THIS IS US: Jesus

by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 31, 2018 | Sunday Conversations

What is at the centre of you?

What pulls or drives you from the inside?

Counsellors try and get inside our thoughts, our lives, our brokenness, to what’s really there. If you have a wise friend, they may ask you some questions that get to the heart of the matter.

When a problem arises, we try and get to the…middle of it…
When a success story happens, people wanna get to the…middle of it…
If we get to the middle of it, we can either solve the problem or duplicate the success story…

Here’s the question posed another way, if people defined us, you, our family, what would they find in the middle – at the heart – in our gut – in us?

If they got all the way to the middle of us, what would be there? Who would be there?

I recently heard Erwin McManus sharing a story about when he lost everything. It was a business fail, a financial collapse. He found out about it while overseas. Not wanting to inform his wife about this over the phone or email, he waited until he got home. He said, “Honey, I lost everything”. Her response? “I thought I was your everything”.

I’ve had the privilege of being mentored by a few people, some on purpose, others by accident.
Bill Morrow (a friend and mentor) would always tell me that when you lead worship, make sure people see through you and see Jesus instead.
Ron Kydd (a former professor) would say that when you preach, if people say, ‘you did great’ you kind of failed, they should instead be led to say, ‘Jesus is good’.

Hopefully, as followers of Jesus, as a church community, when people dig deep enough to get to the middle of us, they find one very prominent thing – JESUS.

You may recall, in our talk on community, and Paul’s words about the body of Christ, that very important chapter 12 in 1 Corinthians. It starts with some key words. It’s like Paul wanted to set things straight before saying anything about community.

¹ Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

This is your middle. This is your centre. This is your core. You can’t fully get anything else, until you get this. Jesus is Lord.

It’s not just that Paul says it, but it’s what he compares it too. You were somehow influenced by mute idols…small ‘g’ gods…that don’t communicate to you. Instead, be influenced by Jesus…he is Lord…he is God.

These three words are so key to understanding who we are as a community, and who we are as followers of Jesus. They’re also key in how others define and see us.

A few places in scripture lay this out for us:

2 Corinthians 4:5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord…
Romans 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

In the most simplest of forms, these words are a creed, a beautiful, short and sweet (yet powerful) statement of faith.

This was actually the Earliest of Christian Creeds. Sure, there are others, Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, that are longer and more detailed. However, the early Christ Followers new the power packed into this simple statement – it defined them, and it needs to define us.

This has to be at the core, the middle, the centre of who we are – Jesus is Lord.

JESUS is Lord

He’s a real person, rooted in history. Jesus was born, lived, worked, served, hurt, got sick, died…and of course rose again.

It’s Jesus, God, who became one of us. The word became flesh. The word for flesh here (John 1:14) is sarx, which means frail, human pain, brokenness.

It’s Jesus who is Lord, and not Caesar.
– this meant something in the 1st century
– It means something now
– If Jesus is Lord, that means, politics, money, religion, fame, work, fashion, fitness, status, is not.

Have you heard of the I AM SECOND campaign? It’s all about people recognizing that they don’t have to be the master of their life, they believe that position is best served by Jesus. Basically, that we’re better when we’re second to Jesus. And we are…definitely better when Jesus comes before anything else.

Jesus IS Lord

Paul wrote these lines at least 20 years after Jesus life and death. So he could’ve said, Jesus was Lord, but no, he says, Jesus is Lord. What does that mean for us? Well, Resurrection means that Jesus still IS Lord today. He WAS & IS & will always BE…alive…and Lord. See, “Jesus is Alive” is not just a line we reserve for Easter. Every Sunday is resurrection Sunday. Every day is resurrection day.

Because of this, Jesus IS Lord. Today. In me. In us. For me. For us. In You. For you.

Jesus is LORD

The word ‘lord’ had 3 primary uses in Jesus’ day.
– Sir (respect)
– Leader (one to follow)
– A substitute for the name of God (YHWY)
– All three work, but the middle term is the one we most associate with.

