Keep The Light On: Living Ready For Jesus

Let me ask you something: Have you ever had surprise company show up at your door and your house looked like a tornado had just passed through? You’re diving for the laundry basket, spraying air freshener, and whisper-shouting at your kids to "act normal"?

Yeah. We’ve all been there.

In today’s passage from Luke 12, Jesus is talking about that kind of readiness—but not for surprise guests—for Him. It’s a powerful invitation to trust God, to hold our stuff loosely, and to live spiritually ready—not panicked, but prepared.

Let’s start right where Jesus does—with comfort, not command.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Now that’s a powerful sentence. And if we’re honest, it’s not what most people expect to hear from God. Many people walk around thinking God is disappointed with them…like He's standing in heaven with His arms crossed, waiting for us to get our act together. But that’s not the God Jesus describes.

Instead, Jesus begins with reassurance: Don’t be afraid. That line alone tells you something about God’s character.

He doesn’t want us to live lives paralyzed by anxiety, fear, or shame. Jesus is speaking to people then, and now, who feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and tired. He says, “Little flock…” That’s not a lecture. That’s the language of a loving shepherd.

When you think of God, do you think of a Shepherd? Or do you picture a judge with a clipboard, tracking your every mistake? Because what Jesus says next can reshape your entire understanding of the gospel:

“Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”

Not sell you the kingdom.

Not loan it to you.

Not offer it with conditions.

Give it to you. Why? Because it pleases Him to do so. It brings Him joy.

Let that sink in.

We don’t serve a reluctant God. He doesn’t bless out of obligation. He blesses out of delight. This is a God who loves to give, loves to forgive, and loves to restore. This is grace in action.

In United Methodist theology, we call this prevenient grace. That’s a fancy way of saying that God’s love comes first. Before we ask for it, before we understand it, before we know how to respond…grace is already on the way. God’s love is the starting line, not the finish line.

Prevenient grace means that the kingdom of God isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you receive. You don’t have to earn it by checking all the spiritual boxes. You don’t have to “qualify” by having a perfect record. You don’t have to clean yourself up before God will accept you.

The kingdom is already being offered. Right now. Freely. Joyfully. Generously.

That’s why Jesus begins this teaching with “Do not be afraid.” Because fear makes us hide. Fear makes us think we’re not enough. Fear tells us we’ve messed up too badly for God to want us. But Jesus says, Don’t buy that lie.

God is not stingy with His love.

You don’t have to ration His grace like it’s in short supply. He’s not holding it back behind the counter like a limited-edition item. He’s not pacing the floor of heaven, wondering if you’ve earned another scoop of forgiveness this week.

No, God pours out love in abundance. Like a parent whose heart swells with joy every time their child walks through the door.

Let me give you a real-world picture.

When my kids were little, Christmas morning was the highlight of my year. I was more excited than they were. I had spent weeks picking out the right gifts, wrapping them with care, and planning the moment they’d see them under the tree. But the best part, my favorite part, was seeing the joy on their faces. Their excitement was my reward.

I didn’t give them those gifts because they had been perfect that year. Trust me—they weren’t. I didn’t give based on performance. I gave based on love.

That’s how God gives the kingdom.

He doesn’t give it based on how clean your record is. He gives it based on how deep His love is.

Now, that doesn’t mean God doesn’t care how we live; He does. But our behavior is a response to grace, not a prerequisite for it. We live holy lives because we’ve been loved, not to earn God’s love.

That’s one of the core convictions of the United Methodist Church: grace is primary. God’s grace invites us, meets us, saves us, and then empowers us to become more like Christ. But it all starts with a God who delights in giving.

So if you came here today feeling unworthy, unsure, or unqualified—Jesus has a message for you: “Don’t be afraid. You are loved. And the kingdom is already yours.”