Creation 3 B

The Artist's Way

Introduction: In the Beginning

The unknown author of the Letter to the Hebrews says:

“In the beginning, God...founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of [God's] hands.” (Hebrews 1:10)

In the beginning, there was a blank canvas. The painter took her brush and dipped it into the rainbow of colours that was before her on the palette. As her hands danced over the stark white canvas, a masterpiece slowly emerged.

The painter created something new out of nothing-- something breathtaking out of something ordinary.

In the beginning, there was an empty page. The poet took his pen and began to write. Pretty soon, the page was filled with provocative words that stir the imagination.

The poet created wonderful poetry Where once there was nothing, now melodic verses sang out.

In the beginning, there was a lump of clay. The potter took the cold clay into her hands and worked it with strength and warmth. She created a beautiful, smooth vessel.

What once was unformed and empty, stood ready to be filled.

In the beginning, there was a vacant floor. The dancer took to its centre and he began to gently move his body. With delicate steps, the dancer created a vibrant dance.

What once was an empty space, he filled with life.

“In the beginning, God...founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of [God's] hands.” (Hebrews 1:10)

With the Kids…. Co-Creators

Art as artistic interpretation…

Make things is taking part in creation – we use the gifts that God gives us to help God make the world beautiful….

God and the Physical World

 Artists bring emotion to life. Their artwork is an expression of their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. They are creators of beauty and wonder.

And so it is with God.

We talk about God as “the Creator” all of the time. When we talk about the Holy Trinity, the first person we mention is God the Creator. Language of God as Creator is prevalent in our community worship times and it comes up in our personal prayers.

Perhaps we do not believe in God as a literal artist who crested the world in seven literal days. But we can appreciate that the work of creation is a work of art…

But we also know that God is at work in creation.  And I find that the language of an artist creating art really does help me to grasp how God works in the world.

These images of the potter at the wheel or the painter with brush in hand are conjured up when we hear scripture writers talk about God forming us with loving hands. And they give us a sense of a creative energy at play in the world. This beautiful creative energy works through the scientific world we are in.

And this work is quite beautiful to watch as it unfolds in processes like the reproduction of a baby, or a rabbit's fur changing colour to escape predators, or a sunflower turning around to face the sun.

When we see God as an artist, we can't help but see God as a scientist too. In God, the two are undeniably linked, working together to create.

God and the Spiritual World

So, step one is understanding God as the catalyst for creation in the material world.

Once we understand this, then we can begin to ponder God as Creator in the spiritual world.

If God creates all that we can see, imagine the works God creates that we don't see. Just like we might put together a tasty dish in our kitchens by following a recipe that has been handed down to us, God creates intangible things that we cannot taste, touch and smell, like love, wisdom and hope.

These are the qualities that Jesus brought to life and magnified. And they existed since the beginning.

There's that famous passage from John that we heard some from today that starts this way:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

It's telling us that the essence of Jesus existed since the very beginning.

Before there was night and before there was day, there was the divine energy of love, justice and healing. 

Before there was water and dry land, there was the divine energy of peace and joy.

And then one day, those qualities came to life in a way we can recognize.

One day, “the Word became flesh and lived among us.” (John 1:14)

One day, there was Jesus – the artwork that revealed to us the Artist.

Conclusion: We Need All of Creation

And just as this world needs air, water, fire, and wind to exist and to thrive, it needs the intangibles to survive too. And God created all these elements – each and every one. The same God that created huge powers like love, created me and created you.

The Letter to Hebrews reminds us that some day the physical world will no longer exist as we know it but God will remain.

The concrete items that we can see with our eyes will wear out and die.

But that creative energy and its spiritual creations will remain unchanged.

The Artist's inspiration is without limit. The Artist's work is never finished. The Artist will continue to create forever.

We need all of creation – the tangible, the intangible, the human, the nonhuman, the living, the inanimate. We need it all.

If we are to understand something about the Artist, we must consider and be amazed by the Artist's creations. If we are to understand our own lives, we must follow the Artist's way.