WEBVTT

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 I appreciate Alex being willing to lead us in music today.

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 I asked him to do that before I told him that I was going to be talking about art.

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 So that maybe wasn't at all fair to him, but I really appreciate that.

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 Our main text this morning, if you want to go ahead and turn there, is going to be Exodus 31.

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 So that should be pretty fun to talk about art, to talk about creativity and what the Bible has to say about that.

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 It was my pleasure to volunteer.

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 I was kind of in a hurry to volunteer as soon as we started talking about speaking on Christ and culture this summer.

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 So I really want to talk about art because for the last, I don't know, year and a half,

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 I've been doing a personal study on the topic of what the Bible has to say about art and creativity

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 and what other Christians before us, other contemporaries, have said about art.

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 What part our church should play in creating and promoting art.

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 So I will mostly refer to Christ and art instead of Christ and creativity, which was our original topic,

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 primarily because the Bible doesn't use the word creativity to describe our actions.

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 More so the Bible uses that to describe God's characteristics and actions.

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 The word creativity or creative wasn't even applied to a person until the Renaissance when it was applied to a playwright.

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 And even then, the person who used it to describe the playwright was saying,

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 it's as if God is speaking when this playwright writes his plays.

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 So mostly I'll use the word art, but understand that if I do say the people are creative,

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 it's not heretical or blasphemous or anything like that because we're made in the image of God

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 and he is the chief creator and we're to imitate him.

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 So I think it's okay to use that type of language just with the understanding that creativity on our part

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 is always mimicking the ultimate creator of God.

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 So let's read our text and then we'll jump into our discussion.

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 It's Exodus 31, verses 1 through 11.

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 And Moses is up on the mountain.

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 He's getting God's commandments.

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 He has the Ten Commandments and the tablets,

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 and God's giving him all the instructions for how Israel ought to operate.

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 And verse 1 says,

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 The Lord said to Moses,

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 See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,

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 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God,

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 with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,

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 to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,

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 and cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood to work in every craft.

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 And behold, I have appointed with him the Holy Ab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

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 And I have given to all men ability that they may make all that I have commanded you,

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 the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony and the mercy seat that is on it,

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 and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils,

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 and the lampstand with all its utensils,

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 and the altar of incense, and the altar of burn offering,

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 with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand,

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 and the finely worked garments, the holy garments,

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 for Aaron the priest, and the garments for his sons,

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 for their service as priests,

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 and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place,

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 according to all that I have commanded you,

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 they shall be.

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 Pray with me.

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 Father, we ask that you would give illumination,

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 life to these ancient texts that we'll be reviewing,

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 these commandments that you've given,

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 the principles and the truths that you've outlined in your word.

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 Help them to be real and alive to us today,

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 as you have very clear instructions on how we are to operate,

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 how we are to rely on your spirit for all things.

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 Help us to see those things today as they relate to our topic.

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 Father, I pray that you would use me,

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 that in my weakness, your strength would be perfected,

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 that great things would be accomplished in and through this congregation,

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 as a result of the way that we open up our senses,

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 and receive your truth and apply it to our lives.

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 We praise you for this great opportunity.

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 Let it not be wasted on us.

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 Amen.

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 Okay, so in the interest of time,

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 I'm going to give you a really brief introduction to kind of lay the framework.

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 Okay?

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 But if you're interested in the history of art in the church,

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 then I would encourage you to talk to me more about it later,

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 because I just have pages and pages of notes and things that I found interesting over the last 18, 19 months.

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 But they just wouldn't really be pertinent to our discussion today.

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 So this is something that I would really love to talk more about,

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 because I'm really passionate about it.

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 I think that there's an application, a wide application,

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 even for people who wouldn't consider themselves artists.

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 So with that said,

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 I'm going to really breeze through just a brief introduction.

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 We'll call it a brief history of art in the church.

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 First, if you flip over to page 32,

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 our discussion of art in the church,

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 in order to get us to today,

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 really begins in chapter 32 of Exodus.

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 We're not going to read there,

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 but if you notice your heading,

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 you're probably familiar with the story.

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 Moses is up on the mountain,

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 and what do we find Aaron and the people doing,

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 but going,

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 Moses must have forgotten about us.

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 He's not coming back down.

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 Who are we going to worship now if God's not with us?

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 So they build this golden calf,

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 and they begin to worship it.

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 And it's interesting.

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 They make the golden calf,

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 which is an artwork.

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 It's a sculpture, statue.

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 But it's an idol for them.

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 And they don't only worship the idol,

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 but they want to incorporate it into their worship of God.

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 So you would see in verse 5 of chapter 32,

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 an Aaron made proclamation and said,

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 Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.

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 But then what do they do?

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 They get up the next day,

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 and they begin worshiping their idols.

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 So they're trying to incorporate this idolatrous piece of art

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 into their worship of God.

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 And the reason that I bring this up

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 is because it highlights a problem for all of humanity

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 because we're fallen,

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 because our sinful nature is rooted so deeply.

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 We're really prone to idolatry.

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 And art is primarily image making.

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 Images are really hard for us to keep in their rightful place.

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 And that's exactly what we found with the golden calf.

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 A piece of art, I guess, if made for other intentions,

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 could have been a really nice piece of art,

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 could have even brought glory to God.

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 But instead, it was elevated to the status of an idol or a false god.

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 And the people worshiped it.

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 Throughout history, God's people have continually done that.

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 And even outside of the church and outside of Israel,

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 people really want to see something,

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 want to touch something,

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 have something tangible to worship rather than God.

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 So art has a real sneaky way of displacing our affections for God.

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 And we find that in history,

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 that's what had happened about the time of the Protestant Reformation.

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 The Catholic Church was in a lot of trouble.

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 I mean, the Reformation happened for good reason,

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 not the least of which was the idolatry of the Catholic Church.

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 Their cathedrals, their relics,

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 Martin Luther and some others made fun of them

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 with a term that was used to describe the circus,

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 to say it's extravagante, it's just gone way too far.

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 So the Protestant Reformation happened,

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 and as a reaction to the Catholic Church,

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 Protestants began removing art pieces from their meeting spaces,

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 removing art altogether.

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 And it was for good motivation.

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 They said, look, people are worshipping these things instead of God,

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 so let's take away these distractions.

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 The problem with that, of course,

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 is that there wasn't anything inherently evil with beautiful pieces of art.

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 There wasn't anything inherently evil about musical production

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 to aid in congregational singing.

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 So we, as a piece of application even right here,

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 need to be really careful about reactionism.

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 We, as people, we tend to see something that's causing wrong,

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 and instead of looking at the root of the problem,

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 we react from the entire situation altogether.

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 Well, there's an infinite number of directions that you can run away from something.

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 We need instead to begin pursuing godliness,

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 which is a singular direction.

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 We have to stop creating these hedge laws for ourselves,

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 which may or may not be intended to keep us from sinning,

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 but ultimately prevent us from receiving and redeeming things

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 that God intends to use for His glory.

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 And art's one of those things.

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 The Protestant Reformation got us into a really bad spot with art

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 because it created a skepticism about art that lingers till today.

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 It created a big gap, a widening gap,

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 between the church and artists.

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 What happened as a result of that gap were twofold.

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 Art was negatively impacted in the church and outside of the church.

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 Outside of the church, there's a...

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 Well, I'll read you a quote.

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 Stuart McAllister wrote a book,

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 What is Good and Who Says?

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 And he said,

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 Much of the energy and effort of our artists and cultural architects

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 has gone into debunking, dismantling, or deconstructing

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 all that is good, beautiful, and respected,

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 to be replaced with the shallow, the ugly, and the ephemeral, or the passing.

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 Philip Riken, who...

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 And actually, Liz, will you grab that book for me?

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 Philip Riken wrote a great book called Art for God's Sake.

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 It helped me out a bunch in preparing for this sermon.

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 He said,

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 Most contemporary art is the art of alienation,

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 which, if it is true at all,

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 is true only about the disorder.

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 Thank you.

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 The disorder of a world damaged by depravity.

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 Did you catch that?

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 Most contemporary art is the art of alienation,

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 which, if it is true at all,

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 is true only about the disorder of a world

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 damaged by depravity.

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 So, art has been affected negatively outside of the church

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 because the church is withdrawn from the artistic community.

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 But art has also been negatively affected within the church

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 as we've distanced ourselves from the artistic community.

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 We lost touch with artistic standards of excellence,

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 and we lost the ability to describe and illustrate

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 transcendent truths of Christianity

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 in the language of the culture around us.

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 So, now we have songs like,

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 I could sing of your love forever,

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 I could sing of your love forever,

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 I could sing of your love forever.

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 And it's a good thing,

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 because we don't have anything else to say anymore.

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 We've lost the ability to speak in terms

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 that the community around us can engage with and connect with,

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 because, in an artistic sense,

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 we've divorced ourselves from them.

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 The main thing there is that both the world and the church

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 suffer loss when we, as Christians,

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 refuse to engage in the pursuit of high aesthetic standards.

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 I want to read you another quote from Rikens' book

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 on this particular topic.

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 He says,

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 All too often, we Christians settle for something that is functional,

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 but not beautiful.

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 We gravitate toward what is familiar, popular, or commercial,

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 with little regard for the enduring values of artistic excellence.

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 Sometimes what we produce can be described only as kitsch,

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 tacky artwork of poor quality that appeals to low tastes.

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 The average Christian bookstore is full of the stuff,

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 as the real artist will tell us,

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 if only we will listen.

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 Ultimately, this kind of art dishonors God

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 because it is not in keeping with the truth and beauty of His character,

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 and also undermines the church's gospel message of salvation in Christ.

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 Art has tremendous power to shape culture and touch the human heart.

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 Its artifacts embody the ideas and desires of the coming generation.

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 This means that what is happening in the arts today

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 is prophetic of what will happen in our culture tomorrow.

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 It also means that when Christians abandon the artistic community,

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 we lose a significant opportunity to communicate Christ to our culture.

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 Furthermore, when we settle for trivial expressions of the truth in worship and art,

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 we ourselves are diminished as we suffer a loss of transcendence.

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 What we need to recover, or possibly discover for the first time,

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 is a full biblical understanding of the arts.

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 Not for art's sake, but for God's sake.

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 Then we will be able to produce better art

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 that more effectively testifies to the truth about God and His grace.

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 This goal is important not just for artists,

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 but also for everyone else,

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 made in God's image and in need of redemption.

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 So to review our introduction.

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 First, because people have always been prone to worship art instead of God,

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 the church began to reject art during the Protestant Reformation.

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 This rejection led to a deep-rooted skepticism about the arts,

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 creating a widening chasm between Christians and artists.

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 As the chasm grew, art outside the church became less beautiful,

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 less true, and increasingly disconnected from the reality

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 or even the possibility of transcendent truth.

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 Likewise, art within the church became tackier,

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 shallower, and increasingly disconnected from the reality of the world around us.

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 So it's the framework that we're working with

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 as we begin to discuss what God's instructions are for art within the church

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 and how we as Christians should connect with art and relate to and create art.

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 So as we come to our text,

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 keep that kind of a framework and a background in your mind

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 that art has been damaged both within and without the church

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 because of our general neglect of it as Christians.

