The television show, “Antiques Roadshow” has guests wait in long lines holding assorted items: statues, paintings, china, and even old military weapons.
Antique experts scrutinize the condition and value of each item.
Most people discover their beloved heirloom is only valuable because of the sentiment it carries, but a few items—especially when signed by a famous maker or artist—are worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Isn’t it amazing that a signature by a known artist will make what appears to be an ordinary item inherently more valuable?
And, so it is with us.
We have great worth because the signature of our Creator is on our lives; He is the greatest artist in the world.
We may not always feel like our lives are particularly important or worthwhile, but we have worth based on our relationship to our Creator.
In Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes,
“For we are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus.”
The artistic skills necessary to fashion beautiful items is described by the Hebrew word translated as masterpiece.
For instance, God Himself designed a pattern for a lampstand, which was to be hammered from gold, with a base of flowers (Num. 8:4).
Skilled artisans were valued highly as they created items for the tabernacle and later the temple.
They used the very best materials to honor God.
The Greek word, used in Eph. 2:10, refers to anything made or created, and it is used here to refer to us!
Paul says we are God’s masterpiece, His handiwork.
God is the supreme Artist and He was intimately involved in our creation.
His original creation of Adam and Eve occurred in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 2).
Because of the fall of man, man needs to be created a second time.
We have been created again, through our new birth in Jesus Christ.
While we are made new in Christ and that redemptive work is complete in our human spirit (Col. 2:10), God continues to work in our lives in our soul.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is shaping us into people of great beauty that will be fully realized only in eternity.
We have extraordinary value, and we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus.
We are not to question our value and worth to God.
We read this in Matt.10:30-31:
“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
We read this in 1 Peter 1:18-19:
“or you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
We are so valuable to God that He paid for us to be His children through the precious blood of Christ.
Our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse scheduled for the wrecking ball.
When we become God’s, the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17).
He makes all things new!
We are His Masterpiece!
We have infinite worth!
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries