A special message from Clay Leonard, NC Baptist Children's Home

Sep 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When the Altar Turns Waste to Worship

The song’s refrain—"no waste at the altar"—echoes God’s promise to transform brokenness into something sacred. Just as Old Testament sacrifices became a sweet aroma, our surrendered pain, time, or resources are never lost. God redeems what we offer, using even fractured stories to glorify Him. Serving the vulnerable often feels costly, but Christ reshapes our “waste” into worship that nourishes others. Every yes to Him becomes an act of trust in His redeeming work. [08:11]

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
(James 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: What brokenness or resource have you hesitated to bring to God? How might His promise to transform “waste” change your willingness to say yes?

Day 2: Permanent Love in a Temporary World

Parker’s story—a childhood of expiration dates—meets its turning point when a family’s “yes” becomes permanence. Like the Willowfords, believers are called to offer more than temporary fixes. True discipleship means opening whole lives, not just spare rooms, to those feeling unseen. Jesus’ love isn’t conditional; it roots itself in the grit of daily belonging. [15:07]

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
(Matthew 25:35-36, ESV)

Reflection: Where has your love felt transactional or time-bound? How can you reflect God’s permanence to someone feeling temporary today?

Day 3: High Fives in the Tunnel of Service

NC State’s football team lined up not for glory but to cheer foster families—a picture of gospel-shaped service. True discipleship isn’t about spotlight moments but bending low to elevate others. Like those athletes, we’re called to celebrate the vulnerable, not compete with them. Every “yes” to inconvenient love becomes a ripple in eternity’s pond. [48:06]

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
(Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: When have you prioritized ambition over bending low? Who needs your celebratory “high five” more than your critique this week?

Day 4: The DNA of a Gospel-Yes

Saying yes isn’t mere activity—it’s allowing the gospel to reshape our instincts. Selflessness, faithfulness, generosity, and doing good aren’t tasks but the fingerprints of Christ in us. Just as Parker learned family isn’t blood but sacrifice, our yes must flow from Christ’s yes on the cross. Only then does service become transformation, not transaction. [46:56]

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace… whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”
(1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)

Reflection: Does your service rely more on your strength or God’s? Where is He inviting you to trade efficiency for grace-filled dependence?

Day 5: Chasing the One Like Jesus Does

Jesus didn’t see crowds but Zacchaeus in the tree, the woman at the well, the paralytic by the pool. His pursuit of the “one” reveals God’s heart for the overlooked. Our call isn’t to save masses but to chase individuals with His persistence. Like Isaiah’s promise, He gathers us from life’s farthest corners—then sends us back for others. [33:53]

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and not rejected you. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
(Isaiah 41:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Who has society’s rush caused you to overlook? How will you mirror Jesus’ focus on the “one” this week?

Sermon Summary

Jesus sets Matthew 25 before the church with a sober picture of the King coming in glory, separating sheep from goats. The text does not give a way to earn salvation. The text gives evidence of whether a person is truly following Jesus. The response to “the least of these” reveals something real about the heart. Jesus identifies himself with the hungry, thirsty, stranger, unclothed, sick, imprisoned, overlooked, and vulnerable.

The vulnerable are those who are unsupported and unprotected. The Bible adds widows, orphans, the oppressed, the needy, the dispossessed, and people with no voice to that picture. Jesus does not call his people to something foreign to his own life. Jesus sees the one others miss, loves the one others may not love, and chases the one others have given up on. Jesus came for sinners who were utterly vulnerable, unsupported and unprotected by anything in themselves. Rescued people rescue people.

The need is not far away. Children in foster care, birth mothers, adoptive families, adults with special needs, aging neighbors, the poor, and those carrying trauma are all people who need to be seen. The question is not whether one person can serve every need. The question is, “Will you say yes for one?” One yes, then one more, becomes a pattern of gospel-shaped care.

Gospel living is selfless because selfish people do not see other people, and people are the mission. Philippians 2 calls believers to look beyond personal interests and consider others. The church must spend less time looking in mirrors and more time looking out windows, seeing people who need Jesus. Gospel serving is faithful because God gives every child of God gifts to serve others for his glory. Jesus sees souls, not categories of rich and poor, familiar and strange, attractive and unattractive.

Gospel living does good by meeting tangible needs with food, water, clothing, care, and kindness. Gospel giving is generous because God is generous. God did not give the least amount required when he sent his Son. God gave the most. The gospel must remain at the center, because food, clothing, homes, and programs cannot finally break the curse of lostness. Only the gospel redeems, repairs, and restores what sin has broken.

