Open Hands, Part 2

Intro

Last time we met we spoke about Open Hands

We spoke about how to accept something— many times you have to let go of what you been holding on to. You can’t grab hold of God if your hands are full.

We spoke about how we like to have a back up plan to hold on to in case God doesn’t work out.

And how we also like to hold on to pain and burdens. Taking ownership of things that were given to us even though it’s not healthy.

Today we are going to continue in our series and talk a little bit more about this holding on that we are so good at

Holding on to Things

Many of us hold on to various material and immaterial possessions.

We often cling to burdens, as discussed last week,

Holding on to burdens that are not even ours but we take ownership of these things like guilt, pain, things that were done to us as though they are ours and we know we need to LET THEM GO.

But lets talk about what else we need to LET GO of

We also hold on to status, praise, clout.

When we receive recognition or something we feel increases our status, we are eager to share it or flaunt it around others.

Pride often leads us to highlight our connections to elevate our own status.

My Daddy is this

My Brother did this

I once met this person

I went here

I did this

LOOK AT ME

Whatever we can use to show ourselves as unique and better than others makes us feel good.

When people used to ask me if I was a Christian. My response: My Dad is a Minister!!… said it with Pride to

And we hang on to that. It’s only natural.

Jesus had the same opportunity:

To leverage His connection to His Father but He chose not to. As stated in Philippians 2:6

Philippians 2:6 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

In the King James it reads:

Philippians 2:6 KJV 1900

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

When the NIV was first translated, the meaning of the rare Greek word harpagmos, rendered ‟something to be grasped,” in Philippians 2:6 was uncertain.

The root word means to seize or carry off, which is why we see the word robbery in King James

In some versions, it is phrased as "He did not grasp." He didn’t hold on to that.

The Greek word for grasp implies plunder or robbery, which explains why the King James Version states:

In further study has shown that the word refers to something that a person

has in their possession

but chooses not to use to their own advantage.

VERY KEY

All this to say

Jesus, as the Son of God, could have used His standing with God for His own benefit, HE HAD IT

but instead, He allowed God to utilize Him for His purposes. By doing so, He fulfilled God's will and achieved success.

Another way:

Jesus, as the Son of God, had every opportunity to use God to His advantage

BUT

what He did is allowed God to use Him for God’s advantage

and in doing so He found success as well as promoted the will of God

Jesus gave up self-interest and held firmly onto God—not merely the concept of God or His creations, but to God Himself.

What are we holding on to?

It is common for people to say they are HOLDING ONTO TO GOD’s Unwavering HAND

But many times we are holding on to:

Church

The Bible

Other People

Things that we have or blessings

How you may ask?

When ask people about God:

How He blessed us with things

How He has given us stuff

Do we think about the RELATIONSHIP

We use our status as Christians to help solidify our feelings of better than:

Expecting that just because you are Christian folks supposed to treat you a certain way. 

That just because you go to church you are owed something

That just because you pray God owe you something

Don’ts:

Don’t curse in front of me— how dare you

Don’t drink in front of me

Don’t do those things

You get saved and everybody else supposed to change. But do you??

You realize you holding on to God and not Stuff when you realize.

That just because you a Christian you treat people a certain way regardless of how they treat you

That no one owes you a thing but you are in such great debt to God, but through His love the price has been paid in full and you only want to LIVE IN THAT LOVE

You realize you are servant for GOD:

Colossians 3:24 NIV

24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Many Christians have a inside mentality. Want to look down their nose at others.

But we must be willing to SERVE!!!

Why do you think it was such a point for Jesus to wash His disciples feet

John 13:5–9 NIV

5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

We see our Lord Jesus. Washing feet.

This was a servants job. And not just any servant. The lowliest of servants.

Dirty feet. These weren’t pedicured feet.

But He explains His actions:

John 13:12–17 NIV

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

He made a point to say me doing this does not affect my status. I’m STILL who I AM

Remember Philippians 2:6

Philippians 2:6 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

He had it. He had the status but he didn’t use it to His own advantage

When we choose not to serve and only choose to uplift ourselves...it shows

So many people when they walk into a church don’t feel welcomed they feel judged

They don’t feel love they feel criticism

They don’t feel acceptance but disappointment

Because they should come to respect us they coming to us.

Why?  Jesus said love.

Holding on to our salvation and goodness is what makes us FEEL RIGHTEOUS

We even look at each other Christians as a measuring stick for how GOOD we are.

At least I’m not looking like Brother Steve

At least I don’t drink like Sister Smith

You want to find fault with others so you can feel better about you.

So what are you holding on to.  It isn’t God.

Holding on the GOD

When you open your hands and let all that stuff GO

Now its time to grasp and TRULY hold on to God

But it takes an Open hand to Hold on.

It takes letting go of this world and yourself. Hardest thing ever.

The hardest thing for a parent to do is let go.

I raised you I fed you

You wouldn’t be here without me.

Now you want to do your own thing—

“but Mom I’m 45 years old”

We know we have to let go

- Now think about yourself. I made me who I am, I learned, I made things happen and now I got to do what God says—All the Time

And guess what it’s not just pray and read. Time to grow up.

It’s complete involvement.

Faith isn’t Holding on to Doctrine

It’s not Holding on to Tradition

There are churches all over this city and you can probably time them as to the order of service

It’s not holding on to the How tos

It is holding onto GOD. The relationship, the Truth, The Savior.

Some of us been treating God like a high school friend. A matter of convenience. He there when you need Him.

God doesn’t live at this Church. When we leave He should leave (with you)

John 8:31–32 NIV

31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

That’s the Bible. But Jesus is the WORD

And when we truly hold on we realize how strong that Love is

- Don’t worry about people

- Don’t worry about acceptance

- Don’t worry about if it is going to work

- Don’t worry about tomorrow

We can’t hold on to just what we See and What we Think

2 Babies in the womb

In a mother’s womb were two babies.

One asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?”

The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”

“Nonsense” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?”

The second said, “I don’t know, but there

will be more light than here.

Maybe we will walk with our legs and

eat from our mouths.

Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”

The first replied,

“That is absurd. Walking is impossible.

And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.”

The second insisted,

“Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here.

Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”

The first replied, “Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one has ever come back from there?

Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.”

“Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.”

The first replied “Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable.

If Mother exists then where is She now?”

The second said,

“She is all around us.

We are surrounded by her.

We are of Her.

It is in Her that we live.

Without Her this world would not and could not exist.”

Said the first:

“Well I don’t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn’t exist.”

To which the second replied,

“Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.”

– a parable from Your Sacred Self by Dr. Wayne Dyer

When we hold on to Him. He holds on to us

Romans 8:35 NIV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Romans 8:37–39 NIV

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now that is a true bond. A bond made in LOVE.

Listening