What We Do Matters: Living as Witnesses for Jesus

The mission of Jesus Christ gives the church a reason to exist beyond filling a room. How believers live, serve, and do church matters because people face eternity with Jesus or eternity without him. Local churches are not called to compete, but to complete the mission together. God has created believers anew in Christ for a purpose, and their gifts belong in the work of his church.

The Bible is “God’s voice in print,” the final authority for faith, practice, and morality. Culture and feelings cannot take its place. Biblical truth calls for more than hearing; it calls for doing. Church growth gives reason to thank God, not brag about human ability. Unity, surrender, and faithfulness protect the work God is doing through his people.

Unbelief and expectant faith lead in different directions. Matthew 13 shows Jesus doing few mighty works where people would not believe, while Ephesians 3 points to the God who can do exceedingly abundantly beyond anything believers ask or think. His power, not human ability, makes the difference. Daily surrender makes room for his will, his way, and his kingdom.

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to be witnesses, not people who have every answer. The healed man in John 9 could tell what had happened: he had been blind, and now he could see. Jesus’ ministry also shows that both truth and its delivery matter. Timing matters. Tone matters. Joy and enthusiasm should fit the good news being proclaimed.

Hurting guests may be somebody’s long-standing prayer request walking through the doors. Making room, giving cheerfully, serving on healthy teams, and launching another campus serve that gospel purpose. Jesus alone rescues sinners through his death and resurrection. A religious resume cannot replace knowing him. Salvation calls for a response of faith, repentance, and receiving Christ. Life is short, eternity is long, and the stakes are too high to play games.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God Gives Gifts For Shared Mission. God saves people and gives them a place in the body of Christ. Different gifts form a beautiful mosaic, including lives with painful stories and broken pasts. The church’s strength is not a reason for pride, but a reason to protect unity and keep surrendering to God’s purposes. [40:02]
• 2. Faith Depends On God’s Power. Ephesians 3 directs attention away from human ability and toward the God who can do more than believers ask or think. That promise does not make asking, thinking, or exercising faith unnecessary. Daily surrender means wrestling against the world, the flesh, and the devil so that personal plans do not crowd out God’s will. [46:16]
• 3. A Witness Can Admit Limited Knowledge. The man healed in John 9 did not have every answer about the one who healed him. He could still testify plainly that he had been blind and now could see. Believers do not need complete answers before speaking about Christ; honest testimony tells what God has actually done. [49:18]
• 4. Truth Deserves Care In Its Delivery. Jesus’ words in John 12 connect what he said with how he said it. Correct words can still be delivered in the wrong way, so timing and tone matter when sharing good news. Joy, clarity, and genuine engagement help people hear truth without removing its challenge. [55:40]
• 5. Making Room Serves An Eternal Purpose. A guest looking for a seat may be someone a family has prayed for over decades. Changing service times, filling serving roles, or helping launch a campus can make room for that person to hear about Jesus. Such decisions become spiritually significant when comfort gives way to concern for people who need hope and salvation. [1:02:22]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:18] - God’s Love and Receptive Hearts
• [33:35] - Completing the Mission Together
• [35:44] - New Identity and God-Given Purpose
• [37:51] - The Bible as Final Authority
• [39:15] - Protecting Unity and Celebrating God’s Work
• [44:55] - Unbelief or Expectant Faith
• [48:17] - Empowered to Be Witnesses
• [51:00] - Following Jesus’ Model of Ministry
• [55:40] - Why Timing and Tone Matter
• [57:30] - Somebody’s Prayer Request Is Coming
• [1:00:10] - Making Room Through Giving and Serving
• [1:03:33] - Jesus Alone Rescues Sinners
• [1:09:51] - Responding to Christ in Faith
• [1:11:39] - Continued Trust and Enlarged Faith

1. In Acts 1:8, how are the source of believers’ power and the purpose of that power connected? [48:26]
2. What contrast does Ephesians 3:20 draw between human plans and God’s ability, and what activities are believers still encouraged to continue? [46:56]
3. In John 9:25, what does the healed man admit he does not know, and what experience gives him confidence to speak? [49:46]
4. What practical changes were identified to make room for guests, and how do those changes support the church’s calling to witness in Acts 1:8? [01:02:11]

1. How does the healed man’s response in John 9:25 help explain the difference between being a witness and having every answer? Why might that distinction matter for a believer who is afraid of difficult questions? [49:10]
2. Why does confidence in God’s power in Ephesians 3:20 encourage prayer and thoughtful planning rather than make them unnecessary? [47:15]
3. How does daily surrender help believers depend on God’s power rather than simply ask him to support their own plans? [47:39]
4. If the Holy Spirit empowers believers to point people toward Jesus, why do timing and tone still matter? What is the difference between communicating truth with care and changing truth to avoid discomfort? [56:04]

1. Where are you finding it difficult to surrender your plans to God right now? What might one small step toward his will, rather than your own preference, look like this week? [47:39]
2. What situation have you stopped praying about because you cannot see how anything could change? How might trusting God’s power reshape your prayers without assuming he must answer in a particular way? [46:56]
3. If someone asked what Jesus has done in your life, what could you honestly share? Try putting that experience into a few simple sentences, including anything you are still learning or wrestling with. [49:10]
4. Think of someone with whom you would like to talk about Jesus. How could you show genuine interest, listen well, and choose a helpful time and tone for that conversation? [56:11]
5. A guest at church may be someone another person has prayed for over many years. What could you do to help that guest feel welcomed and make room for them—through serving, giving, changing a routine, or another practical step? [57:39]
6. Where have comparison, criticism, or personal preferences made it harder for you to celebrate what God is doing through other believers or churches? What would protecting unity and supporting the shared mission look like in that situation? [34:34]