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 So Exodus 31, 1-11.

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 We've read that earlier.

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 There are four biblical principles of art

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 that have real implications for us today that we can find in our text.

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 We're going to discuss each of those this morning.

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 So those four principles that we're going to look at,

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 first is that God calls and equips artists.

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 Second is that God loves all kinds of art.

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 Third is that God has high standards for art.

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 And fourth is that art exists for the glory of God.

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 Okay?

00:15:05.020 --> 00:15:08.040
 So the first principle is that God calls and equips artists.

00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:09.540
 And we see that in verse 2.

00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.460
 We're not going to discuss verse 1,

00:15:11.560 --> 00:15:13.040
 which is the Lord said to Moses,

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:16.440
 because it would take too long to get into the implications

00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:18.340
 of the fact that God was speaking to Moses.

00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:21.560
 But verse 2, God says,

00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:24.639
 See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Bere, son of Hur,

00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:26.000
 the tribe of Judah,

00:15:26.060 --> 00:15:27.560
 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God,

00:15:27.620 --> 00:15:30.139
 with ability and intelligence and knowledge and all craftsmanship.

00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:31.460
 Right?

00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:33.920
 So he calls Bezalel by name.

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:36.740
 And then later in verse 6, he also calls Aholiad by name.

00:15:38.040 --> 00:15:41.560
 Artists play a very special part throughout history

00:15:41.560 --> 00:15:43.759
 in accomplishing God's plans.

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:47.179
 Now the second part of this principle is that

00:15:47.179 --> 00:15:50.340
 he not only calls artists, but he equips artists.

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:53.919
 And we see that in verse 3, as I just read.

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:55.779
 I have filled him with the Holy Spirit.

00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:59.879
 See that we'll list out the things that he equips artists with.

00:15:59.939 --> 00:16:03.659
 The Holy Spirit with skill or ability

00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:06.100
 and intelligence and knowledge.

00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:08.039
 And then the last is craftsmanship.

00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:12.740
 Jean Edward Veith said skill or ability.

00:16:12.740 --> 00:16:16.019
 must refer to the artist's innate talent,

00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:17.659
 described here as a gift from God.

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.620
 The second gift is intelligence,

00:16:20.840 --> 00:16:22.460
 and that underscores that a true artist

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:25.200
 not only works with his hands, but with his mind,

00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:28.360
 in contrast to current views that consider artistic inspiration

00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:31.019
 to be non-rational or even anti-rational.

00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:33.759
 Knowledge, the third thing,

00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:36.220
 as a gift for the arts,

00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:38.360
 means that artists must know things,

00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:40.000
 from the properties of their materials

00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:41.820
 to the ideas that their art can convey.

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:45.620
 Craftsmanship refers to the artist's technique,

00:16:46.040 --> 00:16:47.500
 the difference between a work of any kind

00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:49.580
 being poorly executed or well-made.

00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:52.420
 And then Veith continues to point out

00:16:52.420 --> 00:16:55.280
 that these terms that are used to describe

00:16:55.280 --> 00:16:56.660
 the gifts that God gave to Bezalel

00:16:56.660 --> 00:16:59.720
 to equip him to make good art for the tabernacle,

00:17:00.460 --> 00:17:03.220
 these terms may be used as a criteria

00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:05.480
 for evaluating any work of art

00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:07.640
 which may exemplify or fall short

00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:09.440
 in some measure when it comes to skill,

00:17:09.600 --> 00:17:12.020
 intelligence, knowledge, or craftsmanship.

00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:13.140
 So you can take that with you

00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:14.680
 as you're experiencing art,

00:17:14.740 --> 00:17:16.000
 because art is all around us.

00:17:16.120 --> 00:17:18.740
 The culture at large is increasingly artistic.

00:17:20.360 --> 00:17:21.800
 Hopefully the Christian community

00:17:21.800 --> 00:17:23.620
 will begin to be more artistic.

00:17:24.620 --> 00:17:26.040
 But as you're evaluating art,

00:17:26.080 --> 00:17:27.100
 you can look back to the things

00:17:27.100 --> 00:17:29.220
 that God gifted Bezalel with

00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:31.360
 to make good art and say,

00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:34.839
 well, does this art employ these skills?

00:17:36.919 --> 00:17:39.459
 The main point here is that God calls artists

00:17:39.459 --> 00:17:41.159
 to make art for his purposes,

00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:44.259
 and he equips them to be obedient to that calling.

00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:48.959
 The artist needs to have spiritual insight

00:17:48.959 --> 00:17:51.179
 as well as practical skill

00:17:51.179 --> 00:17:55.240
 in order to honor God with the art that we create.

00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:57.940
 So, to say it a different way,

00:17:58.019 --> 00:18:00.059
 the ability to create God-honoring art

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:01.039
 comes from God

00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:04.099
 and takes all of a person to create it.

00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:07.420
 Our minds and our bodies and our emotions.

00:18:08.099 --> 00:18:09.620
 The application for everybody else,

00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:10.400
 because I know some of you

00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.740
 may be sitting around going,

00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:13.559
 well, I don't really consider myself an artist.

00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:15.720
 The application here is that

00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.440
 God is calling all of us

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:19.460
 into particular actions,

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:22.259
 and he will equip us

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:23.319
 to be obedient to him

00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:24.460
 in those actions.

00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:26.579
 We're going to come back to that idea

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:27.140
 in a little bit,

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:30.160
 but God always equips the called.

00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:31.920
 He doesn't always call the equipped,

00:18:32.340 --> 00:18:33.680
 but if he's calling you into an action,

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.600
 he will equip you

00:18:34.600 --> 00:18:36.360
 to be obedient to him.

00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:38.420
 So the second principle is that

00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:40.460
 God loves all kinds of art.

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.799
 We see that in verses 3 through 5.

00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:45.920
 I have filled him with the Holy Spirit,

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:47.160
 with ability and intelligence,

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:49.579
 with knowledge and all craftsmanship,

00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:50.039
 he says,

00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:52.279
 to devise artistic designs,

00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:54.299
 to work in gold, silver, and bronze,

00:18:54.460 --> 00:18:55.819
 in cutting stones for setting,

00:18:55.940 --> 00:18:56.920
 and in carving wood,

00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:58.519
 to work in every craft.

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.000
 Right?

00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:02.120
 To work in every craft.

00:19:02.860 --> 00:19:04.600
 And I do want to mention,

00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:06.100
 just before I move too far ahead

00:19:06.100 --> 00:19:10.380
 of the things that God equips artists with,

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:12.000
 he equips every Christian

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.840
 with the Holy Spirit.

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.180
 He certainly begins his discussion

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:19.299
 of the artist with that.

00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:20.480
 And it's actually the first time

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.559
 that that language being filled

00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:22.279
 with the Holy Spirit

00:19:22.279 --> 00:19:23.579
 is used in Scripture.

00:19:23.919 --> 00:19:26.339
 So artists get dibs on that.

00:19:27.879 --> 00:19:30.039
 But as we're continuing

00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:33.460
 to apply these truths to ourselves,

00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:37.339
 I don't want you to get so bogged down

00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:39.279
 into the idea of artistry

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.059
 that you neglect the fact

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:42.419
 that God has given all of us,

00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.200
 as Christians,

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:45.240
 means the Spirit within us

00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.259
 to produce obedience,

00:19:48.580 --> 00:19:49.660
 to produce the good works

00:19:49.660 --> 00:19:50.420
 that he's planned ahead

00:19:50.420 --> 00:19:52.000
 for us to walk in.

00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:54.200
 It's a really key element,

00:19:54.420 --> 00:19:56.500
 it's maybe the key element

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:57.880
 to living Christian life

00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:59.160
 is to be empowered

00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:00.100
 by the Spirit of God.

00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:04.039
 So begin applying aspects

00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:05.860
 of these truths to yourselves

00:20:05.860 --> 00:20:07.100
 in as much as you can,

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:08.019
 because the Spirit of God

00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:08.660
 is within you.

00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:09.580
 And we're going to see

00:20:09.580 --> 00:20:10.380
 that there's obedience

00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:12.500
 called for on all of our parts,

00:20:12.560 --> 00:20:14.620
 even if we don't call ourselves artists.

00:20:15.780 --> 00:20:17.120
 So, to move on,

00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.660
 God loves all kinds of art.

00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:21.600
 And we see that in verses 3-5.

00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:24.020
 He gives to these artists

00:20:24.020 --> 00:20:25.740
 all craftsmanship,

00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:26.560
 and then he says,

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:28.340
 he gives them these gifts

00:20:28.340 --> 00:20:29.800
 to work in every craft.

00:20:30.620 --> 00:20:32.440
 And he uses language like that

00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:33.440
 throughout the passage.

00:20:34.100 --> 00:20:36.880
 It doesn't mean that all artworks

00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.100
 are necessarily good

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:39.300
 or even godly.

00:20:39.299 --> 00:20:41.099
 Certainly, let's not make that mistake.

00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:43.500
 Just that all forms of art

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:45.200
 are intended to be used

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:46.579
 for God's purposes.

00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:48.059
 He doesn't say,

00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:49.480
 I'm really into music,

00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:50.879
 I'm kind of into painting,

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:52.259
 sculpture sort of out

00:20:52.259 --> 00:20:52.779
 because of the whole

00:20:52.779 --> 00:20:53.519
 golden calf thing.

00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:56.519
 All art forms are intended

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.700
 for God's glory,

00:20:58.019 --> 00:20:58.879
 for His purposes.

00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:02.180
 I want to show you

00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:04.139
 just how far-reaching

00:21:04.139 --> 00:21:05.180
 that concept is

00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:06.940
 in the types of art

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:09.259
 that Bezalel and Aholiab made.

00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:11.200
 So we can see

00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:12.619
 that they made symbolic art,

00:21:12.919 --> 00:21:13.639
 which symbolic art

00:21:13.639 --> 00:21:14.500
 can be representational

00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:16.339
 or non-representational.

00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:16.960
 I'm going to talk about

00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:17.480
 what those mean.

00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:19.839
 But they made symbolic art,

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:22.119
 they made representational art,

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:23.980
 and they made non-representational art,

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:25.460
 what we call abstract art.

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:27.000
 So symbolic art,

00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:28.339
 that's physical form

00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.859
 that stands for

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:31.119
 a spiritual reality.

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.279
 An example of it

00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:33.139
 in the tabernacle

00:21:33.139 --> 00:21:34.919
 was the gold lampstand.

00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.220
 It symbolized

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.700
 the light of God's glory

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.620
 and grace.

00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:41.039
 You see that's symbolic.

00:21:41.340 --> 00:21:42.640
 There were several things

00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:43.319
 in the tabernacle

00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:45.259
 that represented something else.

00:21:45.340 --> 00:21:46.460
 They were to remind us

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:49.000
 of spiritual truth.

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.519
 The second type of art

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:51.920
 that they made

00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:53.100
 was representational.

00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:55.960
 And representational art

00:21:55.960 --> 00:21:57.240
 imitates life

00:21:57.240 --> 00:21:58.620
 by portraying

00:21:58.620 --> 00:22:00.200
 recognizable objects

00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:01.740
 from the physical universe.

