The northwest window in the sanctuary in Grace Lutheran Church is a picture of Jesus standing in the midst of clouds. It takes several seconds to figure out what the picture is, and then one begins to figure out what it means.
Why is Jesus, standing in the midst of clouds, erect and bold as a king, arms upraised in blessing? Perhaps the answer is found in Luke 24:50-53, where the Bible tells us how Jesus ascended (returned) to heaven in the very action of blessing His disciples.
He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:28 NIV)
If you have had the opportunity lately to spend time with a child that is between two and five years old, you probably found that you ended up up answering a lot of questions. Most of the questions begin with the word, “Why….”
Children are just beginning their journey through this world, and they want to understand the world.
The message of Easter is that Jesus Christ lives. To say that He “has risen” or “was raised” is only a part of the story. Jesus Christ lives just as surely as He spoke to Mary, met with his disciples in the upper room, comes in the water of baptism, or teaches in the words of confirmation and Sunday School classes. Jesus lives.
Perhaps one of the more powerful stories from scripture about the living Christ is pictured in the large stained glass window on the north side of our sanctuary at Grace Lutheran Church.
It was the first day of the week (Sunday), and the women, disciples of Jesus, were going to his grave to do the last physical ministry acts that they could perform for their savior, teacher, and friend. They would give his body the last preparations for burial, and return it to its tomb. When the women arrive, an angel tells them that the central event of Easter has already happened. The grave is empty;
In the middle of the north side of the Grace sanctuary, is the stained-glass window that represents a most popular Christian piety, Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Many families also have a picture of Jesus, using a large rock as a kneeler, engrossed in prayer.
One does not find a description of how and where Jesus prayed at the Garden of Gethsemane in scripture, but the image of Jesus praying at the rock is very old.