To be ready means that you are “completely prepared or in condition for immediate action.” We see this in the military, police, paramedics, firefighters, and others who are ready to respond at any moment. They are highly trained and prepared. The question today is are you ready for service in the kingdom of God. Many make themselves ready in all areas of their life, except in the area of serving Jesus. They are ill-equipped to go into His service as they are not highly trained. Hebrews 5:12 “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” Nor are they ready to meet Him when He returns. This is not just about being ready for the end of this world but to be used of God to make people also ready to meet him. Luke 1:17 “And he (John the Baptist) will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” The church is to do the same. Peter said 2 Peter 3:11 “You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” Notice what God says here; He strengthens the fully committed. 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” What is your commitment level to God’s word? Do you trust and believe God’s word enough to stake your life on it?
Not only are we waiting for the end and the return of Jesus to take us into eternity, but we are also waiting for God to turn His face back to shine on the church once again. Being ready means submitting to God’s word and turning away from our own wicked ways (other gospels). To be a servant of God, we must have the power and authority given to us by Jesus. Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Matthew 28:18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We have been talking about repentance and that is how this power returns. We must obey God’s word. At this point we must wait for God to turn His face back to the desolate church and like the disciples we must wait. Luke 24:48 “You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” They waited and power flowed at Pentecost and that power was supposed to continue flowing but the church turned away to follow their own ways. Being ready means you are totally surrendered and will follow wholeheartedly. Hebrews 5:14 “Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Luke 6:40 “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” The teacher is Jesus who said this about the rich man. Luke 12:16 “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Are you rich toward God or yourself?
Ponder: Luke 12:35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Mark 13:32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Isaiah 62:6 “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, 7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
Revelation 19:6 “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”
Amos 4:12 "Prepare to meet your God!"
