People in The Bible, You Might Not Know

Devotional

Day 1: The Hand That Held the Pen

Tertius dipped his stylus in ink as Paul dictated Romans’ weighty truths. No grand prophecies – just steady scratches preserving eternal words. While Paul received revelation, Tertius translated thoughts to parchment. His name appears once, buried in greetings, yet his obedience gave the church its deepest theological letter. The kingdom advances through unseen hands doing unseen work. [04:42]

God uses both visionaries and scribes. Tertius didn’t preach like Paul but served through documentation. His gift connected generations to God’s truth. When we fixate on visible roles, we miss how ordinary obedience fuels extraordinary impact.

What mundane task has God entrusted to you? Cooking meals, balancing budgets, or sending emails can become holy work when done for Him. Write three sentences thanking God for a “small” service you regularly perform.

“I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.”
(Romans 16:22, NLT)

Prayer: Thank God for the quiet workers in your life – secretaries, custodians, volunteers – who keep His kingdom moving.

Challenge: Write a 1-sentence encouragement note to someone who serves behind the scenes at your church.

Day 2: Sober Judgment in the Mirror

Paul warned Roman believers: “Don’t think too highly of yourselves.” He’d seen gifted teachers stumble through pride and timid servants bury talents through false humility. God distributes gifts like a chef seasoning soup – each spice measured for perfect balance. Comparison distorts His recipe. [08:04]

Pride shouts “Look at me!” while false humility whispers “I’m useless.” Both lie. Your gifts aren’t your achievement nor your accident – they’re divine assignments. A microphone matters no more than a mop when both honor Christ.

When you critique someone’s ministry this week, pause. Is your reaction rooted in envy or insecurity? Identify one gift you’ve downplayed out of fear.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
(Romans 12:3, NIV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve either inflated or diminished your God-given role.

Challenge: Text a friend: “I see this strength in you: ______” – then ask them to do the same for you.

Day 3: The Body’s Silent Symphony

Paul compared the church to a body – hands clapping, feet walking, ears listening. When Nathan’s injured arm rendered him helpless, he felt the body’s interdependence. A pianist needs lungs to breathe, a preacher needs knees that pray. Your gift is someone else’s missing piece. [19:39]

God designed His church like a symphony – trumpets can’t play cello parts. The ear’s “less spiritual” work matters as much as the mouth’s preaching. Muffled instruments create dissonance; silent ones halt the song.

What part have you neglected because it seemed unimportant? This week, intentionally use one practical skill (organizing, fixing, driving) to serve your church family.

“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, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to heal relationships where gift comparisons caused division.

Challenge: Do one kind act for a church member in a very different ministry than yours.

Day 4: Called to Your Corner

Ephesians 4:1 doesn’t say “Walk worthy of Paul’s calling” but “the calling you have received.” Tertius’ pen mattered as much as Paul’s preaching. The nursery volunteer holds eternal influence like the pulpit preacher. Your world – not the global stage – is your primary assignment. [24:50]

Moses’ stutter and David’s sling prove God uses ordinary tools. Your “corner” – office cubicle, PTA meeting, grocery aisle – is your kingdom outpost. Platform size doesn’t determine kingdom impact; faithfulness does.

Where have you delayed obedience, waiting for a more impressive opportunity? Name one place you’ll intentionally serve this week, regardless of visibility.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
(Ephesians 4:1, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one “unsexy” ministry need in your church that matches your abilities.

Challenge: Have a 2-minute conversation with someone today about how they discovered their spiritual gifts.

Day 5: Burying No More

The third servant buried his talent, fearing his master’s standards. But God measures faithfulness, not Forbes rankings. Tertius’ pen multiplied Paul’s voice across centuries. Your “one talent” – hospitality, administration, encouragement – can feed generations when invested, not hidden. [27:16]

Buried gifts atrophy. A muscle unused weakens; a pen dried up stops writing. Fear says “Wait until you’re qualified.” Faith says “Use what’s in your hand.”

What gift have you sidelined because it felt too small? Commit to one specific action this week to actively use it.

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! [...] So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.’”
(Matthew 25:26,28, NIV)

Prayer: Repent for times you’ve hidden gifts to avoid responsibility or comparison.

Challenge: Spend 10 minutes today using a neglected gift (e.g., write encouragement cards if gifted in exhortation).

Sermon Summary

We open Romans and hold fast to a small, easily missed detail: a scribe named Tertius who wrote Paul’s letter. We recognize that the kingdom advances not through one visible gift but through the whole body faithfully using what God gives. We must get our minds right before we use our gifts. Pride makes us demand visibility and comparison, which twists gifts into self-promotion or discouragement. False humility hides fear behind pious language and refuses faithful action, while confident humility names that gifts originate with God and that calling carries purpose and responsibility.

We insist on sober, accurate self-assessment. We embrace the measure of faith given to each person without inflating our own importance or pretending worthlessness. We affirm that every good and perfect ability comes from above and that God intends those abilities for the life of the body. We see the body image in Scripture: when one part is crippled, the whole body suffers; when one part flourishes, the whole rejoices. Visible ministries matter, but so do writing, administration, teaching, hospitality, care, and countless small labors that keep the body healthy.

