God's Miraculous Work: Trusting Beyond Our Limitations
Summary
In this Christmas season, we are reminded of the miraculous and transformative power of God that operates beyond human hands. The story of Mary and the angel Gabriel in Luke 1 sets the stage for understanding how God chooses to work through us, despite our limitations. Mary, a young virgin, was chosen to bear the Son of God, illustrating that with God, nothing is impossible. This narrative encourages us to trust in God's ability to work through our lives in ways that surpass our understanding and capabilities.
Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God using human hands to accomplish His divine purposes. From Moses parting the Red Sea to Jesus healing the sick, God demonstrates His power through human action. Yet, He also moves in ways that are beyond our human efforts, as seen in the miraculous birth of Jesus and the tearing of the temple veil from top to bottom. These acts remind us that while God uses us, He is not limited by us.
The message is clear: God desires to work through us, but He also works beyond us. We are called to be vessels of His love and power, using our hands to bless others and bring healing. However, we must also recognize that God is at work in ways we cannot see, orchestrating events and miracles that are beyond our control. This Christmas, we are invited to rest in the assurance that God is moving in our lives, our families, and our communities, bringing about His purposes in His perfect timing.
Key Takeaways:
1. God's Favor and Impossibility: Just as Mary was favored and chosen to bear Jesus, we too are favored by God. This favor means that God can accomplish the impossible in our lives, using us for His divine purposes. We must trust in His plan and be open to His work beyond our understanding. [59:06]
2. The Power of Human Hands: God often uses our hands to bring about His will, as seen in the stories of Moses and Jesus. Our hands can be instruments of blessing and healing, but we must also recognize that God's power is not limited to our actions. He works through us and beyond us. [01:03:47]
3. Supernatural Intervention: God's work is not confined to human effort. He moves supernaturally, as demonstrated by the tearing of the temple veil and the resurrection of Jesus. We are reminded that God's kingdom triumphs over all human endeavors, and His plans will prevail. [01:09:32]
4. Trusting in God's Sovereignty: In times of uncertainty and fear, we are called to trust in God's sovereignty. Like Deborah, who led Israel to victory without weapons, we must rely on God's power to overcome the challenges we face. He is able to do what we cannot. [01:19:28]
5. The Promise of Salvation: The Christmas story is a reminder of God's promise of salvation through Jesus. His birth, life, death, and resurrection are central to our faith, offering us hope and assurance of eternal life. We are invited to embrace this gift and share it with others. [01:36:28]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction to Christmas at Shiloh
[02:30] - The Story of Mary and Gabriel
[05:15] - God's Favor and the Impossible
[08:00] - Beyond Human Hands
[12:00] - Biblical Examples of God's Work
[15:30] - The Power of Community
[18:45] - Supernatural Intervention
[22:00] - Trusting in God's Sovereignty
[25:30] - The Promise of Salvation
[28:00] - Invitation to Trust and Believe
[31:00] - Prayer and Blessing
[34:00] - Call to Salvation
[37:00] - Closing and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 1:26-37
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Mary's initial reaction to the angel Gabriel's message, and how did the angel reassure her? [59:06]
2. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of God working through human hands using the example of Moses at the Red Sea? [01:03:47]
3. What does the tearing of the temple veil symbolize in the context of God's supernatural intervention? [01:34:30]
4. How does the story of Deborah in Judges 4 demonstrate trusting in God's sovereignty during times of fear and uncertainty? [01:19:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's favor can lead to the impossible being accomplished in our lives? [59:06]
2. How does the sermon explain the balance between God using human hands and His ability to work beyond them? [01:09:32]
3. What does the sermon imply about the role of community in supporting one another through difficult times, as seen in the story of Moses? [01:03:47]
4. How does the sermon connect the Christmas story to the promise of salvation and the hope it brings? [01:36:28]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt favored by God. How did that experience shape your trust in His plans, even when they seemed impossible? [59:06]
2. The sermon mentions using our hands to bless others. Identify a specific way you can use your talents or resources to bless someone in your community this week. [01:03:47]
3. Consider a situation in your life where you need to trust in God's sovereignty. How can you actively choose to rely on His power rather than your own efforts? [01:19:28]
4. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing God's work beyond our understanding. How can you cultivate a mindset of faith and openness to God's unseen work in your life? [01:09:32]
5. The Christmas story is a reminder of God's promise of salvation. How can you share this message of hope with someone who may be struggling this holiday season? [01:36:28]
6. Think about a challenge you are currently facing. How can you apply the lesson of Deborah's faith and courage to trust God for victory in this situation? [01:19:28]
7. The sermon encourages resting in God's assurance. What practical steps can you take to find peace and rest in God's presence during this busy Christmas season? [01:21:07]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Embracing God's Favor and the Impossible
God's favor is not just a passive blessing but an active invitation to participate in His divine purposes. Just as Mary was chosen to bear the Son of God, we too are favored by God to accomplish the impossible in our lives. This favor is not based on our abilities or worthiness but on God's sovereign choice and grace. It challenges us to trust in His plan and be open to His work beyond our understanding. In moments of doubt or limitation, remember that with God, nothing is impossible. He can use our lives in extraordinary ways if we are willing to say "yes" to His call. [59:06]
"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel limited or inadequate? How can you invite God's favor to work through you in this area today?