As Lord, Jesus leads, I follow. As Lord, Jesus teaches, I learn. As Lord, Jesus asks, I respond.

You might say, “Wait a second. I never asked for a leader. I don’t want a Lord.”

Perhaps, but whether we believe it or not, we all serve somebody. (said the poet and musician, Bob Dylan) We need to follow something greater than us – to learn, to grow, to become better, to mature.

The real question isn’t if I have a lord or master in my life, the question is, what or who is it? When attached to the wrong lord or master, we get hurt, become unhealthy, unbalanced, broken, disillusioned, mis-led. You’ve seen this before…when money is someone’s lord, when status is someone’s master, when affirmation is someone’s ruler, it never ends well.

Name it. Anything. Fill in the _______. We’ve all put something in that spot that has no business being there.

Here’s why Jesus is your best option:

Colossians 1:15
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
(No one shows what God is like better than Jesus. Jesus is the clearest picture of God we have.)

John 14:6
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This text causes some to pause. I get it. THE way. THE truth. THE life. How arrogant can Jesus be?

But here’s why this verse makes sense. Jesus isn’t just a path to God, he’s the person of God. So…the path and the person are one. Jesus isn’t simply a road, a path, a highway to get somewhere. He is the somewhere. He’s not the yellow brick road that gets you to the Wizard. He’s the Way and the Wizard. (Hope the Wizard of Oz mention doesn’t throw you off too much)

If Jesus is Lord – if Jesus is God, it makes perfect sense that he is the way to get to know him, the truth to understand him, and the life to live in him.

TAKE HOME…

I guess this is the question we need to land on:

What or who do you want to centre your life around? Money? Stuff? Success? Good times? Affirmation? Power? Cause if any of those things are our lord…our master…our ruler, we’re in big trouble.

 THIS. IS. US. I hope and pray that we always land on Jesus. Because JESUS. IS. US. 

This phrase may sum it up well:

The only way l’ll be at the centre of what Jesus is up to in the world, my neighbourhood, my community, is when I invite Jesus to be at the centre of me, my heart, my life, my world.

– – – – – – – –

small(er) group discussion:

What are some initial thoughts about this week’s conversation?

Let’s look at this simple statement of faith in three ways or from three different perspectives:

JESUS is Lord

Jesus IS Lord

Jesus is LORD

Read these two verses to close things off. How do you feel about them? What do they say about Jesus? What steps have they encouraged you to take or challenge you to take?

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
John 14:6
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Brett Ullman Interview

by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 23, 2018 | Sunday Conversations

This past week we interviewed Brett Ullman. Because of that we don’t have a regular recap. However, We’ve listed the questions we posed to Brett, with a paraphrase of some of his responses.

Also, for our small group discussion folks, their is a scripture text to read at the bottom, with some questions to think about for your small group this week.

(Brett Ullman Summary)

THIS IS US: COMMUNITY

by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 16, 2018 | Sunday Conversations

Last week we started with saying a few Thank You’s…(It was Canadian Thanksgiving)

Sometimes, when given the opportunity to be grateful, we bring up ‘something’: job, money, car, experience – and that’s fair. However, if their was a poll, I really do think that ‘someone’ not ‘something’, rather, people would top that list for us. Your community of people: friends, family, neighbour, co-worker, fill in the _______.

We know this to be true:
When community is healthy, Life is Good.
When community breaks down, Life is Hard.

– – – – – –

You had to know that as we walked through this series we’d land here eventually:

THIS. IS. US.  We Are Community.
– something we celebrate and are proud of
– something we continually work on

We are only as strong as our sense of community.

Dwayne Casey, the beloved coach of the Toronto Raptors, was fired after what was considered many successful years as head coach. He had every reason to complain about his circumstance and situation and unfortunate turn of events. But instead, he wrote Toronto a letter.

