I’m preparing for a four-week series at Otter Creek called Collision. In this series, we are exploring the way in which Jesus’ birth ushers in a collision between the realm of God (traditionally known as heaven) and the realm of humanity (earth).

In preparing for this first teaching (”Crazy John”) I’ve been doing research into the beliefs surrounding the rulers of the Roman Empire (the super-power of the day which brought about ‘peace’ through war, heavy taxation, and the brutal practice of crucifixion).

Two phrases jump out at me.

1. Son of god/son of a god. Caesar Augusts (Octavian) was often referred to as “son of the Divinized Caesar”—a result of Julius Caesar being considered a “god”.  Coins from this time period bear witness to this truth and served as propaganda/reinforcement.

2. Savior of the World. Here’s an excerpt from the city council of Ephesus in Asia Mnior per Julius Caesar Germanicus from 38 C.E./A.D. (known as emperor Caligula): “ The council and the people (of the Ephesians and other Greek) cities, which dwell in Asia and the nations (acknowledge) Gaius Julius, the son of Gaius Caesar, as High Priest and Absolute Ruler, . . . The God visible who is born of (the Gods) Ares and Aphrodite, the shared Savior of human life.”

Early Christians made audacious claims about Jesus. That he was, somehow, the son of the true God and that he was the savior of the world. It all begins in the birth accounts (Matthew 1-2; Luke 1ff; Revelation 12)–meant to be more than pious hallmark card sentiment layered upon a Christmas tree full of clothes, books, and i-phones. The baby born in the backwoods of of a minority group in the midst of a huge empire–it’s a story you have to choose to believe. And once you do, that’s just the beginning. Because this story dares you to fuse this crazy tale with the world we currently find ourselves.