Open Hands: Embracing God's Plans Through Service
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Friesland Community Church. Today, we gathered to worship the God who comforts those who mourn and celebrates with those who rejoice. We sang hymns, shared announcements, and prayed for our community members. Our focus today is on having "open hands" to what God wants for us, not just in avoiding sin and loving Him, but in how we live our lives. I shared a personal story about how God redirected my path when I thought I knew where He was leading me. This experience taught me the importance of having open hands to God's plans, even when they don't align with our expectations.
We live in a consumer-driven society, but the church is not meant to be a place of consumption. Instead, we are called to serve one another, reflecting Christ's love and strengthening our faith. Jesus warned against greed and emphasized that life is not about the abundance of possessions but about serving God and others. Paul echoed this sentiment, stating that we are created for good works, prepared in advance by God. Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham also highlighted the importance of Christian service, emphasizing that every believer has a call to ministry.
Service is not just a duty but a form of worship and a catalyst for spiritual growth. It reflects the heart of Christ and strengthens our faith. We are not spectators in God's kingdom; we are participants. As we prepare for the new school year and various church activities, I encourage everyone to consider how they can serve. Whether it's teaching Sunday school, helping with youth ministry, or joining a community group, there are many opportunities to get involved. Let's have open hands and open hearts to follow where God leads us.
### Key Takeaways
1. Open Hands to God's Plans: Having open hands means being willing to follow God's direction, even when it doesn't align with our expectations. This openness allows us to experience God's perfect timing and plans, which are often different from our own. My personal journey of being redirected from a Bible college in California to a program in Minnesota exemplifies this. [27:10]
2. Consumerism vs. Service: Our society is driven by consumerism, but the church is called to be different. We are not meant to be consumers but servants. Jesus warned against greed and emphasized that life is not about possessions but about serving God and others. This shift from a consumer mentality to a service-oriented mindset is crucial for spiritual growth. [31:56]
3. Reflecting Christ's Love: Serving one another is a way to reflect Christ's love. Jesus Himself came not to be served but to serve. When we serve, we mirror the heart of Christ and demonstrate His love to the world. This form of service is a powerful testimony and a form of evangelism. [41:53]
4. Strengthening Faith Through Service: Serving others strengthens our faith. Peter encourages us to use our gifts to serve one another, relying on the strength that God provides. This reliance on the Holy Spirit empowers us to serve in ways we never thought possible, deepening our faith and trust in God. [45:05]
5. Community and Participation: The church is not a place for spectators but for active participants. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, serving in various capacities within the church and community. This participation not only fulfills our calling but also builds a stronger, more connected church community. [48:44]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[05:14] - Opening Hymns
[15:43] - Announcements
[17:13] - Prayer Requests
[18:33] - Youth Group Recap
[19:55] - Prayer for the Community
[21:17] - Hymn: Open Hands
[27:10] - Personal Story: God's Redirection
[31:56] - Consumerism vs. Service
[35:10] - Jesus' Teaching on Greed
[36:53] - Created for Good Works
[38:35] - Different Gifts, Same Spirit
[41:53] - Reflecting Christ's Love
[45:05] - Strengthening Faith Through Service
[48:44] - Community and Participation
[50:47] - Call to Serve
[54:32] - Community Groups
[56:08] - Closing Prayer
[01:00:47] - Benediction
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Luke 12:13-15 (NIV)
> "Someone in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.' Jesus replied, 'Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?' Then he said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'"
2. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)
> "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
3. 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)
> "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
### Observation Questions
1. What did Jesus warn against in Luke 12:13-15, and what did He say life does not consist of?
2. According to Ephesians 2:8-10, what are we created in Christ Jesus to do?
3. In 1 Peter 4:10-11, how are we instructed to use our gifts, and what is the ultimate purpose of doing so?
4. What personal story did the pastor share about being redirected by God, and how did it illustrate having "open hands"? [27:10]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize guarding against greed in Luke 12:13-15, and how does this relate to the concept of having "open hands" to God's plans? [35:10]
2. How does Ephesians 2:8-10 describe the relationship between grace, faith, and good works? What does this imply about our purpose as believers?
3. What does 1 Peter 4:10-11 suggest about the source of our strength for serving others, and how does this strengthen our faith? [45:05]
4. Reflecting on the pastor's story, how can unexpected changes in our plans be seen as opportunities to trust in God's direction? [27:10]
### Application Questions
1. Think about a time when your plans did not align with God's direction. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [27:10]
2. In what ways can you shift from a consumer mentality to a service-oriented mindset within your church community? [31:56]
3. Identify one area in your life where you can serve others more effectively. What steps can you take this week to begin serving in that area? [48:44]
4. How can you use your unique gifts to reflect Christ's love to those around you? Share a specific example of how you plan to do this. [41:53]
5. Serving others can strengthen our faith. Can you recall a time when serving someone else deepened your trust in God? How did that experience impact your spiritual growth? [45:05]
6. The pastor mentioned the importance of community and participation in the church. How can you become more actively involved in your church's activities or groups? [48:44]
7. Consider the balance between serving and avoiding burnout. How can you ensure that you are serving in a sustainable way that honors both your commitments and your well-being? [47:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God's Redirection
Description: Having open hands means being willing to follow God's direction, even when it doesn't align with our expectations. This openness allows us to experience God's perfect timing and plans, which are often different from our own. My personal journey of being redirected from a Bible college in California to a program in Minnesota exemplifies this. [27:10]
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV): "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
Reflection: Think of a time when your plans were redirected by circumstances beyond your control. How did you see God's hand in that redirection, and what did you learn from it?
