HANDS’ HEADLINES
July 29, 2004
770-944-0036 (H)
www.HandsHeadlines.com
David and Shannon Hand
Reaching students in the Southeast,
Sending students to the world.
“Mommy, Daddy! . . . Look!!†How often we hear this exclamation from our daughters who both love to color and make crafts. They are so excited to have us “come see what I made!†We are eager to value their handiwork. It gives them and us joy to appreciate anything they have made.
In the Bible, there is a familiar story about a man named Zaccheus who also exclaimed, “Look!! See this!†He was responding to Jesus after He had showed him great kindness and brought salvation to his soul. As the story goes in Luke 19, Zaccheus was a wee little man who climbed a tree to observe Jesus as He walked by one day. It’s easy to think of this as a trivial story. However, its implications for your partnership with us in ministry are profound. What do we learn about Zaccheus that applies to us and you?
1. Zaccheus experienced a joyful life change through Jesus. He received Jesus gladly – into his home and into his life. He realized (as we should) that Jesus came to set him free from sin. He couldn’t contain his gladness as he saw that he had a fresh start – a brand new life to live.
2. Immediately Zaccheus was eager to demonstrate to others Jesus’ amazing love. He looked around and saw that God had already given him something he could use to do Christ’s work: he had money! Zaccheus said, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor.” He saw giving money as a grand opportunity to imitate Jesus in His work! If Zaccheus was only interested in giving mere recompense for his crooked actions, he would have offered to pay back only the amount he had obtained dishonestly. Yet, he went far beyond that and gave it joyfully.
3. Zaccheus realized that Jesus had taken remarkable initiative to go out of his way to come to his house – and to save him. Why would Jesus, after so many instances of healing sick people and helping poor people, choose to spend time with a loathed, wealthy-by-corruption, seemingly worthy-of-little-attention tax collector? There was a reason Zaccheus had to climb the tree to see Jesus beyond the fact that he was a small man: he was a social outcast. No one would even give him any position on the street! Tax collectors were simply odious to the common Jewish society of the day. They were considered traitors and vile sinners. And, Zaccheus also knew that he was a sinner. He knew he needed Jesus because his great wealth could never fulfill him nor make him socially acceptable. Before Zaccheus did one thing to deserve Jesus’ love, the loving Redeemer went to him and changed him from an outcast to an insider – openly welcoming him into His Kingdom.
Many college students today also seem relatively well off – the elite – on their way to controlling the financial world. Yet, many of them are spiritually impoverished. Jesus wants to go to them. He wants to bring radical change to their lives so that their minds, passions and resources are redirected towards showing His love. You help facilitate this process of Jesus going to them through your prayer and financial support. Thank you for seizing this opportunity to help change the world through reaching college students.
David & Shannon
+ Avery, Addison & Toby
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Contributions:
Please make checks payable to “Campus Crusade for Christ†and mail to:
Contributions
100 Lake Hart Drive
Orlando FL 32832
Account # 0438803
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The Hands
514 Benson Hurst Drive
Mableton, GA 30126
770-944-0036
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Hands Headlines.com
