The Unexpected Christian by Pastor Tim Coman at Pleasant Grove Church, Sun, June 14, 2026.

Devotional

Day 1: The Plane Conversation That Changed Nothing (and Everything)

A tired traveler closes his eyes, willing the flight to end. Two missionaries sit down. No arguments about doctrine, no theological chess match. Just stories exchanged about calling and sacrifice. The kingdom advances through unforced moments where we choose curiosity over conquest. Eternal impact hides in the mundane when we trade agendas for availability. [24:15]

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
(1 Corinthians 3:6, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you assumed “ministry” requires a debate or sermon? What overlooked interaction this week could become holy ground if you simply listen first?

Day 2: The Blessing Box No One Films

A cardboard box stocked with soup cans becomes an altar. No cameras, no hashtags—just neighbors feeding neighbors. Jesus insists the kingdom belongs to those who give quietly, who see need as sacred invitation rather than social media content. The world expects performative charity; God honors secret sustenance. [34:54]

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
(Matthew 25:35, ESV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to help because the act felt “too small”? What anonymous kindness could you offer today that only God would witness?

Day 3: Five Loaves, Two Fish, and a Boy Who Brought Lunch

A child’s meager meal—barely enough for one—becomes a feast for thousands. No strategic planning, no resource committees. Just a boy who handed over his lunch without knowing how God would multiply it. Miracles begin when we surrender our “not enough” instead of waiting for someone else’s abundance. [38:21]

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’”
(John 6:9-11, ESV)

Reflection: What practical resource (time, skill, possession) have you dismissed as insignificant? Who might be fed if you offered it today?

Day 4: Rahab’s House on the Wall

A woman with a checkered past hides spies in her Jericho home. No moral resume, no theological training—just a house on the wall and willingness to risk. God rewrites stories through flawed people who use what they have, where they are. Your past doesn’t disqualify you; your availability does. [41:43]

“Joshua son of Nun sent two spies from Shittim. ‘Go, look over the land—especially Jericho.’ So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.”
(Joshua 2:1, ESV)

Reflection: What “flawed” part of your story might God redeem to shelter someone else’s faith?

Day 5: The Text That Saved a Monday Morning

A teenager sends four words to a struggling pastor: “I just want to encourage you.” No fanfare, no follow-up. A seed planted in 2011 still bears fruit today. We overestimate grand gestures and underestimate the eternal weight of a single sentence. Your obedience today may echo in someone’s eternity. [41:18]

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
(James 2:14-17, ESV)

Reflection: Who’s been on your mind repeatedly this week? What simple act of encouragement have you talked yourself out of doing?

Sermon Summary

The unexpected Christian is the person who just does because God asked them to step into a place they weren’t expecting. A plane conversation with two Mormon missionaries becomes the picture: the unexpected Christian chooses presence over a point to prove. Jesus sets the pattern. Before he preached, he had a conversation. Before he corrected, he listened. Before he challenged, he connected. The call is not to win an argument but to plant a seed, or water one, without needing to own the outcome.

Matthew 25 speaks as the compass. The King blesses those who fed, clothed, visited, and welcomed, and the righteous are surprised by it. They were not angling for recognition or filming a good deed. They were simply available. “When did we see you?” becomes the signature line of ordinary obedience that did not know it was meeting Christ in the person in front of them. 1 Corinthians 3:6 sets expectation and peace for the soul that wants to see results: one plants, another waters, but God makes it grow. The work is real even when the harvest is hidden.

Availability becomes the posture. The unexpected Christian is not chasing a spotlight, a platform, or a post. The unexpected Christian is the person who notices what others miss, then quietly acts. That could be a smile at Casey’s, patience in the checkout line, a nurse who stays a little longer, a teacher who encourages while worn thin, a neighbor who checks on the one who disappeared from church, a church that welcomes mothers with rocking chairs. James says faith without works is dead, so love moves feet.

Scripture’s gallery testifies that God multiplies ordinary obedience: a boy with a lunch, Rahab’s house on a wall, a servant girl with one sentence for Naaman, a cupbearer who finally remembers, Ananias laying hands on a former enemy, a donkey owner with a borrowed ride, a widow with two coins. None were famous. All were available. The question lands where people actually live: who has God already put in the path, would the opportunity be recognized this week, and what seed is God asking to plant or water today? The world is broken, yes. But God keeps using unexpected people in real moments with eternal impact.

