Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Call to Worship - Psalms 107:1-3)
Title: Grab a Paint Brush!
Theme: God's Masterpieces
1. Our Sin Has Killed Us 2. In Christ We are Reborn! 3. God calls us to join Him in the Masterpiece Business. So grab a paint brush!
INTRO:
Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Savior and LORD Jesus Christ who came to take away the sin of the world!
You may not know the name of Robert Simon but he was involved with finding and helping the world restore the most expensive painting ever sold at a public aution. It all started back in 2005 when a painting was acquired for less than $10,000 at an auction in New Orleans by a group of art dealers that included Robert Simon. These art dealers believed that the painting was actually an old masterpiece that may have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci around 1500.
However, over the years it had been so heavily overpainted that it looked like a badly made copy. At the time the painting was described as "a wreck, dark and gloomy." It was viewed as something that you would never want hanging on your wall. It looked more like a cheap copy of an old master attributed to Leonardo da Vinci than an authentic masterpiece.
In fact, many believed that that was in fact the case. Many believed that was a knock off copy painted by one of Leonardo's students. After all, the painting had been sold back in 1958 for a mere $ 62.50 ( 45 pounds). It was believed that there was no way that some old painting worth less than $65.00 was going to prove valuable. While crazy things happen in the art world they don't happen that often and no one would have allowed a Da Vinci painting to end up in such a sorry condition.
Nevertheless, the group bought the picture and then handed it over to Dianne Dwyer Modestini who was a well know art restorer in New York City, New York. Over the next few years, Ms. Dianne delicately removed the excess paint and began to bring the painting back to its original condition. The longer she worked on the painting the clearer it became that it was in fact the original masterpiece of Leonardo da Vince entitled "Salvator Mundi" (Savior of the World) that he painted back around 1500 AD.
The painting itself is not very large. It is only 25.8 inches tall and 19.2 inches wide. From 1958 to its final purchase on November 15, 2017 the painting has been on quite a economic ride. It went from being worth $ 62.50 in 1958 to a little under $10,000 in 2005. That's not a bad rate of return. However, after it's restoration and authentication the price sky rocketed. The painting first sold for 75 million and then resold for 127.5 million dollars by the end of 2013. Not bad for a little painting that was thought to be virtually worthless. A painting that would some thought was not worth as much as your average "Starving Artist" sale or Kirkland's Department Store sale.
But that is not the end of the story because on November 15, 2017 this little 25.8 inch by 19.2 inch painting was bought at the Christie's Auction House for 450.3 million dollars. It now holds the title of being the most expensive piece of art in the world - 450.3 million dollars. Currently, it resides in The Louvre Abu Dhabi which is an art and civilization museum, located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
What a great story. It is common that great works of art, sculptures and the like go for millions. A rather stick like structure called the L'Homme au doigt (Pointing Man) created back in 1947 by Alberto Giacometti recently was sold for 141.3 million dollars. A diamond ring called the Pink Star which weights 59.6 carats is estimated to be worth more than 71 million dollars. And while not in their same category a working piece of Beethoven's 9th Symphony penned by Beethoven himself recently sold for around 3 million dollars. And those are just some of the masterpieces, works of art and pieces of music that are all around our world valued to be worth well into the trillions of dollars all together.
In our passage this morning the Apostle Paul refers to those who have been raised with Christ as God's Masterpieces. Masterpieces that were worth so much that God in Flesh came down to die so that we might be rescued, redeemed and restored. You and I are more valuable than anything in all creation to our Heavenly Father. Verse 10 tells us:
"For we are God's masterpieces (workmanship), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
+ For we are God's Masterpieces + Created in Christ Jesus
+ To do Good works + Which God prepared in advance for us to do
There is so much stuff crammed in this one little verse. Paul has this canny ability to say more in a few words than we can understand and absorb in a mere 30 minutes, an hour or even a whole day.
In many ways Paul would like the story of that little painting Salvator Mundi. He would have like it because as you read verses 1 - 9 you get a similar story of humanity. You get the story of how God's greatest creation went from reflecting the glorious image of its creator to becoming something that looked "like a wreck, dark and gloomy". You get the story of how God did everything necessary to have us restored back into our original image - an image of reflecting His love, grace and holiness. You get the story of how we can live as authentic human beings who know how to love God, love others, ourselves and all of creation. You get the story of how we are in fact, God's greatest masterpieces.
But before Paul shares all of that in the latter part of our passage he steps back to remind us of Who We Are Without Christ.