Dear Toronto,
Thank you.
Thank you to basketball fans across this city and the country of Canada who supported the Raptors and welcomed my family with open arms during our seven years here. Thank you to all the fans who cheered us on at the Air Canada Centre while we built this program into a playoff contender, packed Jurassic Park even in the cold and rain, watched the games from home and offered their undying support as we traveled this road to relevancy together.
(here’s where it gets good)
Thank you for teaching our all-American family the Canadian way. That being polite and considerate to one another is always the best way. That diversity is something to be embraced and celebrated. That taking the time to learn about each other’s cultures is the surest way to find common ground and understanding. Thank you for making our children feel safe, valued, and comfortable in their own skin. We cannot express how important it has been to build the foundations of who our children are as human beings in a country that shows through its words, and actions…that all people deserve basic human rights, and a chance to reach their goals through education and hard work.

Dwayne Casey was obviously impacted by a deeper sense of community than he had experienced before arriving to this great city.

There is a word in Scripture that pops up about 20x. It’s the word for fellowship – KOINONIA, which also can translate into community.
– this word depicts what it means to follow Jesus together and not alone.
– You’ll see it in places like Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:7
– We don’t read it in John 17:20-24, but the heart of it comes through as Jesus prays for us to be one.

You’ll find in other scriptures that this idea is referred to when the words one & another are grouped together.

Scripture encourages and instructs us to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), honour one another (Romans 12:10), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13), spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9), and love one another (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11-12). That is what true biblical koinonia (community) should look like.

It’s been said that Community is at the centre of God’s mission. (David Fitch)

You also may have heard this before…there is nothing like the local church, when the church is working right.

– – – – – –

There is a certain passage of scripture that not only tells us about community, but shows us how it should play out, and gives us perhaps the greatest metaphor for community ever laid out.

1 Corinthians 12.

This is where Paul refers to the church as the Body of Christ. How fitting.

Chapter 12 is found in the larger context of chapters 11-14, a discussion about spiritual gifts, and the even larger context of some conflict that Paul is addressing with the Corinthians.

Lets read it and see where it takes us…

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

We can see the context right away. Paul wants to instruct the initial readers (and us) about spiritual gifts. He wants us to be informed verses uninformed. He wants us to be influenced by Jesus, rather than by useless (mute) idols. So when he starts us off with the phrase, Jesus is Lord, Paul wants us to truly see how important that confession is – and that we can only come to that with the help of the Holy Spirit.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

We can see that spiritual gifts is still a focus, but Paul starts to narrow in on another theme: There are different kinds of gifts, service, work, skills, but they all come from the SAME Spirit.

He gives us some examples of what people offer the larger community, and emphasizes that it’s the same Spirit who distributes and determines these gifts.

What do we learn about community here?
– we all make a contribution
– we all play a part
– each of us has a gift to offer

We might agree that much of the breakdown in community, wherever that is, starts when people see themselves as islands, and not as part of something larger. When people think that their contribution to society is greater than their neighbours, things go south. When we think that we, or our skill, or our intellect is better than the next guy or girl, the sense of community is lost.

This leads us to what comes next…

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

This sections seems to be written for those who thought their part was more important.

I’m sure we don’t see that happen anymore these days? People never think what they do or what they offer is more important than the next person? (enter sarcastic smirk) But if we’re honest, it’s in our weakest moments that we experience this or reflect this kind of thinking in our own lives.

The inclusion of both Jew & Greek, slave & free in this text are very important. Paul writes about this in other letters (he includes rich & poor, male & female, strong & weak), and the point is always the same: We may be different, but because of God’s spirit in us, we are one.

Paul pushes this point/theme as he continues…

¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

My favourite kind of Jazz is BIG BAND. Duets and Trios are fine, but BIG BAND is where it’s at. New style or Old grove? It doesn’t matter. An 18 piece band playing their guts out, all doing something different, all playing the same song – It’s both magical and powerful.

