The Greatest Masterpiece
(Mt 16:18-19)
God is the first and the last(Rev 22:13).
His will is the same from the beginning and the end, and
Whatever He begins, He certainly finishes.
Faith is knowing and loving Him, and
The life of this faith is, with the Lord, putting effort to leave behind the greatest masterpiece on earth.
It is human nature to want to leave something behind in the world.
As such, most people want to leave smarter descendants; while
Writers, artists, architects, scientists etc. all
Pour their hearts out to leave behind their greatest works.
In the beginning, God made the heavens and the earth and
Said that it was good(Ge 1:1) for
All things were the masterpiece of God made by His word.
Noah and his family survived the judgment by deluge which
Killed all living things in the world(Ge 6:14-22) for They built for 70 years the ark, their masterpiece, according to God's design(Ge 5:32-7:10).
The Tabernacle was the masterpiece built
In the desert after the exodus of Israel(Ex 25:8)
According to God's design, under the direction of Moses.
Solomon was permitted to build the Temple in Jerusalem for 7 years(1Ki 5:1-1Ki 6:38)
With the best material that his father, King David, prepared and
With the support of the neighboring kingdoms,
As well as 70, 000 carriers, 80, 000 stonecutters in the hills, and
3, 300 foremen who supervised the project and directed the workers.
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would build the temple of God designed before the creation(He 3:2-3),
Not with perishable things like gold or silver(1Pe 1:19-20)
But with the precious blood that was before the creation, the incarnate Word(Jn 1:14).
As He died, Jesus said, "It is finished(Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
- Laid down His life and fulfilled the Father's will(Jn 10:17-18);
- Condemned the archangel who defiled the heavenly sanctuary when he sinned(Eze 28:18; 1Jn 3:8); and
Sprinkled His blood and redeemed the sins of men, preparing them to become God's temple(1Co 3:16).
He rose and
Entered the heavenly sanctuary that is not made by human hands(He 9:11, He 9:24).
The Holy Spirit came in the name Yeshua and
The church was built on earth(Ac 2:1-4).
The church is:
- The greatest masterpiece of Jesus who left behind His blood(Mt 16:18);
- The greatest masterpiece that ought to be left behind by those saved by His blood because:
It is according to God's design and the Holy Spirit who oversees it(Ac 20:28);
It was built with the most precious material, the blood of the Only Begotten Son;
The gates of Hades will not prevail it - thus, overcoming tribulation, persecution, poverty or even death(Mt 16:18); and
The world cannot seep into it and thus it does not change(1Ti 3:15).
O Lord,
What an honor it is that
You allow such a worthless life to leave behind such a great masterpiece!
Thank You!
I will build the greatest church on earth. I will support it.
I will leave behind a masterpiece that the church will remember.
O Lord, help us all. Amen.