I. Our Sin has Killed Us - verses 1-3
Paul's words in verses 1 - 3 seem on the surface harsh and negative. They seem out of place in today's culture. Many who read them may even consider them to be offensive and insulting. They may believe that Paul has an issue with human beings and human nature.
The truth is Paul is seeing things as they truly exist. Paul is presenting to us a realistic picture of humanity. He is allowing us to see things as they truly are in our world and in humans in general. And while this view is rather stark and dreary it is nonetheless the absolute truth.
WITHOUT CHRIST WE ARE DEAD. PERIOD. FACT. GOD TRUTH.
Without Christ we are enslaved to our own evil nature and passions. Without Christ our world is under the influence and power of evil. Without Christ there is no hope for humanity.
In these opening verses the Apostle deals with the effects of sin and the presence of dark and evil forces. He speaks of how our minds, our emotions and our bodies have been adversely affected by sin. He speaks of how through our rebellion mankind has invited evil spirits to rule over us. He speaks of how sin has polluted our world and taken away our ability to have a positive future.
The Lord has allowed Paul to have a true grasp of the human race. Originally we were created in God's image. We know that from the Genesis stories. We were to reflect God's love, mercy and holiness on Earth. We were given the ability and the power to create a world like the Garden of Eden. We were provided with the means to live an authentic human life of loving God, others, ourselves and all of creation. This was God's plan when He created our world and us.
However, as we read in Genesis humanity choose to rebel against God. As a result we wrecked the life and the world that God created for us. We invited and unleashed an evil that quickly lead us down a path of self-destruction. The Bible tells us that we chose the way of the Devil. We chose the way of the Father of Lies. We chose the way of the One who only seeks to steal, kill and destroy. We chose to go away from God's Light and live in Satan's Darkness. We chose to be under Satan's control. We chose Death.
Knowing all of this the Apostle does not mince words -
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sin in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind." (Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)
We don't like such words or such thoughts. We don't mind someone saying we are merely broken or out of sorts. We don't even mind at times when someone says that we are a little mixed up and have lost our way. We don't mind someone saying that we have to get back on the right path and rediscover our proper purpose.
It's quite another thing to say as Paul does that "we are dead". To say we are under the bondage of evil. To say that we cannot free ourselves from gratifying our own personal lusts, sins and evil. For many, the Apostle Paul is just flat our wrong. They don't see anything wrong with/in themselves. Sure they could do better here and there but to say that they are dead, to say that they are enslaved - well that is a bit too much. A little tweak here and there or a little adjustment here or there we can handle but if what Paul says is true then humanity is in worse shape than we ever thought possible.
Just to let you in on a secret - THE WORLD IS IN TROUBLE. HUMANITY IS IN TROUBLE. We don't know right from wrong. We don't have the ability on our own to create a new world filled with peace and harmony. Thousands of years of human history has taught us that when we humans are left to our own vices:
+We always choose the wrong direction to live our lives. We constantly turn from God's Holy Light and travel towards the paths of Satan which leads us to a world full of darkness, evil and destruction
+We even try to convince ourselves that going away from God is actually the right direction. Even when scripture, reason, tradition and experience are all shouting for us to turn around.
Sin, rebellion against God and evil are not trivial things. Sin has caused our world to be enslaved and sin has caused our souls to be marred. Sin has caused our minds to be warped and our thinking clouded.
For example, one of the sayings that has cropped up more and more in our modern culture is that we were simply made this way. That God made us to live this way, to think this way, to act this way and to do these things. It is not really our fault - it is God's fault. It's the way God hard wired us at birth. And since, God made me this way then God must want me to live this way. I'm not doing anything really wrong. The only thing I am doing is being true to myself. It's all God's fault for making me this way.
That thinking is so flawed. It's flawed because that is not the God of the Bible and it is not the Good God of Creation. God did not make us to live immoral lives. God did not make us to steal and kill one another. God did not make us to hate one another. God did not make us to build up walls against one another. God did not make us to hurt one another. God did not make us to destroy our planet. God did not make us to live out a life of sin.
We are the ones that invited sin into our world. We are the ones who chose to allow Satan to come in and take over. We are the ones who have allowed sin to infect our physical bodies, our minds, hearts and souls.
Sin has changed us as God's image bearers. Sin has caused us to be changed from the inside out. Sin has caused us to be overly aggressive, to be sexually deviate, to be morally bankrupt and to be naturally dishonest. Sin has cause us to look out only for ourselves and to place our wants and wishes above that of other people. Sin has caused us to take human life just because that life is inconvenient or because that person has something that we want or makes us unhappy or upset.
