Embracing God's Healing Touch and New Identity
Summary
Last week, our church came together for Serve Day, a beautiful demonstration of what it means to be the hands of Jesus in our community and beyond. Over 1,400 of us revitalized a local school, packed 100,000 meals for children in Kenya and Panama, and shared countless moments of joy and service. But as we celebrate these outward acts, we’re also invited to consider what it means for God’s hands to work not just around us, but within us.
Scripture tells us that God’s hands are a symbol of His provision, power, and presence. We marvel at the beauty of creation—the sunsets, the ocean views—but it’s a different matter when God’s hands draw near to our own lives. Many of us have built walls—emotional, spiritual, and relational—out of fear. We fear being exposed, rejected, or having to face our wounds and failures. These walls may feel like fortresses, but in truth, they often become prisons, keeping us from the healing, freedom, and community God desires for us.
Jesus, the perfect representation of God, shows us what the Father’s hands are like. When He encounters the leper in Matthew 8, He doesn’t recoil or keep His distance. Instead, He reaches out, touches the untouchable, and makes the unclean clean. This is a radical reversal: in Jesus, what is unclean is made clean, not the other way around. No part of our lives is too messy, too hidden, or too small for His healing touch.
We often think God only cares about the big things, but Jesus invites us to bring everything—big and small—before Him. The small things we hide can grow and disconnect us from God, but nothing is too insignificant for His attention. When we let down our walls and allow Jesus close, He not only heals but also gives us a new identity. We are no longer defined by our failures or struggles, but by His love and our status as His children.
Change can be uncomfortable and even frightening, but Jesus meets us in our fear with a gentle touch, saying, “Don’t be afraid.” Like Peter, when we find ourselves sinking, the simple prayer, “Lord, save me,” is met with an immediate, compassionate response. The greatest miracle is not just physical healing, but the transformation of a life—moving from disconnection to belonging, from “that’s close enough” to full surrender. Jesus’ hands, ultimately pierced for us, invite us to trust, surrender, and experience the fullness of God’s love and restoration.
Key Takeaways
- Walls Built from Fear Become Prisons, Not Fortresses
We often build emotional, spiritual, and relational walls to protect ourselves from pain, rejection, or exposure. While these walls may feel like they keep us safe, they actually isolate us and prevent us from experiencing the freedom, healing, and community God intends. True courage is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to let down our walls and allow God and others to draw near, even when it feels risky. [10:22]
- Jesus Reverses the Flow: The Clean Makes the Unclean Clean
In the ancient world, contact with the unclean made the clean unclean, but Jesus turns this on its head. When Jesus touches what is unclean—whether it’s a leper, a hidden wound, or a shameful secret—He brings cleansing and restoration. No part of our lives is too untouchable or too broken for His healing; what we hide in shame, He invites into the light for transformation. [18:45]
- Nothing Is Too Small for God’s Hands
We may believe God only cares about the “big” issues in our lives, but Jesus demonstrates that every need, no matter how small, matters to Him. The small things we hide or try to manage on our own can grow and disconnect us from God, but He invites us to bring everything to Him. Trusting God with the small things is an act of faith that opens us to deeper healing and connection. [21:57]
- Our Identity Is Transformed by God’s Touch
When Jesus heals and restores, He also redefines our identity. We are no longer to identify ourselves by our failures, wounds, or struggles, but as new creations—loved, chosen, and purposed by God. This shift from “I am my failure” to “I am God’s child” is both liberating and challenging, requiring us to embrace change and step into the new life Jesus offers. [24:53]
- God Responds Immediately to the Sincere Cry for Help
When we find ourselves overwhelmed, sinking, or at the end of ourselves, the simple prayer, “Lord, save me,” is met with an immediate and compassionate response from Jesus. He does not shame us for our lack of faith, but reaches out with love and rescue. The greatest miracle is not just circumstantial change, but the transformation of our hearts and the assurance that God’s hands are always ready to catch us. [29:56]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:32] - Serve Day Recap: Impact and Stories
[02:10] - Why Serve in Affluent Communities?
[04:00] - God’s Hands: Provision, Power, and Presence
[06:10] - Our Thresholds for Closeness
[09:00] - The Walls We Build: Fear and Isolation
[11:39] - Courage Over Fear
[12:53] - Jesus’ Hands: The Exact Representation of God
[15:55] - The Leper’s Encounter: Confidence and Compassion
[18:45] - Jesus Makes the Unclean Clean
[20:55] - The Danger of Small Hidden Things
[21:57] - Nothing Too Small for Jesus
[23:41] - New Identity in Christ
[25:44] - Jesus’ Gentle Touch in Our Fear
[27:22] - Peter Walks on Water: Sinking and Rescue
[29:56] - God’s Immediate Response
[32:18] - A Deathbed Miracle: God’s Saving Hand
[34:48] - The Greatest Miracle: A Life Transformed
[36:30] - From “Close Enough” to Surrender
[37:38] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
---
### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 8:1-3 (ESV)
> When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
2. Psalm 19:1 (ESV)
> The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
3. Matthew 14:28-31 (ESV)
> And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
---
### Observation Questions
1. In Matthew 8, what does the leper believe about Jesus’ ability and willingness to heal him? What is unique about Jesus’ response?
*([15:55])*
2. According to Psalm 19, what does creation reveal about God?
*([04:00])*
3. In the story of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14), what happens when Peter becomes afraid, and how does Jesus respond?
