Strength in Weakness: The Fellowship of the Withered Hand

 

Summary

In a journey that began over 30 years ago, I found myself in Ethiopia, a nation under the oppressive rule of a Marxist dictator. I was there with a fellow pastor, Paul, to speak to a group of pastors from underground churches. These churches were illegal, and their leaders faced persecution and imprisonment. During our time there, Paul shared the story of a man with a withered hand, a narrative found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This man, likely a mason, was unable to work due to his condition, and in a society where physical deformities carried a stigma, he would have hidden his hand in shame.

Jesus, however, called this man to stand and stretch out his hand, asking him to do the impossible. This act of faith and vulnerability led to healing. In that room in Ethiopia, as Paul spoke, something remarkable happened. The pastors began to confess their own inadequacies and weaknesses, mirroring the man's act of faith. This was the Fellowship of the Withered Hand, a community where people are not defined by their weaknesses but are called to live in the strength of Christ.

This fellowship is not about wallowing in self-pity or victimhood. Instead, it is about embracing our limitations and finding strength in Christ's power. Jesus' act of healing was one of great courage, and we are called to walk in that same courage and strength. As we embark on this journey together, we will explore how to find God, healing, and hope in our brokenness. This journey is marked by the cross, and it is one that I invite you to join.

Key Takeaways:

1. The story of the man with the withered hand teaches us that Jesus often calls us to do what seems impossible. In our weakness, we are invited to step out in faith and trust in His power to accomplish what we cannot do on our own. [04:57]

2. The Fellowship of the Withered Hand is a community where we can be honest about our weaknesses and inadequacies. It is in this vulnerability that we find strength and healing, as we are no longer pretending to be self-sufficient. [07:52]

3. We are not meant to live defined by our weaknesses or wounds. Instead, we are called to live in the reality of Christ's strength, moving beyond self-pity and victimhood to embrace the power and courage that comes from Him. [08:34]

4. Jesus' healing of the man with the withered hand was an act of great courage, and we are called to walk in that same courage. This journey involves facing our fears and stepping out in faith, trusting in God's strength to carry us through. [09:00]

5. The journey of the Fellowship of the Withered Hand is marked by the cross, where we find hope and healing in our brokenness. It is a journey of discovering God's presence and power in the midst of our struggles and pain. [10:07]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:21] - Invitation to Ethiopia
- [02:05] - Persecution and Faith
- [02:36] - The Man with the Withered Hand
- [03:16] - Jesus' Call to Stand
- [04:26] - Stretching Out in Faith
- [05:27] - Confession and Vulnerability
- [06:13] - Beyond Human Ability
- [07:10] - Ancient Story, Modern Impact
- [08:08] - Not Defined by Weakness
- [09:13] - Courage and Strength
- [09:42] - Finding God in Brokenness
- [10:22] - The Journey Ahead
- [10:33] - Resources and Support
- [11:11] - Prayer and Connection

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Fellowship of the Withered Hand

Bible Reading:
- Luke 6:6-11 (The story of the man with the withered hand)

Observation Questions:
1. What was the significance of the man’s right hand being withered in the context of the ancient world? How did this affect his life and work? [02:50]
2. How did Jesus’ command to the man with the withered hand challenge the societal norms and expectations of that time? [03:16]
3. What was the reaction of the Pharisees and teachers of the law to Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath, and why was this significant? [08:48]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Jesus have chosen to heal the man in such a public and potentially controversial manner? What does this reveal about His character and mission? [03:16]
2. How does the concept of the "Fellowship of the Withered Hand" challenge the idea of self-sufficiency in the Christian life? [06:53]
3. In what ways does the story of the man with the withered hand illustrate the power of vulnerability and confession within a community? [05:41]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a personal weakness or limitation that you have been hiding. How might you bring this into the light within a supportive community, similar to the Fellowship of the Withered Hand? [07:23]
2. Jesus asked the man to do something he believed he couldn’t do. What is one area in your life where you feel God is calling you to step out in faith despite your perceived limitations? [04:57]
3. Consider a time when you felt defined by your weaknesses. How can you shift your perspective to focus on Christ’s strength in those areas? [08:34]
4. The sermon mentioned the courage required to face our fears and step out in faith. What is one fear you need to confront, and how can you rely on God’s strength to overcome it? [09:00]
5. How can you create or participate in a community that encourages vulnerability and confession, similar to the Fellowship of the Withered Hand? What steps can you take to foster such an environment? [07:52]
6. Reflect on a situation where you have been living in self-pity or victimhood. How can you move beyond this mindset to embrace the power and courage that comes from Christ? [08:34]
7. The journey of the Fellowship of the Withered Hand is marked by the cross. How can you find hope and healing in your own brokenness through the message of the cross? [10:07]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Impossible

In the story of the man with the withered hand, Jesus calls him to do what seems impossible: to stretch out his hand. This act of faith is a powerful reminder that in our own lives, we are often called to step out in faith, trusting in God's power to accomplish what we cannot do on our own. The man’s willingness to expose his weakness and trust in Jesus led to his healing. Similarly, we are invited to bring our own weaknesses and limitations to God, trusting that He can transform them into strengths. This is not about relying on our own abilities but about having the courage to trust in God's power and grace. [04:57]

"And he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel called to step out in faith, despite feeling inadequate or weak? How can you trust God to work through your limitations today?


Day 2: Vulnerability as Strength

The Fellowship of the Withered Hand is a community where individuals can be honest about their weaknesses and inadequacies. In this vulnerability, they find strength and healing, as they are no longer pretending to be self-sufficient. This community is not about wallowing in self-pity but about embracing our limitations and finding strength in Christ's power. By acknowledging our weaknesses, we open ourselves to God's transformative work in our lives, allowing His strength to be made perfect in our weakness. [07:52]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life can you be vulnerable with about your struggles and weaknesses? How can you support each other in finding strength in Christ?


