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This Saturday night at Blazing Fire, we are going to tell the final week of Jesus' life, death and resurrection through a special, extended time of worship and reading of Scriptures. Jesus' death and resurrection is the central event in all of creation and all of humanity. We have eternity to ponder the magnitude of all that transpired for us in those three days and we will need it to be able to worship Jesus adequately!
This is perhaps my all time favorite painting of the triumph of Jesus' resurrection--by Ron DiCianni. It's hard to see all the amazing detail in this small version (it's orginal size is a 12' by 40' mural!), but here is the artists description of this epic, eternal moment captured on a canvass:
"In addition to kneeling angels and fainted Roman guards, I incorporated the concept of the 'great cloud of witnesses' from Hebrews 12:1 by showing the tomb surrounded by jubilating heroes of the faith. These biblical notables include Moses, David, Isaiah, and Abraham on the right of Christ and Elijah, Noah, Esther, John the Baptist, and Daniel on His left. Of all the figures, the three kneeling are David, Esther, and Daniel — royalty bowing to the greatest of all kings!
"Now let me draw your attention to some elements in the mural that you may miss at first glance. Notice the rock beginning to crack under Christ's feet due to the earthquake and the 'keys of death and hell' (Revelation 1:18) tied on Christ's belt. On the upper right of the painting is the remnant of the place where Jesus was earlier crucified, Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha or the place of the skull. You can also see the hint of a rainbow above as the same promise God gave after the Flood; it still stands the test of time. Of course I'd be remiss if I did not point out the part of the mural that matters most: Christ emerging from the tomb victorious and alive!
"It seems that over the centuries every artist has longed to paint a definitive subject that would stand the test of time and draw the viewer into the scene. For Michelangelo, it was the Creation of Adam which he did for the Sistine Chapel. For Rembrandt van Rijn, it was the scene of The Prodigal Son. For me, it is the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, as this one act of history separates Christianity from every other religion, philosophy, and dogma. This event not only authenticates Christ's nativity and crucifixion but also legitimizes every word Jesus ever said concerning Himself and His relationship to God.
"Although some may ignore the resurrection at their peril, nobody can deny that it is a historically and theologically proven fact beyond doubt. My hope is that as this mural is installed, many will be confronted with the scene of the Resurrection and make the decision that Jesus Christ is worthy of being called their Lord and Savior." -- Ron DiCianni
Titus 3:3-7
3 We were slaves to sensual cravings and pleasures; and we spent our lives being spiteful, envious, hated by many, and hating one another. 4 But then something happened: God our Savior and His overpowering love and kindness for humankind entered our world; 5 He came to save us. It’s not that we earned it by doing good works or righteous deeds; He came because He is merciful. He brought us out of our old ways of living to a new beginning through the washing of regeneration; and He made us completely new through the Holy Spirit, 6 who was poured out in abundance through Jesus the Anointed, our Savior. 7 All of this happened so that through His grace we would be accepted into God’s covenant family and appointed to be His heirs, full of the hope that comes from knowing you have eternal life.
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