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The hands of Jesus. 10 October 1999 CAPTAIN MARIEKE VENTER
Song 37: How great Thou art. T 544
Introduction: What comes to your mind when you think about hands? Some may think of giving hands. Some think of supporting hands. For some, the thought of hands may call up memories of punishing hands, hurting hands. We do so much with our hands. We can do kind, useful, good things with our hands – and yes, we can also use our hands to do destructive, hurtful things. Tonight I want us to think about the hands of Jesus. We are going to look at some incidents from his life and ministry, and as we see Him at work amongst the people, maybe we will become aware of our need too, to experience the touch of His hand in our lives. Firstly I want us to look at Jesus’
Laying his hands on each one, he healed them. We can picture it, can’t we? The sun was setting, people were crowding around Jesus, and he was surrounded by sick people. Various kinds of sicknesses. It must have been a sad sight. Crippled people, blind ones, some with skin diseases and all kinds of diseases – young and old, men, women, children… all needing only one thing: The touch of Jesus. And he laid his hands on each one, and healed them! How I wish you and I could have been there! O yes, I think I would go quietly, I would just slip in there and ask for healing too. I would bring some friends. People I know are ill – some in the flesh but I know that their sickness will be gone when this short life is over – others who are sick in their souls! I would ask Jesus to heal them, and then I would say to Him: "Would you heal me too? Would you put your hand on the part of my life that is hurting, and bring healing to me?" Well, we’re not there. We aren’t in that Capernaum scene in the sunset – but this early evening we are also gathering around Jesus. And yes, He still lays His hands on people! And He still heals. I would like us to be quiet before Him tonight for a few moments, and I would like us to be aware of his presence. Just as real as He was then, He is tonight. Just as He brought healing 2000 years ago, he still brings healing today. Chorus: Be Still, for the presence… Prayer Song 48 – God’s love to me… T 150 Let’s turn again to the Scriptures, and see another aspect of the hands of Jesus: Here’s a story we know well! Jesus, walking on the water, with Peter saying: I also want to do that! And yes, he really does get out of the boat and walk on the water. That is, until he looks around him and sees the water and the waves and the storm – and it’s then he starts to sink. Do you sometimes feel as if you are sinking? Do you sometimes look around you, at the circumstances of your life and at the storm in which you find yourself, and think: "I’m going under! Everything is going wrong! No matter how hard I try, all I get is problems and more problems and more problems!" And just like Peter, you feel quite sure that you are going under. Can I give you a challenge? Before the water flows over your head, do one thing: Say what Peter said: "Lord, save me!" And do you know what Jesus will do if you do that? He will reach out His hand and catch you! Just like he did for Peter. Because no matter what our circumstances, we don’t need to go under! Listen to one of my favourite Psalms: Ps 124:1-8 IF the Lord had not been on our side! If He had not been on our side, the Psalmist tells us, "the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away". V 4,5.But God IS on our side! And, says Rom 8:31, "if God is on our side, who can be against us?"Jesus’ hands are strong and ready to rescue. For you and me, when the waters come as no doubt they will, when we get into the storm, let’s just call out: Lord, save me!, and take hold of that outstretched hand. We’re going to take some time now to worship Jesus, and it seems suitable that we worship Him with our hearts and with our hands tonight, so yes, we are going to clap our hands and we are going to raise our hands as we sing to Him. Time for worship choruses. Tithes and Offerings Announcements We’re going to share another reading, and look at the hands of Jesus as Again we can picture the scene, this time outside the city on a mountainside. A great crowd gathered again, this time not the sick but the hungry. I think their souls were more hungry than their bodies, and what Jesus gave them here was much more than just bread and fish. Can you picture His hands? Stretched out to receive the small basket of food? Not despising it as too little, but holding it, raising it perhaps in thanksgiving to the Father. Then distributing the food, breaking it up and sharing it out. And the more he broke it, the more it became, and the further it went! Is there a message there for us? I think there are two:
These are the two things expected from us. To trust Him for our needs, however big or small they might seem, and to give our lives to Him, again, no matter how small or unimportant we may feel, to be blessed and broken and used.
But let’s move on and look at another passage of Scripture, where we see those same hands, the healing, rescuing, providing hands – but this time we see them as
We know what happened to Jesus. We have often heard and read how he was nailed to that cross, not because of anything HE had done but because of what WE did. It really makes me sad to think how those wonderful hands should have been crucified. Those hands that only ever did good things, that healed and touched so many people, that raised people from the dead, that gave food to so many hungry men and women and children, that those hands should have been nailed in such a cruel way. And yet I am also so grateful that Jesus gave his life for me. Because I know that without that sacrifice of his life, I would not have been able to call myself His child, and I would not be able to experience the healing He offers, and the provision, and the salvation. Those scars were still there after the resurrection. Jesus showed them to Thomas to prove to him that He really was alive. Do you know that those scars are still there? Revelation is the book in which we read a lot about heaven and about the future, and I want to read to you a verse about Jesus from ch 5:6 where John says: "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain…". Looking as if it had been slain? How could John see that the Lamb had been slain? Because it had scars! Yes, those scars are still there! We are told that in heaven there will be no pain, no sickness, no death, no crying… and there isn’t. We are promised new bodies free from our ailments and disabilities. But Jesus still bears the marks of his death! Let’s sing about the Lamb and the blood that He spilt: Song 281 Would you be free… T 868 Healing hands, saving hands, providing hands, wounded hands… I wonder what Jesus is doing with his hands now, even as we speak? Let’s find out from the Scriptures about His There are so many ways to pray – some like to put their hands together, some fold their hands, some hold their face in their hands when they pray, but generally we associate prayer with closed eyes and some reverend posture of the hands. So what is Jesus doing right now? He is folding his hands before the Father and he is interceding for us – He is praying for us! Praying for our salvation, praying for our victory, praying for us to "make it" through life! Isn’t it amazing to think that He, Jesus, knows my name and your name, and that He says our names in prayer to the Father? That thought gives me courage! Jesus in on my side! He wants to heal me! He wants to save me! He wants to provide for me. He died for me. He prays for me.
Application: Each of us in this hall tonight, need the hands of Jesus. Some of us need his healing touch. In whatever area of our lives we may not feel well, we need to be part of the crowd that gathered around them for healing. Tonight would be a good time to come to Him. Others tonight may find themselves in the midst of a storm. The water seems to be up to our neck and we’re going down. Again, tonight we need to reach up to Him and take hold of His saving hand. Some are spiritually hungry and needy. We must bring Him the need and ask for his provision, instead of always wanting to be self-sufficient. Some need to take a look at His wounded hands. Maybe you don’t like to think about the innocent Jesus being killed by mankind. Maybe you find it hard to think that He did that for you, and that even if you were the only sinner in the world, he still would have done it for you! Take a look at that wounded Saviour tonight, and let Him change you. Let Him save and heal you. Let Him make you His child! Song 501 Kneeling before Thee… T 692 Prayer Song 106 Arise, my soul… T 228 Benediction |