Day 3: Redefining Identity

We are not meant to live defined by our weaknesses or wounds. Instead, we are called to live in the reality of Christ's strength, moving beyond self-pity and victimhood to embrace the power and courage that comes from Him. This shift in identity allows us to see ourselves not as victims of our circumstances but as victors through Christ. By focusing on His strength rather than our own limitations, we can live with a renewed sense of purpose and hope. [08:34]

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" (Romans 8:15, ESV)

Reflection: How do you currently define yourself in light of your weaknesses? What would it look like to redefine your identity based on Christ's strength and victory?


Day 4: Courageous Faith

Jesus' healing of the man with the withered hand was an act of great courage, and we are called to walk in that same courage. This journey involves facing our fears and stepping out in faith, trusting in God's strength to carry us through. Courageous faith is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act in spite of it, relying on God's promises and presence. As we face challenges and uncertainties, we can draw strength from the knowledge that God is with us, empowering us to overcome. [09:00]

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What fear or challenge are you currently facing that requires courageous faith? How can you take a step forward, trusting in God's strength and presence?


Day 5: Hope in Brokenness

The journey of the Fellowship of the Withered Hand is marked by the cross, where we find hope and healing in our brokenness. It is a journey of discovering God's presence and power in the midst of our struggles and pain. The cross is a symbol of both suffering and redemption, reminding us that our brokenness is not the end of the story. Through Christ, we can find hope and healing, knowing that He is with us in our pain and working all things for our good. [10:07]

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to find hope and healing? How can you invite God into your brokenness and trust Him to bring redemption and restoration?

Quotes


Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with this shriveled hand, get up and stand now in the ancient world if you in a synagogue and you had a shed hand the last thing in the world that you would want would be for other people to see it this man was apparently a person of Faith he had I am sure prayed and asked God for healing for that hand there are stories in the Hebrew scriptures in the Old Testament of God bringing healing but it never happened for this guy. [00:03:12]

He does not ask you just to do what you can what any human being in Human self-sufficiency is capable of doing he asks you to do the very thing that you cannot do to forgive the person that you cannot forgive to be the kind of friend the kind of man the kind of woman to correct the kind of fault that is beyond your ability to live beyond your anxiety or beyond your depression or whatever it is do what you cannot do. [00:05:00]

People began to do what the man in the story did they began to stand up and confess their inadequacies and their weaknesses and their faults and they talked about being jealous of one another's churches or one another's families or one another's gifts or one another Ministries they talked about the fear what they had lost they began to weep now Paul didn't ask them to do any of these things. [00:05:39]

There is a Transcendent power that took place that fell on those of us who were in that room and it was not about human giftedness and that is The Fellowship of the withered hand and because of that there was a kind of um healing and a kind of encouraging and a kind of strengthening and a kind of community that happened and what was remarkable is it's a story that happened 2,000 years earlier. [00:06:40]

When that man was in the presence of Jesus and he did the very thing he did not want to do he exposed that of which he was most ashamed most defeated felt most inadequate most weak and all of a sudden he was given power and then 2,000 years later in Ethiopia it happened again that is The Fellowship of the withered hand when we meet and instead of pretending and yep I'm okay and my life is basically fine. [00:07:12]

The Fellowship of the withered hand is not a place where we gather together to be defined by our weaknesses or wounds people think about that sometimes I know of a church that was wonderful when it came to inviting people just to come in and share their wounds it was called Church of the open door people would sometimes nickname a church of the open sore and there are folks where they want go through life just being thought of as victims or living in self-pity. [00:08:06]

We are not meant to live ultimately just in the limitation of our weakness we are called to live in the reality of his strength Jesus of course uh in this story is engaging in an act of great courage in fact when it is done we're told the Pharisees and the herodians two people that had always hated each other the herodians worked with Herod they collaborated with the Romans the Pharisees hated those guys but they banded together to see how they could kill Jesus. [00:08:37]

It's an act of great courage and great strength and we're called to that so we're going to walk together on this journey there's a book that's been very helpful to me it's a very dense book for me wandering in darkness written by a philosopher elanar stump and she's agreed to be interviewed as part of this there's another wonderful thinker writer Jerry sitzer who has gone through uh The Fellowship of the Wither himself in very deep ways. [00:09:07]

We're going to learn how do we find God how do we find power how do we find Healing how do we find strength how do you find hope this began for me at a time when my life was just shattered like it had not been before and I did not know what might there be in the future and I would give anything in the world not to have gone through not to have people that I love gone through some of what we have gone through. [00:09:35]

I would not trade the meeting of God in it for anything that's all part of the Fellowship of the withered hand the strange and ancient Community into which people still come that is marked supremely by a cross that's the journey we're going to be on over these next days I will see you there in The Fellowship of the withered hey thanks for joining us my name is Tim and I'm a part of the team here at become new. [00:10:00]

Be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any future episodes from John you can also head to our website where we have hundreds more videos just like this one that you can browse and find something that's relevant to you and your life right now you could also sign up there to receive the emails that go with each video or to get the daily text reminder or to browse our blog or other resources that we have there. [00:10:31]

Want to let you know that John is coming out with a new book titled steps this February the book's actually based on the series Ashes to beauty that we did a few years ago and we're really excited about it you could go to Amazon right now and pre-order that book if you want or check out all the details at our website becom new.com if you've got a prayer request there's a team of us that meet each weekday Monday through Friday to pray for viewers just like yourself. [00:11:04]

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Transcript
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