00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:04.420
 So, for instance,

00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.200
 on the high priest's robes,

00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:07.359
 there were pomegranates

00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:09.059
 sewn into the design

00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:09.799
 on his robes.

00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.640
 They really looked like pomegranates,

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.900
 and they were supposed

00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:13.940
 to look like pomegranates.

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:15.019
 They were supposed to

00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.940
 remind people

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:16.620
 who saw them

00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:17.700
 of the physical universe

00:22:17.700 --> 00:22:18.460
 that God had created.

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:20.519
 So that's representational art.

00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.240
 It looks like

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:23.299
 what it's supposed to represent.

00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:24.960
 And then the third type

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:26.359
 is non-representational art,

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.200
 which is just pure form.

00:22:28.200 --> 00:22:31.840
 It's form apart from meaning, per se.

00:22:32.580 --> 00:22:34.840
 An example is the colorful curtains

00:22:34.840 --> 00:22:35.740
 in the holy place.

00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:37.100
 They didn't mean anything,

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.100
 but they were pretty,

00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:40.860
 and God instructed these artists

00:22:40.860 --> 00:22:42.299
 to make them beautifully.

00:22:43.100 --> 00:22:45.500
 So there was abstract art.

00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:46.980
 There was representational art.

00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:48.539
 There was symbolic art.

00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:50.180
 There are a lot of art forms

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:51.319
 that are left out here,

00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:51.980
 but they're discussed

00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:53.140
 in other places in Scripture.

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:57.460
 The main thing to gather

00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:59.059
 from those truths

00:22:59.059 --> 00:23:00.519
 is that as the house of God

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.079
 on earth,

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.220
 the tabernacle

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:03.620
 was the ultimate statement

00:23:03.620 --> 00:23:05.640
 of God's eternal values

00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:06.519
 concerning art.

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:09.660
 So God intended

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:10.680
 that the tabernacle

00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:12.860
 be made up of all kinds of art

00:23:12.860 --> 00:23:14.600
 because He values

00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:15.539
 all kinds of art.

00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:17.019
 Furthermore,

00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:18.220
 the Bible's full

00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:19.480
 of different forms of art.

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.779
 There are psalms

00:23:20.779 --> 00:23:22.779
 that mention different music,

00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:24.100
 different songs.

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.340
 A psalm will say,

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.319
 to the tune of,

00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:27.659
 and then it'll be like

00:23:27.659 --> 00:23:29.139
 the death in the valley,

00:23:29.319 --> 00:23:30.259
 or another will be like

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:31.839
 the morning and spring.

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:32.779
 I make both of those up,

00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:35.859
 but they're really diverse

00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:37.240
 song titles

00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:38.480
 throughout the psalms.

00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:40.399
 There are stories

00:23:40.399 --> 00:23:41.179
 and poems

00:23:41.179 --> 00:23:42.579
 and historical narratives,

00:23:43.159 --> 00:23:43.619
 prophecies,

00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:44.259
 proverbs,

00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:44.879
 parables,

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:45.339
 et cetera,

00:23:45.419 --> 00:23:45.759
 et cetera,

00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.659
 all these different forms

00:23:47.659 --> 00:23:49.079
 of creative expression

00:23:49.079 --> 00:23:49.859
 that communicate

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:51.099
 and convey the truth to us,

00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:53.480
 and they're all examples

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.639
 of different types

00:23:54.639 --> 00:23:55.259
 of art forms

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.359
 that God employs

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:57.539
 in His own Word,

00:23:58.059 --> 00:23:59.539
 certainly giving

00:23:59.539 --> 00:24:01.119
 some approval

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:03.419
 of these diverse forms

00:24:03.419 --> 00:24:03.799
 of art.

00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:06.000
 We have painting

00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.779
 and dancing

00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:08.759
 in Scripture,

00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.959
 different use of different

00:24:10.959 --> 00:24:11.919
 instruments mentioned

00:24:11.919 --> 00:24:12.379
 in Scripture.

00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.699
 So there's broad,

00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:15.240
 very broad application

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:18.380
 for the arts

00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:19.259
 being employed

00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:19.900
 by Christians

00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:20.599
 and not just

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:22.400
 specific

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:24.660
 types of art.

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:26.880
 So we might make a case

00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.359
 in our meetings together

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.660
 for using

00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:30.240
 varied instrumentation

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:31.819
 instead of just

00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:33.140
 singing without instruments,

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:33.740
 which some

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.420
 denominations

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:35.779
 and churches

00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:36.319
 have said,

00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:37.220
 no,

00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:38.500
 we can only have

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:40.279
 singing by itself,

00:24:40.579 --> 00:24:41.480
 no instruments,

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:42.519
 because that's

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.200
 idolatry.

00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:43.519
 Well,

00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:45.120
 that's not what

00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:46.019
 the Bible has to say

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.980
 about music at all.

00:24:48.380 --> 00:24:49.880
 We don't have to have

00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:51.240
 drab colors

00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:52.640
 in our meeting spaces.

00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.200
 We can have

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:54.160
 paintings up

00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:54.579
 and we can

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:56.339
 enjoy ourselves.

00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:56.860
 When we're singing,

00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:57.900
 we don't have to stand

00:24:57.900 --> 00:24:59.559
 tall and erect

00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:00.519
 and hold our hymnals,

00:25:00.579 --> 00:25:01.740
 but we can move

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.220
 a little bit.

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:03.160
 It's okay for Nathan

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.140
 to shake a tambourine.

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:05.019
 It's okay for you guys

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:07.160
 to get outside

00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:07.759
 of your Baptist

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.500
 non-dancing

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:09.440
 comfort zones.

00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:10.240
 It's all right

00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:11.299
 because God

00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:12.940
 intends for all

00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:13.759
 forms of art

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.440
 to be used

00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:15.140
 to bring glory

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.599
 to Him.

00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:18.900
 Stan made a joke

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:19.859
 Wednesday about

00:25:19.859 --> 00:25:20.460
 line dancing.

00:25:20.620 --> 00:25:20.980
 I was about to

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.519
 make fun of it.

00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:22.559
 It even means

00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:23.120
 line dancing

00:25:23.120 --> 00:25:24.140
 if you're into

00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:24.700
 that kind of thing.

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:27.440
 So,

00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:28.259
 a final note

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:28.720
 about different

00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:29.160
 art forms

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:29.980
 before I move on.

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.039
 Bezalel and Aholiab

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:33.019
 had been filled

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:33.779
 by the Holy Spirit

00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:34.279
 and given

00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:35.000
 craftsmanship

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:35.960
 and the idea

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:36.700
 with craftsmanship

00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:38.359
 is that they had

00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:39.180
 practiced

00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:40.220
 and perfected

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:40.840
 their skills.

00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:41.680
 They spent a lot

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:42.460
 of time doing

00:25:42.460 --> 00:25:43.080
 these things.

00:25:43.560 --> 00:25:44.019
 In fact,

00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:44.600
 they had been

00:25:44.600 --> 00:25:45.820
 building these skills

00:25:45.820 --> 00:25:47.420
 and building on

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.060
 these skills

00:25:48.060 --> 00:25:49.299
 far before

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.880
 God called them

00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:51.960
 to build the

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:52.500
 tabernacle.

00:25:54.080 --> 00:25:55.200
 In other words,

00:25:55.340 --> 00:25:56.080
 before they were

00:25:56.080 --> 00:25:56.700
 given a

00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:57.200
 quote-unquote

00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:58.060
 holy calling

00:25:58.060 --> 00:25:58.620
 for their art,

00:25:58.700 --> 00:25:59.299
 they were making

00:25:59.299 --> 00:25:59.620
 art.

00:25:59.620 --> 00:26:00.560
 And God was

00:26:00.560 --> 00:26:01.259
 pleased enough

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.220
 with their

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:04.820
 artistic expressions

00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:06.099
 that he called

00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:07.200
 them into

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:09.539
 this sacred

00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:10.460
 task of

00:26:10.460 --> 00:26:10.939
 creating the

00:26:10.939 --> 00:26:11.379
 tabernacle.

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:12.079
 So,

00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:12.720
 I use the word

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:13.559
 sacred task

00:26:13.559 --> 00:26:14.480
 because I actually

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.059
 want to point out

00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:16.319
 that to distinguish

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:17.879
 between sacred art

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:18.779
 and secular art

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.799
 is a really

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.659
 terrible mistake.

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.579
 Art itself

00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:23.919
 is amoral.

00:26:24.159 --> 00:26:25.079
 There's no such

00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:25.960
 thing as Christian

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:26.599
 songs.

00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:27.200
 I've never

00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.319
 heard of a song

00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.460
 that was dead

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:29.799
 and in need

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.220
 of a savior.

00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:32.019
 People who sing

00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:32.639
 songs are dead

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:32.939
 and in need

00:26:32.939 --> 00:26:33.359
 of a savior.

00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:34.579
 People are moral

00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:36.099
 or immoral,

00:26:36.199 --> 00:26:36.719
 but songs

00:26:36.719 --> 00:26:38.119
 really can't be.

00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:38.819
 Paintings really

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:41.500
 can't be immoral

00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:42.799
 in that sense.

00:26:43.699 --> 00:26:44.079
 Certainly,

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:45.799
 paintings and

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:46.359
 songs and art

00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:46.899
 pieces can be

00:26:46.899 --> 00:26:47.659
 displeasing to

00:26:47.659 --> 00:26:48.259
 God, but it's

00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:49.319
 not the art

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.019
 piece itself

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:50.500
 that's sending.

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.019
 It's the person

00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:51.719
 who creates it.

00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:55.619
 God is also,

00:26:55.919 --> 00:26:57.159
 besides art

00:26:57.159 --> 00:26:57.719
 that goes into

00:26:57.719 --> 00:26:58.479
 our corporate

00:26:58.479 --> 00:26:58.979
 meetings,

00:26:59.719 --> 00:27:00.339
 God is also

00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:01.039
 pleased with

00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:02.659
 so-called

00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:04.120
 secular art.

00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:04.800
 As long as

00:27:04.800 --> 00:27:05.240
 it doesn't

00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:05.940
 violate his

00:27:05.940 --> 00:27:06.620
 character and

00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.200
 standards,

00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:09.360
 it's okay if

00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:09.980
 it doesn't serve

00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:11.220
 strictly church-related

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:11.960
 functions.

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:15.240
 Even secular

00:27:15.240 --> 00:27:16.080
 art by

00:27:16.080 --> 00:27:17.759
 non-believers

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:19.880
 is an exploration

00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:20.720
 of the world

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.620
 that God has

00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:22.040
 made,

00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.460
 and it can

00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:24.560
 serve us.

00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:25.080
 It can serve

00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:25.800
 to deepen our

00:27:25.800 --> 00:27:26.660
 understanding of

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:27.259
 his work and

00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:27.840
 his character.