Day 2: The Power of Human Hands
Throughout the Bible, God demonstrates His power through human action. From Moses parting the Red Sea to Jesus healing the sick, our hands can be instruments of blessing and healing. However, it's crucial to recognize that God's power is not limited to our actions. He works through us and beyond us, orchestrating His divine purposes. As we serve others, we must remain humble and aware that we are merely vessels of His love and power. Our role is to be obedient and faithful, trusting that God will accomplish His will through us. [01:03:47]
"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20 ESV)
Reflection: How can you use your hands to serve and bless someone today, while acknowledging that it is God's power working through you?
Day 3: Witnessing Supernatural Intervention
God's work is not confined to human effort. He moves supernaturally, as demonstrated by the tearing of the temple veil and the resurrection of Jesus. These acts remind us that God's kingdom triumphs over all human endeavors, and His plans will prevail. In a world that often relies on human strength and wisdom, we are called to recognize and celebrate the supernatural interventions of God. These moments are reminders of His sovereignty and power, encouraging us to trust in His ability to accomplish what we cannot. [01:09:32]
"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27 ESV)
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you witnessed or experienced God's supernatural intervention? How did it impact your faith, and how can you remain open to such interventions in the future?
Day 4: Trusting in God's Sovereignty
In times of uncertainty and fear, we are called to trust in God's sovereignty. Like Deborah, who led Israel to victory without weapons, we must rely on God's power to overcome the challenges we face. He is able to do what we cannot, and His plans are always for our good. Trusting in His sovereignty means surrendering our fears and anxieties to Him, knowing that He is in control. It is an invitation to rest in His peace and assurance, even when circumstances seem overwhelming. [01:19:28]
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9 ESV)
Reflection: What is one fear or anxiety you are currently facing? How can you actively surrender it to God and trust in His sovereign plan for your life?
Day 5: Embracing the Promise of Salvation
The Christmas story is a reminder of God's promise of salvation through Jesus. His birth, life, death, and resurrection are central to our faith, offering us hope and assurance of eternal life. This promise is not just for us to hold onto but to share with others. As we embrace this gift, we are called to be ambassadors of His love and grace, spreading the message of salvation to those around us. It is a call to live out our faith with joy and conviction, knowing that we are part of God's redemptive plan for the world. [01:36:28]
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:9 ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of salvation? How can you share the hope and assurance of eternal life with them this week?
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Quotes
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of Man. He will be the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, there will be no end. Then Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I do not know a man? And the angel answered to her and said, The Holy Spirit. And I just believe in that today. The Holy Spirit will come upon you. And the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, also, that the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. And then I'll jump down to verse 37. For with God, for with God, nothing will be impossible." [00:59:18] (61 seconds)
"Nothing is impossible with our God. And God works through us. And he does that using our hands. Now, when I was a kid, you've all heard the story. Last Sunday, Jared Howe used to wander down MacArthur. If I was at home by 10 o 'clock when I was a kid, I was not allowed in the house. So I would wander the streets. I used to ride my bike all over Oakland. I'd go from the hundreds all the way to West Oakland. I know Oakland. And I loved riding a bike. But the kids that were cool were kids that could ride bikes with no hands. And so I would do that. So one time, I had the genius idea of riding with no hands down Redwood Road. And so I came from Skyline all the way down. I was doing good. No hands meant no brakes, because in those days I had my brakes on my handlebar. And I'm coming around the curb right before you get the Chevron. And next thing you know, I slid. It was like ice, but it was asphalt. And I slid, and my knee and my face had chunks of flesh removed. And the part that hurt most, was my mother's care. As she took out pieces of asphalt from my face, she put a gauze over my knee. My skin then grew over the gauze. And she had to rip the gauze off again. And the whole process had to begin all over. So whenever you come down Redwood Road, right before Chevron, know there's a part of Pastor Javier on that road. My DNA is implanted in Oakland. And just like that, sometimes we think we can ride our lives, live our lives without hands on the handlebar." [01:00:49] (108 seconds)
"But I believe God gives us things. He gives us talents. He gives us our treasures. He gives us our times. But we've got to trust God that he can do things beyond human hands. And that is my title for today's sermon. Tell your neighbor, beyond human hands. We're not perfect. We'll fall. We'll skin our knee. We'll get shaky, have shaky starts. But that does not disqualify us. What matters is that we trust God and step forward knowing that he's gonna guide us and help us in everything we do in his name. And throughout scripture, we see God's desire to use human hands to accomplish great things. Actually, the first time you see hands in the Bible is in Genesis 48, where Jacob, whose name was about to change Israel, what he does is he goes to bless his children, his grandchildren, before he departs this life. Tell your neighbor, before you depart, you have to impart." [01:03:56] (71 seconds)
