Introduction:

1. Are you Ready?
2. When we get ready to go someplace, we expect our family to be ready too
3. When we get ready to leave after church, we expect out spouse to be ready too, unless they are visiting with someone, then you wait, and when they are ready to go, you are now visiting.  You never seem to be ready at the same time
4. God insists that we are ready. (When    Times)

1. When it becomes dangerous to be like Jesus or to follow where he would go, God wants us to be ready to follow        
2. There were those who were ready to follow Jesus to the death
   1. Paul - Acts 21:7-14
   2. Peter - Luke 22:31-33 When the time came, Peter denied him 3 times
3. On the back wall is the  Laotian church persecuted for their faith
4. What are you prepared to do in the face of danger?
   1. The danger may be a different kind of danger for you
   2. Are you Ready? Or just saying the words?

1. When you are questioned about your faith, you should always be ready to give an account for the hope that lies within you.        
2. Never turn down an opportunity to give an account of your faith
   1. Always be "Ready"
      1. Definition:  1) Prepared for use or action 2) Prepared in mind; willing  3) Likely or liable
      2. Ready means to be mentally prepared and to be willing
         • He didn't say study to know all the answers
         • He said "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts"
   2. Often we are not as "willing" as we should be
   3. Paul was always eager to speak to hostile audiences about his faith (Rom 1:16; I Cor 9:16), never kept it a secret
3. What if I were to go to work and keep my marriage a secret?
   1. People would wonder about my commitment when they found out that I was married but never volunteered the information
   2. My wife would also wonder about my commitment
   3. If you keep your union with Christ a secret, just how much are you committed to Him?
4. How ready and willing are you to tell your story
   1. Have you passed up any opportunities this week, month, year?
   2. What are you going to do next time
5. Are You Ready? Or just saying the words?

1. You should be ready to share all of your material things
2. This was a characteristic of early Christians
   1. The Jerusalem church shared (Acts 2:45)
   2. the Macedonian church gave out of their poverty (2 Cor 8-9)
   3. Titus 3:1 - "Be ready for every good deed"
      1. Notice that he didn't say to be ready "if their is money in the church treasury"
      2. Didn't say "if no one else will do it"
      3. Didn't say "if you have the time"
   4. Problem is with this concept of ownership "mine"
      1. We are called stewards (managers)
      2. God gives us his gifts to serve (when keep it for self, we call that embezzlement in the business world)
      3. Concept of embezzlement is found in scripture:  "You have robbed God (Mal. 3:7-12)
3. Woman who moved to town as member of another church
   1. They wouldn't help her from the treasury, the "fund" was empty
   2. No individual members would help her, so she came to us                     for help, and we did.
   3. Jesus said "I was hungry..." (Matt. 25:31ff)", to the extent you did it to the least of these BROTHERS of mine, you did it to ME"
4. Think about the implications if turn a brother away.  Are you ready to share with any brother who is
   1. Hungry & thirsty
   2. A stranger
   3. Naked
   4. In prison
5. Are You Ready? Or just saying the words?

1. We don't know when Jesus will come, so we need to always be ready
2. Another passage deals with how to be ready:  I Thess 4
   1. 4:18 - Comfort one another
   2. 5:6 - Be alert and Sober
   3. 5:8 - Faith, Love and Hope
3. We sing the song "Lord Come Quickly", do you really mean it? Are you ready for Him to come quickly?
   1. Years ago, I knew a guy who skipped church for a car contest downtown.  He didn't win the car.
   2. If he knew Jesus were going to come back on that Sunday during church, where do you think he would have been?
   3. If Jesus came back, where would he look for his followers on Sunday?  Sunday Night?  Wednesday Night?
4. What if Jesus were to come right now?
   1. Would he come and take you home?
   2. Do you have any doubt in your mind?
5. Are you Ready?  Or just saying the words?

1. God insists that we as Christians are ready
   1. In the face of Danger
   2. In the face of questions
   3. In the face of blessings
   4. In the face of judgement
2. A military General once said that battles are won the day before (mentally & intellectually prepared)
3. Don't just "say the words", rely on God
4. Are you Ready?
5. If not, its time to get ready!