Integrative Paper Word.docx

Taylor Hollander Jesus’s Life in Ministry Integrative Paper 6/16/2018 1.0 Profession and its Demands My ideal job is to become a designer and or illustrator for honestly any entertainment company or even as a designer for a non-entertainment industry but the work would be similar, such as advertising. What a designer in these cases is one that either has a hand in the construction of a finished artistic product in some way, whether it be a concept to a ready for production print. Working with or under command of those with opposing ideas When designing for a company you have to work with others, which is similar to most jobs. The way you work is others is through taking requests assigned to you and begin creating ideas that best complete the idea for the request. Before moving on it is important to get feedback, especially from the requester. This is where one of the significant demands of the job comes in. When working on a project you may not be working on what you like or worse, work with people who have completely different opinions and takes on a design, which is sometimes termed creative differences. I may have a clear vision for a design and feel it is perfect for the requestor, however, the requester dislikes every single aspect of it and could even desire designs that are factually bad, which is surprisingly often when dealing with requesters who have no designing or other artistic experiences. How this is dealt with is never clear and could become an unpleasant experience between the two. Staying confident in a job in constant flux When working as a designer, specifically for entertainment, it is extremely competitive due to the things that are produced nowadays. Such things as movies, games, comics, etc. Because of this competitiveness, these creators of those products have more trouble keeping their jobs, whether someone more talented has come to replace you, or your project gets dropped in favor of another one, leaving you jobless for a time. Finding a foothold in doing something you love is difficult and often time discouraging especially without significant connections. Sometimes you have to make ends meet and do jobs or freelance till you can find a better one. To specify this demand, you have to stay strong and persistent in the job you want, being discouraged is easy to encounter and can leave you settling for worse jobs or even giving up on your dreams, as I have heard from some ex-artists. 2.0 Kingdom Passages Addressing the first demand of if go the path of a designer is dealing with people I must obey who may have opposing ideas that contradict the ones I’ve been taught to believe. When you encounter these types of people in your life it can become easier to treat them with the same disrespect they give you or you may give them disrespect because of their opposing ideas. But

even if no direct confrontation occurs and you decide to withhold all anger and spite towards the person to yourself, it is more damaging. Passage and Context In the Gospels, we are called to love one another by God. When questioned by the Pharisees, Jesus answers what the greatest commandments are. Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus declared, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” As the second greatest commandment it can be easy for some to ignore it when encountered with difficulty. But in any context, as put by Matthew Henry, “in many cases we must deny ourselves for the good of others.”1 Connecting to the Kingdom In relation to the inaugurated kingdom, this command to love your neighbor as yourself is all part of the events of the coming kingdom. Through Jesus, the kingdom has already begun and slowly but surely reveals itself until it is fully revealed. In our efforts to follow the king of this kingdom, Jesus, we are to execute this great command for the purpose of becoming like him and showing others what the kingdom of God looks like in our lives. This the ideology that will become fully realized within the kingdom of God. Integration of Theology From the perspective of a designer and follower of God, you must show love for your coworkers and also those in charge or command you, such as the requestors. Showing them the respect you also wish to receive fulfills the command of Jesus and reflects the kingdom of God in our present. When considering the other demand of being discouraged it can be easy to hold grudges towards those who let you go or take your place. Keeping this theology in mind, they are to be treated in the same manner. Not by being silent but by being encouraging and supportive of their decisions and achievements. If you were in their place you would hope that others supported you, so in that sense, you should support them in this same manner. The Parable of the Sower and the Seed Because of Jesus, the inaugurated kingdom has been put into action, and we are currently in the process of these end times until the kingdom is fully revealed. In mainly addressing the second demand of being a designer: keeping yourself to continue pursuing an ever-changing competitive job for the propose of making something meaningful for others to enjoy that you had a hand in its creation. It is a high-risk high reward and many people suffer from the risks before they ever hope to see the rewards In the process of the approaching kingdom there are similarities in this process as an aspiring person in almost any profession they seek. That similarity is their humble beginnings and the impact once completed. Henry, Matthew. “Matthew 22:38 This Is the First and Greatest Commandment.” Biblehub.com, biblehub.com/matthew/22-38.htm. 1