Jesus said yes first. His perfect life, atoning death, and victorious resurrection make every gospel-shaped yes possible. A yes given to Jesus can send gospel ripples farther than anyone can see.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is found among the vulnerable Jesus ties care for the least of these to care for himself. This does not mean vulnerable people are projects or interruptions. Christ dignifies them with his own presence, calling his people to look where the world often refuses to look. Serving the overlooked becomes a place where devotion to Christ takes visible form. [26:35]
2. Rescued people rescue people Sin left every believer unsupported and unprotected, far from God and unable to save themselves. Jesus came near as rescuer, provider, protector, and Savior. His mercy does not leave a redeemed person turned inward. His rescue creates hearts that move toward people still living in vulnerable places. [34:25]
3. Look out windows, not mirrors Selfishness keeps attention fixed on personal comfort, personal concerns, and even a church’s own deficiencies. Gospel-shaped selflessness opens the eyes to people who are hungry, alone, hurting, and unseen. The mission is not found by polishing the mirror. The mission is found by seeing people and going to them with the love of Christ. [39:07]
4. Only the gospel truly transforms Tangible care matters because hunger is real, trauma is real, and physical needs must not be ignored. Yet material help without the gospel cannot finally heal what sin has broken. The gospel alone breaks the curse of lostness and brings redemption, repair, and restoration. Every act of mercy should therefore ooze with the good news of Jesus. [46:26]
5. One yes can change generations A foster family, a coach, an adoptive parent, or a church can make a simple yes that becomes permanent hope for another person. God often works through ordinary obedience that nobody is forced to give. A yes launched into Christ’s kingdom creates gospel ripples beyond what human eyes can measure. Jesus’ yes to save sinners is the ground for every faithful yes given back to him.

## [51:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:46] - Gratitude for Riverbend
[06:25] - Say Yes to Discipleship
[08:11] - Nothing Is Wasted at the Altar
[09:09] - Caring for Vulnerable Children
[11:42] - Gospel-Centered Trauma Training
[15:07] - Parker’s Story of Permanent Family
[16:31] - The Foster Care Need
[19:02] - Where Is God?
[21:15] - Jesus and the Least of These
[26:35] - Sheep, Goats, and True Evidence
[30:39] - Jesus Cares for the Vulnerable
[34:25] - Rescued People Rescue People
[37:12] - Five Marks of Gospel-Shaped Yes
[46:26] - Only the Gospel Transforms
[51:29] - One Yes Changes Generations

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
[21:39] [26:35]

James 1:27
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
[11:22]

Philippians 2:3-4
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
[37:56]

1 Peter 4:10-11
“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.”
[40:16]

Observation questions

In Matthew 25, what specific needs does Jesus name when he describes “the least of these”? What actions does he say the righteous took in response?
What surprises both the righteous and the unrighteous when the King explains how their treatment of vulnerable people related to him? [22:46]
James 1:27 names widows and orphans. What do these people have in common with the hungry, strangers, sick, and imprisoned people in Matthew 25? [30:48]
According to Philippians 2:3-4 and 1 Peter 4:10-11, what two heart attitudes should shape a believer’s service to others? [39:44]

Interpretation questions

Matthew 25 does not teach that people earn salvation by serving others. How does care for vulnerable people become evidence that someone is truly following Jesus? [26:35]
Jesus identifies himself with people who are hungry, overlooked, alone, sick, and without support. How should that truth change the way believers view people who may feel like interruptions, burdens, or projects?
If selfishness keeps people focused on their own needs, why does Philippians 2 call believers to look toward the interests of others? What may a church fail to see when it spends more time looking “in mirrors” than “out windows”? [39:07]
1 Peter 4 says that every believer has received a gift to serve others. How can believers distinguish between trying to meet every need and faithfully using their particular gifts to meet the needs God places before them?