If we’re not careful, we can start to look down on other parts of our body. Wish that one part looked different, wished that another part performed differently. Wishing that you played their part instead.
We Cannot Make This Mistake. We all make this music sound amazing – together.

A word about suffering…

The first time my dad was sick, which lasted for many years, culminated in him having to remove his leg. My Dad passed away at 66 from Cancer, but for years before that he dealt with a terrible pain in his left foot. After almost ten years of dealing with it, the doctors decided to remove part of his leg. In the weeks and months leading up to this operation, he was so ill – tired, weak, always thirsty. His body was fighting the pain in his foot.
What happened after the operation was truly amazing. My dad was back. Colour, strength, energy, everything. He didn’t have a leg, but he didn’t have pain. Why? Because his body didn’t have to compensate for what was taking place in his left foot.

The hurting parts of our body affect us as much as the good parts do. You suffer, I suffer. That’s how it works. Think of any back pain you’ve had, or a stubbed toe, or a tooth ache. Your whole body suffers because one part of your body is in pain. It’s the same with the church. We feel the pain of others.

Now it works the other way too. When you succeed, I’m happy. When you do well, I cheer you on. That’s how it should be.

This is community. Every single part plays its role. We win together and lose together. It’s beautiful and real and authentic.

This is why Paul gets us to some of these final words in verse 27.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

THIS IS US.

WE ARE THE BODY
WE ARE COMMUNITY
WE ARE FAMILY
WE ALL CONTRIBUTE to the WHOLE

We know it to be true in a small group. We know it to be true in our larger community. And we know this to be true in the church world wide.

We all have an important part to play. We all have something to contribute. We all make a difference. And when one part is missing, the others feel it. And I bet (and know) that the missing part feels it too.

– – – – – –

So what do we do with this information now? In Paul’s words, we are now informed.

• Figure out what part you play
• Play your part well to the best of your ability
• Contribute to the whole (gifts, resources, passion)
• Appreciate what others bring to the table
• Let’s keep making the table longer & wider (as our local body grows) and the fences lower & thinner
• Understand & appreciate other Christian expressions and traditions
• Don’t try and go solo. We were meant to follow Jesus together.

The church has it’s imperfections. That is for sure. If you find one that doesn’t, trust me, when you show up it will be imperfect. Here’s the deal: there’s no other place or way to be a Christian, just like there’s no way for a hand or a foot to be what they are unless they’re connected to the body.

THIS IS US.
WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST.
WE ARE COMMUNITY.

– – – – – –

small group discussion:

When we talk about community, what are your initial thoughts or questions? Why is this both a beautiful topic and a tough topic?

“Community is at the centre of God’s mission”. How so? Why?

Anything you’d like to talk about in regards to Paul’s image or metaphor about the church in 1 Corinthians 12?
– Jesus is Lord
– Spiritual Gifts
– We are like a body. Many Parts. One Spirit.
– Suffer together? Celebrate together?

You are the Body of Christ. Wow? or Huh? or Both?

How can we be better at being the body of Jesus? In the church? In the world?

Overflowing with Thankfulness?

by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 9, 2018 | Sunday Conversations

Can we say ‘thank you’ for days on a calendar? By that I mean, holi-days on the calendar?

They seem to get us back to centre. They remind us of what’s important. They force us to rest?

Holidays have a purpose…to re-centre us…

• Labour Day (grateful for the job you have)
• Christmas (reminded that there is a bigger story to find yourself in)
• New Years (a finish and a start line)
• Family Day (self explanatory)
• Thanksgiving (also self explanatory)

If someone were to ask…what defines you? What describes your faith…what’s the main characteristic of your life in Christ?

I hope that the word THANKFUL is fighting for a top spot on your list.