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.960
 If creation

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:30.100
 itself is general

00:27:30.100 --> 00:27:31.220
 revelation of God,

00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:32.819
 art as an

00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:34.039
 interpretation of

00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:35.039
 the world around

00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.440
 us and our

00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:36.720
 reality can also

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.620
 serve us to

00:27:37.620 --> 00:27:38.980
 enhance our

00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:40.019
 experience of the

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.720
 general revelation

00:27:40.720 --> 00:27:41.539
 and creation.

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:42.759
 We're not

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:44.700
 limited in our

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:46.319
 art forms to

00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:48.960
 only images that

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.860
 have been used

00:27:49.860 --> 00:27:50.920
 by the church,

00:27:51.019 --> 00:27:51.940
 or only modes of

00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:52.539
 communication that

00:27:52.539 --> 00:27:52.900
 have been used

00:27:52.900 --> 00:27:53.299
 by the church.

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:54.100
 We don't have to

00:27:54.100 --> 00:27:55.660
 only stick with

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:56.539
 images of the

00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:57.160
 cross on

00:27:57.160 --> 00:27:57.839
 flannel board.

00:27:58.059 --> 00:27:58.579
 We can get

00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:59.440
 outside of that a

00:27:59.440 --> 00:27:59.840
 little bit.

00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:01.200
 We don't have

00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:01.840
 to only sing

00:28:01.840 --> 00:28:02.259
 hymns.

00:28:02.320 --> 00:28:02.580
 We don't have

00:28:02.580 --> 00:28:03.460
 to only sing

00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:03.799
 the new

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.539
 praise choruses.

00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.460
 We're not

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:07.900
 stuck with

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:09.299
 cheap evangelistic

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:10.160
 skits if we

00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:10.500
 want to get

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.400
 into theater.

00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:12.460
 We can make

00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:13.460
 movies and go

00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:14.019
 to movies.

00:28:14.140 --> 00:28:14.580
 If we're crying

00:28:14.580 --> 00:28:15.180
 out loud, we

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:15.600
 can go to

00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.000
 movies.

00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:18.200
 All of the

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:19.019
 possibilities that

00:28:19.019 --> 00:28:20.120
 art provides are

00:28:20.120 --> 00:28:21.160
 open to us,

00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:23.600
 and God wants us

00:28:23.600 --> 00:28:24.200
 to use the arts

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:26.480
 to flourish in

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.299
 all of the great

00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:28.320
 artistic potential

00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:28.619
 that they

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.399
 possess so that

00:28:29.399 --> 00:28:30.740
 we can discover

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.599
 the possibilities

00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:32.379
 that creativity

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:34.359
 affords us for

00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:34.919
 coming to a

00:28:34.919 --> 00:28:35.599
 deeper knowledge

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.319
 of our creator.

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:37.819
 The second

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.559
 principle is that

00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:40.019
 God loves all

00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:40.720
 kinds of art.

00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:42.599
 The third

00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:44.019
 principle is that

00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:44.859
 God has high

00:28:44.859 --> 00:28:46.019
 standards for art.

00:28:46.919 --> 00:28:48.220
 This is the part

00:28:48.220 --> 00:28:49.139
 that I tried to

00:28:49.139 --> 00:28:50.119
 scare Alex with,

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:51.099
 but he had no

00:28:51.099 --> 00:28:51.559
 reason to be

00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:51.799
 scared.

00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:55.179
 God has high

00:28:55.179 --> 00:28:56.179
 standards for art.

00:28:56.180 --> 00:28:58.360
 Now, post-modernity

00:28:58.360 --> 00:29:00.480
 says that there

00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:01.580
 are no absolutes,

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:02.340
 and especially

00:29:02.340 --> 00:29:03.120
 not in art.

00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:04.180
 Post-modernity

00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:05.299
 really wants to

00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:06.920
 divorce our idea

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.740
 from absolutes,

00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:08.360
 and especially

00:29:08.360 --> 00:29:09.019
 when it comes to

00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:09.220
 art.

00:29:09.460 --> 00:29:10.560
 But God says that

00:29:10.560 --> 00:29:11.640
 he has an absolute

00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:13.759
 standard for art.

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:16.039
 So this is where

00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:17.440
 we really become

00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:18.660
 divergent in our

00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:19.600
 thinking about art,

00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:20.200
 if we hadn't

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.779
 already, from the

00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:22.060
 world.

00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:23.360
 God says that

00:29:23.360 --> 00:29:24.160
 there is an

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.120
 absolute standard for

00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:25.399
 art.

00:29:26.239 --> 00:29:27.019
 God's aesthetic

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.979
 standards include

00:29:27.979 --> 00:29:29.299
 three major

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.259
 things that we're

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.799
 going to discuss

00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:31.299
 at a little more

00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:31.599
 length.

00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:32.879
 They're goodness,

00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:34.199
 truth, and

00:29:34.199 --> 00:29:34.500
 beauty.

00:29:35.239 --> 00:29:35.959
 You can see

00:29:35.959 --> 00:29:36.279
 these in

00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:36.500
 scripture.

00:29:37.379 --> 00:29:38.159
 First, goodness,

00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:38.959
 and I don't

00:29:38.959 --> 00:29:40.799
 mean ethical

00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:41.639
 goodness, although

00:29:41.639 --> 00:29:43.000
 that's certainly

00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:44.559
 included.

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:45.759
 I think we're

00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:46.359
 all kind of on

00:29:46.359 --> 00:29:46.879
 the same page

00:29:46.879 --> 00:29:47.139
 there.

00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:48.179
 If you paint

00:29:48.179 --> 00:29:48.699
 something that

00:29:48.699 --> 00:29:49.759
 is unethical,

00:29:49.919 --> 00:29:50.919
 if you sing

00:29:50.919 --> 00:29:51.339
 something that

00:29:51.339 --> 00:29:51.899
 is unethical,

00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:52.659
 if you sculpt

00:29:52.659 --> 00:29:53.379
 something unethical,

00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:54.259
 that obviously

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:54.619
 is not going to

00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:55.039
 please God.

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:55.959
 What I'm

00:29:55.959 --> 00:29:56.399
 talking about

00:29:56.399 --> 00:29:56.799
 when I say

00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:58.679
 goodness more

00:29:58.679 --> 00:29:59.359
 has to do

00:29:59.359 --> 00:29:59.919
 with the

00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.859
 quality of

00:30:00.859 --> 00:30:01.079
 the art

00:30:01.079 --> 00:30:01.519
 itself.

00:30:02.939 --> 00:30:03.739
 Verse 11

00:30:03.739 --> 00:30:04.779
 of our text,

00:30:04.899 --> 00:30:06.739
 we see that

00:30:06.739 --> 00:30:07.239
 they are to

00:30:07.239 --> 00:30:08.399
 do all

00:30:08.399 --> 00:30:12.859
 according to

00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:13.439
 all that God

00:30:13.439 --> 00:30:13.919
 has commanded.

00:30:16.219 --> 00:30:16.399
 Now,

00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:17.839
 some background

00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:18.179
 that you have

00:30:18.179 --> 00:30:18.639
 to know about

00:30:18.639 --> 00:30:19.500
 these two

00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:20.359
 artists is

00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:20.739
 that they

00:30:20.739 --> 00:30:22.099
 were the

00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:23.059
 best artists

00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:23.460
 in all

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:23.679
 of the

00:30:23.679 --> 00:30:24.019
 land.

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:24.440
 We know

00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:24.940
 that because

00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:25.639
 God gives

00:30:25.639 --> 00:30:26.159
 them instruction

00:30:26.159 --> 00:30:26.639
 to teach

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:27.159
 others who

00:30:27.159 --> 00:30:27.619
 come along

00:30:27.619 --> 00:30:27.980
 to help

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.240
 them,

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:29.940
 because they

00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:30.740
 are supremely

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:31.460
 qualified,

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:32.639
 they're the

00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:33.559
 masters of

00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:34.460
 art.

00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:34.859
 So God

00:30:34.859 --> 00:30:35.259
 calls these

00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:35.579
 men who

00:30:35.579 --> 00:30:36.119
 are the

00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:36.639
 best at

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:36.839
 art,

00:30:37.139 --> 00:30:37.440
 and then

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:37.740
 he says,

00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.200
 do according

00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:38.639
 to all

00:30:38.639 --> 00:30:39.059
 that I've

00:30:39.059 --> 00:30:39.700
 commanded

00:30:39.700 --> 00:30:39.899
 you.

00:30:39.960 --> 00:30:40.179
 And if we

00:30:40.179 --> 00:30:40.440
 read the

00:30:40.440 --> 00:30:40.899
 preceding

00:30:40.899 --> 00:30:41.299
 chapters,

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:41.720
 we find

00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:41.980
 out that

00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:42.480
 God's

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.500
 standards

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:44.379
 and his

00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:44.700
 commandments

00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:45.179
 are those

00:30:45.179 --> 00:30:45.819
 of perfection.

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:48.179
 Colossians

00:30:48.179 --> 00:30:48.700
 3.23

00:30:48.700 --> 00:30:49.019
 says,

00:30:49.019 --> 00:30:49.619
 whatever you

00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:49.839
 do,

00:30:49.940 --> 00:30:50.139
 work

00:30:50.139 --> 00:30:50.639
 heartily,

00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:51.339
 as for

00:30:51.339 --> 00:30:51.759
 the Lord.

00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.500
 And 1

00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:52.879
 Corinthians

00:30:52.879 --> 00:30:53.539
 10.31

00:30:53.539 --> 00:30:53.819
 says,

00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.460
 whatever you

00:30:54.460 --> 00:30:54.759
 do,

00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:55.539
 do all

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:55.779
 to the

00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:56.220
 glory of

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:56.480
 God.

00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:56.839
 If we're

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:57.019
 going to

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.579
 do anything,

00:30:57.660 --> 00:30:58.039
 whether it's

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:58.460
 art or

00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.000
 otherwise,

00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:00.200
 we ought

00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:00.779
 to do it

00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:02.480
 the best

00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:02.879
 that it

00:31:02.879 --> 00:31:03.299
 can be

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:03.639
 done,

00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:05.619
 because an

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:06.099
 infinitely

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:07.579
 powerful God

00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:08.319
 resides within

00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:08.639
 us.

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.440
 So if we're

00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:09.740
 going to do

00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:10.099
 things in

00:31:10.099 --> 00:31:10.519
 such a way

00:31:10.519 --> 00:31:11.039
 as to show

00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:11.980
 that he is

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:12.619
 empowering us

00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:12.920
 to do

00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:13.160
 them,

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:14.079
 we better

00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:14.379
 do it

00:31:14.379 --> 00:31:14.660
 well.

00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.160
 Because if

00:31:15.160 --> 00:31:15.599
 we don't

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:15.900
 do it

00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:16.059
 well,

00:31:16.099 --> 00:31:16.279
 then what

00:31:16.279 --> 00:31:16.400
 we're

00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:16.740
 showing is

00:31:16.740 --> 00:31:17.240
 our God's

00:31:17.240 --> 00:31:17.579
 not really

00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:18.019
 that great,

00:31:18.099 --> 00:31:18.359
 he's not

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:18.920
 that powerful

00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:19.319
 to work

00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:19.880
 through us.

