God had a special purpose for John the Baptist. He called people to repent because the Kingdom of God was at hand. Jesus was coming into the world. The word “Repent” literally means to turn around. Turn away from sin. Turn toward Jesus who takes our sin away. Just like we daily breathe out the carbon dioxide and breathe in life-giving oxygen, so we repent, breathing out sin and breathing in the life-giving Spirit of God.

Philippians 1:2-11, Luke 1:57-80