Greater Things - Living with Open Hands

World Changers

How many in here want to do great things?

Have you done anything great or noteworthy lately?

The draw to be or do something significant is extremely burdensome. When we start off thinking we have to do something spectacular, instagramable or scholarship or promotion worthy

Living for something greater

Ephesians 1:18–23 ESV

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Philippians 3:7–8 ESV

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

STORY: GLEANING FROM MY DAD This is a gleaning from my dad’s life I want to leave with you today. I learned this lesson he taught me exactly 18yrs ago today. I was about to leave home to try pursue a career fresh out of college. This has marked my life and my philosophy on life ever since. He took me aside as I was getting ready to leave on a plane. He said “Judah, you have to learn to live with open hands”.

The early stages of life are often marked by a self-centeredness and self-gratification that is childish. We come to God close-fisted hoping to preserve the best part of ourselves for our own use while God gets Sundays and the odd mid-week.

Living in the home I did, I was taught to abandon that sort of living early on. As a teen, my parents fanned the flame of God’s gifts in us as children and taught us to run with passion after what God had given us. It is pretty easy to serve and love God and people when I know what I’ve got to offer. We are used to coming to God with palms open, saying “Lord, here I am, use me”. I know what I bring to the table. I am ready and willing. Put me in coach. The season I was about to enter into was going to change all this.

By this point in my life, I was well versed in serving God and people without any hesitation or desire for their gratitude or reciprocity. What I hadn’t learned yet was this “open hands” business he was talking about. I nodded like I understood, and said “ Yes Pa, I’m available for God to use me wherever”.

He looked at me and said, “you don’t get it, I’m saying we have to turn our hands over”. I gave him me the “here we go” stare…and then he began to unpack this life-truth for me. He took me through the close-fisted approach, and the palm open approach to life. He said, Judah there’s another step further.

Are we prepared to turn your hands over and let whatever we have fall out. Are we prepared to lose all we have so that only what God holds up in our hands is what we get to be used for.

This is costly, but also most rewarding. It is easy to pay lip service to depending on God when you live palms up. You get used to bringing your strengths to bear. Living palms down approaches each situation with the fresh eyes of “I have nothing but what you give me”.

We must move from self-dependence to God dependence. There will be seasons where you feel like “God, why don’t I have anything? Why do I feel useless?” Don’t jump to picking things up or turn back to strength that pulled you through before or caused you to shine. God will get the glory from a life that is laid down. Wait! Draw close to God, He will cause you to shine in ways you never could by yourself.

What’s in your hands?

moving past my preferences - FAN TO FLAME THE GIFT

James 4:6–7 ESV

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

John 15:4–5 ESV

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Romans 12:3–4 ESV

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,

CLOSE FISTED LIVING - self centered and measured in giving God what I can “afford”

OPEN PALMED LIVING - Asking God to Use what I bring to Him, skills, gifts, etc..

OPEN , OUTSTRETCHED AND OVERTURNED HANDS - Laying everything I hold dear on the line, asking God to use or not use what He chooses.

- The greater thing is not me , its always Him

John 3:30 ESV

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The greater things will always need God’s power, not my prowess

2 Corinthians 4:5–7 ESV

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

- The greater things are always found in my dependence.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 ESV

9 But 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. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Jeremiah 9:23–24 ESV

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

My weakness is my greatest place of strength

QUOTE: Art Katz

“ That which is not sent of God cannot accomplish the purposes of God, and that which He sends He empowers”

Anything sent by God, will be accomplished by the power of God and will be sustained by God. Anything I send, will have to be accomplished by my strength and will be sustained as long as I can hold it up.

Romans 11:36 ESV

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.