While none of what I have said makes us all stand up rejoice it is nonetheless the solid truth. Without Christ we are dead in our sins and the only hope for our world is Jesus Christ, God's Only Son - Our Savior and LORD!
II. IN CHRIST WE ARE REBORN - v. 4-9
Paul saw the evilness of humanity but he also saw the abundantly loving side of God. Paul knew that Jesus had provided a way through His death and resurrection for mankind to be Reborn from above. Paul knew that we could experience a whole new life in Jesus, our Messiah and Lord. Paul knew that Jesus had paid the price for every human being to experience everlasting life. Paul knew that through the death and resurrection of Jesus that humanity could be rescued, redeemed and restored. Paul knew that in Christ we could experience a Spirit-filled and led life here on God's Good Earth.
All of this was made possible because of God's great mercy, grace and love. Paul reminds us over and over again of the vastness of God's great love. It is a love that reaches out to us even as we are dead in our sins. It is a love that invites us by faith to receive God's atoning and redeeming grace. Faith is not something we do it is the path we walk to receive God's grace. There is nothing we humans can do in our own path to fix us or to redeem us. Redemption, salvation and New Life is all God's gift.
It all sounds rather mystical and magical. It all sounds rather impossible. How can we who are dead in our sins be reborn? How can we who have followed the prince of the power of the air be rescued? How can we go from being children of disobedience to being raised with Jesus to the highest points of heaven?
And yet in Christ every boy, girl, man and woman can be rescued from a life of sin and death. In Christ we can be raised to be new creations. In Christ we can we can go from being in bondage to sin, Satan and the powers of evil to being people of freedom, love and peace. In Christ we can be once again be the people God created us to be in this world.
A few years ago Rebekah and I enjoyed watching a British TV series called "ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL." It's a story centered around a young veterinarian named James Herriot who endures all kinds of trials and adventures in 1940's Yorkshire. James works alongside an older veterinarian Siegfried Farnon who owns the Skeldale House Surgery. It's a wonderful little series that involves all kinds of interesting things that happens to James as he learns how to be a veterinarian in an area where veterinarians are not always appreciated or wanted. It also involves the story of how James falls in love with a young woman named Helen who later on in the series becomes his wife.
In an episode called "Pig in the Middle" (Season 3) James wants to take Helen out for a wonderful evening. His work has overwhelmed him and they both need a nice night out free of all the worries and stress of life. His boss Siegfried tells him about this wonderful restaurant that would just be perfect. James agrees and prepares to take Helen there for a wonderful evening of food, dancing and fellowship.
However, at the last minute Siegfried lets them use his car but they have to deliver a goat named Sally who had gotten lost back to its owner. So, here is James and Helen driving down the lane with a goat in the back of this opened aired car. Suddenly the car jolts and James finds himself out in the middle of nowhere with a beautiful wife, an annoying goat and a flat tire.
More than a little perturbed James gets out to fix the tire. He takes off his coat and lays it in the back seat. Sally, the goat nuzzles his coat open and begins to eat his checkbook. James is totally unaware as continues to put on a new tire. They then deliver Sally and finally they are off for a wonderful evening or so they think.
James and Helen have a great time together. They talk, they eat and they dance. It could not be a more wonderful evening. However, when James reaches to grab his check book to pay the bill he discovers that the goat has eaten his all his checks and he has no way to pay. They both begin to panic and wonder what they can do. Finally, they decide that the best course of action is to confess that they have no money and tell the story about the goat. They don't know what will happen to them. What they didn't know was that Siegfried had already arranged for their bill to be paid in full. All James had to do was to sign the receipt. Everything had been taken care of for them. The meal was Siegfried's personal gift to Helen and James*.
It's a wonderful story and in a small way reflects the truth about God's mercy and grace to all of us. We all do not have the means to pay for our sins, trespasses and wrongs. We don't have the means to save ourselves from evil, destruction and death. But Jesus, our Messiah and Lord has paid our bill and has enabled us to be free from both the penalty of sin and the power of sin. Sin no longer has to have control over our hearts, our minds or our souls. Sin no longer has to have the power to destroy us or condemn us.
But that is not the end of the story. For as great and marvelous as all of that is there is one thing more that God has for all of us this morning.
III. God calls us to join Him in the Masterpiece Business. So grab a paint brush!
Since 1837 the doors of the Royal House of Art (RCA) have been open for those who would love to study and learn about art to apply to attend their art school. Today, the Royal House of Art is considered to be the #1 place in the world to learn about Art and Design. It prides itself in being both an academic stronghold as well as being a garden bed for creative design.