In Philippians 4:11 we read some very important words. If you’re a Christ follower or not, these words can change your life. Paul says, “I’ve learned to be content in whatever circumstance”. Not easy words to say or to live. Why? Because it’s easier to focus on the downside of life’s circumstances.

Paul’s letter to the Colossians includes 3 places where the recipients and us are encouraged, inspired, challenged, instructed, reminded…to be THANKFUL.

For a small letter, he mentions it quite a bit. If you read other parts of Paul’s NT writing, you will notice that he’s often saying thank you to others, thank you Jesus, and simply exhibits a grateful heart and attitude. It’s almost like he believes deeply that if the world has to peg one characteristic on us, let it be that those who follow Jesus are known by how grateful they are in whatever circumstance they find themselves.

Is it hard? Yup.
Does it require some kind of godly perspective? Yes.
Is there any other way to be a Christian? Not really.

With that in mind, let’s look at Colossians 2:6-7

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (NIV)

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (NLT)

As you can see, there’s more in the text than just how and why to be grateful.

Most times, in the scriptures, when we arrive at the word thankfulness, there was a lead up, a bit of context. These verses in Colossians are consistent with that.

Paul’s main idea? Receive Christ – Live in Christ. This is the gist of what Paul is trying to get across. He wants us to know that we don’t just receive Jesus, we live in Jesus. And living in Jesus can only happen when we first receive him.

It comes down to this question for Paul: What does it look like to conduct a life that has been impacted by Jesus?

He uses four words or participles to explain this: ROOTED, BUILT UP, STRENGTHENED, OVERFLOWING.

ROOTED & BUILT UP

These first two go together. You probably can get the analogy. In planting a tree or building a house, two things have to happen: go low (planting or foundation), then grow up or build up.

Rooted is a one time experience. It’s the planting of a seed, or a laying of a foundation. It happens at the beginning. Paul says this is essential for you to live in Christ. You have to be rooted in him – planted deep in the soil of Jesus.

Building is the continuation of what has been started. So don’t just plant a seed, don’t just lay a foundation…build on that foundation. Water and nurture that seed. See to it that the seed grows, that the house gets build up.

STRENGTHENED

This Paul’s word for our spiritual formation journey.

Are we strengthening our spiritual muscles?
Are we maturing in our understanding of Jesus?
Are we becoming more acquainted with the Holy Spirit?
Are we learning, growing, becoming, forming, loving, caring, serving, doing, impacting…?

OVERFLOWING (with Thankfulness)

And finally we reach the end of what Paul wants to get across.

If you’re rooted in Jesus, and you’re being built up in the ways of the kingdom, and if your faith is being strengthened and you’re growing stronger because of it, the natural progression is this: Your life will over flow with Thanksgiving. Your life will abound in gratitude. No matter what you’re going through, you will find a way, you will find a reason – to be thankful.

People will know this one thing about you – you are grateful for breath, for life, for food, for friends, for work, for family, for wins, for losses, for coffee, for water… (you get the idea?)

May we be known for our gratefulness – in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. This surprises our world, this shocks our neighbours, this stuns our co-workers. Why? Because it’s easier to complain, to worry, to be pessimistic…those seem to be the go to reaction.

Colossians 2 says…there is another way…if you’ve received Jesus…and you live in Jesus…may your life OVERFLOW with THANKFULNESS.

– – – – – – – –

For some of you going through a tough time, or even going through hell, you’re thinking that this is the last thing you need to hear. You can’t be thankful for anything right now. Please know that in your situation, there is so much grace. God knows what you’re going through and aches with you. He will be by your side until you can muster up the words to be grateful for something. But also know that sometimes, saying thank you is huge step of faith. If so, may you take that step of faith today.

Try and pray this prayer everyday this week.

