Matthew 3:1-12, New International Reader's Version

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3In those days John the Baptist came and preached in the Desert of Judea.2He said, “Turn away from your sins! The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3John is the one Isaiah the prophet had spoken about. He had said,

“A messenger is calling out in the desert,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make straight paths for him.’” (Isaiah 40:3)

4John’s clothes were made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea. They also came from the whole area around the Jordan River. 6When they confessed their sins, John baptized them in the Jordan.

7John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? 8Live in a way that shows you have turned away from your sins. 9Don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 10The ax is ready to cut the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.

11“I baptize you with water, calling you to turn away from your sins. But after me, someone is coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His pitchfork is in his hand to clear the straw from his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

Board game:

Qwirkle

Message:

Welcome to week two of Advent. Each week, we build anticipation toward Christmas Day. Did you get a chance to play Chutes and Ladders with your family this past week? (Allow children to answer.)

I have a new board game this week. How many of you have ever played Qwirkle?

Do you know the rules of this game? The game's concept is based on strategy. You have to match either the same shape or the same color to build a line. Lines are made up of six tiles, either the same shape or the same color. If you place a tile without paying attention, it won’t fit! You must look carefully and prepare the tile to connect with the other pieces. Additions to the line can be made as new tiles are drawn.

Each player starts by choosing six tiles from the bag. No peeking! The goal is to add as many tiles as possible to the game grid. The player with the highest number of tiles of the same shape or color goes first. All players try to make a Qwirkle, a set of six tiles that share the same color or shape (a blue star doesn't go with the orange and green circles). Placing tiles in the correct places enables players to follow a straight path. Whenever you get a Qwirkle, you earn six bonus points on top of whatever points you earn for your play.

Add up the scores each turn to see who has the highest point total when all players run out of tiles!

I love how this game allows everyone to work and play together!

In today’s Bible story, we meet John the Baptist. John told people, “Get ready! Someone special is coming, Jesus!” John asked people to change their hearts, to say “I’m sorry” for the wrong things they had done, and to live God’s way so they would be ready to welcome Jesus.

The story makes me think of Qwirkle. Just as the tiles need to be lined up and matched to fit, John helped people line up their lives with God. When we love others, share, forgive, and pray, we’re getting our hearts ready, like making a perfect match in Qwirkle.

John the Baptist told people to “prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him.” (He was quoting Isaiah, the prophet.) John came before Jesus did, and he prepared people for Jesus’ coming. He knew that Jesus was the Savior of the world, and he told people to make a straight path to follow Jesus. Just as when you play the game Qwirkle and make a straight path, John wanted everyone to work together and follow a straight path to Jesus.

The game Qwirkle reminds us to prepare, and John reminds us that we must prepare a way for the Lord. We need to make straight paths for Jesus. To win the game Qwirkle, you must make straight paths and line up all the tiles correctly. The more you line up, the higher the points you receive. John reminds us to follow Jesus and turn away from our mistakes. Following Jesus on the straight path will prepare us for a life filled with joy!

That’s what Advent is about. Advent is our time to get ready for Jesus’ coming at Christmas and always. Even though we don’t match colors and shapes as we do in Qwirkle, we prepare by aligning our lives with Jesus’ love.

This week, I invite you to play a game of Qwirkle with your family. As you do, discuss the story of John the Baptist and how he taught us to prepare a way for the Lord and to make a straight path for him.

Prayer:

God of love and joy, give each of us the opportunity to prepare a way for the Lord. Just as John the Baptist reminded us to make a straight path for Jesus, give us the opportunity to show (and tell) others about Jesus and the reason for this season. Amen.