Life as a Canvas to Paint Outline

Intro

The difference is between those who understand that they are creative, and those who have been convinced that they are not

Western culture has trained us for standardization and conformity rather than uniqueness and creativity

The Church has fallen into that same problem and has built discipleship programs that emphasize conformity rather than unleash creativity

Transition

This morning’s sermon is titled: Life as a Canvas to be Painted

It’s all about releasing your identity as an artisan by using your God given creativity to create.

When referring to creativity, I am not simply referring to the visual arts, music, writing, film and fashion

Creativity involves everyone, in every stage of life, in every industry and every lifestyle

Creativity is for innovators, managers, solutions providers, relationship development, financing, parenting, discipleship, missions etc.

Whatever it is you can choose to do, you can do it creatively.

It simply means uniquely to you, in your circumstance, with your gifting and skillset, with your passion, and within your unique sphere of influence.

Truth 1: You were created to paint

For everyone, in every

says that you were made in the image of a creative God in order to take his creation and create out of it.

Genesis 1:27 NIV

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

One of the great examples in the Bible of someone who lived out their identity as an artisan by using their God given creativity, and painted a beautiful canvas is King Solomon

King Solomon was the son of King David and was known to build the first Temple in Israel, known as Solomons Temple. His story can be found in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. King Solomon is also know for other things.

For assembling the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Solomon. Which we call the wisdom literature in the Bible.

For organizing the government efficiently to rule well over Israel

Inheriting and building up immense wealth

For having a lot of women. Hundreds of wives and concubines.

Many would say that King Solomon saw his life as a canvas to be painted, and boy, did he paint.

I want to pull three principles out of Erwins book the Artisan Soul, and using King Solomons example of what makes a great artisan, or what it looks like to paint a beautiful canvas called life

Creativity thrives within boundaries, and dies when options are limitless.

God created the canvas from nothingness, but he has given us a canvas.

Canvases have boundaries

We have limited abilities and materials to create with

Your life and talents and experiences are your materials to create with

You’re only able to create out of the materials you have, not with the materials you don’t have. Stop looking to everyone around you and saying “I can’t be creative because I don’t have what they have” and start looking at you and asking “What is it that I’m supposed to create out of what I do have.

Excellent art is found in the details

Each stroke of the brush makes the art more beautiful. Every stroke needs to be intentional and purposeful and don’e well

No cutting corners in creating a beautiful work of art. You can’t cut corners in life and hope for a beautiful canvas in the end.

Character is formed through discipline

“The only ideas that really matter are the ones that get turned into realities”

“There is not proof of creativity without action” 103

Transition:

“Our inner lives provide the material from which we live out our lives. There is a universe inside us - a universe of thoughts, ideas, dreams; a universe of fears, doubts, questions; a universe of hopes, ambitions, and passions. Eventually the creative process demands that we choose from this invisible material, select what matters to us the most, and materialize that imagination into reality.”

THT*: Your life is a canvas being painted by God

Closing:

Ecclesiastes 3:1–14 NIV

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.