There Is Gold on the Inside | Stephen Chandler | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

There Is Gold on the Inside

Stephen Chandler

Union Church • Aug 24, 2026 • 44 min

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

Summary

Every human being is created in the image of God and carries inherent value, dignity, and divine destiny—even those who do not yet know Christ. To recognize the gold hidden inside others, we must first allow God to open our spiritual eyes so we can see our own brokenness, divine worth, and potential. When believers look past worldly success or outer brokenness and call out God's design in people, spiritual scales fall away and lost children find their way back to the Father.

Themes

Divine Image and Potential in EveryoneSpiritual Perception vs. Natural PerceptionSeeing Ourselves and Others Through God's EyesOvercoming Insecurity and BrokennessReaching the Lost for Christ

Pastor's Points

1.

There is gold in everyone.

2.

God, open our eyes so we can see.

3.

God, open their eyes to see.

Key Points

1.
McDonald's Happy Meals revolutionized fast food because of the hidden toy inside, illustrating how the greatest treasures are often found hidden in unlikely places.
2.
When Jesus instructed Peter to pull a gold coin from a fish's mouth to pay taxes, He revealed that there is potential and destiny inside everyone, including unbelievers (Matthew 17:24–27).
3.
God created all humanity in His image with dominion and purpose on the inside, bestowing every person on earth with divine dignity (Genesis 1:26).
4.
Both worldly affluence and deep brokenness can blind us from seeing the image of God and hidden treasure inside other people.
5.
When Jesus partially restored a blind man's vision so he saw "men like trees walking," He demonstrated the necessity of spiritual perception over natural appearance (Mark 8:23–24).
6.
We cannot call out the God-given potential in others if we remain blind to our own brokenness or fail to see the value God placed inside ourselves (–18).

Sermon Moments

“Children don't scream for McDonald's Happy Meals because of average fries or nuggets, but because there is a hidden treasure packed inside the box.”

“A man digging up dead grass on his lawn discovered 63 tubs of gold coins, showing how incredible treasure is often buried in unexpected places.”

“"When God refers to fish in the Bible, He's referring to unbelievers... Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."”

“"The church looked at Saul and saw a murderer to run from; God looked at Saul and said, 'That's going to be one of my greatest apostles.'"”

“"Jesus opened the blind man's spiritual eyes first so he saw men like trees, teaching us that what you see in the spiritual is far more important than what you see in the natural."”

“"You don't see life how it is; you see life based on what you've been through."”

“The story of a father frantically searching for his lost special-needs child in a mall, enraged by a security guard's complete lack of activity and concern.”

This Week

Ask God daily in prayer to open the "eyes of your heart" so you can recognize your own God-given identity and potential.

Pray specifically for loved ones, neighbors, or coworkers who do not know Christ, asking God to open their spiritual eyes to His love.

Practice looking past people's outward flaws, bad habits, or offensive behavior, reminding yourself that every person carries the image of God.

Intentionally speak encouraging, prophetic words over someone this week, calling out the potential you see in them despite their current struggles.

Reflect on where God rescued you from, maintaining humility and compassion toward others who are currently broken.

Refuse to be intimidated or envious of worldly success, remembering that earthly wealth cannot fulfill the inner need for Christ.

Actively look for opportunities to share the gospel, partnering with God to help bring His lost children home.

Remember This

Every human carries the image of God and divine potential, so we must pray for spiritual vision to see the gold inside ourselves and others, actively partnering with God to bring His lost children home.

A Challenge for You

"If we become a people that said, I am going to help God find one more lost child and bring them back home, watch Him take care of everything else in your life, church."

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