Yesterday we were talking about Christmas commercials advertising toys that mimic reality. I asked if virtual reality was the same as the real thing, or if something important was missing.

• Do you thinking biking on a computer screen the same as biking in real life?
• Do you think you could paint the Mona Lisa with a computer?
• Do you think you could make real innovation with no real chemicals?
  No way.

From these simple, messy things like dangerous bicycles, sloppy paint, and goopy oil have come the greatest masterpieces, incredible scientific and athletic achievements.

It’s risky…the paint might run, the bike might bail, and the chemicals may explode.

But for the master artist, athlete or scientist, it’s worth the risk, because of the amazing work of art that can come from it.

And this is exactly how God works.

Imagine: God wants to paint a masterpiece. He wants to create a world that is perfect in every way. He makes vast fields of food…oceans of water…soaring mountains…majestic canyons.

That’s all nice…but I said a masterpiece. So, he also created human beings, like ourselves, to complete his masterpiece. This wasthe most dangerous ingredient…beautiful and transformative, but also volatile, dangerous, that may explode without notice!

And sure enough, we did. We ruined the masterpiece. There is evidence all around, when we find violence, pain, sorrow, death, and all kinds of brokenness in the world around us.

Question: What evidence do you see that this world is like a broken masterpiece?

Meeting with a Group?  Your discussion questions are in this week’s Group Study Guide

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