WORSHIP AND OUR HANDS
TEXT- NEHEMIAH 8:1-6
INTRODUCTION
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT A TOPIC THAT IS VERY SENSITIVE ESPECIALLY AMONG BAPTISTS.
IT IS A TOPIC THAT HAS CAUSED SOME CONTROVERSY WITHIN RECENT YEARS.
OUR TEXT TONIGHT IS FOUND IN NEHEMIAH 8:1-6 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "WORSHIP AND OUR HANDS."
BEFORE WE DO THIS I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER SOME NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE GESTURES THAT WE MAKE WITH OUR HANDS TO INDICATE VARIOUS THINGS.
ON YOUR PAPER I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DRAW A LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE.
IN THE LEFT COLUMN WRITE THE WORD, "NEGATIVE" AND IN THE RIGHT COLUMN WRITE THE WORD "POSITIVE."
IN THE NEGATIVE COLUMN WRITE THE NUMBERS 1-6 AND IN THE POSITIVE COLUMN WRITE THE NUMBERS 1-7.
AS I MAKE A GESTURE WITH MY HANDS I WOULD LIKE YOU TO WRITE DOWN IN THE APPROPRIATE COLUMN WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU.
THE FIRST GROUP OF GESTURES I WILL MAKE ARE NEGATIVE.
ONE HAND CLINCHED IN FIST SHAKING AT SOMEONE- FIGHT
HANDS WITH PALMS OUT PUSHING AWAY- STOP
HANDS AND ARMS CROSSED- UNINTERESTED, DEFIANCE
BOTH HANDS CLINCHED IN FISTS AT THE SIDE- ANGER
HANDS IN POCKETS- BORED, COMPLACENT
HANDS OVER FACE- FEAR.
THE SECOND GROUP OF GESTURES ARE ALL POSITIVE.
HANDS OUT STRETCHED HIGH WITH PALMS UP- LIFT ME UP, I WANT YOU.
HANDS OUTSTRETCHED AT 90 DEGREES WITH PALMS UP- HELP ME, LET ME HAVE IT.
HANDS RAISED HIGH IN THE AIR ABOVE HEAD WITH PALMS OUT- I SURRENDER.
RIGHT HAND OVER HEART- PLEDGE, ALLEGIANCE.
HAND SALUTE- HONOR, RESPECT.
HAND SHAKE- WELCOME, HI.
HANDS CLASPED TOGETHER- PRAYER, BEGGING
OUR HANDS ARE USED IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS TO DESCRIBE VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE ARE SAYING, DOING OR FEELING.
WITHIN THE BIBLE A PERSON'S HANDS WERE ALSO USED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS IN WORSHIP TO GOD.
SOME PERHAPS ARE FEELING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS TOPIC RIGHT NOW.
BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER, WHY IS IT THAT WE CAN EXPRESS OUR ALLEGIANCE AND RESPECT TO THE AMERICAN FLAG BY HOLDING OUR HAND OVER OUR HEART OR SALUTING IT, BUT WE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE USING OUR HANDS TO SHOW OUR ALLEGIANCE AND RESPECT TO GOD IN WORSHIP?
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT FOUR WAYS TO WORSHIP GOD WITH YOUR HANDS.