00:31:21.120 --> 00:31:21.799
 So God's

00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:22.640
 standard then

00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:23.500
 for art

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.759
 includes

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.359
 goodness.

00:31:26.900 --> 00:31:27.920
 The Bible

00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:28.400
 actually says

00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:28.880
 very little

00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:29.839
 about the

00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:30.779
 specific skills

00:31:30.779 --> 00:31:31.559
 required for

00:31:31.559 --> 00:31:32.559
 particular art

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.120
 forms.

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:35.900
 It would

00:31:35.900 --> 00:31:36.420
 take a long

00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:36.880
 time,

00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:37.440
 and new

00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:37.900
 art forms,

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.740
 I would

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.319
 imagine and

00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:39.559
 hope,

00:31:39.620 --> 00:31:39.960
 are always

00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:40.319
 going to be

00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:40.579
 kind of

00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:41.200
 emerging as

00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:41.700
 technology

00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:42.180
 changes.

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.779
 Moses couldn't

00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:45.059
 have written

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:45.460
 about

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:47.259
 digital

00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:47.559
 art,

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:47.940
 because

00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:48.440
 digital

00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:48.779
 would have

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.019
 been a

00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:49.420
 really weird

00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:49.740
 word for

00:31:49.740 --> 00:31:49.960
 him to

00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:50.440
 even use,

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:50.700
 right?

00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:51.960
 So the

00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:52.600
 Bible is

00:31:52.600 --> 00:31:52.779
 going to

00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.079
 lay out

00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:53.319
 some

00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:53.840
 principles

00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.559
 for us

00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:55.700
 as far

00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:56.039
 as the

00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:56.559
 specific

00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:56.940
 skills

00:31:56.940 --> 00:31:57.460
 required.

00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:58.759
 The

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.220
 measure

00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:00.019
 of goodness,

00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:00.380
 and if

00:32:00.380 --> 00:32:00.559
 you're

00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:01.440
 really into

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:01.819
 art and

00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:02.279
 thinking about

00:32:02.279 --> 00:32:02.480
 art,

00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:03.279
 here's a

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:03.680
 good way to

00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:04.100
 think about

00:32:04.100 --> 00:32:04.519
 measuring

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:05.400
 goodness or

00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:05.900
 quality in

00:32:05.900 --> 00:32:06.079
 art.

00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:06.960
 The measure

00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:07.400
 of goodness

00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:08.559
 comes from

00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:10.019
 creation itself,

00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:10.640
 whether that's

00:32:10.640 --> 00:32:11.259
 the sights or

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:11.940
 the sounds that

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:12.740
 are involved in

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:14.220
 putting together

00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:14.740
 the art.

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.000
 general

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:17.100
 revelation

00:32:17.100 --> 00:32:19.079
 gives us

00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.279
 also a

00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:20.940
 revelation of

00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:22.120
 quality that's

00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:22.840
 intrinsic to

00:32:22.840 --> 00:32:23.519
 the materials

00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:24.559
 used to

00:32:24.559 --> 00:32:25.299
 make the

00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:25.519
 art.

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:26.600
 So I'm

00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:26.700
 going to

00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:26.980
 give you an

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:27.200
 example.

00:32:27.579 --> 00:32:28.220
 If I were

00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:28.880
 to draw a

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.460
 stick figure

00:32:29.460 --> 00:32:30.200
 and say,

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:30.680
 is this a

00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:31.440
 good picture,

00:32:31.620 --> 00:32:31.920
 is this a

00:32:31.920 --> 00:32:32.620
 good sketch

00:32:32.620 --> 00:32:33.360
 of me?

00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:33.880
 You would

00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:34.220
 have to say

00:32:34.220 --> 00:32:34.500
 no,

00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:35.000
 because it

00:32:35.000 --> 00:32:35.460
 doesn't look

00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:36.000
 like me.

00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:37.019
 See how

00:32:37.019 --> 00:32:37.559
 God has

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:39.680
 generally revealed

00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:40.319
 some truth

00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.819
 just in your

00:32:41.819 --> 00:32:42.539
 ability to

00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:43.160
 perceive what I

00:32:43.160 --> 00:32:43.579
 look like

00:32:43.579 --> 00:32:44.119
 compared to

00:32:44.119 --> 00:32:45.000
 what my

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:45.559
 sketch would

00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:45.939
 look like.

00:32:47.199 --> 00:32:48.119
 So goodness

00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:48.919
 has to do

00:32:48.919 --> 00:32:49.939
 with how

00:32:49.939 --> 00:32:51.339
 in line

00:32:51.339 --> 00:32:52.720
 with the

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.419
 created order

00:32:54.419 --> 00:32:55.799
 and created

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:58.599
 materials are

00:32:58.599 --> 00:32:59.259
 being used.

00:32:59.379 --> 00:33:00.039
 Music is another

00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:01.419
 example that we

00:33:01.419 --> 00:33:01.899
 won't get into

00:33:01.899 --> 00:33:03.139
 the science of

00:33:03.139 --> 00:33:03.799
 music, but the

00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:04.720
 sound waves that

00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:05.339
 travel together,

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.439
 we can hear

00:33:06.439 --> 00:33:08.199
 when music is

00:33:08.199 --> 00:33:09.240
 bad, because the

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:10.799
 sound waves don't

00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:11.819
 harmonize, they

00:33:11.819 --> 00:33:12.659
 don't match up.

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:13.960
 You can tell

00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:14.839
 when somebody's

00:33:14.839 --> 00:33:15.919
 off beat or

00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:18.039
 out of key or

00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:19.440
 off pitch, because

00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:20.079
 the physical

00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:21.000
 materials used for

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:23.019
 creating music are

00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:23.500
 constant.

00:33:26.639 --> 00:33:27.519
 Now, good

00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:28.960
 artists, even

00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:29.500
 if we can't

00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:29.980
 always tell the

00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:30.500
 difference between

00:33:30.500 --> 00:33:31.019
 good and bad

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:31.539
 art, good

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:33.139
 artists always

00:33:33.139 --> 00:33:33.559
 know.

00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:35.500
 It is intrinsic,

00:33:35.639 --> 00:33:35.899
 it's not

00:33:35.899 --> 00:33:37.500
 necessarily objective,

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.460
 but it's not as

00:33:38.460 --> 00:33:39.159
 subjective as a

00:33:39.159 --> 00:33:39.599
 lot of artists

00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:40.099
 would like you to

00:33:40.099 --> 00:33:40.559
 think either.

00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:42.220
 Good artists

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:42.539
 know the

00:33:42.539 --> 00:33:43.200
 difference between

00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:44.399
 good and bad

00:33:44.399 --> 00:33:44.619
 art.

00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:46.039
 Now, God, being

00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:47.659
 the primary

00:33:47.659 --> 00:33:48.419
 creator, the

00:33:48.419 --> 00:33:50.819
 chief artist, he

00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:51.839
 also knows the

00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:52.399
 difference between

00:33:52.399 --> 00:33:53.019
 good art and

00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:53.480
 bad art, and

00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.019
 that's a biblical

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:54.779
 principle we can

00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:55.779
 see over and

00:33:55.779 --> 00:33:56.279
 over throughout

00:33:56.279 --> 00:33:57.559
 the scriptures,

00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:58.240
 that he knows

00:33:58.240 --> 00:33:58.740
 the difference

00:33:58.740 --> 00:33:59.440
 between good and

00:33:59.440 --> 00:34:00.319
 bad art, and

00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:01.279
 that he has a

00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:02.379
 taste for

00:34:02.379 --> 00:34:02.960
 excellence.

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:04.379
 So while the

00:34:04.379 --> 00:34:05.919
 particular standards

00:34:05.919 --> 00:34:06.819
 for particular

00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:07.579
 art forms are

00:34:07.579 --> 00:34:08.519
 outlined for us,

00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:09.699
 the general

00:34:09.699 --> 00:34:10.699
 standard is

00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:11.239
 that God

00:34:11.239 --> 00:34:13.679
 desires that

00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:15.079
 goodness be a

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:16.279
 part of our

00:34:16.279 --> 00:34:17.679
 art or excellence

00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:18.359
 be employed.

00:34:19.359 --> 00:34:19.759
 The second

00:34:19.759 --> 00:34:21.619
 standard is

00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:22.079
 truth.

00:34:23.379 --> 00:34:24.139
 Our art can't

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:25.119
 just be good, it

00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:25.980
 can't just look like

00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:26.819
 what we say it's

00:34:26.819 --> 00:34:27.339
 supposed to look

00:34:27.339 --> 00:34:28.019
 like or sound

00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:28.719
 like it should

00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:29.719
 sound, but it

00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:30.539
 also has to be

00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:30.939
 true.

00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:31.839
 We can see that

00:34:31.839 --> 00:34:33.299
 outlined pretty well

00:34:33.299 --> 00:34:34.099
 in the tabernacle.

00:34:34.299 --> 00:34:34.819
 If we look at

00:34:34.819 --> 00:34:36.460
 some of the art

00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:37.099
 pieces in the

00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:37.719
 tabernacle, there

00:34:37.719 --> 00:34:38.259
 was a golden

00:34:38.259 --> 00:34:39.179
 ark, and it

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:40.459
 reminded us of

00:34:40.459 --> 00:34:41.039
 God's royal

00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.419
 throne.

00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.319
 It was a bronze

00:34:42.319 --> 00:34:43.459
 basin, and it

00:34:43.459 --> 00:34:44.899
 reminded us of

00:34:44.899 --> 00:34:45.639
 his power to

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:46.419
 wash away sin.

00:34:46.919 --> 00:34:47.659
 The tabernacle

00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:49.480
 itself was where

00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:50.759
 God dwelt among

00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:51.759
 his people, and

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:52.679
 it reminded us that

00:34:52.679 --> 00:34:53.739
 God with us,

00:34:53.799 --> 00:34:54.839
 Emmanuel, would

00:34:54.839 --> 00:34:55.419
 save us.

00:34:55.739 --> 00:34:56.659
 The tabernacle, and

00:34:56.659 --> 00:34:57.339
 all the art pieces

00:34:57.339 --> 00:34:58.179
 in the tabernacle,

00:34:58.319 --> 00:34:59.379
 pointed us to

00:34:59.379 --> 00:35:01.599
 truths about God.

00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:04.500
 another way to

00:35:04.500 --> 00:35:05.059
 say that is the

00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:05.880
 art in the

00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:06.860
 tabernacle was in

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.679
 service to the

00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:08.039
 truth.

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:09.559
 I'm going to

00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:10.039
 hopefully make

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:10.400
 this a little

00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:11.880
 more clear.

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.059
 Postmodern and

00:35:14.059 --> 00:35:16.860
 modern art may

00:35:16.860 --> 00:35:17.460
 be true.

00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:18.839
 A lot of it just

00:35:18.839 --> 00:35:19.639
 completely ignores

00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:20.519
 the possibility of

00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:21.480
 truth, but it may

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.940
 be true in

00:35:22.940 --> 00:35:23.579
 describing the

00:35:23.579 --> 00:35:24.299
 painful or

00:35:24.299 --> 00:35:25.319
 difficult or

00:35:25.319 --> 00:35:26.920
 absurd aspects of

00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:28.079
 humanity, but it's

00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:29.779
 only true in part

00:35:29.779 --> 00:35:30.719
 because it ignores

00:35:30.719 --> 00:35:33.039
 the reality of

00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:35.459
 the possibility of

00:35:35.459 --> 00:35:36.439
 redemptive work.

