Advent_1A_Sermon.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Readiness as a daily, ordinary way of life

This teaching invites people to see readiness not as a posture for an occasional crisis but as the steady orientation of ordinary days. Wakefulness is trained in small, repeated habits: choosing honesty in a busy hour, offering kindness in a rushed conversation, pausing for prayer at a kitchen table. These small acts are the daily work of putting off what draws a person away from God and putting on what draws a person toward Christ.

You are invited to practice readiness in the simple rhythms you already keep. Treat ordinary moments as chances to live awake: notice one task today and do it with attention to God’s presence. The aim is not fear of a future event but a life rearranged so that meeting Christ would not require last-minute changes.

Romans 13:11-14 (ESV)
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Reflection: Name three ordinary activities you do today (work task, household chore, conversation). Which one will you intentionally do differently as an act of readiness, and what concrete step will you take to remember to do it?

Day 2: Seeing God's quiet work amid normal routines

God’s movement often comes in small, domestic, and easily overlooked ways—an invitation to reconciliation, a compassionate word, a neighbor’s need. Like the quiet building of an ark, the signs of God’s work are woven into ordinary life and can be missed by those distracted by louder things. Attentiveness is a spiritual skill: learning to notice the small plumb lines God places in daily life.

This day calls for sharpening spiritual sight. Practice noticing one small, ordinary sign of God’s work near you—perhaps a change in someone’s mood, an unanswered prayer that suddenly finds support, a chance to help a stranger. Train yourself to see these small things as part of God’s unfolding story rather than insignificant interruptions.

Zechariah 4:10 (ESV)
For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.

Reflection: Who in your life shows a subtle sign of need or searching today? Name one small, compassionate action you can take this afternoon or evening (a call, a note, a visit) to notice and join God’s quiet work there.

Day 3: Everyday choices as ongoing acts of judgment

The idea of judgment here is not an abstract future verdict but the daily testing of how one lives in relation to Christ. Each choice—what someone says, how someone spends time, where someone gives attention—reveals whether that person is following the way of Jesus. This ongoing examination is meant to open people to change, not to condemn them: it is an invitation into growth and repentance.

This is a call to honest self-checking rather than to despair. Take a frank look at recent days and name where actions aligned with Christ and where they did not. Use that noticing as the beginning of a hopeful change: identify one specific, practical modification to make tomorrow and treat it as evidence of a heart turning toward life.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (ESV)
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed.

Reflection: Review the past three days and name one moment when your choice reflected Christ and one moment when it did not. What is one specific action you will change tomorrow, and who will you tell to help hold you accountable?

Day 4: Watchfulness rooted in steady, expectant hope

Vigilance here is like the watchfulness of people who wait with joy rather than dread—expectant and hopeful. It is not a posture of anxious scanning for threats but a settled waiting that trusts God’s promises. This trust frees someone to engage in love, service, and courage because the future is not a threat but the fulfillment of hope.

Practice hope as a discipline: prepare the mind, steady the heart, and set attention on God’s faithfulness rather than on worst-case scenarios. When fear surfaces, replace it with simple, rehearsed truths of God’s character and promises so that watchfulness becomes a joyful readiness to welcome what God will do.

1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV)
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.

Reflection: When anxiety or fear rises in you today, what single promise of God will you name to replace it? Say that promise aloud for two minutes now, and plan when you will repeat it the next time fear comes.

Day 5: Eternal life lived now through surrender

Eternal life is described not only as a distant possession but as a present reality for those who are being transformed by Christ. It shows up in changed desires, new priorities, and practices that reflect union with Jesus. To live awake is to allow that hidden life—raised with Christ—to shape daily choices, so that heaven’s reality begins to reorder earthly habits.

This day invites practical surrender: identify the habit, fear, or desire that most blocks your experience of life with Christ and take one step to loosen its hold. Small, concrete acts of surrender—confessing to a friend, setting a boundary, removing a temptation—are ways to wear the life of Christ now and to taste the fullness intended for the future.

Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Reflection: What single habit, fear, or desire most keeps you from living as one "hidden with Christ"? Choose one practical first step to begin surrendering it today (for example: delete an app, set a time boundary, confess to a friend) and do that step before evening.

