Workmanship That Works
"We Are" The Church • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsThesis: The church is composed of individuals who are saved unto good works so that, by the aggregate working of God through the lives of each individual believer, the Church might fulfill its calling to make disciples of all people.
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I. Introduction
Two hours spent in Antwerp Cathedral taking in Peter Paul Rubens’ Descent from the cross.
1 Minute of dark silence.
What did it do to you? That is the power of a masterpiece. It works.
Similarly, we are all working work pieces.
Thesis: The church is composed of individuals who are saved unto good works so that, by the aggregate working of God through the lives of each individual believer, the Church might fulfill its calling to make disciples of all people.
II. Workmanship that Works
Our text this morning is Ephesians 2:10
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For We are:
We, not I.
While the individual believer is important and loved by God, He is about building a unified church, not only one saint.
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Not They
Don’t get too distant from the goal. You are a part of it. It does include you as an individual.
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,
But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
You are included, but it’s not about you.
Now, not only in the future.
Christians are used to the idea that they will be the workmanship of God (1Jn 3:2)
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
God sees the workmanship as complete now, even if we don’t yet see what He sees in us.
Timothy Keller: “Do you know what it means that you are God’s workmanship? What is art? Art is beautiful, art is valuable, and art is an expression of the inner being of the maker, of the artist. Imagine what that means. You’re beautiful, you’re valuable, and you’re an expression of the very inner being of the Artist, the divine Artist, God Himself.”
His Workmanship:
Not your own. Not the church’s.
God works in your life to make you what He wants you to be.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
G: Poiema, ποίημα, a thing that is made, work of art, masterwork
NLT: For we are God’s masterpiece.
NET: For we are his creative work
NIV: For we are God’s handiwork
Guild society:
Apprentices created a journeyman work that demonstrated that they had achieved basic skills in order to be hired on their own to do the work of their trade. It was usually portable, so show to potential clients along the way.
When their skills had grown enough for them to take on their own apprentices, they would create a Masterwork, something that they could show to parents and schoolmasters to convince them to lend them their young people for training. It was usually an installation for all to see.
Only used twice in scripture. Here and Rev 1:20. God has two great masterworks--the cosmos and the church.
Joni Eareckson Tada “(God) has a plan and purpose for my time on earth. He is the Master Artist or Sculptor, and He is the One Who chooses the tools He will use to perfect His workmanship. What of suffering, then? What of illness? What of disability? Am I to tell Him which tools He can use and which tools He can’t use in the lifelong task of perfecting me and molding me into the beautiful image of Jesus? Do I really know better than Him, so that I can state without equivocation that it’s always His will to heal me of every physical affliction? If I am His poem, do I have the right to say, “No, Lord. You need to trim line number two and brighten up lines three and five. They’re just a little bit dark.” Do I, the poem, the thing being written, know more than the poet?”
Created in Christ Jesus
You are created, not creator.
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
For good works,
Saved by faith, for works.
Not made to be a work of art on a shelf. You are a working work of art.
Dirk’s Knives
mine
feather
damascus
The point of a masterwork is to draw disciples (apprentices) to the Master. You have the same purpose.
Why are you here? What’s the purpose of your life? Why don’t you feel like you belong? Matter? What aren’t you “happy?”
Because you were made to work!
Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear that works don’t save you, but James 2:14-26 is clear that saved people work.
Galatians 5:6. Faith WORKING! Not faith sitting. Faith cannot sit.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Not “Faith + Works = Salvation”
“Saving Faith = Salvation + Works”
Martin Luther: “The question is asked: how can justification take place without the works of the law, even though James says: "Faith without works is dead"? In answer, the apostle distinguishes between the law and faith, the letter and grace. The 'works of the law' are works done without faith and grace, by the law, which forces them to be done through fear or the enticing promise of temporal advantages. But 'works of faith' are those done in the spirit of liberty, purely out of love to God. And they can be done only by those who are justified by faith... Therefore justification does not require the works of the law; but it does require a living faith, which performs its works.”
Which God has prepared in advance that we should walk in them.
God has your life planned out. Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
God has ordained you to service.
Ordination is not just for pastors. You are ordained for good works.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
So the life of good works we are to live is not based on our own strength. God works through us to do these things. Gal 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
William Booth: Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.
III. Response:
Are you not yet a workpiece of God? Invite Him to transform you into one! (Salvation)
Are you saved but stagnant? Get to work!
Prayer of response.
Communion.