Imagine that the universe is like God\u2019s masterpiece. It is one enormous, magnificent artwork. You couldn\u2019t even begin to estimate its value. God handcrafted it and hung up it up for all to see, a wonderful display of his genius, creativity and overflowing generosity. Right in the centre of the artwork \u2013 the focus of the whole creation \u2013 is you and me, human beings, the crowning marvel of God\u2019s creative genius.<\/p>\n
If we think of it like this, then sin, suffering, sickness and death are like vandals who have sneaked into the universe, ripped the canvas of God\u2019s masterpiece and smeared black paint all over the place. They have tried to ruin God\u2019s great artwork. The beautiful masterpiece is still there \u2013 through the paint and rips you can still see how wonderful it is \u2013 but it has been terribly damaged.<\/p>\n
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Restoring The Masterpiece<\/h2>\n
Now imagine with me a little bit further. What would you have done if you were God in this situation?<\/p>\n
Restoring a damaged artwork is never easy. Just ask the team who worked on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome; it took 10 years and millions of dollars to restore Michelangelo\u2019s great masterpiece! You\u2019ve got to think that one of the obvious options for God must have been to throw his ruined artwork in the bin and start again from scratch. Surely the prospect of restoring his damaged world was too much. Surely it would have been easier to simply forget the whole mess.<\/b><\/p>\n
But, according to Jesus, throwing out his damaged artwork was never an option for God. Instead, God began his great restoration project.<\/p>\n
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When God Turns Up<\/h2>\n
Have a look at this famous quote from John\u2019s Gospel:<\/p>\n
\u201cGod loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!\u201d (John 3:16\u201317)<\/p>\n
Can you see what it is saying? God didn\u2019t sit by on the sidelines watching his great artwork being vandalised. And he didn\u2019t take the easy option of condemning the world either, of writing it off and throwing it in the bin. No. God loves the world \u2013 he loves us \u2013 way too much for that!<\/p>\n
Therefore, God began his great restoration project. He began the work of saving and restoring the world. Did you notice how he did it? God didn\u2019t send a mere messenger. He didn\u2019t pay someone else to do the dirty work. Instead, God sent his own Son into the world to clean up the mess. Rather than\u00a0giving up<\/em>\u00a0on his ruined masterpiece, God\u00a0gave<\/em>. He gave his own Son.<\/p>\n This is huge. It means that God isn\u2019t \u2018out there\u2019 on the clouds somewhere, uninterested by the mess in the world. No. In his Son, in Jesus, God entered his world. He came\u00a0in person<\/em>\u00a0to get his world back. He joined us in the mess. He got his hands dirty. Jesus got tired. He was hurt. He bled and died. In his Son Jesus, God knows what it is like to suffer\u00a0from the inside<\/em>.<\/p>\n This, of course, still doesn\u2019t explain\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0God allows suffering, but it does show us that God is not distant from us when we suffer. God understands suffering, because in Jesus, he has been there himself. You see, great artwork is never cheap, and it cost God a great deal to buy his masterpiece back.<\/p>\n