Passage and Context A parable given by Jesus on the Sea of Galilee pertains to the nature of the kingdom of God: Mark 4:30-32, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? "It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE.” The purpose of this passage was to describe the nature of the kingdom and its development as the inaugurated kingdom. It is something that can be easily missed when first starting out but will eventually become greater than everything else. Jesus is the one who sown/planted the seed, and the mustard seed was used as a parallel for multiple reasons. One for its small size but also its “natural properties of the mustard seed from its internal heat and pungency, and from the fact that it must be bruised ere it yields its best virtues.”2 This knowledge about the seed gives a better understanding of how the kingdom of God has started and how that relates to Jesus as the sower, the one who planted the seed that is the kingdom. In all this parable has a very encouraging as a side message from just the nature of the seed alone. In the last part of the parable, “the kingdom is here represented as something to which men come, and in coming to which they receive shelter and comfort.”3 This is illustrated by the branches and birds that come to the branches that come from the kingdom. There is assurance that soon to come we will experience this or are even currently experiencing it in its early stages. Connecting to the Kingdom This passage more directly references the kingdom of God compared to the other passage. Its message is used specifically to describe the nature of the kingdom, but like the examination of the mustard seed from Joseph Exell, it shows to have a strong message of encouragement along with it, rather than a single ended explanation. The tribulation that the seed should go through ignorer for it to be yielded to its fullest potential give the implication that even in our lives we will face trials but ultimately their purpose is to bring us closer to the Lord as much as possible. In looking forward to the shelter that will come from the kingdom, it must be known that there is a shelter in many forms that do exist now because of the inaugurated kingdom. These shelters come in many forms. The church offers its place as a location of rest and shelter, but not just physically, but also physically. In it is a community who will support and pray for each other when they fall under hard times. Other Christians provide the same sense, as they provide this shelter and encouragement through the word of God. God too is whom we get the most of this shelter and encouragement from, because through everything it is his kingdom, and as Jesus is the ruler of the kingdom we can confidently feel safe in it. 2

Exell, Joseph S. "Commentary on "Mark 4:30". The Biblical Illustrator. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/mark-4.html. 1905-1909. New York. 3 Exell, Joseph S.

Integration of Theology When I hear how competitive it is being a designer I either get the thought that maybe I can be an exception, but then I realize that that’s what everyone thinks. This loop of thinking can be its own undoing, thinking that you don’t have a chance against the thousands who are competing for the same thing, and looking at your own work compared to others only enforces those thoughts. To even get to the point where a designer has to struggle to keep their place or lose a role in the project is distant when the hurdles are already stacked against you. It is at this point where the message of the kingdom of God and the parable of the seed and the sower instill some encouragement and level of perseverance that keeps the dream alive and refocuses the reasons in which why you chose this profession. Considering the context of the seed specifically, encouragement is drawn from the tribulations the kingdom went through until it’s enviable full presence. In the situation of this profession, the encouragement is that no matter how small or insignificant something is, it must not be mistaken for something weak. Though it starts small, it has to go through tribulation ignorer for it to yield the most out of it, and eventually, it will surpass all. When considering the talents of the designer it can be compared in a similar manner, that though they start small and unknowledgeable they will eventually get better. But if they do not face any hardship and settle for what seems to work, their purpose won't be fulfilled. By putting yourself through situations where you are tested through tribulation, your work and aspirations will flourish far more because of it. If a designer gets replaced or loses their project it can be very discouraging, and in those times it’s important that they seek out shelter through their church, their friends, and the Lord. When there is no one to go to during tough times it can become a lasting problem. Having these to turn to reminds us of the glory of God and as well experience the kingdom that is to come. As I go to pursue this profession I will look the community of Christians that I have been blessed with, to remind me of the kingdom that is to come, to go to as a place of shelter, and be encouraged to continue in the pursuit of it. Conclusion My desire is to take part in the creation of things that will become an inspiration to others, but as a job, many things will occur that will make it more difficult or discouraging to pursue. Under all of this, the most important thing is to be reminded of the kingdom of God, what it means to be as a servant of the king through how we act and feel about others, and know that because of the kingdom we have shelter and encouragement from many sources. It’s tough to keep these things in mind during the situations, so the most important thing to do I feel is to have meaningful discussions with the church and other Christians on what it means to be within the inaugurated kingdom. It can be confusing or lose its meaning and impact over time, and the purpose of the church is so that we aren’t alone as servants of the king and his kingdom.

I herby confirm that I did not examine any other person’s paper nor used sources that I did not cite.

Bibliography Exell, Joseph S. "Commentary on "Mark 4:30". The Biblical Illustrator. https:https:// www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/mark-4.html. 1905-1909. New York. Henry, Matthew. “Matthew 22:38 This Is the First and Greatest Commandment.” Biblehub.com, biblehub.com/matthew/22-38.htm.