I'm Invaluable

Introduction

Introduce self

Dismiss children

Remember what series we are in?

If your in, say I’m in!

You are invited into a relationship with God and this family of believers.

Before we jump in though, I have a question for you.

Character-person not knowing value

Do you know your value?

now, there are two extreme ways to respond to this. Either with self depreciation/false humility or self importance

The self deprecating or false humility response in one where you hear that question and think “I don’t have any value. No one thinks I’m valuable.”

The Self important person thinks “Of course I know. And so does everyone else.”

Neither of which is biblical or healthy.

Problem-value unknown or derived from another source than Christ

The problem with both of us is that you are deriving your value from your own opinion of yourself or the opinion of others. So if you look in the miro one day and have a bad thought, then you are now less valuable. If someone looks at you and provides a negative view of somthing you have done or are doing, or just something about you then you are now less valuable.

The false humility side of things is when you know you are gifted or talented and then tell people “no I’m not that good. No, blah bla blah” Becuase for some reason we believe that it’s prideful to accept that we have skills and abilities that have given to us by God. Truthfully it’s better to acknowledge them as gifts from him than to deny He has given you anything and people see your talent thinking it’s jut you.

The biblical view of yyour value is that it comes from God. It is derived from who he says you are and who He has made you to be. And He has made you invaluable.

Agitated-When your value is derived from another person, then they control you mentally and emotionally. When your value is derived from yourself, you are in control....and that’s not a good thing.

When you are in a situation where you re living from an identity given to you from others or even yourself, then due to the nature of humanity, the expectations of how you live your life and even the purpose of your life can be confusing. You will find yourself doing things you know you shouldn’t and uncomfortable int he life you are living.

Think of it this way. If you derive your value from others and i decide who you are and I say you are a dog. Then because your value comes from my opinion, you will begin acting like a dog. But your not a dog are you?

OK, and then if you get to decide who you are and not God and you say your a dog, then you are going to begin acting like a dog. But that’s not who you are is it?

Now those are extreme examples but let’s make it a little more real. What if you look in the mirror one day and begin to say “I’m terrible. No one likes me. I’m depressed. I’m not worth anything.” That hit a little more close to home didn’t it?

Often times followers of Jesus don’t like to think about the power of positive thinking however it’s a biblical concept that Paul wrote about.

Phil 4:8 “8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Why would he write that? Why would God have that in His Word? Could it be because He knew how negative we could be?

Solution- Your value is found in who God says you are. When you know who god says you are you can become who God called you to be.

What are we to do? Society constantly telling us the lifestyles we should live and accept? Images all around us making us feel less valuable because we don’t look like, act like, or have the luxurious lifestyle that some have.

Negative self talk constantly bombarding your psyche because you aren’t seeing your own value?

The solution? Give your attention to the screens for this short clip from a popular christian film that gives us the solution...

Guide- With Jesus as your guide and other followers of Jesus as your help, you can take the value God has given you and use it for your good, His glory, and the advnacement of the kingdom of God.

She found who she is based on God’s Word, through her faith in Jesus, and learned she is a child of God.

When you put your faith in Jesus you have that same identity. Jesus is the one who comes to your aide to provide hope and confidence in who you are in Him. and your life is greatly impacted because of that faith.

Your journey of faith will look different than others but it is no less valuable. You are invaluable to God and you are invaluable to the family of God. But you won’t see your value unless your living it out.

Let me show you something.

I need 7 -8 young people, teens and kids. Come on up here.

1 person quarterback. 3 on defense

Quarterback is a hall of fame caliber quarterback. Let’s see what he can do.

two up front for O-line, 2 recievers

Now lets see how it goes.

Journey-Body of Christ

What was the difference? The quarterbacks value wasn’t seen when he tried to take the defense on his own. Sure it was there, and he knew it but it wasn’t effective. Why? He was trying to do it alone.

Just as the quarterbck, reciever, or any othe rplayer on the football has individual value, it’s not highlighted or effective without the other players on the team. Becuase eveery member of the team matters.

Your value in Jesus is there always. But if you are trying to live it out alone, you won’t see it as much as if you live it out how he intended you to. With the body of Christ. Because eveery meembeer of the body matters.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians

1 Cor 12:12-17 “12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?”

Every part of the body matters.

Look at the things paul compared and contrasted: foot and hand, eye and ear. parts of the body that have completely different jobs but each one has intrisic value to the whole.

a foot without a body is pretty useless right? A Christian not involved and plugged into the body of Christ can find themselves feeling useless. Always valuable but not always useful.

You are invaluable in the eyes of God and you are invaluable in the work of God.

Think about the eye and the ear for just a minute. I’m gonna get a littly mushy and romantic for a minute alright. that ok.

