"Jesus' Hands of Blessing"

Text:  Matthew 18:13-15
 January 6, 2008
Life Sunday
Delivered by Pastor Douglas C. Breite

"Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them.  But the disciples rebuked those who brought the children.  Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'  When He had placed His hands on them He went on from there."


Pastor Burgell has noticed that I tend to be a little bit hyper in the pulpit.  I move around.  My hands flail around.  He mentioned that about once every month I have one of those "bend over the pulpit" moments in the sermon when he was wondering if I might fall out of the pulpit. 

People have been working on me in this area for years.

All the way back in grade school, my Lutheran teachers oh some of them wanted me to stop talking with my hands.  They made me sit on my hands during the school day.  Then, when that didn't work, one time they tied my hands down. Today, that might be considered torture.  It didn't work anyway. 

In speech class and sermon class (homiletics) oh I was told…don't wear your glasses when you preach, they get in the way of communication.  Don't move around, look straight ahead.  And most of all, don't use your hands.

I guess I'm a lost cause!

Hands communicate.  A hand can reach down to help and you are saying, "I'm on your side. It's going to be OK."  You might take someone's hands into both of your hands, and it means "You are important to me."

Hands also communicate anger…. Or fear. 

Yes, hands communicate.

The Bible uses this simple truth that Hands communicate to tell us so much about our Triune God.  All of creation is said to be God's handiwork, the work of His hands.  God's hands hold everything create and sustain our world, God's hands hold everything together. That's we can sing, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands. 

God's power in the Bible is described as "God's strong hand and outstretched arm."  And so in the Bible when we read of God's hands, we learn so much about His awesome power, His love care, His almighty protection, His just punishments. 

And the same can be said of Jesus, God's Son.  Jesus did so much with His hands.   Oh, the power Jesus demonstrated.  Just the touch of His hand and the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dead are raised.  Oh, and punishment.  The money-changers are driven from the temple, demons are cast out. 

The story concerning Jesus' hands that we are going to focus upon is when Jesus was blessing the children.  Picture it!  Parents were bringing their children to Jesus. We don't know how many. We don't know the ages, but the word used in Matthew 19 can refer to teenagers down to infants.

But the disciples didn't like the idea.  The disciples didn't want children to come to Jesus.  They may be justified in their thoughts. In that society, children didn't count.  Only adults mattered. 

So maybe the disciples thought that Jesus' mission was too important to be interrupted by children.  Or, the next section of Matthew talks about rich young man coming to see Jesus.  Maybe the disciples thought that Jesus came only to save the rich and powerful. 

But Jesus would have none of that!  He welcomes children.  You can almost see Jesus' hands, can't you?  "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them.  For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." 

Then he blesses them. He prays for them.  I wish I knew what Jesus prayed, how He blessed them.  But the Bible doesn't tell us.  But the Bible DOES tell us that Jesus offers welcome and love and care and protection and blessing -- and not just for children.

Jesus' compassionate touch and protective hands are for people for people of all ages -- regardless of size, influence, importance.  In fact, Jesus is especially compassionate to and protective of those who are on the bottom rungs of the social ladder:  lepers, tax collectors, Samaritans, you name it.  He welcomes the helpless, the hurting, those most likely to be trampled.

But where are these hands of compassion and protection today?  I almost hate turning on the news these days:

§         A dad takes the life of his family

§         An Amish man walks in a harms school children

§         Pornography is a billion dollar industry that breaks homes apart.

§         Suicide bombing

The loss of conceived, yet unborn, life is staggering.  The Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod is a pro-life church body.  We share God's Word from Psalm 139 that says, "Lord, You knit me together in my mother's womb."  From God's point of view, there are no accidental pregnancies.  "All my days were numbered in Your book before I even came to be."   The Lord has a plan for each of these conceive, yet unborn, children.

Certainly, the prayers and the information and human care is making a difference.  A study released this week that the abortion rate in America is declining.  22% of pregnancies in America are terminated, down from 33% just a few years ago.  That's great news.  These are the littlest of people, and the good Lord knows about them and cares about them too!

But sometimes in our society, sin is so evident.  Immorality is commonplace.  The 10 Commandments at times appear to be virtually ignored, even resisted, in our courts and in our land.  Where is Jesus' hand of blessing today?

His hands of blessing are where they have always been:  right here in the means of grace.  In the Word of the Gospel, in the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, Jesus is here with us right now.

At Trinity School this week, the Parochial League A-Team tournament will be held.  I remember so many years ago, when I was in 8th grade, playing in a tournament at a school called Grace Chapel in the St. Louis area.  Their church has stained glass windows.  One of the windows is amazingly contemporary.  There is a scene with Jesus standing over 3 children: a young boy praying, a baby playing on a pillow, and a young girl planting a flower. 

What stands out is the size of Jesus' hands.  They are HUGE, almost out of proportion with the rest of his body.  They are raised in blessing.  His hands of blessing are all around us, if we only care to look for them.

I'd like you to take out your bulletin insert.  It's beautiful for Life Sunday.  And the insert reminds us that we are in the Hands of God.  The first picture reminds us that God creates all life.  Job 10 says, "Your hands fashioned and made me."   The second picture shows the hand of Jesus on the cross, reminding us that Jesus redeemed us with His hands of blessing.  Galatians 3 says, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'"  And the 3rd picture reminds us that God calls us and Holds us with His hands. 

Isaiah 42 states, "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you." 

We see God's hand of blessing in the cross, for God sent Jesus to bring forgiveness and beginnings to all children, no matter what is in your past.  We are all sinners. We have all fallen short.  We all have secrets we do not wish to have revealed.  His forgiveness earned on the cross is for you.

Where are Jesus' hands today?  Today, HE also uses OUR HANDS to do His work of blessing.  We are called to speak up for life, to speak up for those who maybe can't speak for themselves.  Not just the conceived yet unborn, but also the elderly -- or anyone who cannot speak for themselves. 

We are His hands when we reach out with forgiving hands to those who have broken God's law, when we share God's Word of forgiveness to anyone who needs to hear it, when we offer hope to someone who is hurting. 

One more time, picture that scene long ago, Christ's big hands of blessing over those children.  His hands are filled with love, love for those who hurt.  His hands are filled with power, more powerful than sin and immorality that is evident in our world.  And then look at your own hands. They are Christ's hands of blessing today.  Use them to be a blessing to those in our society who are treated as insignificant, of no value.  Yes, Christ's hands of blessing are right here in the Church, and in our world.