The Master's Commission

What is the Master's Commission?

It may seem obvious to most Christian artists, but it is worth defining. Consider it a vital mandate from the Lord to be His witness. (Acts 1:8)If I do not constantly revisit it and keep it as my focus, then I am easily persuaded to create art simply for art's sake.

If we have clarity of vision and purpose, then productivity is effortless and natural.

The Master's Commission is a charge appointed for each of us, backed by the Master’s authority.

How can we properly execute this commission unless we know the Master and the power of his authority?

Every Sunday, thousands of Christians fill the pews around the world. They are comfortable calling themselves by His name, yet their knowledge of Him is superficial.

They may know of Him, but do they know Him intimately? Do you?

Acquiring intimate knowledge of Jesus as Master, is not complicated.
It begins with an invitation to partner with Him. He brings to our hearts the conviction that our human inadequacies (which He calls sin) are no match for His holiness. When we acknowledge His love, demonstrated by the price that He paid for our sin on the cross, we experience freedom from its crushing burden.

An amazing journey begins, as Jesus now takes the lead. We are born into a new life - the start of a wonderful adventure.

Our role and the Master's Commission can only be comprehended through this new life, as He becomes both our Master and our dearest friend.

A growing, vital relationship is the sweet fruit of this new experience.

A friendship only becomes rich, when there is transparency and honesty. It is impossible to become friends with someone who is unknowable.

How grateful I am that Jesus makes himself completely transparent and knowable in the pages of the Bible! His personality sparkles from its pages.

I remember soaking up the Bible like a sponge, wanting to know as much as possible. Surely you remember the delight of growing in your understanding of His character?

I also remember discovering some terribly unflattering aspects of my own nature!

It is apt to call the precious words in the Bible, the ‘Living Word’; it begins a magical transformation in us, as much as we will permit it.

The Master's Commission calls us to become witnesses to that transformation.

It is a transformation that is not instantaneous or complete, but rather gradual. The great news is that the transformation is certain.

Its final objective is perfection, but its expression in us at any moment in time, is usually messy. This process with all its raw humanity is what we are to be witnesses to.

A witness is merely one who tells about his, or her, unique experience. For example, at a crime scene a witness is asked about what they saw, heard, felt and experienced.

It is an account that is completely unique to that person.

No one else can experience precisely the same thing, in that specific moment in time, from that vantage point, with that particular personality, moods, emotions or even perspective.

So do you see how powerfully unique your role is of being a witness?

The Master's Commission is your call to be a witness of what you feel, see, experience and enjoy as a result of being transformed. Rather than use words, you get to tell your story in a visual language, in a vocabulary provided by Him.

All your challenges, joys, sorrows and frustrations are part of His work of transforming you. That is what you must be a witness to. Can you see how that can be your unique expression as you create art?

No one can replace you.

I pray that you will step up to accept your Master's Commission, as a Christian artist, just as I did many years ago. It will require all of your energy and commitment,to execute this mandate with excellence.

Thankfully, all that we require has been provided. Yet we struggle.

Why do we struggle so much with our Master's Commission?
Read about some common challenges.
The powerful example of Rahab
Return from Masters Commission to Christian Artist Home

See how Eric Lidell lived the Commission