May 5, 2025 • 17 mins
This sermon challenges the myth that ministry is only for pastors or spiritual “pros” and reminds every follower of Jesus they are called to serve. Drawing from Matthew 20 and Matthew 25 shows how Jesus’ most powerful moments often came from interruptions. It encourages us to trade perfectionism for availability, reminding us that God uses flawed people to do faithful things. With humor, biblical examples, and real-life application, the message invites believers to stop, be present, and step into a life of serving others—not someday, but now. Ministry isn’t about having the right resume, but showing up.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Were you ready for this? Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
You are?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
You are a minister. Get your arms around that. Now,
don't panic. I'm not saying that you have to come
up here and preach a sermon.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
You don't have to wear a robe, you don't have
to go and pastor a church. But if you are
a follower of Jesus and you claim that, then congratulations,
because you are in ministry.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It's no joke.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And you didn't even have to go to seminary. You
don't have to grow a beard like Moses.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Here's how I define ministry.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
See if you can buy into that, ministry is using
how God made you, not someone else, but how God
made you.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
To help someone else in His name.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
That's ministry, simply put, using how God made you and
your abilities, your gifts, your personality, your chemistry to help
someone else. And then the midst of that helping and
(01:48):
caring and being present, God is able to be glorified.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So we're all ministers.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
The question is what's your ministry?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
What is it?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What is it that when you do it, you realize
you've said yes to that right call. Now, a lot
of us we have this idea that ministry must be
reserved for people with titles or advanced degrees or microphones.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
But guess what.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
God does not check linked in for your qualifications to.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Be a servant. What He is looking at is the heart,
the heart to serve.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Whether you're organizing a fellowship of in or greeting someone
at church, or sending an encouraging note, or mowing the
grass or pole of this know, whatever that is is
ministry when it directs one to Christ and at this church,
(03:08):
at this church, we've got all kinds of ways of
being in ministry. There's teams where everyday people If you
look at all the teams we have every day, people
are making a real impact.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And I don't think we all realize the kinds of.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Impact collectively that's done by the number of teams we
have and persons who are serving, because it's not really
about being impressive.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It's about being available and showing up.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And that's kind of what I'd like to talk about.
In the context of our receiving Holy Communion this morning,
I would think and hope this will be a day
in which God is God may be knocking on your
heart saying now is the time.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
This is a.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Significant pivotal moment in the life of my church and
what I'm doing there on capital Drive. And I've got
a great ministry for you, serving others just like Jesus,
(04:28):
and I would submit that it begins by punting what
we call our.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Busyness on pause and stop and be available.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Okay, I think as part of our challenge today in
the local church, because one of the most underrated things
that Jesus ever did, I say it's what was underrated,
was that Jesus would stop.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
He's traveling, he's going somewhere.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
He has an endeavor, he has a plan, a strategy,
but he would allow himself to stop. What are those
stops we learned this morning In the twentieth chapter of Matthew,
Jesus was obviously on his way somewhere.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
That was important as usual.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And as the story goes, there's two blind guys and
they're yelling at him. They're yelling at him from the
side of the road. An they're just saying, she's a
busy guy, leave them alone. I love the dialogue here,
leave him alone, shsh, But they ask for help even louder,
(05:51):
this scream.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Come here, Jesus, come here.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And notice Jesus didn't say, guys let's book an appointment.
I have have Peter here's over here and he's handling
my my my calendar, and we'll work it.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Or will you'll send a driver come to my office?
I think it says so the King of Kings in.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
The Lord of Lord stopped, stopped, and then he asked,
very directly, he said, what would you like for me
to do for you?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Very what would you like? What's happening? What can I
do for you? Now? That moment.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Was not in Jesus' agenda, It wasn't on his to
do list.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
It was a life interruption. And here's a twist.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Most of Jesus's miracles.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Happened in an interruption.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Happened in an interruption, and that's so counterintuitive to.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
How we live our scheduled lives. Think about it.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
The healing of the blind always took place in an interruption.
There wasn't a sign that said, we're gonna have a
healing service today, so all your blind people show up.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The feeding of the five thousand was it an interruption?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
They did say, let's go to the grocery store and
plan for this big feast we got. They were interrupted,
and it called for a miraculous thing to happen to
feed them. The very first miracle that Jesus performed, the
turning of the water into wine at the Merria Trees
of Canaan Galilee.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It came to Jesus's attention as an interruption. I love it, it,
says mom. Remember, she says, son, they have no wine
about that. What are you going to do about it? Son?
