“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end.”
– Isaiah 9:6-7a
“We can never anticipate Him. He always makes the first move. He is always there ‘in the beginning.’ Before we existed, God took action. Before we decided to look for God, God had already been looking for us. The Bible isn’t about people trying to discover God, but about God reaching out to find us.”
– John Stott, Basic Christianity
Three Advents:
- Christ has come
- Christ is with us
- Christ will come again
“The gospels tell the story in such a way as to hold together the ancient promises and the urgent current context, with Jesus in the middle of it all.” – N.T. Wright, Simply Christian
“The real government of the universe, the final reality which in the end confronts every human being, is the crucified and risen Jesus.” – Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society
“God is on the move toward us, not the other way round. In the very midst of our confusion and incapacity, we are met by the oncoming Lord.” – Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ
Four Canticle Portraits by Kim Thomas
The four canticle portraits were originally commissioned in 2016 for the Getty Christmas Tour and used on stages as their backdrop. To communicate an image that would read in a large hall, I simplified the portraits by representing them in linoleum block prints. The context required the artwork be narrow and tall, so with all of these givens, I tried to capture something for each of the four in their faces, as well as show the posture of their heart through their hands.
Simeon’s Song
“Simeon had waited for many years to see the promised Christ child and was a tired old man, thus the many lines and bags under his eyes. Upon seeing the child, his response is folded hands in humility as he speaks a prayer of thanksgiving and peace.”
“Sovereign Lord as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation…”
– Luke 2:29-30 (NIV)