The Incarnation of Everything

The Incarnation is everything, by CHRIST JOHN OTTO. Christ, rhymes with wrist. He is the founder of Belonging House which is called to: Raise up an army of artists who will build Jesus a throne in the Earth.

His post last week enlightened me, and I want to share what I learned with you. We are all creative in different ways, because we are all made in the image of our Creator. Read on, and let the incarnation of the living God sink in a little deeper. May truth continue to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

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It might surprise you,

but Christmas is a big part of why I do what I do.

The Incarnation is everything.

–

God became a man,

and that event was probably 

the greatest piece of conceptual art

ever created.

–

Jesus said,

if you have seen me

you have seen the Father.

Bill Johnson said it this way:

Jesus Christ is perfect theology.

–

A long time ago,

I wanted to get my Ph.D.

in how the Holy Spirit moved through 

worship in the early Church.

–

One day, while doing research,

I stumbled on a quote that really shocked me.

Here is the basic paraphrase:

–

“Jesus was born eight days before the calends of January

(December 25) and you can go to the archives in Rome and see.“

–

And one of the interesting things in some of these references, 

is that they note Jesus was born on a Wednesday.

–

The Romans were meticulous record keepers, 

so I guess it makes sense 

that the birth of Jesus would be in the census

mentioned by Luke.

–

This wasn’t a holiday cooked up by dishonest Christians

to supplant a pagan holiday.

This was a day to celebrate 

the biggest event in the history of the Universe,

established by Jewish people

who took events, 

anniversaries,

and celebrations

extremely seriously.

Food and festivals

make us who we are.

–

This is about culture.

And if you are in the arts,

that is everything.

–

Maybe everything you have heard is wrong.

That’s okay.

That’s metanoia–changing your thinking.

–

There really is a war on Christmas,

and often Christians join the barbarians

against the truth.

Jesus Christ was born, 

and came in the flesh,

and died and was buried.

On the third day he rose,

and ascended to heaven.

God became a man,

and now a man sits with God in heaven.

That man is coming back, soon.

–

Jesus really was born,

and really entered into this world,

and the early Church took the details very seriously.

God became a man.

It was so important 

they marked the date on the calendar.

–

If you are an artist,

a creator,

a maker,

and a person called to change things,

then the Incarnation is everything.

–

Jesus Christ is the Image of the Invisible God,

and he wants to be visible in and through you.