[podcast]http://www.revkwon.com/podcast/artisan-imagination.mp3[/podcast] Heres the big idea that I left everyone off with last week: Our life is defined by how we interpret it. We create through what we interpret and that interpretation changes everything. As such, our lives of faith is less about gathering information than it is about expanding imagination within us. I want read from Hebrews 11 this morning because I think its brilliant. But more than that, the author of the Hebrews talks about how the expression of Gods imagination through actions in our lives practically and realistically and tangibly alters the universe and the people in it. 1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3) In verse 3 we see the author articulating the fact that the universe as we know was created by God speaking His imagination to life, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible This is plainly an allusion to Genesis 1 where God spoke to life things that didnt exist. It was from His imagination that everything we come to see as the natural world came to be. Faith, or believing in things that are not seen, is imaginary. Its not something we can touch or feel, it is something we know by imagination. I dont know how many of you believed in Santa Claus when you were younger, or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy, or had some whacked out imaginary friend; but if you did, then you know how much faith you put into them. The stock that was placed on their special occasions and holidays caused you to act in a certain way. This is faith, this is exactly what the author of the Hebrews was talking about. When I was younger, my parents told me straightaway, almost as soon as I started school and learned that I wanted things that I didnt have but my friends had, that Santa Claus was fake and that Christmas was Jesus birthday and I should be giving Jesus a birthday present for His birthday and I shouldnt be so obnoxious to want a gift on somebody elses birthday. Yeah, I was the kid that ruined Santa Claus for my class. But when I found out that there was no Santa Claus and that part of my imagination was killed from me, it allowed me to imagine Christmas as a birthday for somebody. Faith is an action upon something we have to imagine into reality. When we act on what we believe, it is our imagination coming to life. Only in our imagination can we begin to contain even the smallest expression of the bigness of God. It is only in our imagination that we can accomplish anything, go anywhere, or become anyone. Only in our imagination do we have boundless possibilities and endless potential. Only in our imagination can we even begin to conceive what reality might become if it began to reflect the imagination of God. We have to take that to understand that the universe inside of us, our universe of thoughts, ideas, and dreams, our universe of fears, doubts, and questions, our universe of hopes, ambitions, and passions; well all those things materialize into reality when we act on them. Lets continue to read. Look at these people in the Old Testament, they started to act on what they believedthey believed it, it wasnt real yet, it was in their imagination. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. (Hebrews 11:4-12) The writer of the Hebrews makes a pointed statement when you read in between the lines of what we consider Old Testament heroes: imagination is more powerful than knowledge. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, in our lives, we are pressed into a life where imagination plays second or third fiddle, if any fiddle at all. The longer we live, we become more practical and reasonable and our imagination is killed, by worldly standards anyways. That being said, we are in great peril of losing the most valuable expression of our humanityour imagination and the ability to imagine ourselves somewhere we havent quite gotten to. I want you to see this verse 10, the writer says, For he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. This is a pivotal and powerful statement about faith and imagination, in general. The writer is saying that imagining something leads to creating it and building it, thus bringing whatever it is to life. Lets keep reading in verse 13. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13-16) Each day that we walk this earth, whether or not we recognize it, we are in the process of creating a new reality. The question we must be asking ourselves, as the people in this passage are being mentioned is this: what are we leaving in the wake of our lives? The words we speak, the choices we make, the actions we take are the material by which we create our lives, but also create the world around us. Some people take this creative gift and turn it in for destruction; but if we understand our lives as God imagines it, then well understand that God intends for us to give life to the world, just as He did, we are after all, in His image. I want to keep reading now. Because this all means one thing: faith, or belief, or the actions which stem from believing in something has an intention. Just like when God created, He created with intention, so we should create from our imagination with the intention of giving life. This is very practical because some of us just do stuff for the sake of doing, without intention, and thats why our lives suck. What if you started to live your life, and have intentions for it, I can bet that your life would be more exciting and more meaningful. Lets go to verse 17 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated 38 of whom the world was not worthywandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:17-40) The culmination of this chapter is simple: to define or be defined. We can either become products of the intentions of others or products of living an intentional life. None of the circumstances that these people faced that the author of this passage mentions allowed their lives to be defined by their circumstances. Yet, it is our easiest excuse to allow ourselves be defined by what is. What is being taught is this: we have this imagination as a gift from being created in Gods image: we should be redefining who we become by living out into reality a life that has an intention to reproduce life. Allowing yourself be a prisoner of what is not is no longer an acceptable option, you have the creativity to imagine something better and it is time to jump at it. Interpret not only your past circumstances, but the ones you are currently engaged in this way: God has provided something better for us. The lives of everybody behind us, the people who made our lives possible are all relying on us to bring to life the best of what it means to be made in the image of God. Jesus life, death and resurrection has given us the clearance and authority to live out our imaginations to the fullest as we are filled with His Spirit and power. We all have motivation that is faith, and believing in something; then acting on that belief to make it materialize from the imaginations gifted to us. When we obey Christ in this way, we are creating and building what Jesus love inspires us to do. It is our imagination that changes the world we live in for the better. Lets pray.
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