This series is based on the series of the same name from Northpoint Church
What does God think about our bodies? One over-arching principle of this whole series . . . They were created by God - for God - to honor God . . . That's what we need to remember about our feet and our heart and our whole approach to our mindset about our physical life . . . That our bodies were made by God - for God - to honor God . . . And today we're gonna talk about our hands . . . and again this week - we will find that . . . .
God's word has a lot to say about our hands . . . When the Bible talks about our hands we see that just like in our culture, hands . . . represent the whole person . . . In our culture when we use the word hand - it represents our power - and our whole life . . . Putting our hands to something means we're giving all of ourselves and all of our bodies to whatever that task is.
Think with me . . . What are some of the ways we use the word hand . . . "Give me a hand" means loan me your strength /ability (more than your hand . . . ) or we say . . . "The decision is in your hands" which means it's in your control - it's in your power, as to, what to do, with this or that . . . . . . . Or we say . . . "I'm handing this off to you" . . . which means I'm placing this under your control - authority. "Sometimes people say . . . if I ever get my hands on you" . . . Wow . . . what does that mean . . . If I ever get you under my control or authority - look out . . . . Or things like . . . "It's out of my hands" . . . "She has the upper hand" It's always about power and strength and influence. Hands represent every thing that we are and am . . . . . .
So when we ask How do I honor God with my hands? (which is the question of this day . . . ) Really what we're asking is . . . . . . God how can I use all of me - to honor you how can I use all of my strength , all of my being, all of my influence and power and position and resources to do what you want me to do . . . . . . God . . . . . . How can I use my life for you and your purposes?
Let me tell you - Great things have happened in history when people have just simply asked that question. (God how can I use all of me for your purposes?) . . . Some of the greatest movements, some of the greatest organizations, some of the greatest influencers in all history have come from - (they began by saying) . . . . . . . . God . . . Here is who I am . . . and these are the things I have . . . here's what's at my disposal . . . and God, this is available to you . . . take it and use it . . . . . . and God said, okay . . . . I'll use that . . . . . . and He blesses them in tremendous ways because they honored God with their hands . . . And this week as I was thinking about this time we would have together . . . . . .
I kept thinking about what if's . . . what if someone here caught a dream today that would change our society in some incredible way - what if today , God said, I'm gonna show somebody a picture of what I would like them to put their hands to to maybe feed the hungry - or help kids hooked on drugs - or educate people who have dropped out of school or to build houses for the homeless or to help tutor inner city children . . . or maybe . . . . . . to bring the life changing message of Jesus Christ to people in a way never been thought of before . . . . . . There are lots of ways God could inspire you this day if you have open hands for his purposes . . . . . .
(Over arching principle) Our bodies were made by God - for God - to honor God. I keep repeating that for a reason . . . . . .
There's a key line in there . . . that assumes all of us understand one thing . . . .it assumes that we all know that we were made by God . . . and that God is the one who gave us life and God is the one who created us to be who we are . . . and I just want to zero in on this for a few minutes because it's a pivotal truth to understand and remember with what we're talking about today . . . (our hands)
See folks, . . . . The truth is, that all of our strengths, and all of our capabilities, and all of our skills . . . each one of them . . . all of your abilities and talents and energy and power . . . everything that makes you a force to be reckoned with . . . all that stuff - all those things that make you who you are . . . those things are from God . . . They are gifts from God . . . now, lots of us kinda get a little unsettled when I say that because we're thinking . . . I'm the one who works hard - I get up at 5:00 in the morning - and I work late in the evening . . . and I am who I am, because of what I've made of myself . . . . . . I'm disciplined, and I studied to get my degree, and I honed my talents and focused my strengths and skills . . . and I seized opportunity when it came my way . . . . . . I am who I am because of what I have accomplished . . .and to that line of thinking I would only say this . . . . . . and I think it's what God would say to us as well . . . God would say . . . "Who gave you that mind to study like you do?" "Who gave you that family that helped you along the way ?" "Where do you think that discipline came from?" "Who created that very difficult environment where your character was formed and where you emerged stronger than ever." . . . "Who gave you all the opportunities you have been afforded . . . and for many of us just being born in this country has offered us so much opportunity . . . See - the truth is (I am who I am) . . . and you are who you are - as a result of the opportunities God has provided for you . . .
