Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our world. I began by sharing a personal story about learning to ride a bicycle, emphasizing the importance of using our hands in practical, sometimes uncomfortable ways. This led us to the central theme: our hands are crucial in fulfilling God's purpose. We are called to engage actively in ministry, not just through words but through tangible actions.
We then examined a powerful story about a statue of Jesus without hands, symbolizing that we are His hands on earth. This was reinforced by scriptures from Matthew 25, James 2, and 1 John 3, which highlight the necessity of coupling our faith with deeds. Jesus' radical words about serving the least of these challenge us to step out of our comfort zones and serve those who are often overlooked or marginalized.
I also shared a different perspective on the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, emphasizing the miracle of compassion and sharing among diverse groups, including Jews, Gentiles, and Roman soldiers. This story illustrates that sometimes the miracle lies not just in the supernatural but in the human response of love and generosity.
Finally, I shared a touching story about a little girl who cherished a broken doll because she knew no one else would love it. This story serves as a metaphor for our mission at Fairlawn Church: to love those who feel unloved and to welcome everyone, even if it makes us uncomfortable. We are called to be a church that actively demonstrates the love of Jesus, not just in words but in actions.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Hands in Ministry: Our hands symbolize our active participation in God's work. It's easy to speak or type words, but true ministry requires getting our hands dirty, engaging directly with the needs around us. This hands-on approach is essential for fulfilling our calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus. [05:55]
2. Faith and Deeds Must Coexist: James 2:14-17 reminds us that faith without deeds is dead. It's not enough to offer well-wishes or prayers without taking action to meet physical needs. Our faith is demonstrated through our actions, and these actions are what truly teach and transform lives. [12:45]
3. Compassion Over Pity: True compassion involves entering into another person's suffering and taking on their burdens. Unlike pity, which is condescending, or charity, which maintains a status divide, compassion is about humanizing and standing in solidarity with others. This is the essence of being Christ-like. [39:05]
4. The Miracle of Sharing: The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 teaches us that miracles can happen through human compassion and sharing. When we are moved by love to share what we have, even in small amounts, it can multiply and meet the needs of many. This act of sharing breaks down barriers and unites diverse groups. [30:27]
5. Loving the Unlovable: We are called to love those who feel unloved and to welcome everyone, even if it makes us uncomfortable. This means being a church that actively demonstrates the love of Jesus through our actions, not just our words. It's about creating a space where everyone can experience the transformative love of Christ. [42:45]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:34] - Learning to Ride a Bicycle
[02:44] - The Importance of Hands in Ministry
[05:55] - Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus
[07:48] - The Statue of Jesus Without Hands
[08:50] - Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:35-40
[12:45] - Faith Without Deeds is Dead
[14:50] - The Power of Immediate Prayer
[18:46] - The Photographer and the Choking Man
[20:42] - Compassion vs. Pity
[23:19] - Jesus Feeds the 5,000
[30:27] - The Miracle of Sharing
[32:20] - Reflecting on Different Gospel Accounts
[39:05] - True Compassion
[42:45] - Loving the Unlovable
[47:42] - Closing Remarks: Grace and Peace
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 25:35-40: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"
2. James 2:14-17: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
3. 1 John 3:16-18: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the specific actions mentioned in Matthew 25:35-40 that demonstrate serving "the least of these"?
2. According to James 2:14-17, what is the relationship between faith and deeds?
3. In 1 John 3:16-18, how is true love defined and what actions are associated with it?
4. What was the significance of the statue of Jesus without hands mentioned in the sermon? [07:48]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 illustrate the concept of sharing and compassion among diverse groups? [30:27]
2. What does it mean to be the hands and feet of Jesus in practical terms, based on the sermon and the Bible passages? [05:55]
3. How can the metaphor of the broken doll in the sermon help us understand our mission to love the unlovable? [42:45]
4. Why is it important to couple our faith with tangible actions, as emphasized in James 2:14-17 and the sermon? [12:45]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you saw a need but chose not to act. What held you back, and how can you overcome that barrier in the future? [12:45]
2. Think of someone in your life who might feel unloved or overlooked. What specific action can you take this week to show them the love of Jesus? [42:45]
3. How can you practice true compassion, as opposed to pity or charity, in your daily interactions? [39:05]
4. Identify a small act of sharing or generosity you can perform this week. How can this act help break down barriers and unite people around you? [30:27]
5. What steps can you take to ensure that your faith is demonstrated through your actions, not just your words? [12:45]
6. How can you and your small group collectively work to serve "the least of these" in your community? [09:36]
7. What does it mean for you personally to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and how can you live this out in your everyday life? [05:55]
Devotional
Day 1: The Hands of Ministry
Our hands symbolize our active participation in God's work. It's easy to speak or type words, but true ministry requires getting our hands dirty, engaging directly with the needs around us. This hands-on approach is essential for fulfilling our calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The story of the statue of Jesus without hands serves as a powerful reminder that we are His hands on earth. We are called to engage actively in ministry, not just through words but through tangible actions. This means stepping out of our comfort zones and serving those who are often overlooked or marginalized. [05:55]
1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Reflection: Think of a specific need in your community that you can address this week. How can you use your hands to serve and make a tangible difference?
