Imminent Arrival – Imminent Arrival of the Judge – Second Sunday in Advent – December 7, 2025

Matthew 3:1-12Like a courtroom bailiff calling people to rise for the entrance of a judge, John the Baptist stands in salvation history, calling all people to attention with a single urgent word: "Repent!" As the Judge draws near, John exposes false confidences, shatters self-reliance, and points us to the only secure place to stand: the coming Savior who took our judgment on himself.Advent urges us to explore what true repentance looks like, why relying on our spiritual résumé is so dangerous, and, finally, how the imminent arrival of the Judge is not a threat for believers, but a source of deep peace. When Christ comes to separate wheat from chaff, those washed in his forgiveness will stand tall—not in fear, but in joy.