GOD'S workmanship!
(Frank Hall)
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"For we are GOD'S workmanship, created
in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD
prepared beforehand so that we would walk
in them." Ephesians 2:10
There is an infinite difference between
the materials that men employ to construct
and compose their masterpieces--
and the materials that GOD uses to
create sinners anew in CHRIST JESUS.
Men work with the best of materials
to showcase their talents, but
GOD works with the worst--
to showcase HIS power, wisdom
and skill.
The most gifted sculptors carve their
creations out of the finest pieces of ivory,
marble and jade. The best jewelers seek
only the finest gold and silver to form
their bracelets and rings--
they utilize only the most desirable
gems to adorn their jewelry; rubies
of the highest grade, diamonds
of most exquisite clarity, and
emeralds of impeccable luster.
Da Vinci painted on a clean canvas
with fresh paint when he painted
the Mona Lisa. Beethoven and Bach
chose blank sheets of clean white paper
upon which to compose their symphonies.
But GOD is not like men. HIS thoughts
are not our thoughts, and HIS ways are
not our ways. GOD employs, not the best,
not the finest, not the most appealing of
materials when creating HIS masterpieces--
but the worst!
HE uses what no one else wants.
HE uses the offscouring of humanity--
to display HIS handiwork and magnify
HIS grace.
GOD constructs HIS masterpiece, not
from a perfectly shaped piece of ivory--
but from a deformed, twisted, marred
chunk of hard rough stone that has
no attraction.
GOD has purposed to conform HIS
redeemed people into the pristine
image of HIS darling SON.
While keeping HIS eye fixed upon
HIS SON, using the chisel of HIS grace--
GOD sculpts rebel sinners into
the likeness of CHRIST!
GOD paints, not on a clean white canvas--
but on a canvas that has been . . .
stained with sin,
spotted with corruption, and
bespattered with the filth of the fall.
As the perfect PAINTER, GOD looks to
CHRIST HIS MODEL, and, with the brush
of omnipotent mercy in HIS ever steady
hand of sovereign power--
HE begins to paint HIS children, one
by one, into the family portrait;
tracing every line with divine precision,
filling in every grace with unfailing accuracy,
accentuating every corner of their character
with a whole array of heavenly hues:
blues of faith and surrender,
violets of honesty and godly fear,
greens of tenderness and gratitude,
reds of love and compassion,
yellows of patience and perseverance--
painting them all in the similitude
of CHRIST HIS beloved SON!
GOD does not compose HIS symphony
on a blank piece of sheet music. Rather,
HE blots out the discordant notes
of sin, rebellion, and impurity--
and with the permanent ink
of immutable grace, HE rewrites
the sorrowful sonnet of sin,
transforming it into the song
of salvation, inscribing on our hearts
the heavenly notes of free forgiveness,
eternal life, and everlasting righteousness
through CHRIST our SAVIOR!
With heavenly wisdom and unseen skill,
GOD makes the sad song of human misery--
into a glorious gospel melody, a tune that
sounds best when played on the broken
instruments of contrite hearts!
Our GOD has . . . .
done the unthinkable,
saved the unsavable,
fixed the unfixable!
HE has created a masterpiece using
a rotting chunk of fallen humanity as
HIS workpiece! What a wonder!
By the grace and power of GOD,
"The king's daughter is all glorious
within!" (Psalm 45:13)
When GOD'S work is all done,
when HIS poem is finished,
when HIS symphony composed,
and HIS masterpiece complete--
HE will present us to HIMSELF holy
and without blemish,
"a glorious church, having no spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing!" (Ephesians 5:27)
GOD'S work of grace in us begins in regeneration
and conversion. It continues until the day when
our salvation is consummated in resurrection
glory, when we will be perfectly conformed
to the image of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
"For those whom HE foreknew, HE also
predestined to become conformed to
the image of HIS SON!" Romans 8:29
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Please watch this uplifting sermon by Pastor John Samson,
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