Empowered by Grace: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Purpose

What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This truth is the foundation for understanding that, no matter our past mistakes or present struggles, God’s grace is sufficient to lift us up and empower us for His purpose. Today, we looked at the story of Ebed-Melek in Jeremiah 38—a man whose name is rarely mentioned, yet whose courage and obedience changed the course of a prophet’s life. When the king was powerless and the prophet was stuck in the mud, God raised up someone unexpected, someone overlooked, to be the answer in a moment of crisis. Ebed-Melek, a Cushite and an outsider, was positioned by God to act when others would not.

This is a reminder that God often uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Too often, we wait for someone else to step up, thinking we are unqualified or unseen. But God has placed something unique inside each of us. The frustrations, anxieties, and burdens we carry may actually be invitations from God to rise up and be the change we long to see. Our purpose is not diminished by our circumstances, our background, or our lack of recognition. In fact, God delights in using those who feel disqualified, those who have been through the mud themselves, to bring deliverance and hope to others.

Ebed-Melek’s story teaches us that we are not only qualified by God, but also quantified—meaning, when we step out in faith, we do not go alone. God surrounds us with unseen support, with angels, with grace, with favor. And He gives us creativity to use what we have, even if it’s just rags from under the treasury, to accomplish His will. The call is clear: stop waiting for someone else to do what God has placed in your hands. You are the next one up. You are here on purpose, with purpose, and God is ready to use you right where you are. Let us not be content to remain spectators, but let us step forward, knowing that God has already equipped and anointed us for the work ahead.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God Uses the Overlooked and Ordinary Ebed-Melek was not a king, a prophet, or a person of high status. He was a foreigner, a Cushite, and yet God positioned him to be the answer when others failed. This shows that God’s call is not limited by our background, status, or recognition. When we feel unseen or unqualified, we must remember that God often chooses those who are overlooked to do His greatest work. [91:29]
• 2. Your Frustration May Be God’s Invitation The burdens, anxieties, and frustrations we carry are not always signs to wait for someone else to act. Sometimes, they are God’s way of stirring us to action, calling us to be the solution. Instead of waiting for a leader to emerge or for circumstances to change, recognize that God may be inviting you to step up and bring about the change you desire. [79:10]
• 3. You Are Qualified and Anointed for the Task God does not wait for us to be perfect or to have all the credentials. He qualifies those He calls, and He anoints us for the work ahead. Our skills, experiences, and even our scars are part of the preparation. When we use what God has given us—whether in the sanctuary or in the workplace—we discover that we have always been equipped for His purpose. [99:02]
• 4. God Multiplies Your Impact—You Are Not Alone When Ebed-Melek went to rescue Jeremiah, he was sent with thirty men. This is a picture of how God never sends us alone; He surrounds us with support, both seen and unseen. Even when we feel outnumbered or overwhelmed, God’s presence and provision ensure that we have more than enough to accomplish His will. [104:14]
• 5. Creativity in the Hands of the Faithful Ebed-Melek used rags from under the treasury to rescue Jeremiah, showing that God gives us creativity to use what we have, not just what we wish we had. Faithfulness is not about having the best resources, but about trusting God to make much out of little. When we act in obedience, God turns our simple efforts into miraculous outcomes. [108:40]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [70:49] - What Can Wash Away My Sins
• [71:45] - Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 38:5-13
• [73:37] - Honoring Our Church Family
• [75:30] - You Are the Next Man Up
• [77:19] - The Story of Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, and Nobody
• [79:10] - God Has Placed Power in You
• [81:02] - You Are Here on Purpose
• [82:20] - God Uses Ordinary People
• [85:25] - Cancel Culture and God’s Response
• [87:12] - Who’s Really in Control?
• [91:29] - Ebed-Melek: The Unsung Hero
• [95:58] - Ebed-Melek’s Background and Purpose
• [99:02] - You Are Qualified
• [104:14] - God Quantifies and Multiplies
• [108:40] - Creativity Over Riches
• [109:54] - Pulling Others Up
• [111:49] - Responding with Praise
• [113:04] - Invitation and Communion

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 38:5-13 (ESV) — 5 King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.”
6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
7 When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate—
8 Ebed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king,
9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.”
10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
11 So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.
12 Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so.
13 Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

Observation Questions

1. What was the situation Jeremiah found himself in, and how did he end up in the cistern?
2. Who was Ebed-melech, and what made his actions stand out in this story?
3. What resources did Ebed-melech use to rescue Jeremiah, and where did he get them?
4. According to the sermon, what was significant about the king’s response to Ebed-melech’s request? ([01:38:26])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why might God choose someone like Ebed-melech—a foreigner and outsider—to be the one to rescue Jeremiah, instead of someone with more status or recognition? ([01:31:29])
2. The sermon says our frustrations and anxieties might be God’s invitation to act. How does Ebed-melech’s response to Jeremiah’s situation illustrate this idea? ([01:19:10])
3. What does it mean that God “qualifies and quantifies” those He calls, and how does this change the way we see our own abilities and support? ([01:44:14])
4. Ebed-melech used rags from under the treasury instead of riches or expensive resources. What does this teach us about faithfulness and creativity in serving God? ([01:48:40])

Application Questions

1. The sermon emphasized that God uses ordinary, overlooked people to do extraordinary things. Can you think of a time when you felt unqualified or unseen, but God used you anyway? What happened, and how did it change your perspective? ([01:31:29])
2. Are there frustrations, burdens, or anxieties in your life right now that might actually be God’s invitation for you to step up and make a difference? What is one specific area where you sense God calling you to act? ([01:19:10])
3. Ebed-melech didn’t wait for someone else to act—he stepped forward. Is there a situation in your family, workplace, or community where you’ve been waiting for “somebody” else to do something? What would it look like for you to be “the next one up”? ([01:18:35])
4. The king sent Ebed-melech with thirty men, showing that God doesn’t send us alone. Who are the “thirty men” or support systems God has placed around you? How can you lean into that support as you step out in faith? ([01:44:14])
5. Ebed-melech used what he had—old rags—to accomplish God’s purpose. What are some “rags” or simple resources in your life that you might be overlooking, but God could use for something significant? ([01:48:40])
6. The sermon said, “You are here on purpose, with purpose.” What is one area of your life where you need to stop being a spectator and start participating in what God is doing? ([01:21:02])
7. When you think about your own story, how has God lifted you “out of the mud” in the past? How can you use that experience to help someone else who is stuck right now? ([01:37:14])