ARTIST NOTES

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Week 23        7/31/2016

Title of drawing:  "A Glorious Invitation" (Luke 2)

Artist thoughts:

God has this incredible upside-down balance of grace and justice that's incredibly hard to predict before it happens, however, it's a distinctive feature of the life of Jesus and the kingdom of God.
I wonder if the shepherds were young like Mary was young. Unassuming, out there in the dark with nothing to light their vision but the moon, the stars, or a campfire? Then heaven breaks into creation with an angel announcing the savior of the world after 400 years of silence from God. An announcement not to thousands but to just a few at best and they weren't influential people either. They were shepherds totally unexpecting anything like this but personally invited to meet the one who is the "visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation" and humbly offered the first hello visitation to them.  Humility exhibits God's glory.

I imagine this glorious invitation to be startling and bright at first. Luke uses the word "terrified" to describe the shepherds before everything crescendos into praise. I can only imagine that my first reaction would be to throw up my arms and shield my face.  What would you do?
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View the time lapse video HERE.

Listen to the sermon HERE.