It is a place where those who create masterpieces work and invite others to join them in creating their own masterpieces. It's a place where not only is artwork created but other masterpieces as well are created. Masterpieces like the world famous Routemaster Bus and the Dyson Vacuum Cleaner for example. To the RCA masterpieces are more than art and sculpture. Masterpieces are those things that are created to make life here on earth more enjoyable, amazing and wonderful. Masterpieces can therefore be art pieces that hang on our walls, busses that carry people down a busy street or even vacuum cleaners that take away the dust bunnies from underneath our beds.
Our Heavenly Father would most heartedly agree. In verse 10 the LORD shares some wonderful news. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are God's Masterpieces - we are God's workmanship. And he tells us that God invites us to create masterpieces alongside Him.
Let's go back to verse 10 -
"For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Let's take a moment to recap:
+God saves us from death and sin.
+God saves us by grace through faith alone.
+And God saves us for us to join Him in rescuing, redeeming and restoring all of His creation here on our Good Earth. God invites us to pick up a brush and start painting!
That means we are not only saved from something we are saved to something. God invites us to join Him in creating other masterpieces in our world as well. God did not save mankind for us to merely exist on this planet waiting for the final day of evil to take place and then whisk us all to the New Heaven and New Earth.
God did not save us for us to live in a place that increasing looks like Hell. That would be cruel. It would be cruel for a father to clean up their child only to send them out into a world that is increasingly becoming more dirty, more evil and more under the power of Satan.
No, Paul reminds us over and over again that on the Cross Jesus defeated the powers of evil, sin and death. Paul reminds us that in Christ we are to take off the old clothes of sin and put on the new clothes of righteousness. Paul reminds us that in Christ not only can we be rescued, redeemed and restored but all the world can as well.
Our Lord did not send His Holy Spirit to cleanse us, anoint us and empower us with a miniscule of power. The Holy Spirit did not come to provide us with just enough power that we can barely make it in this world. That is the lie of the Devil. The Devil wants us to believe that God may have saved us but has left us powerless to cast out sin and to reject temptation. The Devil wants us to believe that this is his planet and we are still under his control. The Devil wants us to believe the lie that he is in charge of the earth.
When we begin to think those thoughts we are to turn to such passages as Colossians 1:13 - 14
"He (Jesus) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 2:13 - 15
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them on the cross."
Matthew 28:18 - "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
We are to do what the Early Church did. They understood that on the cross a cosmic event happened that changed the spiritual powers of our earth. While the first Adam had brought death, bondage and destruction to our earth the Second Adam (Jesus) was bringing Abundant Life through God's Holy Spirit. Life that would not only transform humankind but all of God's Good Creation. Sin does not have the final say. Death does not have the final say. Hell does not have any say!
The Early Church also took the Great Commission to heart. They realized that it was their task to take the message of Jesus around the world. A message that when heard, when accepted would be like a light in a dark room, salt for the world and seeds thrown on the ground.
Jesus' message would permeate every aspect of society. It would transform society from the inside out. It would begin by changing the hearts of men and women, boys and girls and then spill out to transform relationships, the ways we form society and the way we treat all of God's good earth. Jesus' message would literally remake and remold our world.
The cross and resurrection were to be a shockwave that would vibrate a spiritual revival all over our world. The cross and resurrection were a declaration that God's Holy Fire was to spread all over the world convicting, cleansing and causing the world to be transformed. God's Holy Fire would light the path for a whole new way to live as human beings.
As you read the book of Acts you see this happening all around. Barriers that once separated Jews from Samaritans and then Jews from Gentiles were torn down. Barriers that once separated rich and poor, male and female, race from race and educated from uneducated were all torn down.
For the first time in human history those with resources were eagerly investing into the lives of the poor and marginalized. For the first time the disenfranchised were having their physical, mental and emotional health needs met. For the first time education was being shared among poor and rich alike. For the first time people starting valuing human beings as God's highest creation. For the first time the life we were to live in the Garden of Eden was spreading out from Jerusalem to take over the world.
When you read the book of Acts what you find is a worldwide revolution happening. It starts off small and is very quiet but it is starting. Human beings were once again being seen as reflections of God's Holy Image. Human beings were once again acting as God's highest creation. Human beings were taking on the same roles as Adam and Eve and creating a place of peace, holiness and happiness on the earth.
Our Lord has never given up on us, on creation nor on our planet. Revelation 21-22 speaks of a New Heaven/New Earth. A time when the final part of sin will be removed and through the fire of the Holy Spirit the earth will be a place where both God and man will reside.
