Faithful Readiness


Sermon: Faithful Readiness – Living for God’s Kingdom

Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. When Religion Misses the Point

Our readings this morning open with a thunderclap from the prophet Isaiah.
God looks upon His people—those who gather for worship, who bring sacrifices, who keep festivals—and says:

“I have had enough… I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.”

Strong words. Shocking words.
The Lord is not rejecting worship itself, but worship that is disconnected from justice, mercy, and obedience.
God says, “Wash yourselves… learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”

In other words:
Faith isn’t simply about keeping rituals—it’s about living in right relationship with God and with neighbor.
It’s not enough to lift our hands in praise if those same hands are slow to help the hurting.

2. Faith That Lives in Trust

The faith God desires is not a shallow performance—it’s a deep trust that changes how we live.

Abram—later Abraham—gives us a picture of this in Genesis 15. God promises him descendants more numerous than the stars, even when all evidence says otherwise. Abram has no child, no visible sign of the promise, but Scripture says:

“He believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

The writer of Hebrews expands this: Abraham went where God called him, waited for what God promised, trusted even when the promise seemed impossible. This is the faith that pleases God—a faith that holds onto Him more tightly than to comfort, certainty, or control.

3. The Right Kind of Treasure

Jesus in Luke 12 tells us that it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. What a breathtaking thought:
God is not stingy with His blessings—He delights to give them.

But there’s a call attached:

“Sell your possessions and give alms… Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We are called to live with a loose grip on earthly security and a firm grip on heavenly priorities.
The faithful life is one where our “yes” to God shapes our calendar, our wallet, our relationships, and our sense of readiness.

4. Living Ready

Jesus warns His disciples: be dressed for action, lamps lit, ready for the master’s return.

This readiness is not fear-based panic—it’s steady faithfulness. It’s the daily choice to align our lives with God’s kingdom so that whenever He comes—whether in the stillness of night or the bright light of day—He finds us living in obedience, mercy, and hope.

5. One Thread Through It All

From Isaiah’s call to justice…
to Abram’s trust in the promise…
to the psalmist’s vision of a God who sees the heart…
to Jesus’ urging to store treasure in heaven…

The thread is this:
God desires hearts that trust Him enough to obey Him, and lives that are ready for His kingdom to break in at any moment.

6. A Word for Us Today

If we hear Isaiah, we’ll see that God is not impressed by empty worship.
If we hear Abraham, we’ll know that faith is walking in trust when the path is unclear.
If we hear Jesus, we’ll be reminded that readiness is not passive—it is active generosity, justice, and hope-filled service.

And when we live this way—God is not ashamed to be called our God, for He has prepared for us a city whose builder is Himself.

So let us be a people who…

  • Worship with integrity—our songs matched by our service.
  • Trust God’s promises even when the odds say otherwise.
  • Store our treasure in heaven where it cannot decay.
  • Live each day ready to meet the Lord face to face.

Amen.

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