Arms to Give Alms!
The sermon emphasizes the importance of giving, opening our hands to give liberally, supporting the weak, and relieving suffering and pain.
R. Stanley emphasizes the importance of having open hands to bless others, drawing from Psalms 41 and Proverbs 19:17. He leads a prayer asking God to open our hands to give generously, support the weak, relieve suffering, and help the poor, reflecting the compassionate nature of Jesus. The sermon highlights the blessings of giving and the need to be selfless and compassionate in our actions towards others.
Text
Reading: Psalm 41
"He who has pity on the poor, lends to the Lord;
He will pay him back what he has given" (Prov 19:17)
Here's a prayer to make our hands a blessing to others--
"Heavenly Father, open my hands!
"Your hands are always open. Hands of welcome and blessing. You manifested it perfectly when Your Son died with His hands open on the Cross.
"Open my hands, Lord, to give liberally. How can I give a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over if my fists are closed? (Lk 6:38). Help me always remember the words of the Lord Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). You have given us Your own Son and Your eternal Spirit. You have not withheld any good thing from us (Rom 8:32). Let my hands be swift to give and slow to grab. Let my savings be in Heaven! (Mt 6:19,20).
"Lord, open my hands to support those who are weak. Let me be like Hur and Aaron in supporting the weak and feeble brothers (Ex 17:l2). Let me not substitute counsel or suggestions for extending my own hands. I should never break the bruised reed or quench the smoking flax (Mt 12:20).
"Open my hands to relieve the suffering and those in pain. Let my hands be the extension of the hands of Jesus as I am a member of His Body on earth today. How He hesitated not to touch a leper though the traditions of His day would not endorse it (Mt 8:1-3)! Help me to lay hands on the sick with faith and compassion (Mk 16:18). Let me die to my prestige which prevents me from touching a suffering man on the street.
"Open my hands, Lord, to help the poor and the needy. Let me never grow tired of helping the poor because You have repeatedly said that the poor will never cease from the land (Dt 15:10,11). I keep on asking and You keep on giving liberally and without reproach (Js 1:5). How then can I rebuke a poor man who asks of me more than once?
"Dear Father, how many sinful things my hands have committed before I committed myself to You! Let me now abound in deeds of compassion. I lay my hands on Your altar. Without You I can do nothing. Help me, I pray in Jesus' Name, Amen!"
The only good thing we can do behind one's back is to pat him!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Giving
- A. He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord
- B. The Lord will pay him back what he has given
- II. Opening Our Hands to Give
- A. Heavenly Father, open my hands to give liberally
- B. Let my hands be swift to give and slow to grab
- III. Supporting the Weak
- A. Let me be like Hur and Aaron in supporting the weak and feeble brothers
- B. Let me not substitute counsel or suggestions for extending my own hands
- IV. Relieving Suffering and Pain
- A. Let my hands be the extension of the hands of Jesus as I am a member of His Body on earth today
- B. Help me to lay hands on the sick with faith and compassion
Key Quotes
“He who has pity on the poor, lends to the Lord; He will pay him back what he has given” — R. Stanley
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” — R. Stanley
“Let my hands be the extension of the hands of Jesus as I am a member of His Body on earth today” — R. Stanley
Application Points
- We should strive to be a blessing to others by giving generously and showing compassion to those in need.
- We should support those who are weak and feeble, as it is a demonstration of God's love and compassion.
- We should lay hands on the sick with faith and compassion, and be a source of comfort and support to those in need.