Celebrating God's Faithfulness and Our Unique Roles

Celebration Sunday is a time to pause and recognize the incredible things God is doing in and through our church family and beyond. From baby dedications and baptisms to mission trips and the opening of new spaces for our children, every story and every act of service is a testimony to God’s faithfulness. The focus is not on numbers or achievements for their own sake, but on the lives being transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each baptism represents a person moving from death to life, and every volunteer, whether serving coffee, vacuuming the sanctuary, or leading a small group, is playing a vital role in God’s mission.

The imagery of the body of Christ, as described by Paul in 1 Corinthians and Romans, reminds us that every member is essential. No role is insignificant, and God has arranged each part with purpose and intention. Whether someone is seen or unseen, their contribution matters deeply. The story of Mr. Ken, who quietly prepares the sanctuary late at night, and the young men serving in the café, illustrates that serving is not about recognition but about loving Jesus and participating in His work.

God’s plan is bigger than any one church. While we celebrate what He is doing at Gateway, we also recognize and rejoice in the broader body of Christ in our community and around the world. Partnerships with other churches and local ministries strengthen the whole, and together we pursue the same goal: to glorify God and make Jesus known.

The call is for each of us to consider our own story and our unique place in the body. Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4 challenge us to use our gifts—whether speaking or serving—not in our own strength, but in the strength God provides, so that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. The gospel is not meant to stop with us; it is meant to flow through us to others. Every act of service, every word spoken, and every life changed is ultimately about bringing glory to God.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Every member of the body of Christ has a unique and indispensable role. Just as Paul describes, no part is too small or insignificant; God has arranged each one with purpose. When we embrace our place, whether visible or hidden, we contribute to the health and mission of the whole body. [45:22]
• 2. The impact of the gospel is seen in transformed lives, not in numbers or statistics. Each baptism, each child in the kids’ area, and each student in ministry represents a story of God’s grace at work. Our celebration is rooted in the reality that God is moving people from death to life through Jesus. [37:48]
• 3. Serving is an act of worship and love for Jesus, not a pursuit of recognition. The stories of volunteers who serve quietly and faithfully remind us that God values the heart behind the service more than the spotlight. True service flows from a desire to honor Christ and participate in His mission. [41:40]
• 4. The body of Christ extends beyond the walls of any one church. By partnering with other churches and ministries, we strengthen the larger “capital C” Church and advance God’s kingdom together. Our unity and collaboration reflect the heart of Christ for His people and His world. [55:12]
• 5. The gospel is meant to be shared, not hoarded. Peter’s exhortation is clear: if we have received the good news, we are called to speak it and serve others in God’s strength. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be conduits of God’s message and love, ensuring that God is glorified in everything we do. [58:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - What Celebration Sunday Means
• [02:10] - Baptisms and Life Change
• [03:30] - Global and Local Missions
• [05:00] - Kids and Student Ministry Growth
• [07:15] - Stories of Service and Volunteers
• [10:00] - The Heart Behind Serving
• [12:00] - The Body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12
• [15:00] - Every Part Has a Purpose
• [18:00] - Personal Testimony: Finding a Place in the Body
• [21:00] - Romans 12: Humility and Unity
• [23:00] - The Larger Body of Christ
• [25:00] - Practical Application: What’s My Role?
• [27:00] - 1 Peter 4: Speaking and Serving
• [29:00] - The Gospel: Our Motivation and Mission
• [31:00] - Closing Prayer and Baptisms

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV) — > For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Romans 12:3-5 (ESV) — > For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV) — > As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 Corinthians 12, what is the significance of each part of the body, even those that seem less important?
2. In Romans 12, what attitude does Paul say we should have about our own role in the body of Christ?
3. What are some specific examples from the sermon of people serving in ways that might go unnoticed by most? ([41:40])
4. In 1 Peter 4, what two main ways does Peter say we can use our gifts, and what is the ultimate purpose of using them?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul emphasizes that even the “weaker” or “less honorable” parts of the body are indispensable? How does this challenge the way we view different roles in the church? ([45:22])
2. The sermon mentioned that serving is not about recognition but about loving Jesus and participating in His work. How does this perspective change the way someone might approach volunteering or serving? ([41:40])
3. What does it mean that the body of Christ extends beyond just one local church? How might this affect the way we think about other churches and ministries in our community? ([55:12])
4. Peter says to serve “from the strength God provides.” What might it look like to serve in our own strength versus God’s strength? ([58:27])

Application Questions

1. The sermon shared stories of people serving in unseen ways, like Mr. Ken vacuuming late at night. Is there a way you are currently serving (or could serve) that might not be noticed by others? How does knowing God sees and values it encourage you? ([41:40])
2. Think about your own story. What unique gifts or experiences has God given you that you could use to serve others in the church or community? ([56:21])
3. The message emphasized that every act of service, no matter how small, is vital to God’s mission. Is there a role or task you’ve overlooked or thought was insignificant? How might God be inviting you to see it differently? ([45:22])
4. The sermon said, “The gospel is not meant to stop with us; it is meant to flow through us to others.” Who is one person in your life you could share the good news of Jesus with this week? What would it look like to take a step toward that? ([57:45])
5. Partnerships with other churches and ministries were celebrated as a way to strengthen the larger body of Christ. Is there a way you could support or pray for another church or ministry in your area? ([55:12])
6. Peter challenges us to serve and speak “so that in everything, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” What is one area of your life where you want to be more intentional about bringing glory to God? ([58:27])
7. The sermon reminded us not to focus on numbers or achievements, but on lives being transformed. How can you celebrate and recognize God’s work in your own life or in the lives of those around you this week? ([37:48])