Day 2: Shifting from Consumerism to Service
Description: Our society is driven by consumerism, but the church is called to be different. We are not meant to be consumers but servants. Jesus warned against greed and emphasized that life is not about possessions but about serving God and others. This shift from a consumer mentality to a service-oriented mindset is crucial for spiritual growth. [31:56]
Luke 12:15 (ESV): "And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"
Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you tend to have a consumer mindset. How can you transform this area into an opportunity for service to others?
Day 3: Reflecting Christ's Love Through Service
Description: Serving one another is a way to reflect Christ's love. Jesus Himself came not to be served but to serve. When we serve, we mirror the heart of Christ and demonstrate His love to the world. This form of service is a powerful testimony and a form of evangelism. [41:53]
John 13:14-15 (ESV): "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you."
Reflection: Think of someone in your community who could use a helping hand. How can you serve them this week in a way that reflects Christ's love?
Day 4: Strengthening Faith Through Service
Description: Serving others strengthens our faith. Peter encourages us to use our gifts to serve one another, relying on the strength that God provides. This reliance on the Holy Spirit empowers us to serve in ways we never thought possible, deepening our faith and trust in God. [45:05]
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."
Reflection: What spiritual gifts has God given you? How can you use these gifts to serve others and strengthen your faith this week?
Day 5: Active Participation in God's Kingdom
Description: The church is not a place for spectators but for active participants. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, serving in various capacities within the church and community. This participation not only fulfills our calling but also builds a stronger, more connected church community. [48:44]
1 Corinthians 12:27 (ESV): "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."
Reflection: Consider your role in your church community. What is one new way you can actively participate in serving your church or community this month?
Quotes
1. "We live in a day and age where, to be honest with you, it's consumerism. We live in a society that is all about consuming, having more and more and more. Many of you who have lived through the Great Depression and grew up in the 60s, 70s, and 80s as well, you remember times where consumerism, we were just trying to get by. We didn't buy these fancy, hefty containers to have our food, leftover food stored in. We had butter, old butter things and ice cream pails." [31:56] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We are not spectators in God's kingdom. We are called to be his hands and feet. The next point that as we serve and we were created for service is that service as we serve one another is reflecting Christ's love. I say this all the time. We are created in the image Jesus to reflect him to the world around us whether we do that or not is either good or bad and the call when we serve one another it's reflecting Christ's love for us." [40:06] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "If we want to be like Jesus we need to be a server we need to serve and again I want to give a little bit of a caveat at this point too because some of you you're just holding on by threads because you've got like 10 little kids and Sunday mornings are like you can't believe you have any here left because you're pulling it out trying to get all these kids out the door or just your husband I don't know sometimes in our life we need to pull back for a season but it's not meant to be forever." [43:21] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We need you. We need the church to be the church if we want the church to be the church. We can't be spectators. We have to be participators. And if we follow the Holy Spirit wherever he leads, have open hands and say, God, what do you want from me right now? And listen and say, maybe I need to take that step of faith to do something that I did not think that I was gifted at. That is where God will move in mighty ways." [48:44] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and the helpless. Billy has it right. The greatest form of worship you can give is not singing a song, but being obedient, unselfishly serve in Jesus' name. And as we get ready to launch our year, I challenge some of us to maybe take that step of faith, that step of worship." [50:47] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less. We just went through the fruit of the spirit series. And one of the fruits of the spirit is humility. And if we want to be humble, it's not thinking less of ourselves like, oh, I'm nothing. Oh, I'm just, I'm no good to nobody. No, you, me, we are daughters and sons of the most high God. You are not less than. You are a prince or princess. You are special." [52:51] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "One of the things that will encourage us in our faith is to grow in community. The early church did it. They met in homes. They gathered a lot. They prayed for one another. They had fellowship together. They learned together. They weeped and cared for one another. And we have space in our community groups and there's an opportunity to sign up to be a part of a community group." [54:32] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Lord I thank you so much for this place. And I pray that this message was an encouragement not guilt because Holy Spirit you do not use guilt. You use conviction to bring about change. So Lord if there's anyone sitting here in this place today feeling guilty I pray against that. I pray against the enemy who manipulates and mimics in a distorted way your Holy Spirit. And I ask that you give clarity to someone who may be feeling guilty." [56:08] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?