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Your Part Matters
Your Part Matters -Dr. Powell
Big Idea of the Series: This four-week series explores the important part every Christian plays in the local church. It is easy to see only certain ministries as important, but God has created everyone with gifts that have a critical role in the lives of God’s people. No matter how old we are, or what role we play, every part matters.
Week 1
Text: Matthew 6:1–18
Topic: Attention, Priorities, God
Big Idea of the Message: God desires our worship and service never to be about gaining attention for ourselves.
Application Point: We will seek our attention from God as we serve others—and not the other way around.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. Have you ever tried to draw attention to yourself? Think of a child who acts out in order to get attention from their parents. Or maybe you’re sixteen and you really want to impress someone, so you act a little crazy or outrageous to get the attention of your crush. Maybe you post outrageous things on Facebook or Twitter just to see who will comment or “like” your status. At some point in our lives, we all want to seek the attention of others. Unfortunately, our society has become one where immediate attention is the most important. Where the dramatic, most vocal, or outrageous acts get attention and where we can feel worthless if we don’t have immediate recognition.
2. “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” This quote has been attributed to American artist Andy Warhol (“Warhol Was Right about Fifteen Minutes of Fame,” Talk of the Nation, National Public Radio, October 8, 2008, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95516647). With social media, it is easy for people to “go viral” for fifteen minutes. But then, what comes next?
3. Jesus spoke to people about trying to get attention, even for “spiritual” things. In Matthew 6:1, Jesus says, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Jesus then speaks about giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting. There were religious people during the time of Jesus who would announce when they would give to the poor, so that everyone would see them give (v. 2). Or they would pray very loudly to make sure everyone could see how spiritual they were (v. 5). And when they would fast, they would disfigure themselves, so that everyone would know they were fasting (v. 16). Jesus told the people to give to the poor and not expect any recognition (vv. 3–4), to pray in private (v. 6), and to fast without making it obvious (vv. 17–18). Now, Jesus didn’t say this so that people wouldn’t give in public or pray out loud but to emphasize that the attention we seek should be from the Lord.
4. In the 1986 movie The Three Amigos, one of the trio does his best to get the attention of the other two in a unique and comical way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3qEvEGFdKE (the scene starts at 1:40).
5. Everyone has a part to serve in the church. But if we have a view that the focus should be on what can be seen, we will only view those who have a public ministry (worship team, teaching, or otherwise being onstage) as being important. God wants our service, no matter what it is, to be for others and the attention that we might seek to be from him.
Week 2
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12–18
Topic: Body of Christ, Members, Human Body
Big Idea of the Message: The church is the body of Christ. Each member makes up an important part of the whole.
Application Point: We will see every part of church service as important and critical for a healthy church.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. “Even the smallest person can change the course of history.” This is what the elf queen Galadriel says to a young Frodo as he fears his journey ahead of him in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. No matter how insignificant you might think you are, you still can change the world for the positive or negative.
2. The apostle Paul related the church to being like a human body. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). The church is made up of many different people, and each person is like a different part of a body. Each part has a unique function that ultimately benefits the whole. And when they are all working together, the body functions effectively.
3. This video shows the anatomy of what happens when the human body walks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ObNnCTV6MY. Notice how all the tendons, muscles, joints, and ligaments move in a rhythm. Each small part plays a role in the whole step.
4. Now, let’s say the knee doesn’t want to do its part; after all, the foot is the one that is touching the ground! Would a person truly be able to walk a long distance without the function of a knee? No. So it is with our parts in the church. You might not be onstage, but your part matters and affects everything else. Paul says, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:17–18).
5. Imagine if you came into church and everyone had an acoustic guitar. No one was greeting people at the door. No one was helping in the children’s ministry. No one was helping people find parking in the parking lot. Everyone was just walking around playing music and singing. Would the church be functioning the way it was supposed to? No. Or let’s say that you volunteer with helping set up coffee and food for hospitality. It’s not onstage. It’s not glamourous. Do you ever have the thought, “It doesn’t really matter if I show up or not; anyone can make the coffee. It isn’t like if the worship leader didn’t show up.” What Paul would say is that you don’t realize how massively important your part is to the body. Your service to the Lord and others is the joint that helps bend the knee to help the body walk.
Week 3
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:4–28; Romans 12
Topic: Spiritual Gifts, Gifts, Talents, Personality
Big Idea of the Message: God has given each person gifts to be used to minister and serve in the church.
Application Point: We will discover and use our giftings to build up the body of Christ.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. This Ford video shows how every part is important to the performance and safety of a vehicle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZCwVhPwxw&list=PLCFM1h5Oz66g6IHRY1vsUIH226Ak7hviT. Whether it is cars or clocks, we understand that a big machine is made up of important smaller parts.