Thank you Jesus…
For inviting me to receive you…
For the privilege to live my life in you…
In you I live, move and have my being…

Jesus, may I be rooted in you…
Jesus, may I continue to be built up in you…
May you strengthen me by the power of your Spirit to become the person you’ve called me to be…

And Jesus, may all this cause an overflow of thankfulness…may I be grateful, to you, for you, with others, on good days, on bad days, when I win and when I lose…

May your light, Jesus, shine through my posture of gratitude…everyday…in every way…to everyone.

AMEN

– – – – – – – –

small(er) group discussion:

Why would speaking about thankfulness be a tough sell for some people?

Do you think we should avoid the topic or simply understand that as important as it is, we must give others lots of grace and patience?

If you were to share, what would you say thank you for today?

Let’s read Colossians 2:6-7 together. What sticks out for you? What inspires, challenges, encourages or even bugs you about these words?

Take a few minutes to break down each important word/phrase:
ROOTED…BUILT UP…STRENGTHENED…OVERFLOWING with THANKFULNESS

I think Paul’s main question is: What does it look like to conduct a life that has been impacted by Jesus? If so, do you think Thankfulness needs to get to the top of the list of how people describe you or other followers of Jesus?

THIS IS US : created to create (good things)

by Jonathan Manafo | Oct 2, 2018 | Sunday Conversations

Who’s your favourite artist? Maybe we should break it down to segments of art. Music, Poetry, Writing, Painting, Decorating, Fashion, Dance, etc.
Bands/Artists you may know: U2? Ed Sheeran? Adele? Sting? Paul McCartny?
Bands/Artists I know but you may not know: Foy Vance? Snarky Puppy? Christian McBride?

We hear this a lot about those who create art…they are ‘creatives’.

• we lump them together
• we appreciate them for their art
• but don’t always really appreciate them for how they get to that art
• then, we separate creatives and non-creatives
  • they can, we can’t
  • we think outside the box, they don’t

How many times have many of us said, I’m not creative, I don’t have a creative bone in my body. I can’t play music, draw, paint, take good photos, write lyrics, etc. So we leave the imagination to the right brainer; we leave the creativity to the artist.

(Artist: Wes Peel)

Of course, we must hounour our artists, that is for sure, but more than honour them, we must let them inspire us to be creative in our right!

The last two weeks, in our THIS IS US series, we’ve walked through two very important aspects of who we are. CALLING & CHARACTER. Today we move to this truth: We are Created to be Creative.

CALLING is about purpose
CHARACTER is about journey and formation
CREATIVITY is about mission, action & impact

We are all artists in our own way…being creative with the lives we’re called to live and the work we’re called to do. But how does this fit into our series…how does fit into our faith?

Paul’s words in Ephesians 2, specifically verse 10, speaks to this so well.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

These words are screaming and shouting creativity, creation, and imagination.

This verse can really stand on it’s own, and has for many who have come across it. However, no verse really stands alone. In the previous 9 verses, Paul is setting us up to really understand and take in the depth of what we read in verse 10. Here’s a paraphrase of 2:1-9…

• you were dead in your sins…
• you used to live another kind of life…
• you used to follow the ways of the world…
• you used to listen to another ruler…
• you used to follow your foolish temptations…
  • (Reminds us of last week’s conversation about new life, new creation and re-birth.)
• BUT… (you gotta love the BUTs of the Bible)
• Because of God’s great love & mercy…
• We’ve been made alive in Christ…
• How? By grace…thru faith…
• Raised up in Christ
• This change, this salvation, this new life, is God’s gift to us…nothing we can do to earn it…or buy it…it’s provided by Him

This is all in the lead up to verse 10…these words really set us up to understand what salvation is intended for…and here it is…

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

– – – – – – – –

We are God’s Masterpiece

• The word for masterpiece can literally be translated as a poem, a work of art, handiwork, creation, workmanship, a sculpture, a musical score.
• This is both who we are and who God’s sees us as.
• We are literally works of art in the eyes of God
  • He is the artist, we are his creation
  • We are created…in the image of God
• So when we talk about new creation, and new life, and rebirth, we are essentially saying that Jesus has MADE us new.