I love looking into my wife’s eyes. gazing longingly into her eyes as we dance or right before I give her a big smooch.

Their beautiful. Can I tell you something I’ve never done though? I’ve never glided my hands softly on her cheeks, cupped her face, and turned it to the side so I could longinly gaze into her ear.

We’ve never had an ear to ear conversation and you’ve never been told that beauty is in the ears of the beholder.

YYou would think it’ weird to be told your the apple of my ear, or I only have ears for you.

You see the ear by itself could be made to feel less important, less valuable than others.

However without the ear, you coulnd’t hear the voice of your loved one, couldn’t hear the cry of a child to know they need you, or the sound of nature to be reminded of the power and peace of God’s presence.

Every member of the body matters.

1 Cor 12:22, 27 “22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:...27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

Paul addressees the weaker members of the body. Or the parts that appear weak.

Did you know the parts of the mouth that produce saliva produce enough saliva to fill 2 swiming pools in the lifetime of a person?

And then, let’s talk about what we may not even consider…armpit hair.

Did you know it has value? It helps with ventaliation and keeps sweat away from the body helping with the odor that can develop.

Now you know the secrets to our marriage. For her, it’s the armpit hair and for me it’ the eyes. One whiff and one look and hubba hubba

Alot of times we give more value to the people in the spotlight however we have to remember that often the things done behind the scenes aand in secret are just as if not more valuable thatn what you see.

I’m thankful for a church that prays for it’s pastor. That prays for the impact of our church on our community and the people that work behind the scenes to make programs and events happen.

Without you, the preaching isn’t as effective. Without you, this church doesn’t exist. Remember, every member of the body is important.

There is a man you will never meet, who will never preach a message, or most likely never write a book, sing on a platform, or do anyhing where a lot of people will know his name.

To be honest, and sadly, I don’t remember his name.

However, this Staff Sargeant, could easily be given the credit for me being your pastor.

My first tour in Afghanistan I was working at a small sized forward operating base. If it wasn’t my first night in the tower being trained it was the second. We got on the topic of religion. He shared with me his views and I shared with him every objection I could think of.

He gracefully and honestly told me about his journey and I dismissed it…but he planted the seed.

He is an important part of the body.

Did you know I get compliments on the cleanliness of our building? Did you know I don’t clean the building on a regular basis? That’s our first impressions team.

Did you know there are studies out theree about people attending church and cleanliness and ordileness is one of the reasons people will decide not to return to a church?

Did you know people are more likely to come to church becuase of a personal invite from you than listening to a message from me?

However if you are constantly battling with your identity and who you are, then its hard to invite people into the body of Christ that allows you to live out your value. Into the family of believers that love you and care for you.

Resolution- Acceptance of value from christ. True humility. Involvement how you’ve been designed to be involved.

I believe that the problem of you knowing who you are and living that out is solved when you accept who you are in Christ and live that out through the local church.

Remember, you are created by God. You aree not a mistake. His Son died for you, just so you could be forgiven. He picked you to be his own, so your chosen. He redeemed you, so you am wanted. He showed you grace, just so you could be saved. He has a future for you because He loves you. So you don’t wonder anymore. You are a child of God.

Now you have to make the choice the ear has to make. The ear has to cchoose to be apartt of the body and listen…not look in order for his value to be effective and known.

You have to choose to serve as you’ve been designed to.

You said last week you were in. You have said this weeek you are in. Today you have heard from God’s Word that you are invaluable how He made you to be.

And when you choose to live that out thorugh this local church, you are apart of a community that eeveeryone deserves to be loved well. Becuase when poeple experiencce Jesus’ love, their lifee is chaanged.

You get to be apart of a community of believers that seeks to respons to needs in the community whethre there is a direct benefit or not. We supported the bristol hero’s fund last year by allowing them to use our online giving platform until they could get their’s sat up.

We have given towards a young boys surgey a couple years ago to help him walk.

Wee have sereved kids from the Boys and Girls club at Christmas last year.

We are looking to serve the Stro family this year by taking donaations thorugh mum fest and potentially other means to bless them this Christmas.

Are they apart of our church? Nope. Will they be? I’d love that but maybe not.

I don’t like to put prerequisites on loving people.

Impact- Personally, living in light of the truth of God’s word. knowing you are valuable to God and those around you. Others finding their value in and through Jesus.

You see when you choose to livee from the identity God has given you, through the means God has given you (your church family), you’ll see the impact your life will have for His glory.

God chooses to allow us to be apart of what He is doing. And it’s wonderful to be involved. Becuase you have been invited into a wonderful relationship and you are invaluable to the work of God.

Time of Response