WHAT’S IN YOUR CHINA CABINET?

•    fine things on display in a rural farmhouse
•    what are we putting on display by our lives - material items or intangibles?
•    even secondary students getting sucked onto the treadmill
•    spiritual aliveness by grace not works; we display God’s workmanship

NOT MUCH TO WORK WITH: THE RAW MATERIAL

•    Saul’s checkered past: officiated at stoning of Christianity’s first martyr
•    blasphemer: speaking evil of Jesus, abusive toward believers
•    persecutor: both men and women, to their death; used force, was obsessed
•    insolent / violent: ‘hubristes’ - shameful wrong to others prompted by pride
•    insolent behaviour of children infuriating to parents
•    Paul classifies himself as worst / first / foremost / chief of sinners

STEPS IN ARTFUL TRANSFORMATION

1. Christ’s purpose: a chosen instrument
2. Christ’s consideration: saw something in Saul/Paul
3. appointed Paul to His service
4. shown mercy since Christ came to save sinners
5. Christ super-abundantly poured into Paul’s life grace, faith, love
6. put Paul on display as an example / pattern for others - believe & receive
•    churches are “design studios” where models are developed for others to see what God can do

A SPOTLIGHT ON THE EXCELLENCE OF THE ARTIST

•    Paul’s experience exposes the qualities of Jesus the Craftsman
•    strength, consideration, mercy, grace, faith, love, unlimited patience, eternal, incorruptible
•    sportscaster’s failures used by God to overcome pride and to shape him to show God’s goodness