Ephesians 2:10

God’s Masterpiece

Now the verses that we just read make up some of the most Powerful verses in all of the NT

A) That outline for us – How a person is saved – And what is God’s plan for our Salvation – { Wed – Look at that –

B) But for our purpose today – I want to focus in on V. 10 – Continuing our Series of in-depth teachings on the In Christ statements

V. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

C) Our GOD IS A GREAT CREATOR - He is the great artist. He is so gloriously creative. as the Psalmist said, Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies show forth His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech. And night unto night show forth knowledge.”

D)And as we look at the world around us we see the glory of God in His creation.

1) We see this tremendous creative genius that God is. We see it in nature all around us.

Every Beautiful Sunrise – every gorgeous sunset – We live in a such a beautiful place being by the beach – sunsets on the water – Tremendous

A) Sunrise over the hills – overlooking farms –

B) Snow capped Mts /White Sandy beaches / Crystal blue Oceans / Gorgeous waterfalls

1) that is all part of the artistry of God; it’s all part of the great creative power of God. ………….The Creative Genius of God

We see it in the HUMAN BODY

A) If we take the time to consider our own bodies, and the incredible design of our bodies, - AMAZED !!!!

B) The human body is made up of a 100 trillion amazingly complex cells. That are all different & yet work together perfectly

C) Each cell is comprised of organized grouping of molecules, which are in highly structured and complex.

1) And Every cell in your body has a specific function

D) The DNA in just one cell contains approximately the same amount of information as 1,000 books of fine print containing 500 pages each.

Let's consider the cells in your eyes for a moment. How is it possible that you can read the words in your Bible ?

A)It requires millions of miracles.

B) The Eye is made up of a ball with a lens on one side and a light sensitive retina inside the other.

1) The lens itself has a sturdy protective covering called a cornea and sits over an iris designed to protect the eye from excessive light.

C) The eye contains a fantastic watery substance that is replaced every four hours, while tear glands continuously flush the outside clean.

1) In addition to that--an eyelid sweeps secretions over the cornea to keep it moist, and eyelashes protect it from dust.

D) And it has…extraordinarily tuned muscles surround the eye for precision motility and shape the lens for the function of focus.

Inside your eyeball there are about 107million cells. About seven million of those cells are called cones, which you use to see in daylight.

A) They are color-sensitive, and you can distinguish a thousand different shades of color.

B) The other one hundred million are called rods, which you use to see in dim light. They aren't color-sensitive, -

C) As light enters the eye, the lens refracts an upside-down image upon the cones and rods.

1) These images are then translated into little electronic messages that travel along some 500,000 nerve paths to take their information to the brain.

D) The computer inside your head then assembles millions of simultaneous bits of data & merges them together creating one three-dimensional picture.

1) Then your brain flips the image over so that everything is right-side-up, and somehow sight is accomplished!

E) Isn’t it amazing that it’s through this eye that God created, we’re able to behold all the Beauty around us.

1) It magnifies the creative genius of God. God is the great designer.

But as we talk about all of these things that are a result of God’s creative genius, and as we talk about the majesty of His creation,

A) Here’s the thing that we need to understand: A Christian is an even more glorious creation than any of the things that I’ve just been mentioning.

B) Think about it : For God to create the heavens and the earth, for God to create the world and everything in it, how long did it take Him?

1) It took Him six days, didn’t it? He just spoke it into existence over a six-day period of time. Man / the world / the Galaxies /

C) But for God to Make a Christian – He had to come to earth He had to give His Son – He had give his very best – He had to offer a Sacrifice

1) A CHRISTIAN IS GOD’S GREATEST CREATION

That is why Paul uses the term workmanship – here in v.10 We are God’s workmanship

A) That is a very interesting word .” The word translated “workmanship” is the Greek word poema. from which we get our English word poem.

B) But “poem” is not the primary meaning of the Greek word. The word POEMA itself means literally “to make.”

C) The word became a word that referred to a work of art. So that became the common usage of the word poema.

1) It was used in reference to works of art. So it could mean a statue. It could mean a song. It could mean some sort of architecture.

D) It could mean a poem. It could mean a painting.

1) But the best definition of the word is this 9 I love it): “a masterpiece.”

Now that is really what Paul is saying here is that – we are God’s Masterpiece !!!!

A) The Church of Jesus Christ collectively, and each one of us individually are a masterpiece that God is in the process of bringing into existence.

B) The Church of Jesus Christ is God’s masterpiece in all of creation.

