CCS hosted a prom last week, and it was truly moving. When I looked at our students, who come from the surrounding poor community and were dressed up and dancing... it was beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. The theme for the event was God’s masterpiece. I was asked to share an opening remark. What is a masterpiece? What does it mean to be God's masterpiece? As I researched a bit I read about a painting called "Salvador Mundi", the more I researched the thought came to my mind - 'We are just like that paining'. I started to write and I believe the following is a truth for all of us.

You Are a Masterpiece—But What Does That Really Mean?

"Salvator Mundi," meaning "Savior of the World," is the name of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, created around 1500 AD. This artwork was a masterpiece of the great painter, but it has a mysterious and complicated history.

Originally, the painting belonged to the King of France but was later sent to England as part of a marriage alliance. When civil war broke out, the masterpiece was sold to raise money for the war. Over time, it faded into obscurity and was forgotten. Painted over many times and with a deteriorated canvas, it no longer resembled the work of a master.

The painting eventually resurfaced but was dismissed as a fake or a copy, considered worthless. In 1958, it was sold for just $125 before disappearing again—likely never to be seen again.

Then, in 2005, it reappeared at an estate sale in New Orleans. An art dealer specializing in undervalued works of art purchased the painting. Tattered and worn, it was expected to sell for almost nothing. However, the dealer noticed subtle details—nearly invisible marks of Renaissance techniques. He purchased the painting for $1,000. While he didn’t believe it was an actual da Vinci, he suspected it might have been created by a notable follower of the master.

The painting underwent extensive cleaning and restoration. As layers of overpainting were removed, Leonardo’s original brushwork began to emerge. Experts were called in, and through infrared imaging, X-rays, and analysis, they compared it to known Leonardo da Vinci masterpieces like The Last Supper.

In 2011, the art world was stunned when experts announced that the painting was an original work of Leonardo da Vinci. It was officially recognized as a masterpiece.

In 2017, Salvator Mundi was auctioned at Christie’s in London as the “Last Leonardo”—the only da Vinci painting still in private hands. It sold for a record-breaking $450 million, the highest price ever paid for a work of art.

You Are Like That Painting

We are much like that painting—created by the Master as His masterpiece. Yet, because of sin and a broken world, we became trampled, covered, and nearly destroyed. Over time, no one, including ourselves, could see our true value. Though there were hints of the Master's hand in us, we were discarded, as if we were worthless.

But the Master never forgot His masterpiece. He still loved what He had created and knew its worth. So He sent His Son to carefully and painfully restore us. Now, with Christ living in us, we once again reflect the Master’s glory.

Ephesians 2:10
"For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jess to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

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