05/07/2023
4/30/23
How Can We All Use Our Creative Talents to Glorify God?
1st Corinthians 10: 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
INTRODUCTION
It is written in the very first line of the Bible: In the beginning God created . . . Genesis 1:1. Creativity begins with God. He had a plan and design for the cosmos and spoke it into being.
We have a written account of how creation came to be, and how the very first people were made by God. God spoke, made, and revealed it all through the written word. He was behind the entire creative order that we see around us.
When we look at the snowflake, a butterfly, or the perfect location of the earth’s position in the rest of the solar system, we see the handiwork of our Creator God. He also planned that we would be made in His image Genesis 1:26, so it is no surprise that we get to experience the wonder and joy of creativity in ourselves.
With all of this creative potential, how can we use our creative talents to glorify God? To give All the Glory to God alone! Whatever we do, we are to do it to the glory of God 1st Corinthians 10:31.
That includes our creative endeavors. As the apostle Paul shared, whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving Colossians 3:23-24.
Then in Colossians 1:16 it says: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. It is through Jesus that everything has been made and it is all for Him John 1:3.
God made the universe through His Son Hebrews 1:2 and it is by faith that we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible Hebrews 11:3. It is right and good to give glory to the One who made it all and for whom it is all for.
It also fulfills as well the command to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength Luke 10:27. What we create should not be worshiped, nor should we glorify ourselves or others in our creative pursuits. That does not mean that we do not enjoy or appreciate what we create, but we remember to keep our love and affections in their rightful place.
PARTICIPATE IN GOD’S MASTERPIECE
We have the privilege of joining with God in His creative purposes for the world. It was God’s wonderful idea to create people and to get the first person to name the livestock, the birds and the wild animals Genesis 2:20.
God brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name Genesis 2:19.
This was God’s idea to involve us, not an idea of our own making. God made the first woman as a helper, creating her from the rib of the man, and he named her too Genesis 2:21-23. They would work together in the world.
God invites us to participate in His design on earth, and His kingdom purposes. We are made in His image and formed by Him, and God has a plan and a purpose, establishing our steps Proverbs 16:9.
We can use our creative talents for good or for ill, but as we look to Jesus, our desires will become more and more like His. Using our creativity enables us to express a part of who God has designed us to be Psalm 139:13-16.
That may look different for each person, as we are all individuals with unique gifts and abilities, yet we are all fearfully and wonderfully made by Him Psalm 139:14.
We love others with our Creativity! It is important to remember the first two commandments as we create: love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. Loving the Lord comes first. We need to spend time with Him regularly; it is vital to build and nurture a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
As we do this, it will transform our longings and desires to love and serve others. God loves the people whom He created, and He designed us to be in community together. As we create to the glory of God and out of love for Him, it will spill over into how we use our talents, time, and resources for others.
This might look like caring for those in need, volunteering our skills, designing something to the best of our ability with utmost integrity, photographing or painting beautiful landscapes to show God’s work on display, and so much more.
There are endless opportunities to be creative. The people in our homes, communities and the wider world can be blessed, uplifted, and inspired by our God-given creativity.
First, we must manage our creative talents well! We are to steward what God has given us and remember that all good gifts come from Him James 1:17. Even as we are diligent with our time, resources and creative talents, we can continue to learn and develop in our creativity.
As we look to Him who is the giver and provider of all we need, we worship Him alone, rather than anything that we create. Throughout the Bible, there are examples of humans using their gifts and abilities to create things to worship other gods.
We see it when the Israelites created a golden calf in Exodus 32 and in the construction of the Tower of Babel Genesis 11:1-4. In both cases, they made a god or a name for themselves, demonstrating the skill, but also the deep-rooted pride of mankind.
Even idolizing people made in the image of God lends itself to the worship of the creation rather than the Creator Romans 1:25. There is risk and temptation to pursue and follow created things and step into idolatry, rather than to worship God.
