His Workmanship

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Eph 2:10)

Last weekend, I spent over 12 hours restoring a wooden swingset for my two sons. It was a gift given to us by a neighbor and was in good working order. However, over the course of many years it's wood had become gray. As a result, it needed a good cleansing and staining in order to bring it back to health. Now, I am not typically a person who enjoys such work. Nor am I a "handy man". However, over the course of the weekend I began to enjoy the process as I saw how it began to take shape.

There is a sense of satisfaction in completing a job well done. Isn't there? There is something inside of each one of us that enjoys completing a project that turns out well. We receive joy from such an experience. For some of us, it comes through fixing our homes or cars. Others enjoy projects of design or crafts. My wife likes making cards at Archivers as a way to express her own creativity. Each of these hobbies include various projects that when completed give to us a temporary amount of satisfaction and self-worth.

Where does this come from? Why do we need to experience such feelings? Why is it that deep inside each and everyone of us there exists a need to accomplish and to be "successful"? And why is it that when we achieve a certain level of success that we experience such satisfaction? This is what I want to explore today.

Scripture teaches us something very important with regard to our need for satisfaction, success, and self-worth. Namely, that we were created for it. Did you know that? In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul writes that God created us to carry out good works. In fact, we are created in Christ Jesus for this very reason. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." This verse teaches us several things. I want to point out just three of them.

Our Priceless Value (2:10a)

First of all, we are priceless. Have you seen the Master Card commercials? They will say something like "A bag of popcorn? Four dollars. A baseball cap? Twenty dollars. A day at the park with your son or daughter? Priceless." Each of these commercials make the simple point that some things in life are priceless. They are beyond any monetary value. You can't pay a price for the satisfaction that comes through that experience. God says that you are priceless and that I am priceless. He states that we are His "workmanship." This means that we are His priceless works of art. We are His priceless possessions. As such, we are important to Him. God receives deep satisfaction in working on us and enabling us to come into a relationship with Him. Therefore, just like a painting or a home improvement project, He finds great satisfaction in His children. We have value because we are "His workmanship".

Our Purpose (2:10b)

Second, our value gives us purpose. Your life has meaning and significance. You have been "created in Christ Jesus". As such, if you are a Christ-follower, you have been re-created in Him. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if you have accepted Christ as Lord that you are a "new creature" or a new creation. Why were you re-created or "created in Christ Jesus"? Paul says here, "for good works". Thus, you now have purpose. Having become God's workmanship and having been recreated in Christ Jesus, you now have a new divine meaning and purpose for your life. You are created to be good in order to do good works.

I might also point out that this verse also teaches us much about God's "will". Often we have questions about the will of God. What is it? Does He have a plan for me? Can I understand what it involves? God's Will is a big topic and one that could be explored to greater depth through an independent study. However, I want to simply point out that this verse states that God does have a will and that He wants you to discover it. You were created "for good works". Therefore, you and I have purpose because God has given to us tasks He desires to see accomplished and has uniquely gifted us to do them. This leads us to our third and final observation.

Our Predestination (2:10c)

Our good works and our purpose was predetermined or predestined. This means that there was a process put into place. God, in His infinite wisdom, predetermined and set into place good works that He desired for each one of us to accomplish in life. He gave to us gifts (Eph 4:1-13) and expects us to use them to complete the good works He has put before us.

When you stop and consider the fact that you are priceless, that you have purpose, and that you were predestined to complete certain things for God it ought to give you a boost in your self-esteem. You ought to realize that you matter to God. You are valuable to Him. You might not feel valuable within your home, your job, or even your neighborhood or community but you matter to the Creator of this universe. You are valuable to Him.

However, your value is ultimately found "in Christ Jesus". Therefore, it is important to be in Him and to be committed to Him. For this reason you and I must commit to His Lordship and leadership within our lives. As sinners, our value to God was lost because we willfully chose to turn from Him. In Christ, our value to God is restored because through Him we have been given redemption from sin and a value and usefulness that comes from being apart of Him.

Here's a phrase that will help you to remember this truth: "When God fulfills your deepest need, the end result will be good deeds." When God fulfills your deepest need, the end result will be good deeds. You were created for good deeds. You are God's Workmanship and created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of doing good deeds.

Imagine the local church becoming a community in which this truth is lived out. We would see people differently. We would have different expectations of them. We would be quick to use the gifts we have been given to serve others.

The world would also see us differently. They would have different expectations of us. As they see a community where people are loved and accepted they would also be attracted to it. They would desire to be apart of a community where such truths are lived out.

May that vision be the desire for each of us as we continue in our journey of faith. We are "His Workmanship". Let's live lives that demonstrate it.

Joshua