00:35:37.480 --> 00:35:38.199
 Postmodern art

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:38.939
 says there is no

00:35:38.939 --> 00:35:39.579
 God, there is no

00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:40.239
 truth, there is no

00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:40.599
 redemption.

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:41.959
 This is it.

00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:43.079
 Well, that isn't

00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:43.459
 true.

00:35:43.779 --> 00:35:45.079
 So even though you

00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:46.059
 may look at a

00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:46.859
 painting of someone

00:35:46.859 --> 00:35:47.799
 suffering and think

00:35:47.799 --> 00:35:48.859
 people do suffer,

00:35:49.339 --> 00:35:50.359
 that's only part of

00:35:50.359 --> 00:35:50.779
 the story.

00:35:50.879 --> 00:35:51.399
 If that painting

00:35:51.399 --> 00:35:52.619
 doesn't point my

00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:54.359
 attention towards the

00:35:54.359 --> 00:35:55.159
 possibility of

00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:56.119
 redemption, then it's

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:57.299
 only told me part of

00:35:57.299 --> 00:35:58.279
 the truth, which

00:35:58.279 --> 00:35:59.639
 makes it untrue.

00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:03.579
 Now, art is an

00:36:03.579 --> 00:36:04.679
 interpretation, as

00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:05.339
 we've said, of

00:36:05.339 --> 00:36:05.919
 reality.

00:36:06.879 --> 00:36:07.839
 You can't get away

00:36:07.839 --> 00:36:08.199
 from that.

00:36:08.259 --> 00:36:08.879
 Art is always an

00:36:08.879 --> 00:36:09.619
 interpretation of

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.039
 reality.

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.599
 But if art leaves

00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.799
 out the reality of

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:14.119
 God and the

00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:14.939
 reality of his

00:36:14.939 --> 00:36:15.719
 plans, then it

00:36:15.719 --> 00:36:16.619
 isn't fully the

00:36:16.619 --> 00:36:16.959
 truth.

00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:18.799
 True art always

00:36:18.799 --> 00:36:19.439
 tells the whole

00:36:19.439 --> 00:36:19.859
 story.

00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:21.179
 It points us to

00:36:21.179 --> 00:36:22.259
 this ultimate truth

00:36:22.259 --> 00:36:22.819
 of redemption.

00:36:23.779 --> 00:36:25.359
 John 14, 6, Jesus

00:36:25.359 --> 00:36:26.000
 says, I am the

00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:26.819
 way, the truth, and

00:36:26.819 --> 00:36:27.480
 the life, and no

00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.119
 one comes to the

00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:29.279
 Father except through

00:36:29.279 --> 00:36:29.519
 me.

00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:30.179
 Why does he make

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:31.480
 that connection

00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:33.000
 with the truth and

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.679
 coming to the

00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.300
 Father through him?

00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:34.840
 It's because the

00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:35.559
 two are inseparable

00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:36.840
 that Christ is the

00:36:36.840 --> 00:36:37.019
 truth.

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:37.639
 If I'm going to

00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:38.960
 tell the truth, I

00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:40.219
 have to include

00:36:40.219 --> 00:36:41.179
 Christ in my

00:36:41.179 --> 00:36:41.579
 discussion.

00:36:42.259 --> 00:36:43.159
 And Christ's

00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:44.699
 primary function on

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:45.259
 earth was to

00:36:45.259 --> 00:36:46.179
 glorify God by

00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:46.920
 redeeming his

00:36:46.920 --> 00:36:47.219
 church.

00:36:49.599 --> 00:36:51.960
 So good art must

00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.480
 be true.

00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:54.019
 And finally, it

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.739
 must be beautiful.

00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:57.500
 Now, how do we

00:36:57.500 --> 00:36:58.319
 know that God

00:36:58.319 --> 00:36:59.799
 cares about beauty

00:36:59.799 --> 00:37:00.479
 and art?

00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:01.339
 I'm glad I don't

00:37:01.339 --> 00:37:02.319
 have to spend a ton

00:37:02.319 --> 00:37:02.919
 of time talking

00:37:02.919 --> 00:37:03.459
 about this because

00:37:03.459 --> 00:37:04.119
 Chris is going to

00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:05.119
 talk about it next

00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:06.159
 week as he discusses

00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:07.939
 Christ and creation.

00:37:08.719 --> 00:37:09.459
 But if we read

00:37:09.459 --> 00:37:10.519
 Genesis 1 and then

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.599
 walk outside with

00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:13.039
 our senses open, see

00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:13.699
 what kind of a

00:37:13.699 --> 00:37:15.279
 world God has

00:37:15.279 --> 00:37:16.119
 created, see what

00:37:16.119 --> 00:37:16.719
 kind of work he

00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:17.459
 does when he's

00:37:17.459 --> 00:37:20.319
 creating, then what

00:37:20.319 --> 00:37:21.479
 more proof do we

00:37:21.479 --> 00:37:23.099
 need of the fact

00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:24.059
 that God cares about

00:37:24.059 --> 00:37:24.320
 beauty?

00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:24.940
 He has made

00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:26.219
 things beautifully.

00:37:27.239 --> 00:37:28.699
 God created man in

00:37:28.699 --> 00:37:29.619
 his own image.

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:30.960
 And up to that

00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.539
 point, it's very

00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:32.119
 interesting, you should

00:37:32.119 --> 00:37:32.739
 go and look at

00:37:32.739 --> 00:37:33.500
 Genesis 1.

00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:36.119
 All we know about

00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:36.840
 God, if we just

00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:37.820
 open the Bible, first

00:37:37.820 --> 00:37:38.480
 page, and I never

00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:39.659
 read another word of

00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:40.880
 it, when God creates

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.599
 man, all we know

00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:42.360
 about him is that he

00:37:42.360 --> 00:37:44.320
 exists, he's self-aware,

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.579
 and he's creative.

00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:46.860
 That's it.

00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:48.400
 And he has a lot of

00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:49.619
 power to create,

00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:50.159
 right?

00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:52.539
 But God makes man in

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.360
 his own image, and

00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:54.000
 all we know about

00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:56.099
 God's image is that

00:37:56.099 --> 00:37:56.800
 he exists, he's

00:37:56.800 --> 00:37:57.619
 self-aware, and he's

00:37:57.619 --> 00:37:57.960
 creative.

00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:58.940
 We learn a lot more

00:37:58.940 --> 00:38:00.500
 about God's

00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:01.340
 characteristics throughout

00:38:01.340 --> 00:38:01.920
 the rest of

00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:02.820
 scripture, but certainly

00:38:02.820 --> 00:38:03.739
 one of the primary

00:38:03.739 --> 00:38:04.500
 ways that we are

00:38:04.500 --> 00:38:06.360
 like God is that we

00:38:06.360 --> 00:38:07.599
 are creative.

00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:09.000
 If we're meant to

00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:10.559
 display his image

00:38:10.559 --> 00:38:14.079
 when we create, then

00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:14.820
 we'd better care a

00:38:14.820 --> 00:38:15.360
 whole lot about

00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:16.360
 beauty, because he

00:38:16.360 --> 00:38:17.380
 has shown us that he

00:38:17.380 --> 00:38:18.039
 cares a lot about

00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:19.079
 beauty when he

00:38:19.079 --> 00:38:19.440
 creates.

00:38:19.559 --> 00:38:20.139
 And if we look back

00:38:20.139 --> 00:38:20.840
 to our example of

00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:21.500
 the tabernacle,

00:38:21.880 --> 00:38:22.720
 there are tons and

00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:24.200
 tons of really fine

00:38:24.200 --> 00:38:25.680
 touch kind of

00:38:25.680 --> 00:38:27.660
 elements that are

00:38:27.660 --> 00:38:28.260
 just simply

00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:30.460
 aesthetic, which

00:38:30.460 --> 00:38:31.360
 teaches us that God

00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:32.240
 cares about function

00:38:32.240 --> 00:38:33.180
 and form.

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:34.019
 Something that the

00:38:34.019 --> 00:38:34.420
 church has gotten

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.059
 really wrong.

00:38:35.140 --> 00:38:35.800
 We say, does it

00:38:35.800 --> 00:38:36.059
 work?

00:38:36.220 --> 00:38:37.000
 Okay, that's what we'll

00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:37.519
 stick with.

00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:39.340
 Well, God cares about

00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:40.240
 more than just the

00:38:40.240 --> 00:38:41.059
 function of things.

00:38:41.120 --> 00:38:41.840
 He cares about the

00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:42.140
 form.

00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:43.260
 An example is the

00:38:43.260 --> 00:38:44.140
 table of showbread.

00:38:44.720 --> 00:38:45.780
 It was really

00:38:45.780 --> 00:38:47.180
 ornately trimmed.

00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:48.239
 And God didn't even

00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:48.940
 give specific

00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:49.839
 instructions as to

00:38:49.839 --> 00:38:50.639
 how it ought to be

00:38:50.639 --> 00:38:51.839
 decorated, but just

00:38:51.839 --> 00:38:52.559
 that it should be.

00:38:52.879 --> 00:38:54.239
 So we see that it's

00:38:54.239 --> 00:38:57.419
 trimmed in gold and

00:38:57.419 --> 00:38:57.819
 that there are

00:38:57.819 --> 00:38:58.739
 artistic designs

00:38:58.739 --> 00:38:59.000
 that should.

00:38:59.019 --> 00:38:59.539
 We don't even know

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:00.179
 what that looks like

00:39:00.179 --> 00:39:00.819
 because God didn't

00:39:00.819 --> 00:39:01.919
 give specific

00:39:01.919 --> 00:39:02.799
 instructions for how

00:39:02.799 --> 00:39:04.000
 the artist should do

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:04.179
 it.

00:39:05.399 --> 00:39:06.279
 But it would have

00:39:06.279 --> 00:39:07.119
 sufficed just to say,

00:39:07.239 --> 00:39:08.219
 put a table in there.

00:39:08.579 --> 00:39:09.419
 Like, this table would

00:39:09.419 --> 00:39:09.899
 have done fine.

00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:11.659
 Could have held the

00:39:11.659 --> 00:39:12.239
 bread, holds our

00:39:12.239 --> 00:39:12.440
 bread.

00:39:13.279 --> 00:39:14.279
 But God instead

00:39:14.279 --> 00:39:15.279
 instructs that it be

00:39:15.279 --> 00:39:15.739
 beautiful.

00:39:17.179 --> 00:39:18.299
 We've already talked

00:39:18.299 --> 00:39:19.239
 about singing versus

00:39:19.239 --> 00:39:21.099
 using many instruments

00:39:21.099 --> 00:39:22.319
 to accompany singing.

