Luke 9
By Pastor Chris
Vincent Van Gogh remarked, “It is a very good thing that you read the Bible…The Bible is Christ, for the Old Testament leads up to this culminating point. …Christ alone…has affirmed as a principal certainty, eternal life, the infinity of time, the nothingness of death, the necessity and the raison d’tre of serenity and devotion. He lived serenely, as a greater artist than all other artists, despising marble and clay as well as color, working in living flesh. That is to say, this matchless artist…made neither statues nor pictures nor books; he loudly proclaimed that he made…living men, immortals.”
Van Gogh saw Christ as an artist who’s medium was nothing less than living flesh. What a remarkable statement. What a remarkable way to look at the Christ: to see His birth, life, death and resurrection as a work of art. A thing to be appreciated, awed by, it is both touching and hideous. It can be learned from, yes, but art as I understand it isn’t intended to teach. It is intended to communicate … to connect with the observer and leave them changed. The Word who in John 1 was with God, from the beginning. He who was so integral to creation, for through Him all things were made. It was He who made the ultimate statement in creating Himself in flesh to communicate who He was and who we are in a life of nothing short of a matchless work of art. This masterpiece moves us in so many ways: it shocks us with His love, brings hope with His promises, surprises us with His sympathy, horrifies us with His death, and gives us reason to celebrate in His resurrection.
As amazing as this all is, He makes an even bolder statement. Just as He sent out His disciples in Luke 9 to be living masterpieces declaring the glory of God to all. He now looks to us … we too have been created into Masterpieces sent out to share the message of Christ with the world around us.