So folks, (here's a tip) before we start taking all the credit for who we are and what we've done . . . I think we gotta back up and ask the question . . . Where did all that opportunity come from? And who allowed that to happen? (God did!!) And if we could ever get that mindset in our lives . . . that we are who we are, (primarily,) because of what God has given us . . . then maybe it would be a little easier for us to say , "If it's from you anyway God . . . (Well then . . . ) maybe I should make available to you, my hands, all of my strength and influence and reputation and power . . . (if you would use it God . . . ) God." . . .
Let me tell you a story from the Bible about . . . when King David ruled over Israel and lead that nation several 1000 years ago . . . . these were great days for Israel . . . (building years as a nation) years where they built great cities and created a solid infrastructure for their nation . . . See . . . before that they had been nomads - just wandering the desert land traveling (for generations) - never staying in one spot . . . so a little bit before King David - (but especially during his reign) . . . cities were built up . . . . . . and in Jerusalem the capital - David built an enormous palace . . . one of the greatest palaces in all history - amazing and huge . . . a great time of prosperity and growth . . . (for years and years . . . ) and so . . . . while all this building was going on - later in David's life . . . he realized that they had never built a permanent structure (for God) - A House for God . . . David realized after He saw all the building they had done . . . that they never had a permanent temple to worship God in . . . in fact their temple was just a really big tent . . . the same tent that their nomad ancestors had used as a place of worship . . . so David said - I think we should build a church - a temple - a home for God like none other ever seen before . . . . . . but as he was making those plans to build . . . God said to him - Dave - you go ahead and make the plans - but I don't want you, (David), to build my home - because your hands have seen to much bloodshed - you've killed to many people, . . . and that's what your leadership has been about - forging a nation (called Israel) . . . so let this sit for a while - you can make all the plans . . . . . . but your son Solomon will build it . . . and he did - (the temple that was built in Jerusalem was called Solomon's Temple not David's) . . . . . . . and so . . . our story continues . . . . . . that when David heard this from God about Solomon . . . David did a very unique and amazing thing.
See . . . . . . he wanted God to have a house so bad- he wanted God to have this temple so bad . . . .that he said okay - Solomon (my son) you build the temple - but before I die - before my leadership is done - I'm gonna set up everything . . . so that this Temple can be built . . . and so David spent the rest of his life gathering the resources . . . the treasure - the timber - the stone - the craftsmen . . . (l that it would take) . . . And so he spent the rest of his days organizing the whole nation for the construction of a temple that he would never see . . . He put all this energy into the temple that his name would never be associated with . . . . . . and (catch this) as the people around David started to see his passion . . . and energy and as they watched him pour all his talent and influence and emotion into this temple . . . as they watched that process with David, they realized something (key). They realized that this wasn't just a side line thing to create more fame for the King . . . (no). They realized he was genuinely giving of himself and his resources to God and his work . . . and they saw that the king was not only using the countries wealth, and the countries influence . . . . . but they also saw that he was using a huge amount of his own resources and his own wealth to finance the future of the temple and as they watched . . . . . . he began to use all of his influence as a King . . . and pull in every favor that people owed him . . . . to build this House for God . . . and the Bible says that when the people saw how genuine his commitment was to that project . . . that then . . . the people began to give as well - in fact they gave millions and millions of dollars to it . . . . . . over years . . . . . . and then they committed (the next generation) they committed (their sons and daughters) as craftsmen and people to build this amazing temple . . . over the next many years . . . and by the time David was ready to die . . . Everything was ready and prepared for Solomon to build this incredible Home for God . . . (A temple David never saw) . . .
