Seeing, Noticing, and Serving: A Kingdom Call
Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's a joy to be with you today at Chatham Community Church. As we conclude our series on "Change Your World," I want to invite you to consider the simple yet profound principle of seeing the people, noticing the need, and doing what you can. This principle is rooted in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus speaks to His disciples about the kingdom of God and the kind of community we are called to be. Jesus paints a picture of a kingdom where the least of these are seen, loved, and cared for. This is not just a future hope but a present calling for us to embody.
In our world, it's easy to overlook those who are marginalized or in need. Yet, Jesus identifies with the least of these, reminding us that our actions towards them are actions towards Him. This passage challenges us to move beyond fear of judgment and into a life of intentional love and service. It's not about grand gestures but about simple, faithful actions that reflect the heart of God. We are called to be a community that sees the image of God in everyone, especially those society tends to ignore.
As we reflect on this, I encourage you to consider how you can be part of this transformative work. Whether it's serving in our parking team or joining Chatham Kids, there are countless ways to make a difference. Remember, it's not about solving every problem but doing what you can with what you have. As we take communion today, let's pray for eyes to see as God sees and for the courage to do our part in meeting the needs around us.
Key Takeaways:
1. See the People: We are called to see the image of God in everyone, especially those society tends to overlook. This requires us to move beyond our biases and assumptions and to recognize the intrinsic value and dignity in every person. By doing so, we align ourselves with the heart of God, who sees and loves the least of these. [12:27]
2. Notice the Need: It's not enough to see people; we must also notice their needs. This involves being attentive and compassionate, allowing ourselves to be moved by the situations of others. When we notice the needs around us, we are invited to respond with the love and resources God has given us. [15:00]
3. Do What You Can: We are not called to solve every problem but to do what we can with what we have. This means taking small, faithful actions that contribute to the well-being of others. By doing our part, we participate in God's work of restoration and transformation in the world. [19:11]
4. Align Your Life with Your Belief: Our actions should reflect our faith in Jesus. It's not just about saying we believe but living in a way that demonstrates our commitment to His kingdom values. This alignment is what sets apart those who truly follow Jesus from those who merely profess faith. [22:06]
5. Embrace the Kingdom Vision: Jesus invites us to be part of a community that reflects the kingdom of God, where everyone is seen, loved, and cared for. This vision calls us to live out our faith in tangible ways, bringing hope and healing to those around us. [25:21]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction and Greetings
- [02:30] - Serving Opportunities at Chatham
- [05:15] - The Principle: See, Notice, Do
- [07:50] - The Gospel of Matthew Context
- [10:30] - The Least of These
- [12:27] - Jesus Identifies with the Least
- [15:00] - The Impact of Being Seen
- [17:45] - The Comfort in Judgment
- [19:11] - Accountability and Consequences
- [22:06] - Invitation to Believe
- [25:21] - Aligning Life with Belief
- [27:19] - Loving the Least Like the King
- [31:09] - Communion Invitation
- [34:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 25:31-46
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Observation Questions:
1. In the sermon, what principle does the pastor emphasize as a way to change our world? How is this principle rooted in the Gospel of Matthew? [10:30]
2. What are some of the specific needs of "the least of these" mentioned in the sermon, and how does Jesus identify with them? [12:27]
3. How does the pastor describe the impact of being seen, known, and loved, using the example from the show "Ted Lasso"? [15:00]
4. What does the pastor say about the consequences for those who consistently ignore the needs of "the least of these"? [19:11]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the principle of "See the People, Notice the Need, Do What You Can" align with the kingdom values Jesus describes in Matthew 25? [25:21]
2. What does the pastor suggest is the difference between those who truly follow Jesus and those who merely profess faith? How does this relate to the actions towards "the least of these"? [22:06]
3. How does the pastor interpret the role of judgment in the passage from Matthew 25, and what comfort does he find in it for "the least of these"? [19:11]
4. In what ways does the pastor suggest that our actions should reflect our faith in Jesus, particularly in relation to serving others? [25:21]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unseen or overlooked. How did it affect you, and how can this experience help you empathize with "the least of these"? [15:00]
2. The pastor encourages us to see the image of God in everyone. What biases or assumptions might you need to confront in order to do this more effectively? [27:19]
3. Consider the needs in your community or church. What is one small, faithful action you can take this week to meet a need you have noticed? [31:09]
4. The sermon emphasizes aligning our lives with our beliefs. What is one area of your life where your actions might not fully reflect your faith, and how can you address this? [25:21]
5. The pastor invites us to pray for eyes to see as God sees. What specific prayer can you incorporate into your daily routine to help you become more aware of the needs around you? [31:09]
6. How can you participate in a ministry or service opportunity at your church, like the parking team or Chatham Kids, to make a tangible difference in your community? [05:15]
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about "always go to the funeral." What simple act of kindness can you commit to this week that might make a significant impact on someone else's life? [05:15]
Devotional
Day 1: Seeing the Image of God in Everyone
We are called to see the image of God in everyone, especially those society tends to overlook. This requires us to move beyond our biases and assumptions and to recognize the intrinsic value and dignity in every person. By doing so, we align ourselves with the heart of God, who sees and loves the least of these. Jesus' teachings remind us that our actions towards the marginalized are actions towards Him. This perspective challenges us to live with intentional love and service, not through grand gestures but through simple, faithful actions that reflect God's heart. [12:27]
Genesis 1:27 (ESV): "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
Reflection: Who in your life have you overlooked or dismissed? How can you intentionally see and honor the image of God in them today?
