like my own kids. But I will not go to hell for them. Amen. And if you're willing to do that, there's something wrong with you. We've got to be saved. [00:26:03] (36 seconds) #OwnYourSalvation

In this article, they cite a Barnes report where they surveyed. And 70% of kids raised in church backslide as teenagers and as when they go to college. And they never come back to God. 70% never. That's what bothered me. I don't want them backsliding. But it bothered me that 70% never come back. Amen. What are we doing? We're not teaching our kids. Amen. A couple, three years ago. Well, five now. 2020. We had over five of our teenagers backslide during COVID. That drove me batting. Can't take it. I can't take the devil getting a hold of our kids. [00:27:12] (73 seconds) #ProtectOurKidsFaith

There's a lot of people today that they're probably not in church, and they're probably preparing for Christmas. There's probably those that, I don't know if the malls are open. I hadn't been to a mall in a hundred years, but there's probably people at the mall right now buying gifts. For all I know, Najoni may still be at the outlets. But the most important thing that I can ever do in my life is prepare for Jesus. The most important thing I can ever do in my life is repent. Be buried in His name. And receive His Spirit into my life. Amen. [00:39:58] (52 seconds) #PrepareForJesus

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