Application questions

Who is one person in your everyday life who may be vulnerable, unsupported, lonely, overwhelmed, or unseen? What would it look like to notice that person and take one meaningful step toward them this week? [34:38]
Are there places where personal comfort, busyness, fear, or selfishness has made it hard for you to see the needs around you? What would “looking out the window” look like in your home, neighborhood, workplace, or church family? [39:07]
What kind of service fits the gifts, resources, and season of life God has given you—encouragement, hospitality, meals, transportation, prayer, mentoring, financial support, visiting, foster-care support, or something else? What is one next step you could take? [40:16]
Children in foster care, birth parents, adoptive families, adults with special needs, aging neighbors, and people carrying trauma all need care. Which of these needs especially moves your heart, and why might God be drawing your attention there? [31:18]
Jesus met tangible needs, including food, drink, welcome, clothing, care, and presence. Is there a practical need you or your group could help meet for someone this month? How could that care be offered with dignity and kindness? [42:54]
Material help matters, but only the gospel can redeem and restore what sin has broken. How can you speak about Jesus naturally and lovingly while serving someone, rather than separating practical care from gospel hope? [46:26]
Jesus said yes first through his perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection. How does remembering his mercy toward you give you courage to offer a costly or inconvenient yes to someone else? [52:40]

Sermon Clips

54s

#TrustInJesusAlone

“Jesus said yes when he came to earth and lived a life that you could not live. He met God's standard of perfection for getting into heaven and he took that perfect life to the cross and died a death that you should have died. He took on God's wrath against your sin on your behalf, and he defeated death by raising the life again. And with his sacrifice, he bought the right to give you forgiveness of your sin and the life that God created you to have, and he will give that to you right now today. If you will repent of your sin, turn from your sin, change your mind about your sin, and turn and trust in Jesus and him alone.”

56s

#GospelTransforms

“There are a lot of lost people in this world who are feeding hungry people. There are those who are building homes and running shelters and closed closets and soup kitchens and daycares and after school programs and handing out school supplies. There are even lost people who are fostering children and adopting children, but god has called us to be different, that our yes should ooze with the gospel. You see, the gospel is the only thing that breaks the curse of lostness. Only the gospel breaks the curse of what has been broken by sin to redeem, repair, restore what is meant. To be as followers of Jesus, our yes has to be different.”

40s

#OneYesChangesGenerations

“Nobody in this story had to say yes. Nobody had nobody was forcing anybody to say yes. The little league coach and his wife, they they didn't have to say yes to take in a struggling 12 year old. NC State didn't have to open their facility. They didn't have to do that. Annabelle Myers, she didn't have to open her heart to a daughter that was not born to her, but One yes given to Jesus can change generations.”

58s

#JesusRescuesTheVulnerable

“you into today. And Jesus is was one who set that example. He cared for the vulnerable. As a matter of fact, Jesus cared for the vulnerable so much that he he actually gave his own very his very own life for the vulnerable. Do you realize that you were, vulnerable? You see, in our sin, we are as unsupported and unprotected as any. Jesus came to us while we were unsupported, unprotected, to be our rescuer, to be our salvation, to support, to lift up, to protect, to provide, to forgive, to place in in in in heaven an eternal life.”

44s

#LookOutForOthers

“God tells us we gotta live with our eyes open. We we we spend and and and I mean this, sort of metaphorically, but we spend far too much time looking in mirrors and not out windows. We like to do it even as a not just as a person, but we do it as a church. We look in a mirror and we we look at all the things that our church is and we're we we look good and then we look at some of the things and say, oh, our church is missing this and we don't have this. Man, forget that. Let's just start looking out the window and seeing people and go reach them for Jesus because the gospel and gospel living is selfless.”

37s

#JesusSeesTheOne

“I think about the, woman at the well. I think about the the paralytic by the pool. The one caught in adultery. Jesus to the one. He cares about the one. Jesus sees the one that others may not see. He loves the one that others may not love. He chases the one that others have given up on. He cares about the one, and he cares about every I was one.”

28s

#ShareGospelFirst

“That's it. See, we can we can meet physical needs all day long. We can meet tangible needs. We can give away clothing and food. We can give away school supplies. We can give away all kinds of things. We can build build homes and and take care of kids. We can do all that kind of stuff. But if we are not sharing the gospel, then we're wasting our time and money because that's the only thing that will truly transform.”

46s

#FightSelfishnessServeOthers

“I believe, and Steve and I have had this conversation before in our in our pastor bible study group, but I think when you get right when you drill right down into any pick a sin, pick a sin, pick any sin, you get down to the heart of it, what do you find? You find self, you find pride. Matter of fact, the middle letter of sin is I. The middle letter in pride is I. Selflessness is what God is calling us to, not selfishness. Why is the sin of selfishness so dangerous? Because selfish people don't see other people, and people are the mission.”

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