Updated May, 2025
In his fine book The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nouwen describes how and when he first saw Rembrandt’s painting by that title:
One day I went to visit my friend Simone Landrien in the community’s small documentation center. As we spoke, my eyes fell on a large poster pinned on her door. I saw a man in a great red cloak tenderly touching the shoulders of a disheveled boy kneeling before him. I could not take my eyes away. I felt drawn by the intimacy between the two figures, the warm red of the man’s cloak, the golden yellow of the boy’s tunic, and the mysterious light engulfing them both. But, most of all, it was the hands—the old man’s hands—as they touched the boy’s shoulders that reached me in a place where I had never been before.
When I read Nouwen’s words and saw a print of the painting myself, I was prompted to preach on the hands of God, especially the hands of Christ. I began then to read passages in the gospels that speak about the hands of Jesus and soon found myself thinking of the song “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris. I wrote several other stanzas to that song to correspond with the Scripture I had been studying. The song was sung by a soloist in the service.
At the conclusion of the first four readings and songs, I gave a brief meditation in which I pointed out that the hands of Jesus were never more beautiful than when they were pierced with nails on the cross.
During the introductory comments we projected Rembrandt’s painting onto the screen so worshipers could see the father’s hands embracing his son. In addition, during the concluding meditation we projected onto the screen “The Crucifixion,” a painting by Matthias Grunewald that shows the gnarled hands of Jesus pinned to the cross.
The Crucifixion, Mathias Gruenewald, image from The Crucifixion by Matthias Grunewald ~ Bread for Beggars
Prelude
God’s Greeting
Prayer
Song of Praise: “I Will Sing of My Redeemer” Bliss
Congregational Prayer
Song of Preparation: “Your Hands, O Lord, in Days of Old” Plumptre
Message
The Hands That Healed
Reading: Mark 8:22-25; Matthew 8:1-3
Song: “How Beautiful” st. 1 (sung by soloist) Paris
The Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt, image from Reflection: The Return of the Prodigal Son
The Hands That Embraced
Reading: Mark 10:13-16
Song: “How Beautiful” st. 2 Paris
The Hands That Rescued
Reading: Matthew 14:22, 25-33
Song: “How Beautiful” st. 3 Paris
The Hands That Served
Reading: Mark 14:22-25
Song: “How Beautiful” st. 4 Paris
The Hands That Were Nailed
Reading: John 21:24-28
Meditation
Song: “How Beautiful” st. 5 Paris
Prayer of Response
Sung Response: “The Servant King” Maranatha Praise 3, 150
Offering
The Hands That Blessed
Reading: Luke 24:50-53
Benediction
Sung Prayer: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” Dorsey
Postlude