1 "And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded."
2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.
Where did Bezalel and Aholiab get their ability? Verse 1 makes it clear that it came from the hand of Almighty God. From Whom do we receive our gifts and talents? I think we have to recognize that God has assigned each of us abilities to be used for His glory. Those gifts are to be used with wisdom and motivation, based on verse 2 - so we can identify what God has done in our lives and take steps to use what He has given to us for His glory!
When I highlight some of the artistic trends in our society, I am reminded on how God desires for us
to express the gifts and talents He has given to us. 1st Corinthians 12 says:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
This coming Sunday night, Broadway will recognize its best with the annual Tony Awards, a spectacle that will be shown on a national television network, CBS, but that highlights plays that only a relatively small segment of the population will have seen, or so my perception goes.
The Broadway League reports that for the 2015 – 2016 season, total attendance reached just over 13.3 million people and Broadway shows yielded $1.37 billion, making it the "best attended and highest grossing season in Broadway recorded history!" I guess, when you think about it that's not too bad. Average paid admission was $103.11.
By comparison, just one film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, grossed over $900 million domestically and over 2 billion worldwide.
But, there is something magical about Broadway, no doubt - it is certainly an experience. We have seen plays that have toured to Birmingham and Atlanta, but to actually see a presentation in the center of it all is quite incredible.
Of course, this year, the Tonys could aptly be re-named the Hamilton Awards, because that musical is likely to walk away with the Best Musical and a host of other awards - after all, it has been nominated for 16 of 'em! No, we were not part of a fortunate crowd that jams the theater night after night for that musical.
I did highlight Alissa Wilkinson's excellent article at Christianity Today about the Scripture references found in the musical as part of a Front Room blog post a few months ago. Spiritual content has shown up on the Great White Way periodically...You may remember my interviews last year with people involved in the musical depiction of the life of John Newton in Amazing Grace, which did not fare so well on Broadway - according to the Hollywood Reporter website, the play had 24 preview performances and 114 regular performances, closing last October. There is the expectation that the musical will go on tour in the future.
There is Broadway content that is certainly not consistent with a faith perspective, including some that has been shaped by the LGBT agenda. Witness last year's Best Musical, Fun Home, which was set in a household headed by a gay father and features a lesbian main character. (You can learn more at Broadway.com.)
My nominee for best Broadway experience - An American in Paris, which won 4 Tony Awards last year. If that title sounds familiar, it may be because it is an adaptation, a loose adaptation, of the Oscar-winning 1951 movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly. The Broadway version has been reimagined, with a different lineup of songs composed by the late George Gershwin, although some of the songs from the film show up in the play.
An American in Paris is a combination of incredible choreography, including ballet and interpretive dance, that accentuates the plot of two people who were pursuing relationships for the wrong reasons. Jerry Mulligan, the title character, is a painter who finds a willing benefactor to support his work, who also desires something more, but Jerry just doesn't seem sold on the idea. He falls for Lise, a young dancer, who is engaged, or so it seems, to a French cabaret singer, whose family has a close bond with hers, a bond cemented through the difficulties of World War II. So, there is a relationship of advantage and one of obligation, but, without giving too much away, the two main characters work their way toward the pursuit of true love, with a few twists and turns along the way. It's a great story with fabulous production, a highly artistic presentation. And, it will be going on tour, as well.
I enjoy talking about art, because through various forms of art, we can have a unique experience that can move us and teach us. And, there is a huge place for elements of faith in art. A Christian worship song, or even a song about a faith challenge, can help us to think more deeply about the things of God. A painting with a spiritual element, a film or a play that tells a compelling story, or even a ballet piece or interpretive dance, can register images in our minds that perhaps God can use to touch us on a deep level. The spoken or written word can be very instructive and meaningful, but art gives an opportunity to reinforce concepts and channel emotions. That's why there are those who are outspoken champions of Christian involvement in the arts.
Jesus was the master of using story to illustrate spiritual truths. And, it's great to see a story like War Room or Woodlawn, just to name a couple of recent film releases, unfold on the screen. Or perhaps to see an Amazing Grace or a presentation of The Screwtape Letters or An Evening with C.S. Lewis. I think about the Ballet Magnificat performance based on the story of Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place. A good story, expressed creatively, can have a marvelous impact.