Now . . . in the middle of all that energy and preparation work, listen to what David said - remember he was the King . . . (He had it all) . . .
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
I Chronicles 29: 11 & 12
(Gotta remember) Now, let's just tear this a part for a minute or two . . . It's David the King - the one with all the earthly power you can get - in fact he had more power than we could ever imagine and yet he says . . . "Yours O Lord is the greatness and the power . . . for everything in heaven and on earth is yours." . . . Remember David could have anything he wanted - anything - and he had huge influence and power . . . . . but he recognized that everything . . . in the heavens and all of his stuff on earth belonged to God . . .
Then he says, "Yours O Lord is the kingdom." He didn't say this is my kingdom and my palace or my people or my land or my stuff . . . or my influence or my great leadership skills . . . No, he says ultimately this kingdom (of which I am ruler) belongs to you. Then he says, "wealth and honour come from you."
(Wait), and if we could get our heads around that sentence and then get our hearts around it . . . it would transform our lives . . . If we could wake up every morning and realize and recognize that all of our wealth (all of us are wealthy - top 5% of the world's wealth) that all of our wealth belongs to God . . . and all of our honour - honour is this . . . "all that is attributed to you and I because of what we have accomplished." You know . . . people honour you because you're smart or well connected or beautiful or because of your parents or because of the business smarts you've got, or your ability to create . . . All of us have honour given to us by someone for some thing . . . . And David, recognized as a man who had great wealth and great honour . . . that the reason he had great wealth was because of God . . . . . . and people would say - No David, the reason you're wealthy is because you're the King and David would say yeah I know - but it was God who gave me this kingdom and it is God who allows me to lead and it is God who has blessed me more that I can ever imagine . . . It's all God's not mine . . . .
And if David were here be would say today . . .Do you know why you are so rich - (all you Canadians?) because God let you be rich . . . and do you know why you're so talented? Because God gave you those talents . . . .and do you know why people love to be around you?
Because God gave you that personality . . . .
And do you know why this does right and why that great thing happens and why? . . . why? . . . why? . . . Because God - our amazing and loving God has given that . . . . . . and you have received those things from Him . . . and He has asked you to take care of and develop those gifts and use what's in your hands for Him.
Wealth and honour O God - come from you!! And if it comes from God . . . who does it belong to?
Now turn the corner with me . . . . . . that means - that all of my wealth, my reputation, and my skill, and my talent, and my family all the things we work so hard to develop and protect . . . they all come from God and belong to God In fact . . . .everything we find in our hands . . . at one point . . . originated with God and at this point they still belong to God . . . .
So when God (at some point in our lives) calls on us to leverage all that we have and all that we are for his purposes . . . instead of our own (purposes) . . . doesn't that just make sense? See, David, the strongest leader in the world at that point - looks around and says I'm not the King because I'm the smartest or the bravest or because of my kingly personality or because I have money . . . I'm the King because God chose me to be King - He gave it to me . . . So, why wouldn't I place everything I've got . . . and everything I am and own at his disposal . . . And why wouldn't I throw my whole life into building this temple - not to honour me . . . but to honour God and so 1000's and 1000's and 1000's of people after me could honour God as well . . . And the people saw his sincerity and genuineness of heart and they (after he was dead) built a magnificent temple . . .
People, (I gotta ask), what might happen in the world for good and for God is we looked at our wealth and honor and our strength not as ours . . . but as Gods . . .I would venture to say it would be a very different world . . .
And folks, the Bible is full of stories where people used their influence and abilities and talent for God . . . and God has used those things to change the world . . . they leveraged their life . . . (what was in their hands) for the kingdom of God and became world changers . . . (and it's no different for you or for me . . . ) the only challenge is (if you're like me) - the temptation is to say - Hey God - thanks for this talent and for this wealth . . . and for all this stuff - I appreciate it . . . WOW (but I'll hold on to it for me . . . ) and God says - wait a minute - you don't quite get it - (Dean) I didn't give all that just for you - I gave you that for me . . . And now, that you're all educated and well connected and got influence . . . now that your all that . . . I want you to leverage what's in your hands . . .for my kingdom - and for my purposes. People, think about that - what's in your hands that God could use to change the world?