I love that story.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
An interruption. It wasn't planned. Now, yes, we plan for
a minutes. We plan for things we do. God honors
plan because it allows more time, I think for the
Holy Spirit to work.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
So I'm not anti I mean not against planning.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I'm just saying, realize that in the example of Jesus,
he was sue attuned to the opportunities that presented himself.
He realized that was the golden moment. So here is
the challenge. The challenge, and that is, if you want
to follow Jesus, don't just follow his steps.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I know we're going on to retreat. To follow Jesus's steps, okay,
but follow his stops. Also follow how he may be
stopping you to.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Pay attention to something that you can make a difference
by saying yes, as we learn to that great song
that Carmen and the band saying, send me.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Look around. What is.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Interrupting your life right now? Something's annoying you.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I've got a list.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
That I think, Oh my goodness, say, God must have
something for me to pay attention to some things that
I want to ignore.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
What's interrupting your life right now? That might be your
biggest opportunity to serve. Continue. In the Gospel of Matthew,
Jesus said, something has really wild.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Move on five chapters to Matthew twenty five. Yeah, and
this this this the benefit of serving. We hear it
in the words of Jesus where he said, whatever you
do to the least of these, you.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Have done it to me. You you want to show
Jesus how much you love him.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
It's what you do for another person. Yeah, we show
me a lot, like commit to church and praying. Yeah,
but jesuis, hey, you're doing it to me. When you
help someone in need, you're doing it for me. So
when when when you help someone move, you listen to them,
you take time, you bring them a meal, or sometimes
you just listen.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
You're not just being a good guy or being a
good gal. You're doing it for Jesus.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
That matters, and I think that's huge. Now for the
elephant in our room, the elephant that I believe that
we have when we start talking about volunteering and serving
and getting involved in a team in the ministry, the
volet the elephant in the room is this, and that
is I'm not good enough to serve. I don't have
(11:14):
what it takes. I don't have the time. That's the elephant.
And I know it's sometimes that might be an excuse.
But if we think I'm not good enough to serve,
I just say welcome to the club.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Welcome. I'd like to name drop a few people who
God used to serve. Moses.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
The Bible is very clear he had an issue with stuttering.
He said, who am I? I can't speak? I said,
I can't. I can't do this.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
David get into his life, okay. He had a.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Family that wouldn't quit, and he had a really messy
relationship history Peter. He was a hot headed fisherman, and
I wonder what his language was like.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
There's Martha. Who's Martha old? Sorry Martha and Mary.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Martha was a chronic overthinker, worried about this, worried about that,
and you can worry so much you never get anything
done because you're trying to weigh the risk. Paul the Apostle, Paul,
poor guy had bad health. He had you know, he
talks about this thorn in the flesh. He had bad health.
(12:46):
God didn't wait for any of them to get it together.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
He used them.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Anyway, and he wants to use us. He wants to
use a in his service.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
So our greatest ability.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Isn't that we're good enough to serve, but our greatest
ability is always our failability.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Send me, send me, send me.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Well, here's something that might surprise you just a little bit.
You don't need to be super talented to make a difference.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
You don't need to be super talented. You just need
to be willing, willing.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Willing to allow God to do something in and through
you that will take you to a place you never
could imagine, but a wonderful place.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
You just need to be willing.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
There's something beautiful about showing up and saying, Lord, here,
I am here of a need, here of an opportunity thing,
I'm there.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
I have to say this.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Put together a little list of the nine guys that's
on the property management committee, and.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Everyone who was asked said yes, that's amazing. None of
them said no. That says something about I think the
temperament of our congregation.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
There's something beautiful about just showing up and saying, God,
use me. You don't need to be the next apostle Paul, okay.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Just be the next you. Okay, be you.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Available, open even you say God, are you serious about this?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And ready?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Now there's real ways to get involved in this church.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
We've talked about them earlier.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
For members, for participating friends, you want to follow Jesus serve,
get involved, and I want to encourage you as you
enter in these next two weeks.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Don't be in a rush.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You might want to pick up a nomination form something,
the team you may want to be on, pick up
one of those my Serving Interest forms. It's got a
seventy sub opportunities.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Keep that in your Bible.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
When you have your quiet time with God, say the
Lord word, do you want me to go?
Speaker 1 (15:59):
What do you want me to do? And we're going
to spend.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Two weeks just talking about that, praying about that as
we equip ourselves for the next thing that God is
going to do in this place. I'm excited about it,
and I know that God is too. So will you
(16:23):
join me as we adventure together and consider what's.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Next in our faith?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Let us pray Jesus, we thank you for showing us
how to live with open hands and an open heart.