Sermon Summary

This sermon, based on Matthew 24:36-44, explores Jesus’ teaching about the unknown timing of his return and the call to “keep awake.” Drawing on the story of Noah, the message emphasizes that God’s coming will be sudden and unexpected, catching many unprepared. Rather than speculating about the end times or living in fear, we are invited to live each day in a state of joyful, expectant readiness—actively participating in God’s work and allowing ourselves to be continually transformed. The focus is not on “when” Christ will return, but on whether we are ready to meet him, letting go of anything that keeps us from living in hope and surrendering our lives to Jesus. Eternal life, the sermon reminds us, is not just a future promise but a present reality for those who live awake to God’s presence and purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. Readiness Is a Daily Posture, Not a One-Time Event Jesus’ warning to “keep awake” is not about predicting dates or living in anxious anticipation, but about cultivating a daily posture of readiness. This means allowing every ordinary moment—whether working, resting, or relating—to be shaped by faithfulness and openness to God’s presence. True readiness is less about knowing the future and more about being present to God in the now.
2. The Signs Are Subtle, and Often Overlooked Just as in Noah’s day, the signs of God’s movement are often woven into the fabric of daily life, easily missed by those preoccupied with routine. Spiritual attentiveness requires us to notice the “ark being built” in our midst—the quiet invitations to repentance, reconciliation, and hope. God’s work is rarely flashy, but always significant for those with eyes to see.
3. Judgment Is Not Just Future, but Present The passage challenges us to see that every day is, in a sense, a day of judgment—a moment to ask, “Am I living in the way of Christ?” Rather than fearing a distant reckoning, we are called to examine our hearts now, letting God’s radical claim confront and transform us. This ongoing self-examination is an act of hope, not despair, as it opens us to God’s renewing grace.
4. Vigilance Is Rooted in Hope, Not Fear The vigilance Jesus calls for is not like the anxious watchfulness of someone afraid of a thief, but the joyful anticipation of new parents preparing for a child. Our readiness is grounded in trust that God’s promises are sure, and that Christ’s coming—whenever it happens—will be the fulfillment of all our deepest hopes. Living in hope frees us from fear and empowers us to engage fully in God’s mission.
5. Eternal Life Begins Now, in Surrender and Transformation Eternal life is not merely a future reward, but a present reality for those who surrender to Christ and allow him to make them new. Each day offers the opportunity to lay aside old habits, fears, and desires, and to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” The invitation is to live awake—to God, to ourselves, and to the world—so that we might experience the abundance of life God intends, here and now.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: “Keep Awake” (Matthew 24:36-44)**

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### Bible Reading

- **Matthew 24:36-44**
- **Romans 13:11-14**

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### Observation Questions

According to Matthew 24:36-44, who knows the day and hour of the Lord’s return?
What examples does Jesus use to describe how people will be caught off guard by his coming?
In Romans 13:11-14, what does Paul say believers should “put on” and what should they “lay aside”?
What are some of the daily activities mentioned in the passage that people were doing when the flood came in Noah’s time?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus emphasize that “no one knows the day or hour” of his return, not even himself?
What does it mean to “keep awake” or “be ready” in the context of everyday life, according to the sermon?
The sermon compares vigilance to both a homeowner watching for a thief and new parents waiting for a baby. What is the difference between these two kinds of watchfulness, and why does it matter?
How does the idea that “eternal life begins now” challenge the way people usually think about salvation and the future?

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### Application Questions

The sermon says readiness is a daily posture, not a one-time event. What is one ordinary part of your daily routine where you could be more attentive to God’s presence?
The people in Noah’s day missed the signs because they were busy with life. What are some “signs” or quiet invitations from God that you might be overlooking right now?
The message challenges us to examine our hearts daily. Is there a habit, attitude, or relationship in your life that you sense God is asking you to surrender or change? What would it look like to take a first step?
The sermon says vigilance is rooted in hope, not fear. Are there ways you find yourself living in fear about the future or about God? How could you shift your focus to hope and trust instead?
Romans 13:12-14 talks about “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ.” What is one practical way you could do this in the coming week, especially in a situation where you’re tempted to act out of old habits?
Eternal life is described as a present reality, not just a future promise. Where have you experienced moments of “abundant life” with God recently? How can you make space for more of those moments?
If you’re not ready to fully surrender your life to Christ, what is holding you back? Is there something you need to talk to God about or ask for help with from others in the group?

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Sermon Quotes

No one knows when the Son of Man will come again. The signs may be all around us, but the exact day and hour remain a mystery—even to Jesus himself. Our call is to stay alert and be ready.

The coming of Christ will be a sudden surprise, just as in Noah’s time. People were busy with daily life, ignoring the signs, until it was too late. Are we paying attention, or are we missing what God is doing?

The point isn’t to speculate about a final day of judgment, but to confront us with God’s radical claim on us here and now. Each day is a day of judgment—am I living in the way of Christ? Am I trusting in him alone?

Whatever you are doing when the time comes, you won’t have a chance to change your mind about Jesus then. It will be sudden and final. So start living your life right now for the possibility of that moment.

As we go about our daily routines, those routines should reflect our hunger for God and our desire for his Kingdom to come in its fullness. Our everyday actions matter in preparing us for Christ’s return.

Our vigilance isn’t about living in fear, but about joyful anticipation—like new parents preparing for a child. We don’t know exactly when everything will change, but we watch and prepare with hope.

We do not live in anxiety, afraid of being left behind, but in a state of joyful preparation, anticipating Christ’s coming. We are actively engaged in the work of the Kingdom, living out our faith in expectant hope.

Jesus tells us three times in this passage that the burning question isn’t “when?” but rather, “are you ready?” Are you ready to let him change you into a new person, to give up everything that keeps you from giving your life to Jesus?

Eternal, abundant life can begin right now, right here. You don’t have to wait for some distant future or for Christ’s return. God’s promise is for today—are you ready to live into it?

No one knows when Christ will come again, but he is coming. We can wait in fear and ignore the signs, or we can wait faithfully prepared and expectantly ready, living into the hope that God will, once again, keep his promise.

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Advent_1A_Sermon.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Readiness as a daily, ordinary way of life

Day 2: Seeing God's quiet work amid normal routines

Day 3: Everyday choices as ongoing acts of judgment

Day 4: Watchfulness rooted in steady, expectant hope

Day 5: Eternal life lived now through surrender

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Quotes

Chatbot

Advent_1A_Sermon.pdf

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