Day 2: Faith in Action
James 2:14-17 reminds us that faith without deeds is dead. It's not enough to offer well-wishes or prayers without taking action to meet physical needs. Our faith is demonstrated through our actions, and these actions are what truly teach and transform lives. The scriptures from Matthew 25, James 2, and 1 John 3 highlight the necessity of coupling our faith with deeds. Jesus' radical words about serving the least of these challenge us to step out of our comfort zones and serve those who are often overlooked or marginalized. [12:45]
James 2:14-17 (ESV): "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
Reflection: Identify one person in your life who is in need. What specific action can you take today to demonstrate your faith through helping them?
Day 3: True Compassion
True compassion involves entering into another person's suffering and taking on their burdens. Unlike pity, which is condescending, or charity, which maintains a status divide, compassion is about humanizing and standing in solidarity with others. This is the essence of being Christ-like. Compassion requires us to go beyond mere feelings of sympathy and to take concrete steps to alleviate the suffering of others. It is about seeing others through the eyes of Jesus and responding with love and action. [39:05]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt true compassion for someone. How can you cultivate a heart of compassion in your daily interactions?
Day 4: The Miracle of Sharing
The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 teaches us that miracles can happen through human compassion and sharing. When we are moved by love to share what we have, even in small amounts, it can multiply and meet the needs of many. This act of sharing breaks down barriers and unites diverse groups. The miracle lies not just in the supernatural but in the human response of love and generosity. This story illustrates that sometimes the miracle lies in our willingness to share and to be instruments of God's provision. [30:27]
2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (ESV): "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."
Reflection: Consider what resources or talents you have that you can share with others. How can you be a part of God's miracle of provision today?
Day 5: Loving the Unlovable
We are called to love those who feel unloved and to welcome everyone, even if it makes us uncomfortable. This means being a church that actively demonstrates the love of Jesus through our actions, not just our words. It's about creating a space where everyone can experience the transformative love of Christ. The story of the little girl who cherished a broken doll because she knew no one else would love it serves as a metaphor for our mission: to love those who feel unloved and to welcome everyone. [42:45]
Romans 12:9-13 (ESV): "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who feels unloved or marginalized. What specific steps can you take to show them the love of Christ this week?
Quotes
1. "When you use your hands, they get dirty. When you use your hands, they get calloused. When they use your hands, it takes time. And it's much easier to throw out words. And it's much easier to type stuff on social media than it is when you see a need to get in the middle of that need and start operating with your hands and with your feet. But I believe that we, you and I, are called. To be the hands and feet of Jesus." [05:55] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Compassion is not pity. Pity lets us stay at a distance and it is condescending. Compassion is not sympathy. Sympathy is for superiors over inferiors. Compassion is not charity. Charity is for the rich to continue in their status over the poor. But compassion is born of God. It means entering into the other person's problems. It means taking on the burdens of the other. It means standing in the other person's shoes. It is the opposite of professionalism. It is the humanizing way to deal with people." [39:05] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "If we are truly called to love those that others would say are unlovable. I hate to say it. We're going to have to get used to being uncomfortable. And I'll just say this right now. This may be the last message I ever speak at Fairlawn by saying these words. I do not want to pastor at a church that is comfortable. That is not what I'm called to do. If I wanted to be in a place where I'm just comfortable, I'd find an Elks Club. I'd find a Shriners Club. I'd find some kind of club. I'm comfortable at Applebee's. I'm comfortable just staying home. I do not believe that's what this church is called for." [45:25] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "I believe here at Fairlawn, we are called to love those that don't feel loved elsewhere. There's going to be people that walk through those doors. That they've been to other churches. They've been to other places. They’ve tried other things. And they haven't felt loved. And we are called to love those that if we don't love and show love to, they will go on never experiencing that love. Anybody else believe that we're called to do that?" [42:45] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "There's also a miracle that happens in the other point because, you see, it was unheard of for Jews to share their food with Gentiles, to even be in that congregation together. Roman soldiers, if they did start sharing their food, oh, they could be killed for that. There's a miracle in both of them. But sometimes we get so focused on the miracle and looking for the miracle and waiting for the miracle that we lose focus and don't realize that we are the miracle." [37:04] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Words don't really teach, actions teach. Circumstances teach. So what good is it? Yeah, I'm praying for you, which we all know. If you've been in church any longer, it's like, I don't know what else to say. I need this conversation to be over. I'm praying for you. I give Bob a lot of props, because you know what, Bob, when you say that, he's like, let's pray right now." [14:50] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We see somebody suffering in the distance. as if taking a photo instead of getting in the middle of their sacrifice or their suffering. Get in the middle of their suffering. Yeah, say, Facebook, we'll do a selfie. We got a lot of stuff going on. Let's face it. We got a lot of stuff going on ourselves. And then we justify it by, oh, yeah, Cece put herself in that position. Yeah, I hate to see her suffering, but I made your bed. Yeah, I could help you. But, ah, just enabling you." [20:42] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "I believe when they walk in, they're going to hear the story of Jesus. And just between you and me. That's the story that radically and dramatically has changed my life forever. And I want every single person that will listen to hear it. But I also want to show it by being his hands and his feet. So my friends and family member of Fairlawn Church that maybe you're mad at me right now. I got to be okay with that. May we be a church where we're okay being uncomfortable. And may we be a church that tells people about Jesus but also shows people what Jesus is all about." [46:43] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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