1) That is an Incredible Statement -

C) If we were to go through all of God’s creation, as we might walk through a museum, we would certainly marvel at the various things He’s created.

1) And we’d probably go from one thing to another, thinking, “Okay this has got to be the masterpiece right here. There’s no way we can top this.”

D) And then they say, “No, let’s move into the next room.” And then we find something beyond it.

E) But when we come to the end of the tour, and we come to that final piece of art,

1) that’s been reserved for last because it’s the best, this is the masterpiece of all masterpieces. Guess what it is? It’s the Church of JC.

F) That’s God’s masterpiece. And you are part of that. And I am part of that.

1) So we are collectively God’s masterpiece because we’re part of the Church.

But because each individual is also vital, we are individually His masterpiece.

A) You are His poema. You are to God a work of Art – Not just as a human being – See it goes beyond our Humanity

B) Key Phrase in this verse is Created In Christ – that tells us that Paul is moving beyond the realm of mere Humanity – to the redeemed

1) Those who are saved – Those who are born again – They have been placed in Christ – In Christ they have become a New Creation .

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new

C) For you see the Sculptor takes a worthless piece of Clay and makes a Beautiful Statue with it

1) Potter can take that same clay and make a useful vase

D) Painter can take a blank piece of canvas worth 3 dollars – add some paint to make a picture worth – 30,000 dollars

1) Builder can takes come wood – makes a house

E) But God takes a life – that was lost – Diseased by Sin / Selfish at the Core and turns that life into a Saint

Out of black sinners he can make bright saints

CHS Hearts of stone he can take away, and give hearts of flesh. He

can take the infidel, and create in him a mighty faith; the harlot, and make

her a pattern of purity; the lowest of the low, and the vilest of the vile, and

put them among the princes — even the princes of his people

Created In Christ – New Creation – old things have passed away – behold all things become new

A) Given a New Heart – Hardened heart is replaced by a responsive heart

B) New Nature – Old – focus self – the New – After God JOY – Jesus others You

1) Sin is replaced by His Righteousness - Guilt by Grace

Our Foolishness by His mercy

C) We are placed in Christ – Robed in his Righteousness and made completely new

But here is the thing that we need to realize is that the work is on going

A) God is in the process of creating this masterpiece. In relation to the Church It’s not finished yet.

B) God began this process 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ came into the world, and God began to assemble the Church together.

1) And He’s not finished yet. And He won’t be finished until the trumpet sounds, and we’re called up into heaven.

C) When that happens then the masterpiece will be completed. God’s not finished with the Church collectively.

1) And He’s not finished with us individually. God’s still working with us.

D) He’s still fine-tuning our lives/He’s seeking to take off those rough edges.

1) And God uses different tools in His work of producing this masterpiece.

What are the tools that God uses? Well of course the Lord uses His Spirit.

A) The Holy Spirit of God is actively working in our lives.

B) Like a potter working upon a piece of clay, the Spirit of God is working in our lives to mould us and to shape us into the image of God’s Son.

1) That is the Goal –

C) The HS Convicts - / Instructs – Moves us to take steps of faith – all for the purpose of making us more like Jesus So God uses His HS in our hearts

God ALSO uses His Word.

A) The Scriptures liken God’s word to a mirror - what does a mirror do ? IT REFLECTS what it sees

B) James picks up on the mirror idea James 1:23

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

C) This is a great illustration of the Bible as a mirror because when we look at it we are seeing ourselves in light of God’s standard - JESUS

1) We see Jesus - immediately think - I need to change !!!!

D) We have that same feeling when we get up & look in the mirror each

morning - WOW!!! / I need to change / talking over haul

1) There is an active aggressive attitude & action that goes w/ that need

sometimes / major repair work

E) As a result we get Out of the PJ’s / in the shower - brush our teeth - comb our hair - if you are a lady - might put on some make up/ Perfume/

1) guys cologne / Put on something more presentable to wear our in public

I see that all of you did that this morning - and so did I / Now for some the process took 20 minutes / others several hrs.

A)Now why do we do that? Well to be truthful - We are concerned

about How we Look - because how we look refection where we are at

B) We don’t want to look like a bum - if we are not one - so we actively approach making ourselves look presentable

C) THE SAME IS TRUE SPIRITUALLY We come to the mirror of God’s word seeing changes that need to take place –

1) and we actively involve ourselves in that process { But the thing we need to realize is there are no short cuts in that in that process / Can’t cut corners

Physically Some of you gals know this from experience – your late for work / so you decide I’ll put my make up on in the car

A) We see you out on I-5 or HWY 78 - really amazing how you do this

B) Knee on the steering wheel - the rear view mirror is turned toward you / the car has become a PARLOR so to speak - / somehow you pull it off.

