The Eighth Sunday after
Pentecost, Proper 11C-RCL, July 22, 2007
The Image of Christ
(Colossians 1)
The Rev. Robert B.
Wood, St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, Alpharetta, Georgia
I just saw the movie Evan Almighty. It was surprisingly entertaining.
Yes, it’s a kid’s movie, but I went in with a critical eye, a priest’s
eye, anyway. Occupational hazard. Would the plot treat the Bible and
the story of Noah fairly? Or would it get too playful—and cross the
line? Maybe even unintentionally misrepresent God like other movies
have. But it didn’t. It even has some nice moments of spiritual
lessons. So it gets my recommendation as parent and Father.
But it did make me realize how sensitive a thing it is to cast a
person as God at all—in the movies, in a book, or even in a sermon.
What is the face, the image, of God? Some movies have created a
memorable image like George Burns in O God! With John Denver,
remember? Most people, when they close their eyes and imagine what God
might look like, see an older man, and George Burns was that. No beard
though, and glasses, and a rye sense of humor. Is God such a jokester?
Other films have taken a bigger risk—like the movie Dogma, when Alanis
Morissette is cast as God. Not all are comfortable with the idea of
God as a woman, so there’s the first shock. And she’s rock star. Is
that good type-casting? God as a rock star? Yes, she beautiful, and
though I expect God is pleasant to look at, the rockstar
characterization is still pushing the limit. But the whole movie
pushed the limit.
Back to Evan Almighty. God is played by Morgan Freeman. He’s got a
kind smile, warm eyes, and he’s got the older man image going, so I
guess that “fits.” But no beard, really. And he’s got crooked teeth.
Would God have crooked teeth? Of course, he also has black skin. For
some, that might be pushing the limit, but for me, I think it’s a
limit that needs to be pushed.
Do we really think God is white? Or black for that matter? Or brown?
Most people of one skin color or another picture God as that same skin
color. Just look at art from around the world. Nothing unusual there.
But God made us all, and for one race or another to suggest that God
is like me …and therefore I am like God …and superior to others
because of skin color. Well, that’s not pushing the limit. It’s past
the limit.
What is the limit? Well, in a strict sense I think that God set that
limit with the second commandment, “Thou shalt not make any graven
image” of me. Don’t make a statue or paint a picture of God and try to
worship it at all. You could not produce an accurate image in terms of
size, skin, gender, age, beard or teeth in the first place, so don’t
even try.
And then along comes Paul, who in telling people about Jesus says,
“Jesus is the image of the invisible God.” Can Paul say that? Is that
blasphemy? Or is the Bible contradicting itself? Well, no. The command
is, “thou shalt not” to us. God can make any image God wants, and in
Paul’s words, God did create an image of what is divine, invisible:
Jesus.
Chances are, however, that Paul did not come up with that concept
himself. This passage from Colossians many believe is a hymn, a song,
of the early church. One that praises Jesus for being almighty,
supreme, and the divine image that he is. It would be like quoting
“Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me” in a
letter to a friend. Or in a sermon, quoting the hymn, “The Church’s
one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord. She is his new creation, by
water and the word.”
Believers in the early church…the really early church…did not have the
Nicene Creed to recite their belief in Jesus, but they did describe
him in hymns, which sing:
Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation;
for in him, all things in heaven and earth were created,
things visible and invisible.
All things have been created through him and for him.
He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning; the first born from the dead;
so that he might come to have first place in everything.
For in him, all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him, God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven,
by making peace through the blood of the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20)
Take note: this hymn (nor any other passage in the Bible) tries to
describe Jesus’ physical image—like skin color, height, hair, beard,
teeth, glasses. Those are non-essentials; irrelevant factors. This man
is described by his actions—and by divine status. The image goes below
the skin to the heart, to the being, of Jesus.
If you want one beautiful, Biblical description of Jesus, if you are
ever asking yourself, “Who is this Jesus?”, this description from
Colossians should be at the top of your list…and at the center of your
understanding of this man we are called to worship, to know and to
make known. Therefore this hymn is worth a closer look.
Jesus: the firstborn of all creation. Not simply Mary’s son—born in
time like us all, but firstborn in all things…and more than first, for
in him all things in heaven and earth were created. Much more creator
than created. Usually, we think of God as creator. And now Paul—the
Bible—credits Jesus, the image of God, with creation too—of things
visible and invisible—life giver. “All things,” as the hymn says,
“have been created through him and for him.” “He himself is before all
things, and in him all things hold together.” He is the hub, the glue,
the cornerstone.
He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the first
born from the dead,
meaning he is the new beginning. He was there for creation, and there
for recreation. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to
dwell. Not a little bit of God, not half-God, but the fullness of God.
Which means, when we see Jesus doing something, it’s like seeing God
do it.
When we see Jesus showing compassion to a tax collector or to the
woman caught in adultery, we see the fullness of God showing
compassion. Likewise, when Jesus says to that same woman, “Go, and sin
no more,” we hear the fullness of God saying to her…and to us…“Go, and
sin no more.” When we hear Jesus teaching about prodigal sons, good
Samaritans, or scattering the word of God like seeds, we hear the
fullness of God (not just some wise man) teaching about returning to
God, loving your neighbor, and evangelism.
When Jesus teaches Martha (in today’s gospel) to slow down, to be like
Mary—and not let the tasks of life distract her from being still in
the presence of God—we hear the image, the echo, of God’s voice
teaching us to sit at his feet and listen to him. Later, when Jesus is
again with Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, Lazarus, we
see the image of God weeping, so it’s like seeing God
weeping…caring…knowing that death has the power to separate like it
does. Likewise, when Jesus triumphs over death himself through the
blood of the cross, God in his fullness has triumphed too. And weeping
turns to joy—for all.
This hymn, these words show Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
and in him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. These words tell
why Jesus is so special in human history, in all of time really. This
is why Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. This is why Jesus is
light of the World. This is why Jesus is Alpha and Omega. Because in
Jesus, all things hold together.
I hope this hymn helps you to hold together your understanding of who
Jesus Christ is, and how God made a choice long ago not to remain
invisible, distant…but to come to us as teacher, healer, forgiver,
redeemer, and savior. We may not see a face or have a photograph in
the Bible to turn to, but with Jesus, we see the heart of God.
© The Rev. Robert B. Wood. All Rights
reserved.
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