We confess that we've lent busyness and sometimes insecurity get
in the way. So help us to see the opportunities
(16:55):
hidden in interruptions. Useus not because we're perfect, but because
we are available.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
We want to serve you by serving others, and one
day we hope to hear
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Well done, good and faithful servant ah Man
Were you ready for this? Are you ready?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
You are?
Speaker 1 (00:08):
You are a minister. Get your arms around that. Now,
don't panic. I'm not saying that you have to come
up here and preach a sermon.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
You don't have to wear a robe, you don't have
to go and pastor a church. But if you are
a follower of Jesus and you claim that, then congratulations,
because you are in ministry.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
It's no joke.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And you didn't even have to go to seminary. You
don't have to grow a beard like Moses.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Here's how I define ministry.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
See if you can buy into that, ministry is using
how God made you, not someone else, but how God
made you.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
To help someone else in His name.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
That's ministry, simply put, using how God made you and
your abilities, your gifts, your personality, your chemistry to help
someone else. And then the midst of that helping and
(01:48):
caring and being present, God is able to be glorified.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
So we're all ministers.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
The question is what's your ministry?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
What is it?
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What is it that when you do it, you realize
you've said yes to that right call. Now, a lot
of us we have this idea that ministry must be
reserved for people with titles or advanced degrees or microphones.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
But guess what.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
God does not check linked in for your qualifications to.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Be a servant. What He is looking at is the heart,
the heart to serve.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Whether you're organizing a fellowship of in or greeting someone
at church, or sending an encouraging note, or mowing the
grass or pole of this know, whatever that is is
ministry when it directs one to Christ and at this church,
(03:08):
at this church, we've got all kinds of ways of
being in ministry. There's teams where everyday people If you
look at all the teams we have every day, people
are making a real impact.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And I don't think we all realize the kinds of.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Impact collectively that's done by the number of teams we
have and persons who are serving, because it's not really
about being impressive.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
It's about being available and showing up.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
And that's kind of what I'd like to talk about.
In the context of our receiving Holy Communion this morning,
I would think and hope this will be a day
in which God is God may be knocking on your
heart saying now is the time.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
This is a.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Significant pivotal moment in the life of my church and
what I'm doing there on capital Drive. And I've got
a great ministry for you, serving others just like Jesus,
(04:28):
and I would submit that it begins by punting what
we call our.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Busyness on pause and stop and be available.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Okay, I think as part of our challenge today in
the local church, because one of the most underrated things
that Jesus ever did, I say it's what was underrated,
was that Jesus would stop.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
He's traveling, he's going somewhere.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
He has an endeavor, he has a plan, a strategy,
but he would allow himself to stop. What are those
stops we learned this morning In the twentieth chapter of Matthew,
Jesus was obviously on his way somewhere.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
That was important as usual.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And as the story goes, there's two blind guys and
they're yelling at him. They're yelling at him from the
side of the road. An they're just saying, she's a
busy guy, leave them alone. I love the dialogue here,
leave him alone, shsh, But they ask for help even louder,
(05:51):
this scream.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Come here, Jesus, come here.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And notice Jesus didn't say, guys let's book an appointment.
I have have Peter here's over here and he's handling
my my my calendar, and we'll work it.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Or will you'll send a driver come to my office?
I think it says so the King of Kings in.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
The Lord of Lord stopped, stopped, and then he asked,
very directly, he said, what would you like for me
to do for you?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Very what would you like? What's happening? What can I
do for you? Now? That moment.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Was not in Jesus' agenda, It wasn't on his to
do list.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
It was a life interruption. And here's a twist.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Most of Jesus's miracles.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Happened in an interruption.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Happened in an interruption, and that's so counterintuitive to.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
How we live our scheduled lives. Think about it.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
The healing of the blind always took place in an interruption.
There wasn't a sign that said, we're gonna have a
healing service today, so all your blind people show up.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The feeding of the five thousand was it an interruption?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
They did say, let's go to the grocery store and
plan for this big feast we got. They were interrupted,
and it called for a miraculous thing to happen to
feed them. The very first miracle that Jesus performed, the
turning of the water into wine at the Merria Trees
of Canaan Galilee.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It came to Jesus's attention as an interruption. I love it, it,
says mom. Remember, she says, son, they have no wine
about that. What are you going to do about it? Son?
I love that story.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
An interruption. It wasn't planned. Now, yes, we plan for
a minutes. We plan for things we do. God honors
plan because it allows more time, I think for the
Holy Spirit to work.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
So I'm not anti I mean not against planning.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
I'm just saying, realize that in the example of Jesus,
he was sue attuned to the opportunities that presented himself.