*([29:56])*
4. The sermon described different kinds of “walls” we build in our lives. What are some examples of these walls mentioned?
*([10:22])*
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do people often build emotional, spiritual, or relational walls, and what does the sermon say these walls actually do to us?
*([10:22])*
2. The leper in Matthew 8 says, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” What does this reveal about how we sometimes view God’s compassion versus His power?
*([16:40])*
3. The sermon says that Jesus reverses the flow: “the clean makes the unclean clean.” What does this mean for how we approach our own hidden struggles or shame?
*([18:45])*
4. When Peter cries out, “Lord, save me,” Jesus responds immediately. What does this teach us about God’s response to our sincere cries for help?
*([29:56])*
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon said, “Walls built from fear become prisons, not fortresses.” Are there any areas in your life where you’ve built walls out of fear? What would it look like to let those walls down, even a little?
*([10:22])*
2. Jesus touched the leper—someone considered untouchable. Is there a part of your life you feel is “too messy” or “too unclean” for God? What would it take to bring that part into the light and let Jesus touch it?
*([18:45])*
3. The message emphasized that “nothing is too small for God’s hands.” Are there small things you tend to hide or try to manage on your own? What is one small thing you could bring to God this week?
*([21:57])*
4. The sermon talked about moving from “I am my failure” to “I am God’s child.” What is one old identity or label you need to let go of, and what new identity does God offer you instead?
*([24:53])*
5. Change can be uncomfortable and even scary. Is there a step of faith or change you sense God inviting you to take, but you feel afraid? What would it look like to ask for Jesus’ gentle touch and courage in that area?
*([25:44])*
6. When have you prayed a simple, desperate prayer like “Lord, save me”? How did God respond? If you haven’t, what’s holding you back from praying honestly and simply today?
*([29:56])*
7. The sermon ended with the invitation to move from “that’s close enough” to full surrender. What is one practical way you can move toward greater surrender to God this week?
*([36:30])*
---
End with prayer, inviting God to help each person let down their walls, trust His hands, and experience His healing and restoration.
Devotional
Day 1: God’s Hands Reveal His Power, Provision, and Presence
Throughout Scripture, the hands of God are a powerful image, referenced over 1,300 times to point to His provision, power, and presence. Creation itself is described as the work of His hands, and the beauty of the world around us—sunsets, ocean views, and the vastness of the skies—proclaims His greatness. Yet, while it’s easy to admire God’s handiwork from a distance, it can be uncomfortable to invite His hands to work in our own lives. We often prefer to keep God at arm’s length, building emotional and spiritual walls out of fear or self-protection. But God’s desire is not just to be admired from afar; He wants to be close, to work in us and through us, revealing His character and love in the most personal ways. [04:00]
Psalm 19:1 (ESV)
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Reflection: Where in your life have you kept God at a distance, admiring His work but resisting His closeness? What would it look like to invite Him to work in that area today?
Day 2: Jesus’ Hands Bring Cleansing and Restoration
When Jesus encountered the man with leprosy, He did the unthinkable—He reached out and touched the untouchable, declaring, “I am willing, be clean.” In a world where the unclean were banished and isolated, Jesus reversed the expectation: instead of becoming unclean Himself, He made the unclean clean. This act was not just about physical healing, but about restoring someone who had been disconnected and deemed unworthy back into community and belonging. No matter what hidden “leprosy” or shame you carry, Jesus is willing and able to heal and restore you when you bring it to Him. [18:45]
Matthew 8:1-3 (ESV)
When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Reflection: What is one area of your life you’ve hidden out of shame or fear? Can you bring it honestly to Jesus today, trusting that He is both willing and able to heal?
Day 3: Nothing Is Too Small for Jesus’ Healing Touch
Jesus’ compassion extended to every need, big or small. In Luke 4, people brought to Him all who were sick with various ailments, and He laid His hands on each one and healed them. There is nothing too insignificant for Jesus to care about—He invites us to bring everything to Him, not just the “big” issues. The small things we try to manage or hide can grow and disconnect us from God, but He wants us to trust Him with every part of our lives. Letting down our walls and allowing Jesus to be close brings true healing and freedom. [22:55]
Luke 4:40 (ESV)
Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
Reflection: What “small” struggle or habit have you been trying to manage on your own? Will you bring it to Jesus today and trust Him to heal and transform it?
Day 4: God’s Hands Rescue Us When We Cry Out
When Peter began to sink while walking on water, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” and immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. In our moments of fear, failure, or desperation, building more walls won’t save us—only God’s rescuing hand can. God responds without hesitation to our sincere cries for help, not with shame, but with love and assurance. No matter how long you’ve been sinking or how far you feel from God, He is quick to reach out and rescue when you call on Him. [29:56]
Matthew 14:28-31 (ESV)
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Reflection: When have you tried to build walls instead of reaching out for God’s help? What would it look like to pray “Lord, save me” in your current situation?
Day 5: Jesus’ Hands Were Pierced to Bring Us Lasting Connection
The most miraculous work of Jesus’ hands was on the cross, where they were pierced for our transgressions. Through His sacrifice, we are offered not just rescue from circumstances, but eternal connection and restoration with God. No matter how messy or disconnected your story has been, it is never too late to surrender and receive His saving grace. When we move from a posture of “that’s close enough” to one of surrender, God is faithful to meet us, transform us, and give us a new identity as His beloved children. [34:48]
Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Reflection: What would it mean for you to move from holding God at a distance to fully surrendering to Him today? What step of surrender is He inviting you to take?
Quotes
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