Do You See What I See | Robert Madu | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Do You See What I See

Social Dallas • Dec 9, 2024 • 51 min

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

Summary

In this message, Pastor Robert Madu explores how God frequently disguises His glory and work in unexpected places and timelines. By drawing from the journey of the wise men and the birth of Christ, he emphasizes that God cares deeply about our spiritual growth during periods of waiting rather than just fast outcomes. Believers are encouraged to seek Jesus earnestly, offer true worship based on who God is rather than what He does, and rest in the assurance that God will always supply provision for His divine assignments.

Themes

God's Timeline vs. Human ExpectationsProcess and Growth in WaitingSpiritual Adoption and InheritanceTrue Worship vs. PraiseDivine Provision and Guidance

Key Points

1.
God disguises His glory and miracles in unexpected, everyday settings, requiring us to quiet our busy lives so we do not overlook His supernatural work.
2.
God often wraps His greatest spiritual gifts in difficult packaging—wrapping purpose in pain, resilience in adversity, and patience in hard relationships.
3.
While humans are obsessed with quick outcomes and promises, God prioritizes the spiritual process and growth that happens during periods of waiting.
4.
In the fullness of time, Jesus came to redeem us so that through Him we might receive full legal adoption as God's children with complete access to His heavenly name and inheritance.
5.
God speaks to people through the specific contexts and subjects they understand best, meeting us anywhere—even outside traditional church settings.
6.
God tests the posture of our hearts by seeing if we will faithfully devotionally worship Him in temporary, uncomfortable circumstances before entrusting us with permanent promises.
7.
Praise thanks God for the miracles He performs, but true worship honors Him simply for who He is regardless of whether He performs a miracle in the moment.
8.
God always provides the precise physical and financial provision necessary to fulfill the assignments and directions He lays before us.

Sermon Moments

“The Joshua Bell subway experiment illustration shows how busyness and context cause people to miss divine beauty and value in ordinary settings.”

“God often delivers His best gifts in ugly wrapping paper, disguising purpose in pain and patience in challenging people.”

“God operates outside human timelines in eternity, often allowing delays to refine our hearts during the process before fulfilling His promises.”

“The contrast between the shepherds who traveled a short distance empty-handed and the wise men who traveled up to 1,200 miles with precious gifts to seek the King.”

“The wise men visited Jesus in a house long after His birth in a manger, illustrating how God tests if we can worship Him in temporary, uncomfortable places before giving us a permanent place.”

“The wise men brought gold (representing Royalty), frankincense (representing Priesthood), and myrrh (embalming fluid representing a Savior born to die).”

“The costly gifts from the wise men provided Joseph and Mary with the exact financial provision required for their journey into Egypt.”

This Week

Slow down throughout the day to notice God's presence and miracles in ordinary, unexpected places.

Focus on trusting God's process and growth during seasons of waiting, rather than rushing toward the final outcome.

Reflect on your spiritual adoption in Christ and live with confidence in the inheritance and access He has given you.

Pay attention to how God speaks to you through everyday environments, conversations, and situations.

Evaluate whether you are faithfully worshiping God in temporary or uncomfortable situations before expecting permanent blessings.

Shift your prayer time from asking God to perform miracles (praise) to honoring Him simply for who He is (worship).

Step out in generous giving and obedience, trusting that God will always provide the resources needed for His calling.

Remember This

God works purposefully through seasons of waiting and unexpected places, calling us to seek Him wholeheartedly, worship Him for who He is, and trust His faithful provision.

A Challenge for You

May the Lord bless you, make His face shine upon you, and give you grace and peace; keep showing up and seeking Him with your whole heart.

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