God’s Masterpiece

January 13, 2008 by PastorMark.

#298, God’s Masterpiece, Sunday, 01-13-2008, Pastor Mark Boucher

Text: Ephesians 2:1-10
Theme: God wants to create a masterpiece out of your life.

INTRODUCTION:

1. Change is the “buzzword” in politics right now.
   1. “I believe I can provide the economic leadership we need to make the change so desperately required.”
   2. “Inviting Americans to work together to bring about changes.”
   3. “Change we can believe in.”
2. My faith is not in a person or party.
3. God specializes in change, transformation.
   1. “God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to allow us to stay the way we are.”
4. We have a love/hate relationship with change.
   1. Change requires “work.”
   2. The good news is God provides all we need; we just need to cooperate with Him.
   3. Why does God want us to change?

Theme: God wants to create a masterpiece out of your life.
How does God create this masterpiece? How does He change us?

Text: Ephesians 2:1-10
Let’s consider the dynamic of how God changes us.

1. God works on you. (vv 1-3)
   1. We don’t naturally trust God.
   2. We are dependent as babies, but grow with a “self-willed” nature.
   3. We want to “hold the brush” of our own life.
   4. The one great problem: we’re dead (in our sins (v 1)) and we don’t know it.
   5. Dead people can’t communicate with the living.
2. “Dead in sin” hearts can’t communicate with God.
   1. “I was dead once. I didn’t like it.” – bumper sticker
   2. God works on you (to bring you to life) through life’s experiences (as a pre-Christian)
   3. God works on us through conviction – the drawing power of the Holy Spirit.
   4. We have a great need: we naturally follow the world
   5. The Holy Spirit does battle with the spirit of will,
3. God works in you (vv 4-9).
   1. God works in you to you alive in Christ (v 4).
   2. When you say yes and let go of the brush …
   3. The resurrection of our spirit is a miracle like the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
4. He raised us up in Christ; we are seated with Him (v 6); we have hope and a future (v 7).
   1. We can claim no merit to this miracle.
   2. All we did was humble ourselves and receive.
   3. Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works so no one can boast.
   4. God works in you to make you like Christ.
   5. “Just barely alive” isn’t good enough for God.
   6. He makes you alive to give you a new life.
   7. Lazarus was not raised to be a “dead man walking.”
5. Jesus said, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
   1. “When you have your new suit on, remember who paid for it!”
   2. There are 3 types of paint God uses most to change us.
   3. The Word.
   4. Prayer.
   5. Trials.
6. God works through you (v 10)
   1. We are God’s workmanship.
   2. We are His prized possession (the first things He points to in His house).
   3. We are the craftsmanship created in Christ.
   4. God wants to reveal His Son to the world.
   5. What is the main lens through which people see Christ through us? Good works, which God already prepared for us to do.
   6. We are to live a life of mission.
7. God is not just interested in our character development, but also our outward actions.
   1. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

CONCLUSION:

1. Some of you say, “God can’t use me. I’ve held the brush all my life.”
   1. He can still paint a masterpiece with a dark backdrop.
2. Some of you say, “I’ve been away from God too long.”
   1. Sometimes you just need to let God find you, wash you off and put you in circulation.
3. God wants to change you and bless the lives of others!
   1. “Let go of the brush.”

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