New Testament                                        

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In the New Testament we read that the Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. (John 1:14)  Jesus lived on earth, He hung out with sinners, much like you and me.  He touched them.  How awesome it must have been for those who lived with Jesus to have felt His touch.  Those hands of love, compassion, grace, mercy, strength, and power.  Imagine the physical touch of Jesus on your shoulder encouraging you to sin no more. (John 8:11)  Imagine walking on water and then faltering and the hand of Jesus immediately rescuing you. (Matthew 14:31)  Imagine the hand of Jesus raising your loved one from the dead. (Luke 8:53-54) Imagine Jesus holding your baby and blessing him.  (Mark 10:15-16) Imagine doubting the death and resurrection of Jesus and then to have Him appear in the flesh and have you put your finger on His nail pierced hands. (John 20:27)  Perhaps your life long response would be as Thomas’ response, “My Lord and my God!”  What an experience—what could compare to feeling the hand of Jesus?

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THERE IS LIFE AND LOVE IN THE HANDS OF JESUS:  On the cross Jesus stretched out his hands and died for us.  He let sinful men drive the nails into his hands and feet and hang him on a cross.  He chose to die the death of a sinner for us, for each of us.  Because of His love he died.  Through His sinless sacrificial death we all may have eternal life.

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THERE IS HEALING IN THE HANDS OF JESUS:  With what enormity of love must have been felt in the touch of Jesus as He walked on earth?  There are many instances in the Bible of the touch of Jesus.  “When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.” (Luke 4:40)  He took the hand of a sick woman and helped her up, the fever left and she was fine.  (Mark 1:31)  In Mark 8:23 is a tender story of the touch of Jesus.  He led a blind man out of the village and He spit on the man’s eyes and laid His hands on them.  The man’s eyes were opened, His sight was restored, and He saw everything clearly.  Would you be able to forget the touch of Jesus?

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THERE IS ETERNAL SECURITY IN THE HAND OF JESUS: 

In John 10:28 Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT OF MY HAND." ​

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THERE IS INCREDIBLE POWER IN THE HAND OF JESUS: 

Satan is a powerful foe for the Christian but Jesus says in Luke 11:20 that by the finger of God He can drive out demons.

 

THERE IS INCREDIBLE BLESSING IN THE HAND OF JESUS:  Luke 24:49-50  When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany he lifted up his hands and blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

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As disciples of Christ, how can we copy the example that was set before us?

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Jesus touches the lives of people with more than a touch of His hand.  We touch people’s lives with more than our hands.  Jesus touched with love.  When you read through the gospels notice the people that Jesus touched.

 

He touched the poor beggar.  How many street people have you wanted to touch lately?  You see we all may think we love, but we probably have a ways to go to have the love of Christ.

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He touched the leper.  Leprosy was a highly contagious disease.  People that had it were outcasts of society.  I would shrink back at the touching of a leper—I have a long way to go to touch with the love of Jesus.

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He held children and blessed them.  In New Testament times children were often tossed away as worthless.  Jesus showed by his touch the worth of children.

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He came to and touched those who doubted Him.  Thomas was a disciple, but still doubted that Jesus was God.  Jesus didn’t ignore him, but came to him.  Can you imagine the look of love in the eyes of Jesus as he spoke to Thomas?

 

The Pharisees that hated Jesus and plotted his death.  In Matthew 23 Jesus said to them, “Oh how I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks.”  Jesus still loved and wanted to gather those that hated Him in his arms.

 

Examine yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart.  Be truthful with yourself and open to letting God show you what your example is to the world you live in.  When you come in contact with other people, are they touched by the love, and compassion within you?  Are they blessed at the integrity, perseverance, and strength of character they see?  Are they encouraged by the pat on the back or the hug that you give them?  Are the words you speak words that build up and not tear down?  Do people know that you are real—are your words, your touch, your life real?

 

Never, not ever in the Bible do you see Jesus making excuses for not loving people.  Never in the Bible do you see Jesus allowing His people not to love others.  It is impossible for any one person to minister to all people, but it is not impossible to love all people.  God never tells His people to stop loving.  Never does God want you to withdraw your love from others.  Loving everyone may be the hardest thing God asks us to do—but we must wholeheartedly try.

 

When we don’t love others, it is nothing more than sin.  When we make excuses not to love others we are rationalizing away our duty and obligation as children of God.  Jesus has commanded His disciples to go into the world and make disciples of all nations.  He tells us that the world will know we are His disciples because we have love one for another. 

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Please, be the hand of Jesus in this hurting world.

 

Please, reach out and touch with the love of Christ. 

 

 

But anyone who does not love, does not know God—for God is love!

1 John 4:8

John 1:14