1)But I wonder how many times some of you ladies have Found yourself - once you get to work & get in front of a real mirror - WHAT DID I DO??

C) No Short cuts – Spiritually – God’s word purifies us / works on us – it does a work of transforming our lives

Rom 12:2 do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

D) SO God uses his word – Read it personally or as He works thru a Bible teacher – Go to a study and God speaks to us

1) And we walk away. Thinking , “Wow, something wonderful took place today – God spoke to me ”

God uses also the circumstances of our lives.

A) He uses good things. Blessings to reveal to us His love – to increase our faith – Build up our Confidence in Him / Remind us of His Love

B) And He uses bad things. TRIALS to further His work in us. Get out of us what He is putting into us

1) Now most of us if we had a choice we would say – I will skip the trials part – I am not into that

C) I’m not into suffering. I’m not into pain. I’m not into misery. I’m not into discomfort. Lord, I just want to cruise.”

1) But God’s not going to let that happen because you’re His masterpiece.

D) And He’s got to chisel away at us. – Sometimes applying greater Pressure But it’s all for that greater purpose of conforming us into the image of JC

One time Michelangelo was working away with his hammer and his chisel on a large stone.

A) And someone approached him and asked, “What are you doing?” At that stage it didn’t appear that he was doing much of anything.

D) He said, “I’m liberating an angel from this stone.”

1) That is Hard work—a hammer and a chisel, and sometimes the circumstances in our lives are similar to that.

D) God pulls out the hammer and the chisel, and He starts chipping away.

SOMETIMES WE WANT TO ASK “Lord what are you doing?”

A) Well He’s creating a masterpiece. That’s what He’s doing.

B) And sometimes it takes that pounding, [and] that chipping to produce in us what He wants to produce in us.

C) As the Potter takes the clay and beats it and stretches it – Trials stretch us

1) Potter takes the water to soften the Clay – God’s word Softens us

D) Potter takes the Fire to Solidify the Clay – God puts us in the fire – Make us Solid : Black Burnt out the Gold Burnt in -

1) So Those are the experiences of the great artist fine-tuning the masterpiece that He’s working on. And so God uses circumstances.

He [also] uses people. He brings people into our lives. And they touch us. They impact us in various ways.

A) Parents: Love & Sacrifice / Cimino – Service / Brian – Grace / Courson JESUS

B) So those are the tools that God is using as He works out this glorious work of art.

Now Question why does God do this ?

A) And now this is what I want you to lay hold of as we close today? :

B) What is a masterpiece? It is the deepest expression of the artist!!

1) you listen to a beautiful song, as you see a beautiful painting, or a sculpture, or as somebody might read a poem, or something like that,

C) what you’re hearing is, or what you’re seeing, is the deepest expression of who that person is.

And here’s the thing that is absolutely fascinating to me about what Paul is saying here: is that we are God’s deepest expression.

A) God wants to express Himself, like any other artist would do through their art. You are God’s art. . You’re God’s masterpiece.

B) And what does He want to do with you? He primarily wants to express Himself through you. That’s what He wants to do.

C) And here’s the great thing about this whole creative aspect of God. Because God is so radically creative, He created us all differently.

1) And God wants to express Himself through all of us, through the personalities, and the gifts, and the abilities, and everything else that He’s given to us individually.

D) Therefore we should never be envious of other people’s gifts. We should never be covetous of other people’s gifts,

1) because God created you just the way you are, just the way you look, just the way you think, just the way you communicate.

E) God has created you that way so that He might manifest Himself through your personality uniquely – relate to certain people

He has given you certain giftings thru his spirit in your life that He wants to uniquely use in your sphere of influence

A) People you are going to reach – that I never could – They are in your sphere and they relate to your personality – giftings – Etc

B) You see, God is expressing Himself through all of these different people that He has created, & SAVED and given these gifts to

1) And what a glorious thing it is. It’s a masterpiece.

C) So Don’t get hung up on the, “Well, I’m not like so and so. ( Used to be a big problem for me )

1) God has a plan for you. A Vital Role for you in the purpose of His Kingdom He has a purpose for you.

D) He has a specific thing that He wants to do through your life.

1) He wants to express Himself in a specific way thru you, so that others might see Him, & certain aspects of His nature & His character thru who you are.

E) He is the great artist. And we are His Church. His masterpiece

Individually Created in Christ for Good works – God prepared before hand ….. { Next time