We hear the parable of the talents as a practical summons: God expects multiplication, not burial, of entrusted gifts. Faithfulness, not platform size, determines fruit. Fear buries potential, while obedience multiplies what God entrusted. We accept that the kingdom requires many different functions working together in the world for six days and twenty-three hours, not only during the one hour gathered here. We answer the call to be faithful with whatever God has placed in our hands, confident in our identity as members of Christ and accurate in our appraisal of purpose and source. The path forward runs through communal obedience, courageous use of gifts, and steady, humble service in everyday places where God has placed us.

Key Takeaways

1. Every gift comes from God We must stop claiming credit for abilities and instead trace every skill, temperament, and opportunity back to the Father. Recognizing origin frees us from envy and self-aggrandizement and roots our service in gratitude. When we own the source, we can deploy gifts without needing the spotlight, because purpose matters more than applause. [10:26]
2. Pride distorts how gifts function When pride controls perception, gifts become trophies or weapons rather than instruments of grace. Comparison either inflates our importance or shrinks our service into resentment, and both outcomes fracture the body. Submission of gifts to God’s design preserves their intended function and protects communal health. [08:30]
3. False humility hides fearful inaction Declaring ourselves insignificant often masks fear of failure or exposure dressed in spiritual language. This posture excuses inaction and stiff-arms the body from the gifts it needs. True humility names calling and source, then steps out to serve with courage and clarity. [11:37]
4. Body needs every gift The church does not thrive on a few visible ministries; it thrives when every differing function operates in concert. Practical tasks such as administration, encouragement, care, and teaching hold equal value with public ministry. Our shared effectiveness depends on ordinary faithfulness across roles, not merely dramatic service on a platform. [21:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:43] - Find Romans 16
[01:36] - Romans as theological foundation
[04:29] - Tertius, hidden but vital
[07:38] - Humility and self-assessment
[10:26] - Gifts originate from God
[19:39] - The body needs every member
[25:52] - Parable of talents and faithfulness
[28:10] - Practical call to use gifts
[30:04] - Closing charge

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Romans 12:3 (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."

1 Corinthians 12:14-27 (ESV)
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many... If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together."

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)
"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property... To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability."

Observation questions

What specific instruction does Paul give in Romans 12:3 about how to view ourselves, and what reason does he give for this instruction? [08:04]
How does the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) illustrate God’s expectations for how we use what He entrusts to us? [26:19]
According to 1 Corinthians 12:26, what happens to the whole body when one part suffers or is honored? How was this illustrated in the sermon? [19:17]

Interpretation questions

Why might pride cause someone to either overvalue or undervalue their gifts, and how does this harm the body of Christ? [08:30]
The sermon contrasts "false humility" with "confident humility." How does recognizing the source of our gifts (James 1:17) change the way we view our role in the church? [10:26]
In the parable of the talents, the servant who buried his talent said he acted out of fear (Matthew 25:25). What kinds of fears might lead people to hide their gifts today, and how does this hinder the kingdom? [28:10]

Application questions

What is one gift or ability you’ve been hesitant to acknowledge or use? How could recognizing it as God-given (not self-made) change your willingness to step into it? [11:08]
Think about your daily routines, work, or relationships: where could you intentionally use your gifts (e.g., encouragement, administration, hospitality) in “six days and twenty-three hours” outside Sunday gatherings? [22:34]
When have you compared your role to someone else’s (e.g., “visible” vs. “hidden” gifts)? What practical step could help you focus on faithfulness rather than comparison this week? [09:15]
The sermon warns against letting fear masquerade as humility. Is there a specific area where fear of failure, judgment, or inadequacy has kept you from acting? What truth from Scripture could confront that fear? [28:10]
How can you intentionally affirm or support someone in your community who serves in a “behind-the-scenes” role this week? [21:00]

Sermon Clips

36s

#WholeBodyFunctioning

“The church is not healthy when one gift is impressive. The church is healthy when the whole body is functioning. That's right. Yes. That's right. Yes. That's when when Jesus said, the gates of hell will not prevail. Not one person carrying everything, but a body built by Christ functioning in obedience to what it's been called to do. That's when the gates of hell won't prevail against that body because everyone's doing what they're called to do.”

23s

#FaithfulWithWhatYouHave

“The master rebuked him. The issue he buried the issue was that he buried what had he had been trusted with. The point is God is not measuring us by how much is given. He's looking for faithfulness with what he's placed in our hand. Paul was given the revelation, Tertius was given a pen. Tertius, I want you to be faithful with the pen.”

46s

#FaithfulWithYourPen

“Here's the question I have. The question is not summarizing, am I Paul? Am I an apostle? The question is, am I faithful with the pen that God has put in my hand? Are you currently being faithful with as much or as little as he's blessed you with? Amen, church? That's a sobering question because because because, again, if I'm in a sling because I just had shoulder surgery, my body is suffering because it can't function due to one part not working properly.”

40s

#GiftsFromAbove

“Humility is not pretending you don't have anything to offer. Humility is not reluctance to function with the gift that God gave you. James one seventeen says, every good and perfect gift comes from is from above, coming down from the father of life who does not change like shifting shadows. This so every the way you're wired, the way you think through things, the way you see things and analyze things, the abilities you have, the youth that you have, the wisdom of the of the older than youth. Right? That's a nice way to say it.”

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People in The Bible, You Might Not Know

Devotional

Day 1: The Hand That Held the Pen

Day 2: Sober Judgment in the Mirror

Day 3: The Body’s Silent Symphony

Day 4: Called to Your Corner

Day 5: Burying No More

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

People in The Bible, You Might Not Know

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