Day 2: Noticing the Needs Around Us
It's not enough to see people; we must also notice their needs. This involves being attentive and compassionate, allowing ourselves to be moved by the situations of others. When we notice the needs around us, we are invited to respond with the love and resources God has given us. This call to action is not about solving every problem but about being present and responsive to the needs we encounter. By doing so, we participate in God's work of restoration and transformation in the world. [15:00]
Proverbs 31:8-9 (ESV): "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Reflection: What is one need you have noticed in your community that you can address this week? How can you take a step to meet that need?
Day 3: Doing What You Can with What You Have
We are not called to solve every problem but to do what we can with what we have. This means taking small, faithful actions that contribute to the well-being of others. By doing our part, we participate in God's work of restoration and transformation in the world. It's about being faithful with the resources and opportunities God has given us, trusting that our small actions can have a significant impact. [19:11]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: What is one small action you can take today to serve someone in need? How can you use your unique gifts to make a difference?
Day 4: Aligning Actions with Beliefs
Our actions should reflect our faith in Jesus. It's not just about saying we believe but living in a way that demonstrates our commitment to His kingdom values. This alignment is what sets apart those who truly follow Jesus from those who merely profess faith. Living out our beliefs in tangible ways brings hope and healing to those around us and reflects the kingdom of God. [22:06]
James 2:17 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: In what area of your life do your actions not align with your beliefs? What steps can you take to bring them into alignment today?
Day 5: Embracing the Kingdom Vision
Jesus invites us to be part of a community that reflects the kingdom of God, where everyone is seen, loved, and cared for. This vision calls us to live out our faith in tangible ways, bringing hope and healing to those around us. Embracing this vision means actively participating in God's work and being a beacon of His love and grace in the world. [25:21]
Isaiah 58:10 (ESV): "If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday."
Reflection: How can you contribute to building a community that reflects the kingdom of God? What specific actions can you take to embody this vision in your daily life?
Quotes
"And we pray for change, don't we? We pray for change. We've talked about that at the start of the year, the types of prayers that we can pray that can affect change in our atmosphere, change in our world for good. But what if, what if there are instances where God wants to use us as part of how He answers those prayers for change that we are praying?" [00:05:17] (21 seconds)
"See the people. Notice the need. Do what you can. It's an invitation to attend to the people around us, especially those whose society is most prone to ignore, to pay attention to the ways that they need, the presence and help of others, and then to contribute what is ours to contribute, to do our part to meeting those needs." [00:07:50] (24 seconds)
"Passages like this may cause some of us to shy away from relating to this God or engaging with this God, or it may send some of us into analysis mode, an analysis mode that is driven out of fear that we might not become the kinds of people that are headed to the goat section. And so we spend our whole lives just seeing how can I avoid being in the goat section when the kingdom comes." [00:10:17] (26 seconds)
"Let's approach this passage from the perspective of the least of these. The passage illustrates who the least of these are by naming a few situations that they may have found themselves in, in the world of the first century. They would have been common to Jesus's first century audience. He names them as people who are hungry, people who are thirsty, people who are strangers, which means they are foreigners, people who are in a place that is not their home." [00:11:16] (27 seconds)
"Jesus, who is the King, the Lord, and the Son of Man in this passage, identifies with the least of these. He sees them. He knows them. He loves them. And friends, in every human being, there is a longing for those kinds of things. There is a longing to be seen. There is a longing to be known. There is a longing to be loved. And when we experience those things, it makes a world of difference. It changes our lives." [00:12:27] (35 seconds)
"But here's what you see when you look at how Jesus talks about or approaches the least of these. What you see is that God sees, loves, is present with, speaks for, and acts on behalf of the least of these. And friends, that is good news. That is good news for the least of these. There is comfort in this passage. It is good news. There is promise in this passage that the least of these are not forgotten." [00:15:21] (31 seconds)
"There's an implicit promise in this passage that they will not be forgotten and that they will not be abandoned in their need. Put yourself in the situation in the situation of one who is in a least of these situations reading this passage. You see that there is an implicit promise that they will not be abandoned in their need because the king is saying that there will be people who will treat you like I treat you." [00:16:46] (24 seconds)
"One has aligned their life with the one that they've believed in. They've aligned their heart and their actions with the one that they've said that they believe in. And one doesn't. One says that they believe, but doesn't live like they do. They ended up living as if they didn't really know Him. Because how can you know the God who is for the least and not have your heart move towards the least?" [00:22:06] (28 seconds)
"There is an increasing tendency to blame, to malign, and to other. Some of the hungry, some of the poor, some of the immigrants, some of the imprisoned, some of the infirm. In fact, there are sort of machines that move us, that communicate to get us to those places, to tell us that it is right to be those kinds of people. But that is not the kingdom that God is inaugurating." [00:27:19] (28 seconds)
"See the people enough to notice what they need. And then, let the compassion of God move you to do your part. Let the compassion of God move you to do your part. Where there is need, do your part to meet it. Now, hear me. It's not about solving all the issues. It's not about taking on a project. People are not projects, folks. It's not about trying to meet every single need." [00:28:02] (30 seconds)
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