00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:27.819
 We can apply an

00:39:27.819 --> 00:39:29.679
 aesthetic of beauty to

00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:30.799
 any artistic or

00:39:30.799 --> 00:39:32.059
 creative task that

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:32.919
 God's calling us to,

00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:34.359
 and we should because

00:39:34.359 --> 00:39:36.659
 one of the characteristics

00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:38.440
 or qualifications of

00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:39.239
 art that he's given to

00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:40.000
 us is that it be

00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:40.919
 beautiful.

00:39:41.359 --> 00:39:42.739
 Now, truth and beauty

00:39:42.739 --> 00:39:44.839
 always go together in

00:39:44.839 --> 00:39:46.299
 art as far as Christians

00:39:46.299 --> 00:39:47.000
 are concerned.

00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:48.779
 So we can tell the

00:39:48.779 --> 00:39:50.579
 truth about sin, but we

00:39:50.579 --> 00:39:51.579
 have to include the

00:39:51.579 --> 00:39:52.480
 truth about redemption.

00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:53.259
 That's the beautiful

00:39:53.259 --> 00:39:54.119
 part of our art.

00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:58.119
 We can talk about the

00:39:58.119 --> 00:39:59.480
 beauty of our faith, but

00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.299
 we also have to include

00:40:00.299 --> 00:40:02.179
 the truth about sin and

00:40:02.179 --> 00:40:02.839
 fallenness.

00:40:03.460 --> 00:40:05.319
 We have to have both

00:40:05.319 --> 00:40:06.599
 elements in our art, and

00:40:06.599 --> 00:40:07.199
 that's something that

00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:08.440
 churches really struggle

00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:08.759
 with.

00:40:08.879 --> 00:40:09.779
 We want to talk about

00:40:09.779 --> 00:40:11.679
 all the great things that

00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:12.699
 God has done, but we

00:40:12.699 --> 00:40:15.319
 don't talk about the

00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:16.620
 hardness of being a

00:40:16.620 --> 00:40:16.960
 Christian.

00:40:18.380 --> 00:40:19.960
 I read this week that

00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:22.059
 something like 90% of the

00:40:22.059 --> 00:40:23.660
 Psalms are laments, and

00:40:23.660 --> 00:40:25.300
 approximately 0% of modern

00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:26.140
 Christian music is a

00:40:26.140 --> 00:40:26.300
 lament.

00:40:27.720 --> 00:40:28.660
 If we're going to be true

00:40:28.660 --> 00:40:29.559
 to the calling of

00:40:29.559 --> 00:40:30.300
 Scripture, then we need to

00:40:30.300 --> 00:40:31.420
 include all of our

00:40:31.420 --> 00:40:35.039
 experience in art.

00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:35.079
 art.

00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:37.880
 So we find that God, in

00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:39.360
 the Bible, has the

00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:41.099
 characteristics of being

00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:42.480
 good and being true and

00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:43.139
 being beautiful.

00:40:43.320 --> 00:40:44.659
 An art that pleases God

00:40:44.659 --> 00:40:45.860
 is good, true, and

00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:46.099
 beautiful.

00:40:46.239 --> 00:40:47.099
 So what we learn from

00:40:47.099 --> 00:40:48.599
 that is that art must be

00:40:48.599 --> 00:40:49.539
 in keeping with God's

00:40:49.539 --> 00:40:51.119
 character to be pleasing

00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:51.900
 to Him.

00:40:52.019 --> 00:40:53.360
 Francis Schaeffer wrote a

00:40:53.360 --> 00:40:54.259
 book called Art in the

00:40:54.259 --> 00:40:55.480
 Bible, and he said that

00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:56.739
 the minor theme of all

00:40:56.739 --> 00:40:58.079
 Christian art is the

00:40:58.079 --> 00:40:59.739
 lostness of humanity and

00:40:59.739 --> 00:41:00.880
 the defeated and sinful

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:02.219
 side to the Christian's

00:41:02.219 --> 00:41:02.480
 life.

00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:04.179
 But that the major theme

00:41:04.179 --> 00:41:05.699
 was the grace of God

00:41:05.699 --> 00:41:06.619
 that gives meaning and

00:41:06.619 --> 00:41:07.480
 purpose to life.

00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:10.379
 And now we're going to

00:41:10.379 --> 00:41:11.759
 move into our fourth

00:41:11.759 --> 00:41:15.559
 characteristic, our fourth

00:41:15.559 --> 00:41:17.940
 principle of art, as

00:41:17.940 --> 00:41:18.739
 discussed just in the

00:41:18.739 --> 00:41:19.359
 interest of time.

00:41:20.319 --> 00:41:21.019
 And so the final

00:41:21.019 --> 00:41:22.099
 principle of art that we

00:41:22.099 --> 00:41:24.159
 pull from Exodus 31 is

00:41:24.159 --> 00:41:25.779
 that art exists for the

00:41:25.779 --> 00:41:26.539
 glory of God.

00:41:27.239 --> 00:41:28.299
 Johann Sebastian Bach

00:41:28.299 --> 00:41:29.819
 used to sign all of his

00:41:29.819 --> 00:41:32.099
 works, SDG, which

00:41:32.099 --> 00:41:33.279
 refers Sola Deo Gloria.

00:41:33.280 --> 00:41:34.960
 It's Latin for, to God

00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.840
 alone be glory.

00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:37.560
 Because he understood

00:41:37.560 --> 00:41:40.120
 that his art was an

00:41:40.120 --> 00:41:41.360
 offering to God.

00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:42.900
 It was intended to please

00:41:42.900 --> 00:41:43.320
 God.

00:41:45.120 --> 00:41:47.320
 So beauty, we talked a

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:48.120
 little bit about beauty.

00:41:48.240 --> 00:41:49.720
 It does have its own

00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:50.900
 intrinsic value.

00:41:51.100 --> 00:41:51.960
 Some of the tabernacle

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:53.120
 art was not symbolic.

00:41:53.280 --> 00:41:54.100
 It wasn't representative.

00:41:54.300 --> 00:41:54.960
 We talked about that.

00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:56.519
 It was abstract art.

00:41:56.519 --> 00:41:58.880
 But it all served the

00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:00.559
 higher purpose of drawing

00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:02.880
 people's attention to the

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:06.000
 holiness, to a beautiful,

00:42:06.199 --> 00:42:07.159
 redemptive God.

00:42:07.820 --> 00:42:09.719
 When art exists only for

00:42:09.719 --> 00:42:11.840
 its own sake, that's just

00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:13.159
 as much idolatry as when

00:42:13.159 --> 00:42:15.259
 we try to live our own

00:42:15.259 --> 00:42:16.400
 lives for our own sake.

00:42:18.400 --> 00:42:20.059
 And to prove that, we have

00:42:20.059 --> 00:42:21.980
 Romans chapter 1, 24 and 25.

00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:22.840
 We talked about that

00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:24.380
 recently in our study of

00:42:24.380 --> 00:42:24.660
 Romans.

00:42:25.200 --> 00:42:25.619
 Paul wrote,

00:42:25.740 --> 00:42:26.900
 Therefore God gave them

00:42:26.900 --> 00:42:27.800
 up in the lusts of their

00:42:27.800 --> 00:42:29.160
 hearts to impurity, to the

00:42:29.160 --> 00:42:30.220
 dishonoring of their bodies

00:42:30.220 --> 00:42:31.559
 among themselves, because

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:32.940
 they exchanged the truth

00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:34.660
 about God for a lie, and

00:42:34.660 --> 00:42:35.740
 worshipped and served the

00:42:35.740 --> 00:42:36.900
 creature rather than the

00:42:36.900 --> 00:42:37.840
 creator, who is blessed

00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.180
 forever.

00:42:38.320 --> 00:42:38.420
 Amen.

00:42:40.180 --> 00:42:42.099
 So we have to keep this

00:42:42.099 --> 00:42:44.680
 proper perspective on art,

00:42:44.760 --> 00:42:46.480
 that it ought to serve to

00:42:46.480 --> 00:42:47.260
 glorify God.

00:42:47.320 --> 00:42:48.460
 When we begin to have art

00:42:48.460 --> 00:42:50.480
 for its own sake, then we've

00:42:50.480 --> 00:42:52.160
 elevated it above God and

00:42:52.160 --> 00:42:53.160
 said, well, it exists for

00:42:53.159 --> 00:42:54.279
 itself, God exists for

00:42:54.279 --> 00:42:54.659
 himself.

00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:57.279
 Every detail of the

00:42:57.279 --> 00:43:00.000
 tabernacle was a physical

00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:01.980
 display of the glory of

00:43:01.980 --> 00:43:04.019
 God, and our art should live

00:43:04.019 --> 00:43:04.779
 up to that blueprint.

00:43:05.519 --> 00:43:06.899
 It's important because a

00:43:06.899 --> 00:43:08.799
 creation always tells you

00:43:08.799 --> 00:43:10.659
 something about its creator.

00:43:11.659 --> 00:43:14.239
 Because art works with the

00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:16.259
 materials of God's creation,

00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:19.460
 then we can convey with art a

00:43:19.460 --> 00:43:20.799
 commitment to a good and

00:43:20.799 --> 00:43:21.960
 loving and gracious and

00:43:21.960 --> 00:43:22.840
 beautiful creator.

00:43:23.199 --> 00:43:23.740
 Do you see that?

00:43:25.559 --> 00:43:26.519
 Francis Schaeffer said,

00:43:26.679 --> 00:43:27.840
 Christian art is the

00:43:27.840 --> 00:43:29.199
 expression of the whole

00:43:29.199 --> 00:43:30.740
 life of the whole person who

00:43:30.740 --> 00:43:31.280
 is a Christian.

00:43:31.679 --> 00:43:32.980
 What a Christian portrays in

00:43:32.980 --> 00:43:35.539
 his art is the totality of

00:43:35.539 --> 00:43:35.940
 life.

00:43:36.980 --> 00:43:39.659
 Now, I don't want some of you

00:43:39.659 --> 00:43:40.760
 at this point, and I hope

00:43:40.760 --> 00:43:41.659
 not, but some of you may be

00:43:41.659 --> 00:43:42.860
 thinking, okay, it's a lot of

00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:43.760
 information about art.

00:43:43.760 --> 00:43:45.760
 I hope that you'll see that as

00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:48.420
 image bearers of God, who is

00:43:48.420 --> 00:43:53.000
 the chief creator, that creating

00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:55.080
 is an inescapable part of our

00:43:55.080 --> 00:43:55.580
 existence.

00:43:55.880 --> 00:43:57.220
 And that's certainly a takeaway

00:43:57.220 --> 00:44:00.080
 from this sermon, that as we do

00:44:00.080 --> 00:44:01.660
 anything artistic, from setting up

00:44:01.660 --> 00:44:02.900
 the chairs in this room to

00:44:02.900 --> 00:44:05.240
 arranging the furniture in our

00:44:05.240 --> 00:44:09.660
 houses, some of us are great at

00:44:09.660 --> 00:44:09.940
 silling.

00:44:09.940 --> 00:44:11.760
 My daughter's wearing a dress

00:44:11.760 --> 00:44:13.220
 today that Heather Cheatham

00:44:13.220 --> 00:44:13.519
 made.

00:44:14.720 --> 00:44:17.340
 Some of us are really crafty and

00:44:17.340 --> 00:44:18.220
 can work with wood.

