Being God's Hands and Feet in the World
Summary
In our daily lives, we often encounter people who are hurting, lost, or struggling. These individuals might be our neighbors, coworkers, or family members. It is crucial to recognize that our relationships with others directly impact our relationship with God. God does not solely rely on religious leaders or scholars to reach out to those in need. Instead, He calls each of us to be His representatives on Earth. When Jesus ascended, He left us with the responsibility to be His hands, voice, and feet. This means that when God wants to touch, speak to, or visit someone, He intends to do so through us. We are His chosen vessels to carry out His ministry and bring His love and compassion to those around us.
There is an abundance of pain and struggle in the world, and many people are calling out for Jesus to intervene in their lives. This is where we come in. God desires to use us to reach out to those who are struggling and to meet their needs. Unfortunately, many of us fail to utilize the unique gifts, resources, and talents that God has given us to serve as His delivery service. We are meant to be like a flowing river, bringing life and hope to those we encounter. However, when we hold back and do not allow God's love to flow through us, we become like a dam, preventing His blessings from reaching others.
It is time to stop procrastinating and delaying our call to action. Jesus is ready to use us right now to bless others. As the body of Christ, we must examine how we are living horizontally—how we are interacting with and serving those around us. Let us embrace the privilege and opportunity to be God's hands and feet, bringing His goodness, grace, provision, and mercy to those who desperately need it.
Key Takeaways:
1. Our horizontal relationships with others have a profound impact on our vertical relationship with God. By serving and loving those around us, we strengthen our connection with Him. We are called to be His representatives, using our hands, voice, and feet to carry out His work on Earth. [00:29]
2. God desires to work through each of us to reach those who are struggling. We are not just passive observers but active participants in His ministry. By allowing God to use us, we become vessels of His love and compassion, bringing hope and healing to those in need. [01:04]
3. Many of us fail to utilize the unique gifts and talents that God has given us to serve others. We are meant to be like a flowing river, bringing life and hope to those we encounter. When we hold back, we prevent God's blessings from reaching others. [01:40]
4. It is time to stop procrastinating and delaying our call to action. Jesus is ready to use us right now to bless others. We must be willing to step out in faith and allow God to work through us to meet the needs of those around us. [02:22]
5. As the body of Christ, we must examine how we are living horizontally—how we are interacting with and serving those around us. By embracing the privilege and opportunity to be God's hands and feet, we can bring His goodness, grace, provision, and mercy to those who desperately need it. [02:54]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:29] - Representing Jesus Physically
[01:04] - God's Call to Action
[01:40] - Utilizing Our Gifts
[02:22] - No More Procrastination
[02:54] - Living Horizontally
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
2. 1 Peter 4:10 - "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does our relationship with others affect our relationship with God? [00:29]
2. What are some ways mentioned in the sermon that God uses us to reach out to others? [01:04]
3. How does the sermon describe the consequences of not using our gifts and talents to serve others? [01:40]
4. What metaphor is used in the sermon to describe how we should allow God's love to flow through us? [02:22]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the metaphor of being a "flowing river" help us understand our role in God's ministry? [02:22]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that procrastination can hinder our ability to serve others? [02:54]
3. How might the idea of being God's "delivery service" change the way we view our daily interactions with others? [01:40]
4. What does it mean to live "horizontally" as the body of Christ, according to the sermon? [02:54]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent interaction with someone who was struggling. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in light of the sermon? [00:29]
2. Identify a specific gift or talent you have. How can you use it this week to serve someone in need? [01:40]
3. Think of a time when you felt like a "dam" rather than a "flowing river." What steps can you take to allow God's love to flow through you more freely? [02:22]
4. What is one area of your life where you have been procrastinating in serving others? How can you take immediate action to change that? [02:54]
5. Consider your current relationships. How can you strengthen your "horizontal" connections to better reflect your "vertical" relationship with God? [00:29]
6. How can you be more intentional about being God's "hands, voice, and feet" in your community this week? [01:04]
7. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are living as a faithful steward of God's grace, as mentioned in 1 Peter 4:10?
