Broken But Not Wasted | Kels Johnson | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Broken But Not Wasted

Union Church • Jul 14, 2025 • 37 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In a culture where dishonor and criticism are normalized, God calls believers to live with a spirit of honor—assigning divine weight, value, and worth to God and others. True honor puts God first with our best resources, recognizes God-given value where others overlook it, and builds a legacy that outlives us. Even when life attempts to break us, God reframes that brokenness as the very mechanism that releases His presence and supernatural oil.

Themes

HonorKingdom PrinciplesSacrificial GivingGenerational LegacyDivine ValueRestoration from Brokenness

Pastor's Points

1.

Honor puts God first.

2.

Honor recognizes worth where others miss.

3.

Honor leaves a legacy.

Key Points

1.
Honor puts God first by giving Him our best rather than our leftovers.
2.
Honor recognizes worth where others miss it, looking past immediate perceptions to see God-given potential.
3.
Honor leaves a legacy that outlives us, connecting our story to eternal Kingdom impact.
4.
Honor serves as the currency of favor, granting access to blessings and doors that resume, schooling, or family names cannot open.
5.
Mary's act of breaking an expensive jar worth $40,000 demonstrated that radical honor prioritizes Jesus above all material resources.
6.
Judas criticized Mary's sacrifice because he saw it as a waste, but honor causes believers to sow in places where others fail to see significance.
7.
When we offer God our small or seemingly insignificant gifts, He brings supernatural multiplication, just as He did with the boy's two fish and five loaves.

Sermon Moments

“Honor is the currency of favor that will get you access to things that your resume can't, your schooling can't, and your last name can't get you.”

“Your critics don't have your credentials, nor were they conferenced in when God called you.”

“A man bought a $3 garage sale bowl and ate cereal out of it for years before learning it was a 1,000-year-old artifact worth $2.2 million—showing how easily we misjudge divine value.”

“Judas was concerned about selling, but Mary was concerned about sowing.”

“What you reject in one season could be the very thing holding you up in the next.”

“You cannot be distracted by the opinions of people when you are pouring out your praise.”

“Life tried to break you, but it only opened the jar so that the oil inside of you could flow.”

This Week

Begin each morning with dedicated prayer and scripture devotion to give God the firstfruits of your time.

Commit to honoring God financially through consistent tithing and generous, sacrificial giving.

Take the next step in your spiritual growth by completing Growth Track and finding your place to serve on a Dream Team.

Speak prophetic words of value, purpose, and encouragement over your spouse, children, and loved ones.

Stop criticizing yourself and align your self-talk with the value and purpose God has placed on your life.

Refuse to let fear of critics hold you back from obeying what God has explicitly called you to do.

Approach times of personal trial or crushing by offering your worship to God, trusting that He is releasing His oil through your brokenness.

Remember This

True honor puts God first with our very best, recognizes value where others see waste, and allows God to release eternal oil through our brokenness.

A Challenge for You

Dear Jesus, today I say yes to your grace. Here's my oil. I pour it out on you. I give you my life. Be my Lord. Be my Savior. And use me for your glory in Jesus name. Amen.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.