2. The church is made up of many parts and those parts aren’t just warm bodies doing some function. Each person has been given gifts and talents to serve the church. Paul lists many different giftings that each person processes for serving the church. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Corinthians 12:4). These gifts include miraculous gifts, like prophecy, healings, and speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:9–10, 28). They also include enabling gifts, like teaching, giving wisdom, or having faith (1 Corinthians 12:8–9, 28). There’s also encouraging others, administration, showing mercy in helping others, and giving (Romans 12:8). These gifts aren’t just arbitrary; they interact with the makeup of who we are. Our temperaments and personalities interact with our giftings as well. These gifts aren’t just for ourselves but are for the body of Christ.
3. This clip shows a young woman who misses her cue to begin singing the national anthem at a British soccer match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1t92mVpKc. We can feel very bad for this young lady. But how many Christians have missed their cue to use their gifts for the church?
4. The church is dysfunctional. But maybe the church would function better if we were all using our gifts for others. Maybe you have a natural ability to encourage others; when you don’t use that gift, those in the church who need encouraging won’t receive the gift you could bring. Or you have an amazing ability to be hospitable. Maybe some have faith in God for situations where others don’t, and those others need to have that faith spoken into their lives. God wants to use you to minister to others, in the church and outside the four walls. But that takes knowing your gifts and being willing to be used by God through those gifts.
5. Knowing our gifts and talents takes soul searching and prayer and goes beyond just a test or assessment. But there are tremendous resources available to help us understand more about who we are and how we are wired—from spiritual gifts tests (https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/) to the role our personalities play in giftings, seen through inventories like Myers-Briggs (https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/home.htm?bhcp=1) or Strengths Finder (https://www.gallupstrengthscenter.com/home/en-us/strengthsfinder). Enneagram is another personality resource that can help us understand ourselves better and the spiritual dynamics of each person (https://www.exploreyourtype.com/details). Ultimately, our relationship with God will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal our gifts and the desires that God will use for his glory.
Week 4
Text: Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; John 19:40
Topic: Joseph of Arimathea, Faithfulness, Empowering
Big Idea of the Message: God used the overlooked character of Joseph of Arimathea to show his power in the resurrection.
Application Point: We will let each moment be used by God to do amazing things for our church and the world around us.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. Most people can name famous quarterbacks. People like Joe Montana, Brett Favre, and Tom Brady are memorable names of the most important players in history. But most people can’t name the offensive line that snapped the ball to those favorite QBs and protected them while they threw all those touchdowns. The offensive line in front of the quarterback is crucial to the team’s success. You could have the greatest quarterback in the world, and if the offensive line is off or can’t protect him, he won’t be making any memorable plays. So, the next time you watch a football game, remember that those huge guys on the line make the plays that ultimately lead to championships.
2. One of the most overlooked characters in the Bible is Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was a rich man who had become a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). He went before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus after his death. Joseph was also a prominent member of the Sanhedrin Council (Mark 15:43). The tomb that Jesus was buried in was Joseph’s own personal tomb. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus in fine linen and spices for a proper burial (John 19:40).
3. Why is Joseph so important? He didn’t perform any tremendous miracles. He wasn’t one of the famous twelve disciples. He was a prominent and rich man who was a part of the establishment. Joseph was a man of influence in the community. It’s easy to think of Jesus’s disciples as fisherman, outcasts, and the least in society. But Joseph was believer in Jesus too and served him faithfully. Some people are prominent entrepreneurs in a community or civil servants that have influence. You may think that your wealth is all the church wants or that your talents are “spiritual,” but God wants to use you for extraordinary things. Joseph of Arimathea set the stage for the resurrection. God used a wealthy and influential man to be the one who humbly wrapped the body of Jesus and used his tomb to reveal the power of God.
4. This video shows the moment archeologists discover the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB-PjuUvB9g.
5. The story of Joseph of Arimathea reveals that even the simplest of actions, service toward others, and obedience in faith create an opportunity for God to do the miraculous. God uses every seemingly minuscule moment to reveal his grace.
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The Power of Routine
The Power of Routine
Big Idea of the Series: This four-week series guide explores four spiritual routines: Bible reading, prayer, fasting, and Christ-centered community. This series emphasizes the clear application of biblical truths so that your congregation can confidently put into practice the key ideas of each week’s message. By ending with a message on authentic community, this series will be a helpful tool to use for introducing a small group ministry or refreshing your church’s understanding and commitment to basic discipleship tools.
