What does our stained glass window mean?

Much has been made of sacred art and symbology in a popular mystery novel and hit movie. Sadly, the author chose to misrepresent the truth to suggest one famed piece of sacred art hid Gnostic, non-Christian meanings that would expose Christianity as a fraud. While the book is an interesting piece of fiction, even the author has to admit it is just that, fiction, make believe.

In light of all the attention given to the sacred arts, however, people have begun asking lately about the symbols in our beautiful stanined glass window.

Inset of an image of a star from the stained glass window.

At the top of the window is a star. It is a reminder of God our Creator who flung the stars into orbit, Jesus Christ who is the LIght of the world, and of course, a reminder of the star over Bethlehem which beckoned wise men from the East to seek a new king born in Bethlehem. The star is a reminder to us that wise men still seek King Jesus.

Inset of lamb from stained glass window.

Beneath the star is a lamb. The cross extending from the lamb's front legs and the halo around the lamb's head are a traditional symbol this is no ordinary lamb. Rather, this figure is a reminder of Jesus of whom John the Baptizer said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the erath." The lamb for the Hebrew people to whom Jesus was born, was a reminder of the first Passover when the people of God whose homes were marked with the blood of a sacrificial lamb were spared from destruction. In John's Gospel, we read of Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, being crucified at the same hour the Passover lambs were being sacrificed.

Inset of Bible from stained glass window.

Beneath the lamb is a image of an open Bible on an altar, lecturn, or pulpit. It is a reminder of the centrality of the Word of God in the life of Christians in the Evangelical Covenant Church heritage. Early Covenanters often asked one another two questions. "How is your walk?" reminded people that our faith must be lived out daily. "Where is it written?" was a reminder that our faith and doctrine must be built upon the Word of God and not just tradition, philosophy, or human conjecture.

Inset of a shell from the stained glass window.

On the left and right of the lamb are reminders of the two sacraments of the Church: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

The image on the left side of the lamb is an inverted shell from which flow three drops of water. This is a traditional symbol representing baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Inset image of communion chalice and hosts from the stained glass window.

On the right side of the lamb are a chalice and three hosts (communion wafers), reminders of Holy Communion and an affirmation of Holy Trinity.

Inset image of crown of thorns from stained glass window.

Surrounding all of the images in the four corners, is an image of a crown of thorns, a reminder of the Passion of Christ who mockingly coronated with a crown of thorns and a purple robe after being beaten by his cruel Roman captors hours befor ehe was crucififed.

The light that shines through these images is a reminder that though he was crucified, Christ rose again, ascended into heaven, and is one day coming again in the clouds to gather His Church to live and reign with Him for all eternity.