Under Construction

Props: oil painting, wood carving, small quilt

If I asked you what “work” is, what would you say? Do you like to make things? What kind of things? Is making things you enjoy really work?

Did you know that the Bible says that God works? What do you think He is working on today? He is working on US--you and me. The Bible says that “...We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10a) That’s a long verse, isn’t it? (Have them repeat it in segments with me) What does that mean? Let’s break the verse into smaller bites.

We—believers in Jesus Christ, Christians, people who are going to Heaven some day because they trust Jesus to save them from sin

His—God, Our Creator, Designer, Maker

Workmanship—masterpiece, great work of art or craft that is still under construction (Show examples of “works”—painting, wood carving—needlework—come back to them later)

Created in Christ Jesus—not just “born”, but “born again”. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, the Bible says that we become “new creatures”, new creations.

Good Works—Because God is working in us after we are born again, He wants us to serve Him and obey Him.

God ordained—When something is ordained, it means “planned or designed ahead of time”. God has a wonderful plan for every Christian...and each plan is specially made for each person, because we are all different.

We should walk in them—Even though God has a plan laid out for each of us, each of us must still “walk the plan”. When we disobey God, we are not living/walking according to His plan, we are walking according to our own plan. When God’s workmanship/work in us is finished, the Bible says that we will be like Jesus.

The people who make these works (indicate items) used special tools for each one.
Oil painting—brushes, paint, turpentine
Wood carving—chisel, awl, sandpaper, hammer
Quilt—needle, thread, scissors

God uses lots of different “tools” as He works to make us like Jesus. Sometimes He uses physical things like athletic ability...or disabilities. Sometimes He allows people to be very rich...or very poor. Nobody likes pain or war or not having friends, but sometimes those are the tools He uses to make us like Jesus. Just like the wood carver uses a chisel to cut away the parts of the wood that are not what he wants to see, God uses His tools to cut away what is not like Jesus.

We are His workmanship—His masterpiece. Created (born again) in Christ Jesus unto good works. When He looks at your walk (life), is He pleased by what He sees there?