Devotional
Day 1: Our Relationships Reflect Our Connection with God
Our interactions with others are a mirror of our relationship with God. When we serve and love those around us, we are not only fulfilling a divine mandate but also strengthening our spiritual connection with Him. God calls us to be His representatives on Earth, using our hands, voice, and feet to carry out His work. This means that every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, and every step we take towards helping others is a step towards deepening our relationship with God. By living out our faith in tangible ways, we become a living testimony of His love and grace. [00:29]
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4:7-8, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a relationship in your life that needs mending. How can you take a step today to show God's love in that relationship?
Day 2: Active Participants in God's Ministry
God desires to work through each of us to reach those who are struggling. We are not called to be passive observers but active participants in His ministry. By allowing God to use us, we become vessels of His love and compassion, bringing hope and healing to those in need. This requires us to be attentive to the needs around us and to be willing to step out of our comfort zones. When we embrace this calling, we find that God equips us with the strength and wisdom needed to make a difference in the lives of others. [01:04]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who is struggling. What is one practical way you can reach out to them this week to show God's love?
Day 3: Utilizing Our Unique Gifts
Many of us fail to utilize the unique gifts and talents that God has given us to serve others. We are meant to be like a flowing river, bringing life and hope to those we encounter. When we hold back, we prevent God's blessings from reaching others. It is important to recognize the specific abilities and resources we have been given and to use them for the benefit of others. By doing so, we allow God's love to flow through us, impacting the world in ways we may never fully understand. [01:40]
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one gift or talent you have been holding back from using for God's glory? How can you start using it to serve others today?
Day 4: No More Procrastination
It is time to stop procrastinating and delaying our call to action. Jesus is ready to use us right now to bless others. We must be willing to step out in faith and allow God to work through us to meet the needs of those around us. This requires a sense of urgency and a willingness to act, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. By responding to God's call without delay, we open ourselves up to being used in powerful ways to bring His love and light to a hurting world. [02:22]
"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of service you have been putting off? What step can you take today to begin acting on it?
Day 5: Living Horizontally
As the body of Christ, we must examine how we are living horizontally—how we are interacting with and serving those around us. By embracing the privilege and opportunity to be God's hands and feet, we can bring His goodness, grace, provision, and mercy to those who desperately need it. This involves being intentional about our relationships and seeking ways to serve others in our daily lives. When we live with this mindset, we become a conduit for God's love, impacting our communities and the world in profound ways. [02:54]
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your daily interactions. How can you be more intentional about serving others in your community this week?
Quotes
Your neighbor is hurting. Your coworker is lost. Your family member is struggling. Have you comforted them? Did you know that your horizontal relationship with others affects your vertical relationship with God? God isn't just looking for seminary grads, prophetic speakers, or popes to reach the masses. [00:00:05]
You see when Jesus left, He didn't just leave physically. He left us here to represent Him physically. When He wants to touch something, He wants to use your hands and mine. When He wants to say something, He wants to use your voice and mine. [00:00:29]
When He wants to go somewhere, He uses your feet and He uses mine. When He wants to minister to someone in a very personal way, He's gonna use your life and He's gonna use mine. He is determined to work through His people to get the job of ministry done. [00:00:48]
There's so much pain, so much hurt. There's so much struggle and so many people's lives who call on Jesus and who desperately need him to intervene. And that's where you and I come in, because then God will touch you, He'll touch me, He'll touch others in order to reach out to those who are struggling and to get the need met. [00:01:13]
Unfortunately, so many of God's children don't take advantage of the unique privilege, opportunity, gifting, resources, and talents that He has bestowed on us to be his delivery service, His mail service if you will, to reach in and deliver his goodness, grace, provision, and mercy to those who desperately need it. [00:01:35]
We've all enjoyed the sight and sound of a flowing river bringing life to that which the water touches. But when that river gets blocked up, then the life that it brings ceases to exist or to expand. So God wants His people to be the vehicle through which He flows to bring life and hope and help to those who need it most. [00:02:10]
Not like a dam that holds it in and is never allowed to be a benefit beyond itself. No more procrastination. No more delays. Jesus is ready right now to use your hands and your feet to bless others. How are we, the body of Christ, living horizontally? [00:02:38]
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