The Mission – The Best Use of Your Life – Sermon – Pastor Dave Page

I want to highlight what Jesus says in these verses. “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” That’s the moment we’re all moving toward.

So the question becomes, what makes a life “well done”? Because when everything else falls away, only a few things remain. Who you became ‘in Christ’. The glory you brought to His name. And the impact you had on people. Everything else doesn’t go with you. Your stuff doesn’t go. Your accomplishments don’t go. But people? Souls. People and souls are eternal. Which means the best use of your life is people.

Again, this is yet another reason why Easter matters so much. Because this life is not the end. But that doesn’t make this life less important, it makes it more important. What we do here echoes into eternity. Paul says, “Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others.” In other words, we don’t just receive resurrection life, we carry it to others.

Now I know what some of you are thinking. “I wouldn’t know what to say. I’m not that kind of person. I don’t have all the answers.” But you don’t need a perfect script. You just need a simple posture. Here’s the posture: “I see you, and you matter.” That’s where it starts. Because most people are walking through life wondering if anyone sees them and if they matter. And when someone genuinely notices them, something often shifts.

Jesus made this incredibly simple. He said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.” And then He goes even smaller and says that even giving a cup of cold water counts. That means small things matter more than we think. A kind word counts. A simple act counts. Showing up counts. Noticing someone counts.

We tend to think impact has to be big, but Jesus says just be faithful in the small. If I’m honest, this doesn’t come naturally to me. Most of us live pretty self-focused lives. We get busy, distracted, caught up in our own world. So we grow in this. In fact there’s a bit of a formula we follow. At first, it’s just about not being rude. And honestly, that sounds like such a low bar, but look around for a second, that bar isn’t as low as we think it is. Because somewhere along the way, our culture has gotten really comfortable with being harsh.

We throw around words like “hate” all the time. “I hate this.” “I hate them.” “I can’t stand people like that.” And we say it casually, like it doesn’t mean anything. But words shape hearts, our own hearts. And when we normalize that kind of language, it slowly lowers the standard of how we treat people. You see it everywhere. You see it on social media, where being sharp gets more attention than being kind. You see it from influencers and leaders, where the loudest voice often wins, not the most gracious one. You see it in comment sections, where people say things they would never say face to face. You even see it in entertainment, where sarcasm, mockery, and hurting humour are just normal. And over time, that seeps into us.

We get quicker to react. Quicker to dismiss and label. Quicker to fire off a response instead of actually seeing a person. And before we know it, what should be basic decency, starts to feel like exceptional kindness. Just not being rude starts to feel like a big deal. But here’s the truth: For followers of Jesus, that’s not the goal. That’s just the starting line. Because the world says, “Say what you feel.” The world says, “Win the argument.” But Jesus shows us something different.

So yes, at first, it’s just about not being rude. But we don’t stay there. Then it’s being kind when people are in front of us. Then it’s actually thinking about people when they’re not around. And eventually, it becomes sacrificial, where we give something of ourselves for someone else.

You see, that’s what Easter shows us. Jesus didn’t just notice us. He gave Himself for us. So how do we grow into that kind of life? It starts with a simple prayer. Two questions: “Lord, what do they need?” and “What should I do?” When you begin to pray that, things change. You hear someone is struggling, and instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” you ask God what they need.

Maybe the answer comes: they need to know they’re not alone. Then you ask what you should do, and instead of a vague offer, you make a specific move. You show up. You call. You sit with them. You encounter someone difficult and instead of reacting, you ask, “What do they need?” Maybe it’s patience. So you give it. You see someone overlooked and you ask, “What do they need?” Maybe it’s dignity. So you acknowledge them. You see them.

Church, It all counts!

But I want to give you a warning here as well. this is also a dangerous prayer. “Lord, what do they need?” and “What should I do?”. Because once God shows you what to do, we’re responsible to act. And that will stretch you. It will interrupt your plans. It will cost you something. But it will also transform you.

And this is where our entire Easter journey lands. From applause, to the cross, to the empty tomb, to the Church and now to the Mission. Jesus didn’t rise so we could stay comfortable. He rose and then He sent us. To love people. To notice people. To live like people matter, because they do.

So here’s the challenge. Not complicated. Not overwhelming. Just one person a day. Just one. And in fact, right now, our team is going to hand something out to you. As those are coming around, I want you to take one and hold onto it. It’s just a simple 3×5 card. Nothing fancy. But it’s meant to be a daily reminder, something you can put in your Bible, on your dashboard, beside your bed, wherever you’ll see it. And on that card is this question: “Who is the one person today, God?” And then underneath it, a simple pathway: Notice them. Let them know they matter. Ask God, “What do they need?” And then have the courage to do whatever He puts in front of you. That’s it. That’s the life we’re stepping into.

Now before we go any further, I want us to actually practice this right here. Just take about 10 seconds and ask God that question: “Who is the one person today?” And whatever name or face comes to mind don’t overthink it. Just receive it. Hold onto that person. Because this isn’t just something to hear today, it’s something to live this afternoon, tomorrow morning, all week long. Wake up with that question in your mind. Move through your day with that lens. “Who is the one person today, God?”

Some days it will be simple. A conversation. A text. Kind Words. A moment of encouragement. Other days, it might cost you something, your time, your comfort, your attention. But that’s where life starts to change. Because when you begin to live like that, you stop drifting through your days, and you start living with purpose. And if we live that way, not just individually, but together as a church, something powerful happens.

Our church won’t just be a place we gather. It becomes a place full of stories.

• Stories of someone who was on the edge and someone noticed.
• Stories of someone who was hurting and someone showed up.
• Stories of someone who felt invisible and suddenly wasn’t anymore.

Not because we had a perfect strategy. Not because we had all the answers. But because ordinary people decided to be available to God. It reminds me of something Mother Teresa once said. She was asked how she was able to care for so many people, how she could possibly meet all the need she saw every day. And her response was simple: “If I look at the masses, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.” That’s it. Just one. And then another one tomorrow. And another the day after that. And over time, those small, faithful moments become a life. A life marked by love, a life marked by presence. A life marked by Kingdom impact. And one day, you will stand before Jesus and in that moment, you won’t wish you had more stuff. You won’t wish you had packed your schedule tighter. You won’t wish you had accomplished more for yourself. You’ll be grateful, for the people you loved, the moments you slowed down, the times you said yes when it would have been easier to say no. You’ll remember the faces. The conversations. The small acts that didn’t seem like much at the time but mattered more than you realized. And in that moment, you’ll hear the words that make it all worth it: “Well done.”