Before Jesus began his ministry, God sent John the Baptist to prepare the people.  John did this by proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  He revealed to the people their sin, their defilement, and their need for cleansing.  In the same way, God prepares us for the Savior by calling us to repentance.  We must first see our sin and our need for cleansing before we can receive his salvation.  This message can be heard at http://archive.org/details/PreparingForTheSavior