"meant the blessing of the firstborn he crossed his hands and put that blessing on the youngest not on the firstborn and it was a symbol a reflection of Jesus on the cross where God would take the firstborn of humanity the man child and he would put him on the cross and the death that was meant for us he would put on him and the righteousness of God he would put on us the favor of God he would put on us God' holiness he would put on us how many of you praise God for the amen for the firstborn blessing he's given each and every one of us he took our sin God took our sin and the righteousness of God he would put on us how many of you praise God for the firstborn placed it on his firstborn son Jesus and exchanged purity and holiness and righteousness for us Moses we see as he faced the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army behind him God instructed him to raise his hand and stretch out his staff and in obedience God did so and God parted the waters God used the hands of a man to bring deliverance to an entire nation and they left Egypt to never return and they took out Pharaoh's army and that battle was won because of a man who allowed his hands to be used by God in Exodus 17 as Israel battled in the valley that the battle was secured as long as Moses kept his hands up and whenever he got tired and they fell Aaron and others would raise his hands and the battle would be our his and that reminds us we need community we need each other's we need those that'll raise our hands and and speak life to us when times are difficult Jesus over and over and over again we see stretches out his hands the Bible said that was his ministry Jesus stretch out his hands hand. Elijah with the bitter waters of Marah. The Bible tells us that with his hand he took a branch, threw it into bitter waters, and those bitter waters became sweet. And it's the first time the Word of God reveals Jehovah Rapha. It reveals God as Jehovah Rapha, our healer. He didn't use cancer to reveal Jehovah Rapha. He didn't use leprosy to reveal Jehovah Rapha. He used a bitter situation. And I believe what God's showing us is that bitterness and hatred and unforgiveness is what brings disease into our lives. And if we would just use our hands to bless instead of cursing, to speak life to others, we would see our city, our families, our nation, our people. Our world changed because he wants you to use your hands to make bitter waters sweet again. Come on, put your hands up and say, hands of blessing." [01:04:02] (0 seconds)
"I believe we, the church, have been given a mandate. Actually, Hebrews 6 gives us a list of doctrines, of things we should follow that are foundational to the church. And one of those is the law. The law is the law of laying on of hands. It says to not neglect the doctrine of the laying on of hands. It's a God -ordained method for transforming his power. And as Jesus ascended to heaven in Mark 16, he said, in my name, they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover. God wants to use your hands to bring healing. God uses healing hands. Human hands. Can we just praise God for that?" [01:07:30] (47 seconds)
"And I believe the Lord's saying, church, be ready. Be postured for what's coming. What I'm about to accomplish in your lives, in your family's lives, in your neighborhoods, you've done all you can with your hand. And now God is saying, sit up, watch what I'm about to do beyond human hands. Because our God moves beyond our limitations to show us that he is the light in the middle of the darkness. That is the Christmas story. That at a time least expected, in a place that no one thought significant, and through a method that no one could have imagined, God moved. Tell your neighbor, God's about to move. That's our God. He's an awesome God. He's mighty to save. Our God knows that he can do what he wants to. He will do what he wants to, and he will move where he wants to. How many of you believe it, that God is at work? In your life." [01:12:57] (63 seconds)
"The prophet Zechariah wrote, it is not by might, it's not by power, but it's by my spirit, says the Lord. This church was not built only by human ability. Yes, many sacrificed. Yes, many worked hard. Yes, many gave of their time, talents, and treasure. But let's not forget that it was the unseen hand, the hand of God, that made it all possible. And for that, God deserves all of the glory. I thank God for what happens beyond human hands. Amen? Why? Because I know without him, I could do nothing. Without God, we can do nothing." [01:14:40] (44 seconds)
"We can only see all God has done. Actually, the Bible says that when you step into eternity, you have all understanding. I believe it's in that moment that you say, instead of hearing hallelujah, you hear a lot of people saying, oh, that's what it is. You have all understanding. You begin to understand what God has done, and God is declaring today, I will do it. I will do it in your family. I will open doors that no one can shut. I will bless you with my hand. I will make it happen what your hands cannot make happen. Watch what the Lord is going to do. Only God knows how to do it the way he does it, and when God's hand is moving, it'll move beyond human hands, and it doesn't matter what's in the way. There's no stopping God. Come on. There's no stopping God. That's Christmas. The hand of God doing what humanity could not do. Trust him. Tell your neighbor, trust him." [01:17:05] (61 seconds)
"We see it in the book of Judges, chapter 4, the story of Caesarea, this horrible general who had this army that would terrorize people, and he had 900. Iron chariots, and it's this power and terror, and Bible tells us when they rolled through the town, it would shake the Israelites' houses, and they would be captivated by fear in their hearts, but there was a woman named Deborah who refused to let her destiny be held by the hostage, by the spirit of fear, and she remembered the story back in Exodus that if God defeated chariots, then? He could do it now. Come on, say that with me. If God could do it then, he will do it now, and with faith, the Bible says, Deborah led Israel into battle, not with weapons or chariots, but trusting Jesus." [01:18:16] (58 seconds)
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