If you have been alive for any length of time, you will know the weight of your mistakes. Whether they are premeditated or reactionary, the result of misplaced intentions, or flat out selfishness they all pile up. We can lie awake at night wondering how we could have done things differently, tip toe around relationships we once thought we were secure in, or feel that desire to do enough good to outweigh our wrongs. Jesus brought a change to this kind of hollow living, salvation that would see not only life return, but also forgiveness and joy. It is this attractive alternative to our own efforts that often draws people to Christ, but there was one who would prepare a way for Jesus, and preach a message of repentance. John the Baptist would pave the road for Jesus’ ministry with a series of hard hitting sermons that called for repentance, the basic principle of turning away from sin and toward righteousness. And whether you have been a follower of Christ for decades or are just beginning to wonder if Jesus might be the answer you are looking for, John’s call for repentance remains compelling and applicable even two thousand years later.