Therefore, we must bring our creativity before the Lord, knowing it is Him that we are serving, and we should use our talents wisely. Embrace the skills given to us! God gives skills to different people.
We are all given certain abilities, even if it might take us a little while to discover or develop what they are. In the building of the Tabernacle, there were many who had different skills given to them by God which would be used to complete it:
All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded Exodus 35:10.
It is a beautiful picture of some of God’s people who were willing and whose heart moved them and brought materials and offerings to God for this work Exodus 35:21-22. Men and women all participated together, and there was willingness and skill involved to make what God had commanded come to be.
Are we also willing to offer our skills in whatever way is needed for God’s glory and purpose? God also equips those whom He calls to a specific task.
In the building of the Tabernacle, the Lord chose a person from the tribe of Judah, and filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, understanding, knowledge and all kinds of skills, to make artistic designs Exodus:35:30-34.
He also equipped him and another in the tribe of Dan to be able to teach others. God is the one who fills us with the skills for the tasks that He has called us to.
The creative process means walking through trials and frustrations at times but can also develop our perseverance and character. God can use our creativity to shape and transform us into the likeness of Jesus as we seek to use our creative talents for His glory. He is interested in our hearts.
As we create, we can ask Jesus to help us honor Him in our pursuits. We can use our creativity to build up believers, spread the good news to those who do not know Jesus, support those in need, and use it as a way to provide an income for our families.
As we surrender and yield to God, continually thinking not my will but yours be done, He can take our creative offering and transform it for His glory and purposes. For example, God saw the two loaves and five fish, and He was the One who filled the crowd.
Give Him our creative talents, no matter how big or small, and let Him deeply satisfy your every need. A pastor and theologian once said: God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in him.
TALENTS, GIFTS AND SKILLS
Have you ever been afraid to use your gifts, talents, or skills? Have you ever thought that your skills and talents were not appreciated by other people? If the answer to either one or both of these questions is yes, then you can probably sympathize with the third person in the Parable of the Talents, which is in Matthew 25:14-30.
The word talent represents all of the opportunities God has given his people to serve him. Talents include things, abilities, and learning. The parable teaches us to invest everything God gives us for his glory.
If we want to be faithful servants of Christ, we must use what he gives us to spread the Good News. If we are faithful stewards in this life, we will be rewarded with even greater responsibility. The reward will be in proportion to the tasks we have given.
Sometimes when we do God’s work, we will not feel appreciated, all we have to do is pray to God. When we please him, we will be serving Him daily. The greatest reward God can give will go to godly people who have labored faithfully without any earthly recognition.
We are encouraged to be better than average. We are encouraged to excel. So why don’t we excel? Why don’t we try? The answer is fear. Fearful servants are afraid of God. They see him as a harsh taskmaster.
They do not see the meaning of the term, fear God as total reverence. They take the term fear God quite literally, and therefore they never multiply the gifts God gave them.
To really know God is to agree that he does indeed make his rain to fall upon the just and the unjust alike. To know God is to acknowledge, that he’s tough, moves by His Word that in the flesh can easily be questioned.
God is both a generous rewarder and a strict judge. He evaluates our stewardship on the basis of how well we manage the responsibilities and talents he has given us. He evaluates our stewardship based on how well we have kept His priorities instead of our own.
If we use his gifts to spread the Good News, we will be rewarded. If we don’t, we can be separated from him for eternity.
We must master and receive the gifts God gives us, including the gift of time. No matter how old or how young we are, we can still use the gifts God gave us. Even when we are having problems, God can still use us.
If we master and use the gifts God gave us, we will have plenty of time to grow in faith and spread God’s Kingdom here on earth.
There are many important gifts in the Bible, as salvation and the gifts God has given to us in the Gospels. He gave us those gifts and abilities so we can give them to others. To spread around and to be put to good use, but as well so that our inability is exposed, and God is glorified. We can’t, but God can.