He realized that was the golden moment. So here is
the challenge. The challenge, and that is, if you want
to follow Jesus, don't just follow his steps.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
I know we're going on to retreat. To follow Jesus's steps, okay,
but follow his stops. Also follow how he may be
stopping you to.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Pay attention to something that you can make a difference
by saying yes, as we learn to that great song
that Carmen and the band saying, send me.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Look around. What is.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Interrupting your life right now? Something's annoying you.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
I've got a list.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
That I think, Oh my goodness, say, God must have
something for me to pay attention to some things that
I want to ignore.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
What's interrupting your life right now? That might be your
biggest opportunity to serve. Continue. In the Gospel of Matthew,
Jesus said, something has really wild.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Move on five chapters to Matthew twenty five. Yeah, and
this this this the benefit of serving. We hear it
in the words of Jesus where he said, whatever you
do to the least of these, you.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Have done it to me. You you want to show
Jesus how much you love him.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
It's what you do for another person. Yeah, we show
me a lot, like commit to church and praying. Yeah,
but jesuis, hey, you're doing it to me. When you
help someone in need, you're doing it for me. So
when when when you help someone move, you listen to them,
you take time, you bring them a meal, or sometimes
you just listen.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
You're not just being a good guy or being a
good gal. You're doing it for Jesus.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
That matters, and I think that's huge. Now for the
elephant in our room, the elephant that I believe that
we have when we start talking about volunteering and serving
and getting involved in a team in the ministry, the
volet the elephant in the room is this, and that
is I'm not good enough to serve. I don't have
(11:14):
what it takes. I don't have the time. That's the elephant.
And I know it's sometimes that might be an excuse.
But if we think I'm not good enough to serve,
I just say welcome to the club.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Welcome. I'd like to name drop a few people who
God used to serve. Moses.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
The Bible is very clear he had an issue with stuttering.
He said, who am I? I can't speak? I said,
I can't. I can't do this.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
David get into his life, okay. He had a.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Family that wouldn't quit, and he had a really messy
relationship history Peter. He was a hot headed fisherman, and
I wonder what his language was like.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
There's Martha. Who's Martha old? Sorry Martha and Mary.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Martha was a chronic overthinker, worried about this, worried about that,
and you can worry so much you never get anything
done because you're trying to weigh the risk. Paul the Apostle, Paul,
poor guy had bad health. He had you know, he
talks about this thorn in the flesh. He had bad health.
(12:46):
God didn't wait for any of them to get it together.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
He used them.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Anyway, and he wants to use us. He wants to
use a in his service.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
So our greatest ability.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Isn't that we're good enough to serve, but our greatest
ability is always our failability.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Send me, send me, send me.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Well, here's something that might surprise you just a little bit.
You don't need to be super talented to make a difference.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
You don't need to be super talented. You just need
to be willing, willing.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Willing to allow God to do something in and through
you that will take you to a place you never
could imagine, but a wonderful place.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
You just need to be willing.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
There's something beautiful about showing up and saying, Lord, here,
I am here of a need, here of an opportunity thing,
I'm there.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
I have to say this.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Put together a little list of the nine guys that's
on the property management committee, and.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Everyone who was asked said yes, that's amazing. None of
them said no. That says something about I think the
temperament of our congregation.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
There's something beautiful about just showing up and saying, God,
use me. You don't need to be the next apostle Paul, okay.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
Just be the next you. Okay, be you.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Available, open even you say God, are you serious about this?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
And ready?
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Now there's real ways to get involved in this church.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
We've talked about them earlier.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
For members, for participating friends, you want to follow Jesus serve,
get involved, and I want to encourage you as you
enter in these next two weeks.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Don't be in a rush.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You might want to pick up a nomination form something,
the team you may want to be on, pick up
one of those my Serving Interest forms. It's got a
seventy sub opportunities.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Keep that in your Bible.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
When you have your quiet time with God, say the
Lord word, do you want me to go?
Speaker 1 (15:59):
What do you want me to do? And we're going
to spend.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Two weeks just talking about that, praying about that as
we equip ourselves for the next thing that God is
going to do in this place. I'm excited about it,
and I know that God is too. So will you
(16:23):
join me as we adventure together and consider what's.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Next in our faith?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Let us pray Jesus, we thank you for showing us
how to live with open hands and an open heart.
We confess that we've lent busyness and sometimes insecurity get
in the way. So help us to see the opportunities
(16:55):
hidden in interruptions. Useus not because we're perfect, but because
we are available.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
We want to serve you by serving others, and one
day we hope to hear
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Well done, good and faithful servant ah Man
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.