Weekly Devotional
Week of October 12, 2025
Sermon Series: The Lord’s Prayer
Based on Sermon 2 of 7: “Thy Kingdom Come”
When we pray “Thy kingdom come,” we join God’s invitation to bring heaven’s justice and mercy into our daily lives. In Isaiah 56, the kingdom is a mountain of mercy—its slopes draped in green promises, streams of grace flowing through every crevice, and a summit of solidarity where eunuch and foreigner stand side by side in Sabbath celebration and jubilant justice. Here “The Kingdom Come” is a call to build a sanctuary of belonging, laying each act of welcome as a foundation stone in God’s holy hill.
In the reading from Matthew’s Gospel ( Matthew 13:18-21 – the Parable of the Sower), the kingdom is a field of possibility—seed scattered across path, rock, thorn, and rich soil. This image shows “Thy kingdom come” as a work of cultivation rather than conquest. We are both sower and soil: forgiveness tills hard ground, welcome cracks open shame’s bedrock, and mercy loosens earth for fresh shoots of hope. God’s kingdom doesn’t fall from the sky but grows in patient, steady rain as we nurture the smallest kernel of faith.
Together, these readings describe the kingdom in different ways—mountain and field—but converge on one truth: “The Kingdom Come” is not a distant promise but a present reality we co-create. As we climb the mercy-mountain and cultivate the gospel-field, our prayers become actions, and our actions become a living testament to God’s transforming reign among us.
Questions for Reflection
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How does the mountain of mercy in Isaiah 56 reshape your vision of Sabbath, justice, and inclusion?
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Which soil in Matthew’s parable most reflects your heart today, and what will you do to turn it into good ground?
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In what ways is “Thy kingdom come” calling you to co-create God’s reign here and now?
Challenge Activities
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Write a note of encouragement to someone who feels unseen.
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Attend a local justice meeting or volunteer with an advocacy group.
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Host a potluck that brings together people from different backgrounds.
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Cook a meal for someone who is grieving or recovering.
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Volunteer with Serving Aloha to feed both body and soul.
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Mentor a young person—be the soil where their gifts can take root.
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Sermon Quotes, Reflection Questions, Action Challenges
“Thy kingdom come.”
Reflect: What stirs in your heart when you pray “Thy kingdom come”?
Action Response: Write a note of encouragement to someone who feels marginalized this week—plant a seed of hope in rocky soil.
“God’s justice is not a lightning bolt—it’s a slow, steady rain that nourishes the roots of resistance.”–Rev. Dr. Emilie Townes
Reflect: Where do you see the need for steady, transformative rain in your community?
Action Response: Attend a local justice meeting or volunteer with an advocacy group to pour out patience and listening where it’s needed most.
“Every act of welcome is a stone in its foundation.”
Reflect: Where do you notice walls of exclusion, and how might you lay a welcoming stone?
Action Response: Host a potluck with people from different backgrounds and share stories of belonging.
“Solidarity grows when our hands reach out before our words do.”
Reflect: In what relationships could your actions speak louder than your words?
Action Response: Cook a meal for someone who’s grieving or recovering and let your presence accompany your words.
“The simplest act of mercy can feel like a revolution in someone’s world.”
Reflect: What small mercy can you offer today that might feel revolutionary to another?
Action Response: Surprise a neighbor with a grocery gift card or volunteer at Serving Aloha to bring mercy in motion.