Week 1
Text: 2 Timothy 3:14–17
Topic: Spiritual Disciplines, Bible Reading
Big Idea of the Message: The Bible is God’s authoritative Word, showing us clearly who God has been in the history of humanity and what he desires for us individually.
Application Point: We must read the Bible regularly in order to know what it says.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. We can support Scripture’s legitimacy with historical data, its effectiveness and wisdom with proof from historical events and our own experiences. But its holiness as God’s breathed-out message for humanity—that belief is by faith and is confirmed by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit. As soon as someone rejects the holiness and the authority, of the Bible, they will soon wander from the true message of the gospel, as history has proven time and again.
2. Hold up a compass for everyone to see. Before showing them what the compass says, ask everyone to point to true north without using a tool. Then show them where true north actually is. A ship can start out in the right direction but inevitably gets tossed by the waves and wind, requiring regular checks with the compass in order to get to the final destination. Even with good intentions, we can lose our bearings and need to continually and regularly be reminded of what God’s Word says about him and about us in order to live the life God desires for us.
3. Talk about and demonstrate a simple Bible reading plan for people to use at home.
4. Have someone from your congregation share their testimony (prepared beforehand) about what reading the Bible personally on a regular basis has done for him/her.
Week 2
Text: Matthew 6:5–13
Topic: Spiritual Disciplines, Prayer
Big Idea of the Message: Jesus taught that the most effective prayers are simple and heartfelt.
Application Point: When we pray, we should talk honestly with God.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. Have you ever tried to communicate via walkie-talkie with someone who doesn’t really know how they work? They might not hold down the button long enough before they start to talk, so you miss part of what they are saying. Or, worse yet, they might hold down their button the entire time, cutting off the ability to hear what you have to say at all. It’s not a very effective way to communicate! We tend to treat prayer like a one-way conversation where we talk and God listens, and we are the ones holding down the button on the walkie-talkie the entire time! It’s helpful to know how prayer is supposed to work. Biblical examples of prayer include not only petition and thanksgiving, but also asking questions, listening, and God answering. In order to hear God respond in prayer we have to be listening by reading the Bible regularly and quieting our hearts. You might use a pair of walkie-talkies to illustrate this point.
2. Jesus encourages us in this passage to not pray lengthy or fancy prayers, thinking our eloquence will get God’s attention. We can pray honestly and simply, just like a child does. This paraphrase for children of the Lord’s Prayer is found in The Jesus Storybook Bible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLoWBKEQLf4.
3. Paul instructs us to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). One way to think about this kind of praying is to have an ongoing conversation with God. To illustrate this ongoing kind of prayer, consider interjecting several short prayers into your sermon (perhaps after every major point). You don’t necessarily need to have everyone bow their heads, close their eyes, and say “Amen,” but you can just naturally include conversation toward God and with God into your message by praying throughout the sermon points/application, giving thanks or making a petition.
4. “It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must pray patiently, believing, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.”–George Müller
Week 3
Text: Matthew 4:1–4; 9:15
Topic: Spiritual Disciplines, Fasting
Big Idea of the Message: Jesus not only showed us how to fast but promised that his followers would fast as well. Fasting draws us closer to God by starving our flesh and feeding our spirit.
Application Point: We fast to help us focus on God and the things of his kingdom.
Sermon Ideas and Talking Points:
1. Fasting is about starving our flesh in order to further feed our spirit. We can become so bombarded by daily life and its pressures that we forget we are first and foremost people of God’s kingdom. The following short video is a golf illustration about where we place our focus: http://milesaminute.com/video/aim6. Fasting helps us focus our attention on God and away from the distractions around us.
2. “The things in your house work because of electricity. Electricity is an invisible power that gives you visible privileges. It turns the lights on, turns the TV on, turns the toaster on, and turns the oven on; all that stuff is working in your house because you’ve got one invisible power shooting through there called electricity. But none of those things work even though they have access to electricity until you flip on a switch. You’ve got to make a connection before the stuff that’s there works” (Tony Evans, Tony Evans’ Book of Illustrations [Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009], ebook location 6617).
3. “We have as much of God as we actually want.”–A. W. Tozer
4. “If the better part of wisdom for you, in your health condition, is not to go without food, consider fasting from television, computer, social media, or some other regular enjoyment that would bend your heart toward greater enjoyment of Jesus. Paul even talks about married couples fasting from sex ‘for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer’ (1 Corinthians 7:5)” (David Mathis, “Fasting for Beginners,” Desiring God, August 26, 2015, <http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners>). This article is a good resource for an introduction to spiritual fasting.
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