In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. . . . And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-3, 14

To be a follower of Christ, one must be okay with paradox. The Incarnation is a perfect example. It is here that we find Jesus Christ as 100% God and 100% man. Jesus is fully divine and fully human at the same time. It is during the season of Advent that we begin to glimpse the fullness of God's plan as he sends his Son, full of grace and truth, Sovereign over all, to be the redemption of the world. The prophets foretold, the people waited, the way for Messiah was being prepared. The Sovereignty of Christ was ready to be on display.

About the Art:

Christ Pantocrator is one of the oldest surviving icons of Christ, dating from the early 6th century. It is found in the treasure house of St. Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai, Egypt. In the icon, Christ is robed in a purple tunic, a color signifying royalty. He is holding a copy of the Gospels in his left hand while his right hand is raised in blessing. The icon depicts Christ as both Ruler of all (our Judge) and Savior of the world (our Salvation). The right side of his face (from the viewer's perspective), shows Christ as the Judge who sees all, while the left side depicts him as the Savior who looks upon us in mercy.