Folks, have you ever thought about how Jesus used His hands?
Think about it . . . Jesus - the son of God, the one who deserves all praise and honour - the one who when the Bible says - one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord Jesus . . . What did He do with His powerful incredibly influential, resource filled hands? If you read the Bible . . .
He touched sick people and He fed hungry people and He touches people that no one would even look at from even a distance and He touches them . . . and He washed feet with His hands . . . and He put His hands on the heads of children and lifted them onto his knee and He used his hands to heal those who were unclean and diseased - (people who no one else cared about) . . . and . . . then He took his hands one day . . . and all his influence and power and authority . . . and He surrendered it all to Rome . . . and they tied His hands, and they falsely accused Him and convicted Him of some crime He didn't commit and then they gave Him a rough cross and made Him drag it up a hill . . . and then He spread out those powerful hands . . . and some huge nails were hammered right through His hands and He hung there (by his hands) on that cross until He died . . . (wait) . . . and you know what ? The Bible says that when he come out of the grave . . . when He rose from the dead . . . the Bible says the people recognized Him because of the nail scars in His hands . . . . . . Folks.
All that we have and all that we are comes from Him . . . and yet I have the nerve to say . . . Hey thanks for all that stuff and talent and money (thanks) . . . I'll just use that for my purposes and my glory . . .
And you know what the Bible says . . . It says one day I'm gonna have to give an account for my life (and so are you) and the judge we will face on that day is Jesus with the nail scared hands . . . and He's gonna say, "How did you do with what I gave you?" "How did you do?" "What did you do with all your skills?" "What did you do with all your energy and resources and influence?" "How did you do?"
Now on that day . . . in front of Jesus . . .(I hope I'm alone! Not with a crowd watching) on that day can you imagine how foolish (stupid) it will sound if (we) say to Jesus . . . (with the nail scared hands) I was really busy . . . I got stuff going on . . . . and I went to the lake . . . and they asked me to serve but I was doing this deal over here . . . and then I went and bought one of those things (it was on sale though) . . . 0% financing . . . and then I had to work so hard to keep it all together . . . I was working and busy with my stuff Jesus . . .
Can you imagine that moment?
Folks, you and I - we have an opportunity (in this life) to take what is temporary and invest it in that which is eternal . . .
We have an opportunity to not just invest in our little individual worlds . . . but we have an opportunity to invest what God has placed in our hands and become world changers . . . (to take the temporary and make it become eternal) . . . . . . but see . . . . as long as I only invest in my life I won't make a difference in someone else's life and if I only invest in my world I wont' make a difference in the rest of the world . . .
Folks, we cannot collect and consume and spend our way into greatness . . . the only way to make a mark on this world - the only way to make a difference is to give - to say - here's what I have - here's what's in my hand's God. Here's all the power and all the influence - and all the resources I have - God . . . How do you want me to use them? For your kingdom and your purposes and your glory - not mine - God.
People we have an incredible opportunity to become world changers . . . And all God says is . . . Look at what I've placed in your hands . . . and would you be willing to make that available to me? . . . . and if so, . . .
I'll work with you to change the world . . .
Do something with me.
Look at your hands.
Make a little mental list . . . what has God placed in your hands?
Influence - wisdom - money - personality - the ability to:
Organize
Encourage
Lead
Negotiate
Develop
Prioritize
Create
What is in your hands? It's amazing isn't it? One more thing - Hold our hands out and up (a little strange) - now look around you (all the hands). Can you imagine what God would do if this many people said everything in my hands is available great or small . . . God . . .I want to honour you with my hands . . . Can you imagine what would happen?
This whole city would be changed for sure - maybe the whole country . . . if just the people in this church said - I'm available God and I want to honour you with my hands . . . make my life count. |
