made visible, made known...

John chapter one seems to have some clues that may answer your question. Verse 18: "No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." It seems to agree with other scriptures to think that the "seen" in that verse and the "image of the invisible" in the Colossians text mean something more than just visual imagery. John says "no one has ever seen God, but Jesus, he has made him known." It is almost as if He uses "seen" and "known" to mean the same thing. John's first epistle has some very similar ways of talking about seeing and knowing. In fact, He goes even farther to include hearing as a part of the revelation of God that is Jesus Christ. "That which we have seen and heard (this is a reference to Jesus), we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and indeed, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." It seems that what John is getting at and what we might suppose that Paul is getting at when he calls Jesus the "image of the invisible God", is this: Jesus is to us, in every way, the revelation of God, the image of the God who was previously invisible and is still invisible to those who "do not know him (John 1:10)." But not just visible with our eyes, especially our eyes, we've never laid eyes on Jesus after all, but with our hearts! Seeing God, according to these verses, means knowing God through Jesus. Knowing his character, his fellowship, his love, his fatherhood and perhaps most importantly, being like Him (Colossians 2:6). Hopefully it isn't too much of a summary or a stretch to interpret the Colossians verse this way: Jesus, his person and work, makes knowing God possible and effectual. He is the image of the invisible God.
Does this get at an answer to your question? Thoughts about those thoughts?

invisible

this isn't a big thought out post... no huge revelations or anything. just a question and a thought (and then off to get ready for work...)

as i was thinking about our text and going over it several times in my head, i had the line "He is the image of the invisible God..." repeating...

My question...

What does that mean? He is the image of the invisible...?

Then thinking about my question this morning I thought of 2 Cor. 4:16-18...
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

that verse/those verses probably are completely unrelated to what i'm talking about...i just had that thought...

and i really would love to know your thoughts on this...

beth

p.s.
I'm grateful I don't have to be an amazingly smart, great scholar and understand fully every phrase in the Bible to understand the gospel and know Jesus and have salvation and the hope of heaven... isn't God amazing?

Applications of the text...

I've been brainstorming about ways that I can make a painting that may help provoke gratefulness in mine and the viewers hearts for the massive and glorious realities that we find in the Colossians text. Some things I'm thinking about and working on are "Christ's pre-eminence in our life lens" and "eating from the table of the crucified and risen Christ's pre-eminence." I'm hoping that these paintings will help myself and the viewers think about the cross in relation to the Saviour who now reigns in glory and who has always upheld the universe by the word of His power. I think the fact that he did this while He came to earth and suffered at the hands of, and for, ungrateful sinners like me is one of the most stunning things to think about.
I aappreciated and totally related to the last post concerning the impossibility of directly portraying this text. I felt like curling up in a corner and sucking my thumb whenever I thought about trying to paint it. Yet, isn't it wonderful that the sheer massiveness and wonder of those truths is on our side because of the love of God? I just get to praise Him for who He is and revel in the deep comfort of being in His family... and try to make paintings that help myself and others do this more.
Here's to Connie for thinking big.

brainstormed last night

so a couple of us (jenny, ryan, jeff & i) gathered last night and brainstormed a bit on some visual directions for our artwork. a few points from our conversation:

• its obvious that we can't capture all of what these categorical statements are saying about the superiority of God and the enormity of these claims about him. like that by him ALL things were created and that ALL things were created for him and through him. visual images just can't do that. even our language is indebted to words like "more than" and "beyond" and categorical statements...
  
• so if we try to take such a literal approach it could be...well...trying to do too much that images just can't do? too illustrative?
  
• personally i think i'm going to work towards showing how ridiculous it is to try to comprehend all this. i'll prolly work with figures and gestures, i need to do some sketches.
• a few more ideas i'm inspired by : pillars falling or being trumped by God's authority.
• maps globes
• holding things together with tape glue rubber bands
  
• dot & a line - like randy alcorn's illustration from that Na heaven message
  
• Jasper Johns, Richard Diebenkorn
• some greek mythology
  
• the gesture from Michelangelo's Christ in his The Last Judgement

how's everyone else's progress coming?

Preeminence over the visible

Hi. I hope everyone is doing well and whoever is meeting this week is inspired and encouraged. I've been working on my project for the last couple days. It's beginning to take shape as a focus on the visible. I've been focusing on Christ's rule over my community and what I see every day. He rules this as much as he rules the unseen. I would post pictures but to be honest, I'm afraid to because the process isn't reflecting the result I want yet. I know this is prideful but it's true. I am enjoying the process though. It's stretching me into new territory. I hope the same is happpening for others. I praise our Lord for the cross and giving us a most glorious reason to create and worship.

One Month

hello friends,

how's the artwork going? this is your friendly one month reminder.

i haven't started either, but its on my priority list. we're having a brainstorm/work time on the 22nd here in Maryland.

okay well let us know how its going...say hello on the blog....inspire us!

connie

If you're like me. . .

. . .You're idolatrous, admit it. I mean, what is holding anyone back from understanding Christ's preeminence? What is stopping us from seeing it (I include myself )? Is it because we patch together our lives from things that are man sized, not God sized? We fail to see the richness of God's glory, as a picture of our own fallen selves restored. Do we fail to see this picture because we are still trying to control the outcome of our lives (like we can, or like we do. . .news flash-- we can't), or maybe its because we all want to do some art everyone will think is cool or "relevant". . .we still think (deep down) we have the "secret answers" to someone else's soul?

I think that if we aren't seeing the vision, it's not special revelation that's needed, but maybe its worth checking on what's getting in the way. How could we honestly interpret this message of Christ's preeminence if not by attacking our own personal idolatries in the process? What's holding us back from seeing "the image of the invisible God" in our own renewal? And realizing in His grace how great he was to love us, despite our shame. At least that's the angle I'm taking.

inspiration

one day i looked in the fridge at the martins and all i could see was orange. cool, right?

hows it going out there?

i shot this email to our Maryland artists in hopes of getting together soon. has anyone else brainstormed together or otherwise made any progress?

"i was talking to jeff last night and we were agreeing that the art show topic is daunting. and that we should get together with you guys to brainstorm and try to inspire each other. so...what do you think. i know we're all busy, so i'll throw out some dates and could you email me back whats good for you? i'm happy to do it around a meal and make the food if that helps our cause, and we can meet at the martins, maybe get a fire going."

hope yr all well.
more snow in maryland??
c