Making A Difference (Worship 5/17/26)

Paul sets the tone by aiming the church at the center of the Christian life. “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3 lands like a compass. The text calls every ordinary moment to be done in Jesus’ name. The call is not just Sunday. The call is every day. Paul ties together worship, love, forgiveness, and then brings it home to words and deeds that carry the name of Jesus into the world.

The word “whatever” stretches across kitchens and cubicles, classrooms and sidelines. Ephesians 4 then steps in like a guardrail. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.” Words become holy work when they build up according to another’s need. The mouth at home, at school, in traffic, and in a long line is asked to serve. Gossip, cheap shots, and rolling eyes do not match the name of Jesus. Encouragement, benefit of the doubt, and a fresh tact do.

James will not let faith sit still. “Faith without works is dead.” Deeds must match confession. The hands are asked to do good in Jesus’ name so that people taste the kingdom. Cookies for a hard neighbor count when they carry Christ’s kindness. Help at home counts when it reflects Christ to spouse, children, and grandchildren. Small, faithful actions outside the walls matter when the lost need someone to come find them.

Matthew 25 presses the point into a story. Compassion does not just drop food. Compassion pulls up a seat. A college lunch with a homeless man turned a transaction into a table. Forty-five minutes of listening became a holy encounter. The meal blessed him and the Lord used it to re-route a life. Mercy in Jesus’ name bears fruit both ways.

History inside this house backs it up. Sorrow in Haiti became seed for mission. The death of a friend and servant, the rubble of an earthquake, and a simple question of what to do next led to meals packaged in Jesus’ name. Stop Hunger Now grew into Rise Against Hunger. A hundred thousand meals grew into one and a half million. Christmas Is Not Your Birthday turned December into a stream that blesses Haiti, a local school, Operation Christmas Child, and beyond. God keeps multiplying thirty, sixty, a hundredfold.

The call today is simple and strong. Put on a hair net and a thankful heart. Package meals in Jesus’ name. Then take that name into every sentence and every step this week so that others may know his saving grace and his life.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Do everything in Jesus’ name The name of Jesus is not a slogan. It is a banner that claims every word and every task for his honor. Doing work in his name changes motive, tone, and finish, and it keeps thanksgiving close at hand. The ordinary becomes worship when it is offered to the Father through the Son. [25:28]
• 2. Let words become holy work Speech is not filler. It is formation. When words are pruned of unwholesome talk and aimed at building up, they carry Christ’s kindness into tense rooms and tired hearts. Blessing outlives the sentence that delivered it, especially when it meets a real need. [26:11]
• 3. Faith must wear work boots Belief that never moves the body is on life support. James insists that living faith shows up where sleeves are rolled, needs are met, and mercy costs something. The hands preach a sermon the mouth cannot finish by itself. [29:21]
• 4. Compassion stays to eat Charity delivers a bag. Compassion pulls up a chair. Sitting, listening, and praying dignify a neighbor and open the door for Jesus’ love to be heard and felt. The one served is blessed, and the one serving is changed. [22:06]
• 5. Grief can birth faithful mission Heartbreak over real loss can either paralyze or propel. Given to God, sorrow becomes seed that grows ministries that feed bodies and point to Christ. The story in Haiti shows how lament can turn into long obedience that multiplies. [33:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [15:33] - Gratitude for music team
• [16:03] - Sabbatical and summer series
• [17:41] - Colossians focus and setup
• [18:27] - Whatever you do in Jesus’ name
• [19:36] - Prayer for Asbury’s calling
• [20:36] - Matthew 25 lands home
• [22:06] - Eating with a homeless neighbor
• [25:28] - Words and deeds that witness
• [26:11] - Unwholesome talk vs holy speech
• [29:21] - Faith without works is dead
• [33:05] - Haiti quake and Sam Dixon
• [34:43] - Asbury’s 100,000 meal launch
• [35:46] - Christmas Is Not Your Birthday
• [36:31] - Today’s charge and sending

1. What does Colossians 3:17 say about the scope of actions and words that should be done in Jesus’ name?
2. According to Ephesians 4:29, what specific types of speech should be avoided, and what should replace them?
3. How does the story of sharing a meal with a homeless person illustrate the difference between charity and compassion as described in Matthew 25:35-40? [22:06]
4. What example does James 2:17 use to emphasize the relationship between faith and actions?

1. Why do you think Paul connects both words and deeds to doing everything “in the name of the Lord Jesus” in Colossians 3:17? How might this change someone’s daily priorities?
2. How does the instruction in Ephesians 4:29 challenge common ways people communicate in stressful or frustrating situations (like traffic or work)? [26:11]
3. In the story from Matthew 25, how does sitting down to eat with someone in need go beyond simply meeting a physical need? What deeper impact might this have? [22:06]
4. The sermon mentions that “faith must wear work boots.” How does James 2:17 redefine what it means to have genuine faith in practical terms?

1. What is one area of your daily routine (like work, home, or errands) where you could more intentionally “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” this week? What would that look like concretely?
2. Think of a recent conversation where unwholesome talk (gossip, sarcasm, complaining) was present. How could you redirect that conversation to “build others up” next time? [26:11]
3. Identify one practical “work boots” action you can take this week to serve someone in your community (e.g., a neighbor, coworker, or stranger). How will you ensure it reflects Christ’s love?
4. When have you experienced grief or disappointment that later led to an opportunity to serve others? How can you offer that experience to God for his purposes? [33:50]
5. This week, how can you create space to “pull up a chair” with someone in need (physically or emotionally) instead of just meeting their surface-level need? What would that require of you? [22:06]