How amazing is it to know that not only did God make us (physically, biologically), but can also re-make us (character, insides, heart, soul, values).

You’ve seen someone who’s been re-made. By that I mean someone who used to act totally different, and now reflects a totally new image. Who comes to mind first? The beauty of this is that no matter what we did in our past, we can move away from that and be new. We don’t have to hide from it, we can acknowledge it, confess it, say bye to it, and move on.

Hear this loud and clear: I am God’s work of art. Pray this: And I invite him to continue to work on and in me, like a potter works on clay, because I totally trust that what he’s doing makes me better.

Here’s the second and possibly cooler part of this verse…

He has created us, in Jesus, so we can do good things

We are works of art who are called to create works of art!!!

In Genesis 1 we read this about the writer’s description of creation…

• God makes the earth
• God makes the sea
• God makes the sky
• God makes the sun
• God makes the animals
• God makes the vegetation
• God creates man & woman

And what does each day end with? IT WAS GOOD!

(whatever you believe about old earth & new earth, 6000 years or millions of years, the writer of Genesis has one agenda, for us to know that God is and was behind everything that we see.)

When he created all of it he says, IT WAS GOOD!

In the first 4 days of God’s creation, he makes things we actually take for granted, don’t we? Earth, sky, light, night, etc. Be honest, you don’t appreciate the stars, the sky, bodies of water, nearly enough. And even to those forgotten things, God says, GOOD.

And when he’s done he takes a break, showing us that even though creativity may come easier to others, it’s still work, and it’s still hard, and it’s still important to take a break. This is why artists are taken for granted, because it is their unappreciated gift.

Now, back to Ephesians 2:10…

Just like God said at the end of his creative work, this is good. Jesus wants us to say of our created work, this is good.

Paul talks about it in reverse: Don’t create and then say it’s good, know that all that you do as God’s creation has the potential, first and foremost to be good and accomplish good. Because Jesus created us to do good things!

It’s our calling, as followers of Jesus to create and do good.

“To create is to reflect the image of God. To create is an act of worship.” (E. McManus)

“Whether we realize it or not, everything we do, everything we create is an expression of how alive our souls and hearts are”

It is an expression of what Jesus is doing in us.

The best of piece of art we are constantly working on – the most important works of art we will ever give ourselves to – are the lives we live. Which means that what we do in the present…with our lives…will last into God’s future.

So…If you’re an artist or not, may we take the role & responsibility of creating very seriously. This is our calling.

I mean, Paul, in Ephesians 2:10, goes as far to say that God prepared this in advanced for us to do.

THIS. IS. US. 

This has to be who we are, what we are about, how the world sees you, and us.

– – – – – – – –

What can and must we be creative with…or what must we be doing good with? EVERYTHING

May you be creative in…

• your peace making efforts
• your parenting
• your neighbouring
• your relationships
• your work (actual day job)
• your influence
• your leading
• your building
• loving, caring, sharing,

“Without Imagination, our faith is merely a legacy to protect…but it’s so much more than that…it’s a story to tell, and live, and share.” (Aaron Niequist)

God’s work in us is a springboard to launch us into the continuing story of Jesus.

In order to do that we must continue to be creative in our telling, in our acting, in our living, in our doing, as we play out the story of God in everything we do.

– – – – – – –

small(er) group questions:

First up. Who’s a creative? Who’s not? Or who thinks they are and who thinks they’re not?

What can we learn from our artists? How can creativity help any of us in our jobs, roles, relationships?

Let’s dive into Ephesians 2 for a bit:
– What are your thoughts about 2:1-3?
– What changes in 2:4-8?
– How about the landing of this text in 2:10?

Talk about these words…
“we are God’s masterpiece”
“created in Christ Jesus to do good things”

Why and how does doing good require creative?

What areas of our life are we in desperate need of creativity?

Final thoughts & Prayer.