Did you even wonder why Jesus was a carpenter? He could have been a fisherman, a farmer, a shepherd or even a merchant. But His father ordained that He should become a carpenter and apprenticed Him at Joseph's knee. Year after year Jesus practiced His trade, taking dead wood and making it into something beautiful and useful to society. As He patiently awaited His call from God, He could be found in the carpentry shop with hammer in hand and blueprint at His side fashioning something from nothing.

And then the call came and Jesus moved into His ministry declaring Himself to be the very Son of God. "Isn't this the carpenter?" the people asked and they were offended by Him.

Yet as Jesus went about healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and binding up the brokenhearted, He didn't leave behind His profession. Jesus continued on as the Carpenter. He went forth boldly declaring, "I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt.16:18). The Master Carpenter had come to build a church on earth according to heaven's blueprint. He had come to take some "dead wood people" and transform them into something beautiful and useful. The Carpenter of Galilee had come to build His people into a holy habitation where the glory of God could be seen. He was going to build His church out of very ordinary people who submitted themselves to His hammer, saw and chisel.

But there was a day when the hammer was taken from the Carpenter's hand. The Builder's creation suddenly decided to destroy the Builder. The One who had spent His life driving nails into wood now found the nails being driven into Him. The One who was accustomed to the sound of a hammer heard it once again on a hill called Calvary. And this time instead of the Carpenter holding the wood, the wooden cross held Him.

As Jesus gave His life on the cross, the foundation was laid for a spiritual building. By faith the Master Carpenter saw with His trained eye the holy habitation completed. He had done the finishing work that was required. With a loud voice He cried out, "It is finished!"

Those who were watching that day on Calvary thought that it was the nails that were holding Jesus onto the cross, but it was actually love that held Him there. As He gave His life, He formed a new creation on earth that was not built by human hands. It was truly a holy habitation whose Builder and Maker was God.

But the grave couldn't hold Jesus and the Carpenter rose from the dead. Jesus is alive! The Carpenter lives! And Jesus continues on in His profession today as He skillfully builds, repairs and restores, making His followers into something beautiful and useful. He is still patiently working in the lives of His people bringing about the miracle of change. We are truly His workmanship. Let the Carpenter finish the good work that He has begun in you.