I want to mention two things we can be challenged to share: our story and our gifts. We can each recognize that if you know Christ, God has done a work in your life - that's your story, your testimony. And, we can be prepared to share that as He gives opportunity. Also, you may not be a painter, a dancer, or a musician, but you are uniquely gifted in a certain way to be used of God - as He has revealed that to you, He will also show you ways to use it.
+++++
When I highlight some of the artistic trends in our society, I am reminded on how God desires for us
to express the gifts and talents He has given to us. 1st Corinthians 12 says:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
This coming Sunday night, Broadway will recognize its best with the annual Tony Awards, a spectacle that will be shown on a national television network, CBS, but that highlights plays that only a relatively small segment of the population will have seen, or so my perception goes.
The Broadway League reports that for the 2015 – 2016 season, total attendance reached just over 13.3 million people and Broadway shows yielded $1.37 billion, making it the "best attended and highest grossing season in Broadway recorded history!" I guess, when you think about it that's not too bad. Average paid admission was $103.11.
By comparison, just one film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, grossed over $900 million domestically and over 2 billion worldwide.
But, there is something magical about Broadway, no doubt - it is certainly an experience. We have seen plays that have toured to Birmingham and Atlanta, but to actually see a presentation in the center of it all is quite incredible.
Of course, this year, the Tonys could aptly be re-named the Hamilton Awards, because that musical is likely to walk away with the Best Musical and a host of other awards - after all, it has been nominated for 16 of 'em! No, we were not part of a fortunate crowd that jams the theater night after night for that musical.
I did highlight Alissa Wilkinson's excellent article at Christianity Today about the Scripture references found in the musical as part of a Front Room blog post a few months ago. Spiritual content has shown up on the Great White Way periodically...You may remember my interviews last year with people involved in the musical depiction of the life of John Newton in Amazing Grace, which did not fare so well on Broadway - according to the Hollywood Reporter website, the play had 24 preview performances and 114 regular performances, closing last October. There is the expectation that the musical will go on tour in the future.
There is Broadway content that is certainly not consistent with a faith perspective, including some that has been shaped by the LGBT agenda. Witness last year's Best Musical, Fun Home, which was set in a household headed by a gay father and features a lesbian main character. (You can learn more at Broadway.com.)
My nominee for best Broadway experience - An American in Paris, which won 4 Tony Awards last year. If that title sounds familiar, it may be because it is an adaptation, a loose adaptation, of the Oscar-winning 1951 movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly. The Broadway version has been reimagined, with a different lineup of songs composed by the late George Gershwin, although some of the songs from the film show up in the play.
An American in Paris is a combination of incredible choreography, including ballet and interpretive dance, that accentuates the plot of two people who were pursuing relationships for the wrong reasons. Jerry Mulligan, the title character, is a painter who finds a willing benefactor to support his work, who also desires something more, but Jerry just doesn't seem sold on the idea. He falls for Lise, a young dancer, who is engaged, or so it seems, to a French cabaret singer, whose family has a close bond with hers, a bond cemented through the difficulties of World War II. So, there is a relationship of advantage and one of obligation, but, without giving too much away, the two main characters work their way toward the pursuit of true love, with a few twists and turns along the way. It's a great story with fabulous production, a highly artistic presentation. And, it will be going on tour, as well.
I enjoy talking about art, because through various forms of art, we can have a unique experience that can move us and teach us. And, there is a huge place for elements of faith in art. A Christian worship song, or even a song about a faith challenge, can help us to think more deeply about the things of God. A painting with a spiritual element, a film or a play that tells a compelling story, or even a ballet piece or interpretive dance, can register images in our minds that perhaps God can use to touch us on a deep level. The spoken or written word can be very instructive and meaningful, but art gives an opportunity to reinforce concepts and channel emotions. That's why there are those who are outspoken champions of Christian involvement in the arts.
Jesus was the master of using story to illustrate spiritual truths. And, it's great to see a story like War Room or Woodlawn, just to name a couple of recent film releases, unfold on the screen. Or perhaps to see an Amazing Grace or a presentation of The Screwtape Letters or An Evening with C.S. Lewis. I think about the Ballet Magnificat performance based on the story of Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place. A good story, expressed creatively, can have a marvelous impact.
I want to mention two things we can be challenged to share: our story and our gifts. We can each recognize that if you know Christ, God has done a work in your life - that's your story, your testimony. And, we can be prepared to share that as He gives opportunity. Also, you may not be a painter, a dancer, or a musician, but you are uniquely gifted in a certain way to be used of God - as He has revealed that to you, He will also show you ways to use it.
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