Key Takeaways

1. Availability beats winning an argument Choosing to listen and connect often opens a door that debate slams shut. Jesus models conversation at tables and on roads before correction ever comes. Presence carries the aroma of Christ even when convictions differ. A quiet seed can outlast a loud scorecard. [25:47]
2. Small obedience builds real kingdom weight Matthew 25 names ordinary acts as encounters with the King himself. Those who served didn’t realize heaven was taking note, which is the point. Hidden faithfulness can be holier than filmed heroics. Love that does the next right thing is never wasted. [28:33]
3. Trust God with unseen outcomes Scripture frees believers from outcome anxiety by assigning growth to God. Planting and watering matter, but control of harvest does not rest on human hands. Eternity will tell stories that days on earth cannot. Patience is faith working in time. [29:28]
4. Learn to notice, then act Compassion begins with seeing what the world walks past. The struggling coworker, the lonely widow, the exhausted parent are often praying for help that looks like a person. Attention is love’s first move, and action is its proof. Kindness turns up where hurry turns away. [35:15]
5. God multiplies ordinary, not celebrity Scripture loves to spotlight the small and the overlooked, because God does. Loaves, walls, a sentence, a hand on a shoulder, a borrowed donkey, two coins—such things become holy in God’s hands. Availability beats ability when God writes the story. [38:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[20:55] - Kicking off with a question
[22:10] - Airport and airplane setup
[23:02] - Two missionaries take their seats
[24:15] - Choosing conversation over combat
[25:47] - How Jesus engaged people
[27:02] - Planting a seed, perhaps
[28:16] - Matthew 25 read aloud
[29:28] - Planting, watering, God gives growth
[31:26] - Maybe the unexpected person is you
[34:26] - When did we see you
[38:21] - God multiplies ordinary obedience
[39:23] - Trusting God with unseen results
[42:51] - Three diagnostic questions
[44:14] - Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV)
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.”

1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

James 2:14-17 (ESV)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 25:34-40, why were the righteous surprised when the King listed their acts of service?
What two roles does Paul highlight in 1 Corinthians 3:6, and what does this reveal about God’s part in spiritual growth?
According to the sermon, what everyday examples were given of “ordinary obedience” (e.g., a nurse staying late, a teacher encouraging students)? [37:16]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus ties acts like feeding the hungry or visiting the sick directly to serving Him in Matthew 25? How does this change how we view ordinary kindness?
The sermon emphasized that “availability beats ability” when God works through people. How do stories like the boy with loaves (John 6:9) or Rahab (Joshua 2) illustrate this principle?
James 2:14-17 warns against faith without action. How does this connect to the idea of being an “unexpected Christian” who quietly acts instead of seeking recognition? [34:54]

Application Questions

Who is one person in your daily routine (e.g., coworker, neighbor, cashier) you might be overlooking as someone God has placed in your path? What small step could you take to notice them this week?
Think of a recent moment where you felt prompted to act (e.g., help a stranger, send an encouraging text) but hesitated. What practical barrier held you back, and how could you overcome it next time? [41:18]
The sermon mentioned “planting seeds” through simple conversations rather than debates. Is there a relationship in your life where you need to prioritize listening over proving a point? How?
What ordinary act of obedience (e.g., a smile, paying for someone’s meal) could you intentionally practice this week without telling anyone about it?
When have you struggled to trust God with unseen outcomes (e.g., a kind word that seemed ignored)? How might 1 Corinthians 3:6 reshape your perspective? [39:23]

Sermon Clips

37s

#OrdinaryObedience

“See, God specializes in multiplying ordinary obedience. Think about that. God specializes in using you. You don't have to have a degree. You don't have to have special gifts. You just have to be available. The unexpected Christian trusts God with the results. First Corinthians three six reminds us, I planted the seed, Apollo watered it, but God has been making it grow. One of the greatest mistakes Christians believe is that they have to see the end result. I may never see the end result,”

37s

#ServeWhenNoOneSees

“The man, again, who stops to help you change your tire,nobody posts about him. Nobody ever writes a news article. Yet for someone standing on the side of the road, he or she becomes the answer to their prayer at that moment. You might be the answer to someone's prayer. The unexpected Christian acts when others walk away. James two says this, just as good wishes for the poor are useless without action, faith in God is useless without corresponding works of love and compassion.”

53s

#NoticeWhosInYourPath

“The person who quietly becomes the answer to someone else's prayer,Ordinary people who live in real moments with eternal impact. So the three questions today are this,who has God intentionally placed in my path that I may be overlooking? If God gave me an opportunity to make a difference this week, would I recognize it? What seed might God be asking me to plant or even maybe water today? In your life and in mine, who needs grace? Who needs the invitation? Who needs a church that can just love on them when they're broken and bruised? May we be the unexpected Christian.”

41s

#FaithIsAction

“We're expected to step out of our comfort zone. See, faith is more than believing, it's doing. And, you know, the unexpected Christian doesn't have a grand plan. I'll be honest with you. They just don't. They're just used by God. They simply respond when God provides an opportunity. The woman who pays quietly for lunch because someone forgot their wallet. They just live out compassion. To the office worker who takes another look at something because something something on a bill doesn't look right and they stay in review when they would just rather go home.”

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The Unexpected Christian by Pastor Tim Coman at Pleasant Grove Church, Sun, June 14, 2026.

Devotional

Day 1: The Plane Conversation That Changed Nothing (and Everything)

Day 2: The Blessing Box No One Films

Day 3: Five Loaves, Two Fish, and a Boy Who Brought Lunch

Day 4: Rahab’s House on the Wall

Day 5: The Text That Saved a Monday Morning

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

The Unexpected Christian by Pastor Tim Coman at Pleasant Grove Church, Sun, June 14, 2026.

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