Shared this message with an amazing bunch of people at Wesley Vale Community Church on Sunday, 16th February 2025. Speaking about our 4 key pillars as Devonport Chaplaincy as we serve this region and how this should impact not only our programs but also how we live as followers of Jesus.
Key points:
CARE that costs soemthing
COMMUNITY that is real
PURPOSE that matters
HOPE that never fades
Living the Gospel—One Relationship at a Time (Wesley Vale – 16/02/25)
Introduction
Good morning, church. I want to share something today that’s been sitting heavy on my heart—not just about what we do as Devonport Chaplaincy, but about who we are as followers of Jesus.
We talk a lot about programs, strategies, and impact. But at the end of the day, ministry—real, meaningful ministry—isn’t about grand plans or impressive statistics. It’s about people. It’s about one conversation, one act of kindness, one life touched by the love of Jesus.
That’s why our four pillars—Care, Community, Purpose, and Hope—aren’t just a mission statement. They’re a way of life. They’re a reflection of the gospel in action.
So today, I don’t just want to inform you about what Devonport Chaplaincy does—I want to challenge you.
Because if we’re not living these pillars, we’ve missed the point.
1. Care – Love That Costs Something
If you strip everything else away, Jesus’ ministry was built on care. He didn’t just preach sermons—He touched lepers, He wept with the grieving, He fed the hungry. His love was costly.
And He calls us to that same kind of care. Not the kind that’s convenient. Not the kind that fits neatly into our schedules. But the kind that stops, notices, and steps into the mess of someone else’s life.
The Good Samaritan: A Lesson in Costly Love
In Luke 10:30-37, Jesus tells the story of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho who is attacked by robbers, beaten, and left for dead.
- A priest and a Levite—good, religious men—pass by without stopping.
- Then a Samaritan, a man despised by the Jews, stops.
- He binds the man’s wounds, places him on his donkey, and pays for his care.
Jesus ends the parable by asking, “Which of these three was a neighbor?” The expert in the Law replies, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus then commands, “Go and do likewise.”
This story isn’t just about being nice—it’s about the cost of love. The Samaritan:
- Saw the need and refused to look away.
- Gave up his own resources—his time, his money, his safety.
- Didn’t just help once—he made sure the man was fully cared for.
Care isn’t just a feeling—it’s an action. It costs us something. But that’s the very heart of Jesus.
Devonport Chaplaincy Illustration: Care in Action
A while ago, one of our chaplains received a call about a student struggling with overwhelming anxiety. He had stopped attending school altogether, paralysed by fear and self-doubt. Instead of just making a referral or offering a program, our chaplain took the time to meet with him weekly, walking alongside him in the small steps of rebuilding confidence. Slowly, through that consistent care, that young man found hope again. Today, he’s back in school and even helping other students who are struggling.
Care isn’t about fixing everything overnight. It’s about presence. It’s about seeing people the way Jesus sees them.
Spiritual Challenge:
Who in your life is waiting for you to stop? To see them? To care, even when it costs you something?
2. Community – Living With Open Doors and Open Hands
One of the greatest tragedies of our time is that people are connected but not known. We live in a world of surface-level relationships, where people smile on the outside but are breaking apart on the inside.
But the kingdom of God was never meant to be lived in isolation.
Acts 2 gives us a picture of the early church:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” (Acts 2:42, 46)
They shared life. They didn’t just sit in the same pew once a week—they opened their homes, their tables, their hearts.
Devonport Chaplaincy Illustration: Community in Action
Belonging , connection of Breakfast clubs
Programs won’t fix loneliness. Only people can do that.
At Devonport Chaplaincy, we work to build those kinds of connections. We partner with schools, churches, and community groups because we know that life is meant to be lived together.
But let’s be honest—programs won’t fix loneliness. Only people can do that.
Spiritual Challenge:
Are you living with an open door? Are you intentionally building relationships where people are seen, known, and loved?
3. Purpose – More Than Just Getting By
Too many people—especially young people—are walking through life aimless, disconnected, convinced they have nothing to offer.
But that is a lie from the enemy. Because you were made for more.
Ephesians 2:10 says: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
That means there is a divine purpose over your life—things God has already set in motion for you to walk into.
At Devonport Chaplaincy, we help people find that purpose—whether that’s through mentoring, skills development, or simply reminding them they have value.
But let’s bring it closer to home—do you know your purpose? Are you living it? Or have you settled for just getting by?
For Those Who Feel Limited by Age or Ability:
Purpose doesn’t stop when you retire or when your body slows down. God doesn’t have an expiration date on your calling.
- You may not be able to physically serve, but you can pray faithfully.
- You may not be able to mentor in person, but you can write words of encouragement.
- You may not be able to do what you once did, but God still has work for you to do.
Spiritual Challenge:
Are you actively stepping into what God has called you to do, or are you waiting for “someday”?
4. Hope – The One Thing the World Can’t Manufacture
People can survive a lot—but they can’t survive without hope.
And let’s be real—our world is desperate for it. People are drowning in fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. They are searching for something to hold onto.
But hope isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s not optimism. It’s not pretending everything is fine.
True hope—the kind that lasts—is anchored in the character of God.
Jeremiah 29:11 says:“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”
That is the hope we offer—not a vague sense that things might get better, but a certainty that God is in control. That He sees. That He knows. That He is working, even in the darkest places.
At Devonport Chaplaincy, we don’t just want to help people survive today—we want to give them a reason to believe in tomorrow.
But church—hope isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something we carry.
When we show up, when we love well, when we stay faithful—we become living, breathing proof that God has not given up on this world.
Spiritual Challenge:
Are you a carrier of hope? Do people leave your presence feeling lighter or heavier? Are you pointing people to Jesus with your life?
Conclusion – This Is Our Calling
Church, this is the gospel—not just words, not just church services, but lived-out love.
- Care that costs something.
- Community that is real.
- Purpose that matters.
- Hope that never fades.
This is what we do at Devonport Chaplaincy—but more importantly, this is what we are called to as the body of Christ.
So today, I want to leave you with a simple challenge:
Who is God calling you to care for? To invite in? To encourage? To bring hope to?
Because the gospel isn’t something we keep inside these walls. It’s something we live out—one conversation, one act of kindness, one relationship at a time.
Prayer
Father, help us to live this out—not just in theory, but in action. Give us eyes to see the people You’ve placed in our path. Give us courage to step into the hard places. And most of all, fill us with Your love, that we might carry Your hope into a world that so desperately needs it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
“Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.””
Luke 10:30-37 NLT