00:44:18.340 --> 00:44:19.639
 Anything that we do that's

00:44:19.639 --> 00:44:21.260
 remotely artistic gives us an

00:44:21.260 --> 00:44:23.480
 opportunity to portray the

00:44:23.480 --> 00:44:24.679
 greatness and the glory and the

00:44:24.679 --> 00:44:26.659
 beauty of God to the world

00:44:26.659 --> 00:44:27.280
 around us.

00:44:27.380 --> 00:44:29.659
 So don't neglect the fact that we

00:44:29.659 --> 00:44:31.820
 are all, in some degree, doing

00:44:31.820 --> 00:44:33.099
 art, whether we're called to

00:44:33.099 --> 00:44:35.780
 careers in art or whether we

00:44:35.780 --> 00:44:37.139
 would call ourselves artists.

00:44:37.139 --> 00:44:37.279
 artists.

00:44:38.279 --> 00:44:40.199
 But in conclusion, I just have

00:44:40.199 --> 00:44:42.359
 some final thoughts and maybe

00:44:42.359 --> 00:44:44.379
 challenges to hopefully connect

00:44:44.379 --> 00:44:45.139
 some of the dots.

00:44:45.359 --> 00:44:46.599
 So if I've lost you, we're

00:44:46.599 --> 00:44:47.440
 wrapping this up.

00:44:47.519 --> 00:44:49.059
 Please come back to me.

00:44:50.480 --> 00:44:52.099
 The first thing that I want to

00:44:52.099 --> 00:44:53.219
 point out that we haven't talked

00:44:53.219 --> 00:44:55.179
 about is that certain artists,

00:44:55.319 --> 00:44:57.000
 just like Aholiab and Bezalel,

00:44:57.400 --> 00:44:59.099
 certain artists are called to

00:44:59.099 --> 00:45:01.019
 full-time careers in artistry.

00:45:01.019 --> 00:45:05.259
 Now, we all have specific

00:45:05.259 --> 00:45:06.800
 callings on our lives and we all

00:45:06.800 --> 00:45:08.739
 should take drastic measures to

00:45:08.739 --> 00:45:10.519
 be obedient to our callings,

00:45:10.579 --> 00:45:11.239
 just like we've seen.

00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:13.019
 God will provide for what we

00:45:13.019 --> 00:45:14.280
 need to be obedient to Him.

00:45:15.559 --> 00:45:17.599
 The church, likewise, should

00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:18.619
 promote obedience.

00:45:19.259 --> 00:45:21.519
 So as it relates to art, we

00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:23.360
 should identify and encourage

00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:24.559
 talent when we see it.

00:45:25.820 --> 00:45:27.099
 Some of you have probably seen

00:45:27.099 --> 00:45:28.320
 like American Idol or

00:45:28.320 --> 00:45:29.320
 America's Got Talent.

00:45:29.320 --> 00:45:30.480
 Have you seen some of those

00:45:30.480 --> 00:45:31.480
 people that come in to

00:45:31.480 --> 00:45:33.320
 audition and they're just

00:45:33.320 --> 00:45:35.800
 awful and they get shot down,

00:45:35.960 --> 00:45:37.440
 I mean, like laughed at by

00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:39.800
 the judges and like 90% of

00:45:39.800 --> 00:45:41.019
 them say, well, my church

00:45:41.019 --> 00:45:42.340
 thinks I'm a great singer.

00:45:43.120 --> 00:45:45.080
 Well, that's horrible of those

00:45:45.080 --> 00:45:45.420
 churches.

00:45:45.900 --> 00:45:46.960
 We ought to be identifying

00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:49.280
 talent and promoting talent,

00:45:49.460 --> 00:45:51.140
 encouraging talent to grow and

00:45:51.140 --> 00:45:51.720
 to thrive.

00:45:53.800 --> 00:45:56.680
 Furthermore, we ought to be

00:45:56.680 --> 00:45:59.000
 honest with people about their

00:45:59.000 --> 00:46:00.840
 talents and try to direct them

00:46:00.840 --> 00:46:02.159
 to places where God is

00:46:02.159 --> 00:46:03.840
 obviously gifting them.

00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:07.739
 Finally, as a church, and as it

00:46:07.739 --> 00:46:11.000
 relates to full-time artists, we

00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:12.460
 ought to promote and fund,

00:46:13.019 --> 00:46:14.760
 commission and distribute good

00:46:14.760 --> 00:46:18.000
 art made by believers as a way

00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:20.179
 of affirming the artist's calling,

00:46:20.719 --> 00:46:23.239
 as a way of helping them to

00:46:23.239 --> 00:46:24.739
 glorify God and being obedient,

00:46:24.739 --> 00:46:28.159
 and as a way of ourselves being

00:46:28.159 --> 00:46:30.000
 encouraged by the things that God's

00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:31.039
 doing around us.

00:46:31.339 --> 00:46:33.159
 If you need a painting, get Sam

00:46:33.159 --> 00:46:34.159
 Rayner to do the painting.

00:46:34.359 --> 00:46:36.219
 Don't go to wherever you go,

00:46:36.279 --> 00:46:36.899
 Hobby Lobby.

00:46:38.899 --> 00:46:42.059
 If you need to have family

00:46:42.059 --> 00:46:44.459
 portraits done, get Andy Truitt to

00:46:44.459 --> 00:46:44.959
 take your pictures.

00:46:45.079 --> 00:46:46.019
 He's a great photographer.

00:46:47.479 --> 00:46:48.939
 Encourage the people in this

00:46:48.939 --> 00:46:50.319
 congregation who have artistic

00:46:50.319 --> 00:46:52.399
 talents to use them for God's

00:46:52.400 --> 00:46:52.720
 glory.

00:46:54.119 --> 00:46:55.960
 Second, and we've spoken about this

00:46:55.960 --> 00:46:58.680
 briefly, but as image bearers, we

00:46:58.680 --> 00:47:00.579
 should all seek forms of artistic

00:47:00.579 --> 00:47:02.519
 expression as ways to portray the

00:47:02.519 --> 00:47:03.920
 goodness and the truth and the beauty

00:47:03.920 --> 00:47:06.160
 of God in us and in the world.

00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:07.860
 Philip Rikin said,

00:47:07.860 --> 00:47:09.740
 The church can help with this pursuit by

00:47:09.740 --> 00:47:11.559
 serving as a community of encouragement

00:47:11.559 --> 00:47:14.099
 that affirms the calling of artists and

00:47:14.099 --> 00:47:15.740
 nurtures the artistic aspect of every

00:47:15.740 --> 00:47:16.240
 human soul.

00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:22.360
 Our hope here at Christ Family Church

00:47:22.360 --> 00:47:24.700
 over the last several years has been to

00:47:24.700 --> 00:47:27.579
 reverse the reformer's decision about art,

00:47:27.940 --> 00:47:31.760
 to be propelled toward godliness in all

00:47:31.760 --> 00:47:33.860
 parts of our life, including the arts,

00:47:33.920 --> 00:47:36.519
 rather than just repelled away from sin.

00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:38.940
 We want to receive the things that he's

00:47:38.940 --> 00:47:40.699
 given us to receive, redeem the things that

00:47:40.699 --> 00:47:42.380
 he's given us to redeem.

00:47:44.380 --> 00:47:47.179
 We want to stop this tendency among

00:47:47.179 --> 00:47:49.619
 Christians to live according to our own

00:47:49.619 --> 00:47:52.860
 inventions, hedge laws that reject things

00:47:52.860 --> 00:47:55.759
 that God ultimately intends us to use for

00:47:55.759 --> 00:47:56.360
 his glory.

00:47:58.980 --> 00:48:01.460
 Becoming all things to all people has been

00:48:01.460 --> 00:48:03.860
 a theme of this series.

00:48:03.860 --> 00:48:06.579
 Paul says that, and he says,

00:48:07.240 --> 00:48:09.180
 I've become all things to all people in

00:48:09.180 --> 00:48:10.780
 order that some might be saved.

00:48:11.039 --> 00:48:14.160
 And as far as art is concerned, that looks

00:48:14.160 --> 00:48:17.800
 like us becoming conversant about art.

00:48:19.280 --> 00:48:23.160
 It looks like us preparing ourselves to

00:48:23.160 --> 00:48:26.900
 engage in an increasingly artistic community

00:48:26.900 --> 00:48:27.440
 around us.

00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:29.260
 Look at Dahlonega, look at Gainesville,

00:48:29.539 --> 00:48:32.039
 full of artists that we kind of have

00:48:32.039 --> 00:48:33.059
 capped at arm's length.

00:48:33.719 --> 00:48:35.820
 If we're going to be obedient to God's

00:48:35.820 --> 00:48:39.860
 calling to engage our culture, well, our

00:48:39.860 --> 00:48:41.239
 culture is full of artists.

00:48:42.300 --> 00:48:44.940
 And we need to be able to communicate with

00:48:44.940 --> 00:48:49.279
 them the glory of God and the power of God

00:48:49.279 --> 00:48:51.440
 for salvation in terms that they understand

00:48:51.440 --> 00:48:53.039
 and modes that they connect with.

00:48:53.360 --> 00:48:55.779
 And to do this, we have to reverse the

00:48:55.780 --> 00:48:59.940
 church's mindset that, whereas we might not

00:48:59.940 --> 00:49:03.220
 say it, we treat artists like an unsavable

00:49:03.220 --> 00:49:03.940
 people group.

00:49:05.000 --> 00:49:08.580
 We need to begin to attract and engage

00:49:08.580 --> 00:49:13.100
 artists with the gospel because no culture is

00:49:13.100 --> 00:49:14.820
 beyond God's sovereign power to save.

00:49:15.420 --> 00:49:18.540
 So I hope that you'll make it your prayer,

00:49:18.640 --> 00:49:21.920
 as it has been my prayer, that God would use us

00:49:21.920 --> 00:49:24.559
 as a community of believers, a community of

00:49:24.559 --> 00:49:31.159
 creative people to save artists, to glorify

00:49:31.159 --> 00:49:35.680
 himself in the art community, in the art culture,

00:49:35.840 --> 00:49:37.500
 in order to begin redeeming art.

00:49:37.559 --> 00:49:40.579
 Because art's going down a terrible path to

00:49:40.579 --> 00:49:41.019
 destruction.

00:49:41.200 --> 00:49:43.059
 It's taking artists with it.

00:49:43.500 --> 00:49:45.720
 But we have an opportunity as the church to

00:49:45.720 --> 00:49:49.700
 reverse that and to inject hope into the art

00:49:49.699 --> 00:49:50.119
 community.

00:49:51.439 --> 00:49:54.879
 So many Christians seem to have dismissed

00:49:54.879 --> 00:49:57.439
 artists altogether and left their souls in

00:49:57.439 --> 00:49:58.879
 such a dangerous state.

00:49:59.699 --> 00:50:02.139
 So my prayer, and I hope it will be your prayer

00:50:02.139 --> 00:50:05.159
 too, is that God would use us to reverse that.

00:50:05.899 --> 00:50:06.879
 Let's pray together.