The Hand of Jesus - Billy Graham Sermon

 

Billy Graham - The Hand of Jesus

Summary

Here in this sermon passage by Billy Graham, the emphasis is on the importance of the hands of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of John, in the case of the Apostle Thomas's skepticism of Jesus's resurrection. Graham narrates the meeting where Thomas requires tangible evidence of Jesus's resurrection, which emphasizes the lesson of faith—belief without seeing. He expounds on a number of features of Jesus's hands: their creative ability, their healing power, their compassion, and their suffering during the crucifixion. Each feature is meant to show the many-sided role of Jesus's hands in the lives of believers, which include creation, healing, and an invitation for personal relationship. He stresses the need for people to open their hearts to Christ, who desires to come into their lives and bring transformation through faith. The sermon ends with an appeal for the listeners to react by giving their lives to Jesus, reaffirming the summons to faith, repentance, and receptiveness to divine touch and guidance.

 

Highlights

The Power of Transformation of Faith: Jesus refers to believers without seeing as particularly blessed.

Symbolism of Hands: Jesus's hands symbolize creation, healing, compassion, and suffering.

Call to Open Hearts: Graham insists on the necessity of opening one's heart to Jesus.

Personal Connection: Jesus's outstretched hands symbolize His willingness for personal relationships.

 Active Participation: Emphasizing that faith is not passive, inviting the audience to respond boldly.

Emotional Healing: The hands of Jesus are symbolized as a means of healing emotional and spiritual wounds.

Call to Salvation: They are invited to make a prayer call and a guidance call in acknowledgment of continued necessity in religious aid.

Essential Takeaways

Belief versus Unbelievers: Through the example of Thomas, the sermon portrays a confrontation between doubt and belief. Graham highlights how trust is confronted many times by difficulty, yet trust is characterized by an endless gift to whoever is willing to trust the imperceivable.

 

The Hands of Creation: Graham emphasizes that Jesus's hands represent not only physical healing but also the force behind the creation of everything. The duality encourages believers to see the depth of Jesus's divinity as both healer and creator.

 

 Healing Touch: The allusion to Jesus healing the sick places His hands in the role of instruments of compassion and restoration. Christians are invited to ask for healing not just from physical sicknesses but also from emotional and relational difficulties.

Tender Mercy: Jesus's care for the poor and hungry sets a pattern of compassion that Christians are called to follow. Graham invites listeners to embrace acts of service and outreach in their communities.

 

Hands of Blessing: Graham describes Jesus as the caring presence who blesses and envelops vulnerable people, focusing on the need for humility and openness in coming to God.

 

 Receiving Salvation: The vision of Christ standing at the door of the heart offers salvation as an open option. Graham maintains that salvation can be received by anyone who would answer.

 

Invitation Beyond the Sermon: Continual invitation to make a commitment to Christ supports the belief that faith is a journey of continuous decisions, action, and acknowledgment in one's life. Graham invites immediate and long-term participation in faith communities for spiritual development.

 

In short, Billy Graham's sermon summarizes the deep meaning and symbolism of Jesus' hands, calling the audience to take faith as an active engagement with God's love and healing. The individual commitment to receive Jesus is seen as a revolutionary move to attain spiritual completeness.

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