We like to think of all that happening in some apocalyptic/eschatological way. We want God to step foot on this planet and grab Satan by the neck and cast him and all his demons into Hell. We want God to do all the dirty work. We want God to burn the planet, refashion the planet and give us all a new and wonderful place to live. In the mean time we want to be saved, enjoy a little life here on earth and wait for Him to beam us up.
And while that may very well be the way God ultimately does it; the truth is when we read Scripture we see where God has always invited us to co-create His world. In the Garden it was Adam and Eve. Following the Flood it was the family of Noah. Later on it was the family of Abraham. In the New Testament it was the disciples and then those in the Upper Room who were filled with God's Holy Spirit.
Are we catching the drift? From the moment of creation God has intended for His People to work beside Him in creating all different kinds of masterpieces.
I don't know how God is going to do all the things that John writes in Revelation. Oh, I can guess and I can listen to a few people who think that they know - good people but in reality they are only making guesses as well. Since the time of the Early Church there have been different generations that held on to many different views and opinions. Some have believed pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib and even non-trib. Some have said there would be a rapture while others have said that there will not be a rapture. Some have said that this or that will be 666 or 616 or the mark of the beast. Some have said the anti-Christ would be this person from this country or that person from that country.
The truth is only God knows. God knows what He is going to do but until that time He has a mission for all of us. It's the Great Commission, it's living out the Great Commandments and it is doing the good works that He has designed for His Body on Earth to do.
We are to be more like those servants who were given the talents than to be clock watchers and sign gathers. We are to be sowing seed, casting out evil and bring healing and wholeness into people's lives. We are to be busy pouring out our lives into others creating masterpieces all over the world.
Take stock this morning in what God has done for us. He has taken us from death to life. He has given us the power and privilege to live a life of holiness. He has given us the power to cast down sin, to speak His name and to bring wholeness into His world.
Remember the story of Jesus feeding the thousands? In Mark 6:37 Jesus gives his disciples a rather odd answer when it came to feeding them - "You give them something to eat." In other words - by living the way I do and listening to my words I will give you the means to feed them. You will be empowered to accomplish great things.
Later on after the Transfiguration when the disciples couldn't heal the boy Jesus rebuked them for not placing themselves in the line of His Father's Power. They could have and should have been able to free the boy if they had only obeyed, prayed and fasted. Jesus wanted his disciples to co-partner with him in healing, freeing people from sin and helping them restore their lives.
What am I saying? The Bible tells us that with God nothing is impossible. At times that means God directly intervenes as He did by causing the sun to stand still while at other times it means that God wants us to walk around the city walls before they fall. At times it means that we are to look out and see manna on the ground while at other times it means that we take up some rocks to kill some evil giants. At times it means that we take someone by the hand and lift them up on their feet while at other times it means we take our money and lay it at the feet of the apostles so that the poor and the needy can have food, clothing and shelter.
We live in a world which believes that masterpieces are only for our own private use and enjoyment. People all over our world are building their own kingdoms and for their own glory. It's like we have return to the time of the Tower of Babel. People are saying "Me First" and when and if I ever feel like I have enough then I will allow others to have some of the crumbs that fall from my table.
But that is not the way of God's People. We enjoy a different approach. We enjoy the masterpiece that God is creating in our lives and we are enjoying the ability to help others create the masterpiece in their lives as well as in our world. We believe that in Christ we are to leave our world and our society in a much better place and state than when we arrived in this world. We are to do our part in restoring our planet into the image of Jesus.
+We get down on our knees and pray for miracles, anointings and good things to happen. We become prayer warriors and intercessors.
+We call upon God for power, wisdom and discernment and then go into action.
+We get dirty and pick up a towel and begin to wash feet.
+We get involved in teaching and mentoring the next generation.
+ We joyfully spend time/talents/resources on one another helping each other fulfill the destiny that God has for each of us.
+We make sure we keep the lines of communication open between all of God's people.
+We dedicate our lives and pour ourselves out into the lives of others.
+ We join one another on doing the work of Jesus here on earth.
+We allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to transform the world into God's Holy Image of Purity, Holiness and Love.
That is the mission of the Church. It is not to navel gaze or to look down upon the world. It is to be light and salt to the world. It is to enjoy the life God has made possible for us and for all our friends and family.
This is the Word of God for the People of God.
Closing Hymn/Open Altar - Invitation /Blessing
Contemporary Song - Unfinished by Mandisa
Traditional Hymn - Amazing Grace
*Use of illustration inspired by N. T. Wright.
