In this new series, we're talking about finding the masterpiece in you and not letting the mud define you. We're looking in the Bible to see our lives as God sees them like in Ephesians 2:10...We are God's workmanship....His masterpiece.
We're also sharing a few thoughts from John Burke in this series. He wrote a book called Mud & the Masterpiece. Here's a few quotes from John:
JESUS SEES ALL OUR MUD: “When Jesus encountered people, he had spiritual vision to see the river of hurt and pain flowing beneath the surface of those who drink and drug to numb the anger or hide the loneliness. He saw beneath the surface of people who get entangled in degrading relationships because they fear being alone. He could see through the shield of those who shut everyone out, terrified of being hurt again. He understood why people work themselves to death trying to prove they are worth something. Jesus could see that beneath all our adult pretense and posturing, hidden under the sands of time, are just little boys and girls, let down and confused, hurt and angry, wounded and afraid, rebelling and running from the only One who can ultimately make it better.”
JESUS WANTS TO RESTORE US TO FIND THE MASTERPIECE BEHIND THE MUD: "The evils done to you were not God’s will, and none of this suffering and pain is ultimately God’s will. All that God did through Jesus made a way for us to reconnect to the One who cares, who has compassion, who experiences our suffering and wants to carry us through it to make it count.'”
“Everyone hurts; not everyone cares. But Jesus cares — of that you can be sure… Jesus entered into people’s pain, hurt, and places of deep need, and he showed them how much God cares. Picture what Jesus actually did the most: He spent morning to evening for three years meeting people at their greatest points of pain and need! It didn’t matter to him if they believed in him yet or not; he started where they felt the most need.”
IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, NOT RELIGION: “God created you for himself—for a love relationship with your Creator. You can’t even imagine the extent of God’s great love for you. He’s the Source of love, and he’s the Source of every good thing you’ve ever experienced—that’s reality! There’s nothing good you’ve experienced that didn’t come from God. He wants to lead you into the life we are all searching for—a life of love, joy, peace, and purpose. It doesn’t come from the outside, but from the inside. It’s something God produces within us as we do life with him. And it’s not just about you. He wants to lead you to learn how to truly love other people with his kind of love. But here’s the thing: He doesn’t force his will or ways on you. You must be willing.”
“Many people mistakenly believe that God’s goal is to get people to do the right things and stop doing wrong things (as if this has somehow all gotten out of his control!). Pharisees try to assist God by forcing, cajoling, or shaming people to obey… God wants our hearts even more than our obedience. If God primarily wanted our obedience, he would just make us obey. (He doesn’t need our permission or willingness to do that!) The reason he doesn’t force obedience is love. He is creating eternally loving creatures in the messy texture of free will. God wants our obedience for sure, but obedience flowing from hearts that freely love and willingly trust him. To all who realize life is broken, they’re sinful, and they need God’s help, he gives not what they deserve, but living water that produces a fertile garden of fruit growing from the inside out.”
“Jesus offered mercy to people who needed mercy. He brought good news about God’s heart for people who felt condemned, judged, thinking God saw no hope for them. He offered people relationship that restored. As followers of Jesus, do we first bring something ‘good’ relationally to people in need of good news, or do we bring a gospel of mud management that says, ‘Until they see the mud, they won’t see their need for God? Until I help them see the “bad news” about how wrong their sin is, they won’t see their need for forgiveness’? Jesus didn’t do this, but the Pharisees did. This doesn’t mean Jesus ignored or denied the seriousness of our sins against God or our wrongs against each other. Jesus didn’t deny the truth about sin… Instead, he put the spotlight of grace on the Masterpiece, so people could see why the mud needed removing.”
JESUS IS CALLING OUT THE MASTERPIECE IN YOU: “Jesus not only pictured this Masterpiece in every encounter, he called out the Masterpiece. He pointed out the true identity of people that God wanted to reveal by chipping away everything that wasn’t the image he imagined. We must learn to do the same… God wants his followers to call out the valuable uniqueness God created, so people will identify with their Creator…”