Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE SHADE OF HIS HAND

1. The hand of God in Scripture is mentioned often:
   1. It is one of the sources for assurance and strength of His people
   2. It is a hand with mighty power; "It taketh up the isles as a very little thing" - Is. 40:15
   3. It is a hand of unfailing liberality, never fails to dispense the bounties of heaven
2. In our text:
   1. God uses His hand as a hiding place for His people
   2. He hides us for a specific service B. GOD'S LOVE IS BROUGHT BEFORE US IN OUR TEXT IN THREE BENEFICIAL WAYS
3. It is a protecting and preserving influence:
   1. He protects us and shields us as "the apple of His eye" - Deut. 32:10
   2. "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye" - Zech. 2:8
   3. "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings" - Ps. 17:8
4. It is as a preparing influence:
   1. It trains as well as it preserves. When a taper has been newly kindled the slightest gust of wind will put it out. It is then that a man will encircle it to guard it from extinction; he hides it in the shadow of his hand
   2. God had a mission for Martin Luther and knew how the enemy sought to prevent it, so he hid Luther in a shelter unknown to his enemies at Wartburg
   3. Your humble servant was retired in 1952, and at that time, all seemed lost for him; but God had different thoughts - thoughts of renewal and preparation for a more useful service
5. Shade of His hand:
   1. How reassuring that must ever be to those who are constantly subjected to the enemy of their life - I Pet. 5:8
   2. This divine care for His people gave Paul the boldness to make the strong assertions in Romans 8:31-39

1. The shielding and protecting hand of God is indicative of the close relation between the Lord and His people:
   1. They have the whole of God and He has the whole of them
   2. Said Jesus, "Abide in Me, and I in you" - John 15:4
2. This arrangement is strictly voluntary on both sides:
   1. God holds us in His hand because He delights in us; He loves us, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee" - Is. 31:3 b. We commit ourselves into the hands of God, because we love and truth Him
3. The hand that shields and protects us is:
   1. The hand that guides us in the path of truth and righteousness
   2. It is the hand that often corrects us when we stray from the path of truth
4. It is the hand of the Master:
   1. He is the potter of our life
   2. He is the molder or refiner of our life
5. It is the divine hand of benevolence:
   1. A healing hand
   2. A hand that upholds
   3. The hand that feeds the hungry
6. It is the hand that was wounded for our iniquities:
   1. We did the wounding
   2. We did the bruising
7. It is still the outstretched Hand of mercy:
   1. Pleading with sinners to come to Him
   2. Offering hope and pardon
   3. Ready to bestow the mercies of Heaven
8. Dear reader, is He hiding you in His hand, and does He prepare you:
   1. To be a polished shaft in His hand?
   2. Are you one of the quivers in His hand to be used in the warfare against sin?