Stained Glass Windows: The Centerpiece

Introduction

I have a confession. I suspect that many of you are also guilty of this. Often when I come into church and settle into a pew, rather than focusing in on the service and worshiping God my mind will wander. Perhaps the week has been busy or stressful and this moment of physical relaxation is a perfect moment for the mind to wander to things unrelated to the service. I have myself often looking around our beautiful sanctuary and wondering about some of the imagery represented on our stained glass windows. In our tradition churches have always been function over form. Early American Methodist Churches were small rectangular building with not imposing structures or beautiful artifices. There is a good reason for this. In our tradition we have been careful to turn our focus heavenward by simple structures that do not distract. It’s not about the building after all, rather it is about God. Even our new churches remain simple and functional. Just like the way that we dress we do not want the attention to be taken by anything other than God. Just as we do not seek attention or personal glory in the way we dress, we do not seek attention or church glory based on the building that we hold services in. I Appreciate our heritage in this.

Yet the Catholics have long held quite an opposite position. Catholic churches have for centuries been the most beautiful structure in town. They have towering spires reaching high into the sky drawing the eyes and hopefully the heart heavenward. The highest ideals of art and architecture are represented. The whole purpose is to glorify God with the beauty He created, and the expense is considered also to be glorifying and honoring to God, for should not His house be worth decades or in some cases centuries of construction time and worth every spare penny tath a community can scrape together? The beauty, the expense, the art, the towering spires, the stained glass windows, the raised ceilings, the intricate paintings were intended to showcase God’s glory and point the mind and heart toward the greatness of God.

Both the simplicity and the extravagance are intended to aid in the worship of God. I believe both can. The Lutherans fell much more toward the Catholic side of things than toward the Methodist. We are simple living, simple dressing, simple worshiping people inside a building that, while it doesn’t reach the glory of European Cathedrals or the Lutheran church still here in town, certainly showcases its Lutheran heritage with an imposing structure, high ceiling, and beautiful stained glass artwork.

As my mind wonders over the beauty of the sanctuary God has blessed us with I recognize many of the symbols on these windows, and yet there are many I do not recognize. I have been blessed in my heart thinking about some the symbols when I should have been focusing on the message. So perhaps this beauty while it can distract from the message at hand can help point a distracted mind back toward God.

For a while I have wanted to talk about some of these windows so that when our minds wander we can still worship, so we can be reminded of our Great God.

Tonight I want to look at the centerpiece of it all. This stained glass portrait of Jesus either ascending or coming again that sits above and behind me.

Scripture

Lets look tonight at the scripture that likely inspired the artist in this work.

Acts 1:9–11 KJV 1900

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

His Ascension

Lets first focus on the moments here recorded. Jesus had come to earth. He had lived as the perfects example and teacher. He had rejected any earthly kingdom and had instead died as the perfect sacrifice. On the third day he rose. After 40 days he ascended into heaven and was caught up in the clouds.

The perfect example and perfect sacrifice of Jesus ended in perfect victory. He did not stay dead. He was not defeated by death, our sin was not too much for Him to bear. Satan was not too powerful for Him to conquer. This image of Jesus in the clouds over Jerusalem as he ascends from the Mount of Olives in victory to once again be with the Father in heaven reminds us that it was a victorious sacrifice. Jesus did not stay dead. I see a few things in this image.

First His open arms and the love on His face. This victorious conqueror is our saviour. That sacrifice he made was because He loves us. He did not die selfishly but He died to redeem you and I. His open arms seems to say, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Come unto me all who are weary and bruised and I will give you rest! He is a gentle and loving conqueror, one who feels our pain and hurts with us. He wants better for us that brokenness and pain, that weariness and labour. He has bought our victory and invites us to come to Him for help, for rest, and for victory.

As He ascends it also is a reminder of the perfect victory of His sacrifice. He is not dead, he risides alive in heaven sitting on the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and I. As I think about the victory he won I am reminded that this victory means he did accomplish His purpose here on earth! He did exactly what he came for. And when he was done it was He who determined when He leave. Satan tried to get rid of Him and only furthered and worked in God’s plan. Jesus death was not the end of His earthly ministry. He rose and ministered to His dispciples and gave them final instruction. When He felt the disciples were ready He left and sent the Holy Ghost to dwell within all His saints. Jesus was not interrupted, He did accomplish His purpose. So what then was His purpose? Matthew 1:21 says that Jesus will “Save His people from their sins.” He fully accomplished this purpose. As I see this picture I am reminded that full salvation that we receive from a victorious Jesus. His purpose was to save His people from their sins, not from the guilt of their sins, though he does that; not from the penalty of their sins, though he does that; but from their sins entirely, from the guilt, from the penalty and from the bondage. Jesus has won! Through His victory we too can have victory! This image is that of a conqueror! Through Him we too become more than conquerors! We are weak, but Jesus, our adopted brother has already won the victory for us. We cannot win thee battle on our own, but we do not need to. We have been freed from sin, shall we that have been freed from sin live any longer therein? God Forbid, but also God enables! God not only forbids us to live sinful lives but he also enables us to live righteous lives! He is victorious! His purpose was to save us from our sins, if He is victorious then we no longer are enslaved to sin, we have been set free from a life of sin, set free to live in the power of Christ, to live righteously. His victory is not partial.

His Return

Yet today His victory has not yet been completed. We are free from sin, but like I mentioned at the beginning. It is not clear whether this picture shows His ascension or His return. “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

He will come again. This picture, this centerpiece of our church reminds us not only of what has been but of what will be. This reminder is wonderful and terrible.

Some of the scriptures that talk of His return are:

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 KJV 1900

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The return of a conqueror to finish the job and bring into His glorious victory the faithful. A wonderful day is coming!1

2 Peter 3:10 KJV 1900

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

A terrible day is coming and we do not know when. Many claim to have an idea, yet the key from scripture is that we do not know! A terrible day is coming for those who do not serve Him. This image is motivating reminder to me of what my job here is. I have been called to preach, to share the message of the Bible. Building up and strengthening those who do believe is a large part of my purpose, yet every Christian is called to go into world and to share the message of the gospel, preaching, teaching, making discipling, becoming all things to all people to save some, saving some through compassion, saving some through fear. That is my job and that is your job. We need to get it done, but we do not know the deadline! How poor our work ethic. We have been given a job to do, and we do not know the deadline. Rather than work as if the deadline is today we live like the deadline will never come. That day will come as theif in the nights. Whose soul will be on my hands through neglect of my calling? My daily prayer, and yours should be “Lord help me to fulfill my calling today! Help me to realize the seriousness and urgency of my task, and give me the strength to obey you today!”

Revelation 1:7 KJV 1900

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

He will come, and many will not serve Him. Even were all Christians to perfectly evangelize there will be many who through their own free will will not heed the warnings. When that great and terrible day come many will wail. We cannot save anyone, God does the saving, and each person has his own choice, to serve God or to serve Satan. Sadly many will perish.

Conclusion

As your mind wanders and you see this picture behind and above me, This picture that sits as the centerpiece of our church and portrays the centerpiece of our lives, I hope you are reminded of the the coming day and the days that have gone by, the day that we work toward, the day the gives us a reason to work, the day we warn of and the day that gives us hope for the coming day so that as many will be ready as possible. I hope it is a reminder of the victorious conquering King that we serve. The one who bought our redemption and died and rose again and ascended into heaven to save us from our sin! His victory is complete in our lives and one day will be completed throughout all the earth for time and for eternity!