Christ demands faithfulness. If we are faithful, we will produce results. If we do not use what God gave us, we will lose everything. We are to dedicate ourselves and all we have been given to Christ so that he can multiply those gifts.
Jesus seems to imply that there will be a long period of time between his first coming and his second coming, but the delay does not mean that he will not be coming. We are duty-bound to expand God’s kingdom in his absence regardless of how long we have to wait for him to return.
God sees everything from the beginning to the end, even if we can’t understand things. He sees our motives. He sees how we handle even the smallest of things, and our future depends on the little things.
So how can we know what God wants us to do? It’s simple. We have to read the Bible. If we do, we will discover that God does not want us to play it safe. He wants us to walk in faith. No faith, no reward. We have to live the life Jesus taught us to lead instead of the life the world wants us to lead.
There are lots of lessons to be learned from the Parable of the Talents: First, that is to be good stewards of our abilities. Use them or lose them. Don’t be afraid to try. Never say, I have so little, my contribution won’t matter. Every little bit helps.
People may not be equal in talent, but they can sure be equal in effort. The faithful servants walked in faith with the master’s goods, and that was really what he meant for them to do.
The Parable of the Talents is about trust. God trusts us to use the gifts he has given us to spread his kingdom here on earth. He calls on us to return the gift by acting on the gifts he has given us out of trust.
He only asks that we love him enough not to hoard or hide our resources. We can trust him. Can he trust us? Isaiah 48:11 for My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.
WE ARE TO GLORIFY GOD
We are to Glorify God! Isaiah 48:11 I will not give my glory to another. In
Ephesians 1, for example, explains why God provides salvation: the Father predestines, the Son redeems, and the Spirit seals, all for the praise of His glory and the glory of His grace Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14.
David explains that God created the heavens as a declaration of His glory Psalm 19:1. God is glorified by the salvation of Israel Isaiah 60:21 and by the mercy He has shown to the Gentiles Romans 15:9.
Jesus glorified the Father John 17:4, the Father glorified Jesus John 17:5, and the Spirit glorifies the Son as well John 16:14. God is glorified when Jesus’ disciples bear much fruit; gifts, talents or skills, John 15:8.
The beasts of the field glorify God Isaiah 43:20. God will glorify Himself in the culmination of all things Ezekiel 39:13. One day Jesus will return and be glorified among the people 2nd Thessalonians 1:10.
Ultimately, because God has bought us, we are to glorify God with our everything 1st Corinthians 6:20. In all these ways and many more, God will be glorified, and He said, I will not give my glory to another Isaiah 48:11.
God’s glory—His magnitude or worthiness—is great, and it belongs to Him. He expresses His muchness in His handiwork, and because these things are the expression of His own character, the praise and glory are due to Him.
Any of His created beings that seek to praise themselves are seeking to steal from God what is rightfully His. This is why God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble
James 4:6; 1st Peter 5:5—because God has said, I will not give my glory to another Isaiah 48:11. God will not allow another to take credit for His character or handiwork.
In similar fashion, the work of an artist is recognizable as the work of that artist and attempts to copy that work are considered forgeries. Just as we acknowledge copyrights or the ownership of one’s intellectual property, we must acknowledge that God is the sovereign Creator and Owner of everything.
His revealed purpose is the demonstration of His own character and magnitude glory.
Because God has said, My glory I will not give to another, human responsibility includes walking humbly before our God Micah 6:8.
This is why in Proverbs refers to the fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom 1:7—we need the proper perspective of God, recognizing He is the fearsome Creator who has communicated graciously with His creation.
Then we can begin to understand His design and purpose in our own lives, and we can understand what He desires from us. If we begin by exalting the Lord and recognizing that, we can begin to see from His perspective as He has revealed it to us in Scripture, and we can avoid the error of trying to take for ourselves that which belongs only to Him.
He has said, I will not give my glory to another Isaiah 48:11.
Amen!
Pastor Steven Ho**er
