Covenant-First Presbyterian Church Window Devotional : simplebooklet.com

Worshipper and Angel Psalm 150 This window high on the South Wall celebrates the ongoing praise and adoration of God both in heaven and on earth As our reading says Praise God in his sanctuary the earthly temple and praise him in his mighty heavens the heavenly court Devotionals written by Rev Russell B Smith Photos by Jerry Fritsch Covenant First Presbyterian Church 717 Elm Street Cincinnati OH 45202 www covfirstchurch org 2020 all rights reserved On the left side of this window is a picture of earthly praise The worshipper has her feet planted on the ground She holds a model of a pipe organ signifying the earthly praise in CovenantFirst s sanctuary The superscription above reads Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost a text you will recognize from the Gloria Patri Meanwhile the right side of the window shows a heavenly angel her feet on a cloud her wings flaring behind her In her hand is a scroll presumably containing a song of praise Above her head is the superscription Praise ye the Lord In the window we also see harps and horns and banners with musical notes These Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 1

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call to mind verse 3 of our reading Praise him with trumpet sound praise him with lute and harp When we leave the sanctuary we enter the world where we apply all that we have learned in the sanctuary Lord willing we go forth with eyes that are more The full effect of the window is to ready to perceive God s glory echo the call of Psalm 150 Let ears that are quick to hear the everything that has breath praise song of praise in creation and a the Lord voice that is ready to add to the chorus of praise When we come into the sanctuary we know that this is a place Let everything that has breath of praise and adoration Howev praise the Lord Praise the Lord er this window reminds us that the praise of God echoes far beyond our sanctuary God is praised in all the earth as it says in Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glories of God God is praised in the heavenly realms as is seen in Revelation 4 as the angelic beings continually cry out Holy holy holy is the Lord Almighty who was and is and is to come Let us take inspiration from this window and from Psalm 150 to consider the whole world as a venue in which we are called to praise God The sanctuary is not the place where we complete our work of praising God The sanctuary is a classroom in which we learn how to praise God a practice field upon which we run through the drills that make the praise of God natural to us a rehearsal space in which we learn the art of praising of God Pg 2 Window Devotional Christ the King Philippians 2 5 11 Who do you say that I am Jesus asked this question of his disciples Peter answered boldly You are the Christ the Son of the living God Jesus blessed Peter and said Upon this rock I will build my church Matthew 16 13 20 The bedrock of the church wasn t Peter no one man could be strong enough The bedrock of the church is the simple confession Christ is Lord Christ s claim upon our lives is total He claims lordship over every area The South window depicts Christ as the king calling us to him The angel to the right looks on with adoration The superscription above the two figures reads Come Unto the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He bids us to come bend the knee and confess that He is Lord Yet our Philippians passage also tells us what kind of king Jesus is A king who comes humbly and serves He is a king who offers himself as a sacrifice to cleanse our hearts and minds and consciences He pays the price to wash away the guilt and stain of Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 3

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sin Isaiah summarizes Christ s work so poignantly The punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed Isaiah 53 5 Our stained glass captures this sense of the servant king in the image of the cross and crown at the very top I find it a wonderful reminder of the strange ways of God That God s foolishness is wiser than our wisdom that God s strength is made perfect in weakness that to save our lives we must lose them Our Philippians passage reminds us that we should have the same attitude of Christ who humbly came as a servant even though he is due all glory and adoration As we cede control of our lives over to this kind of king he calls us to be imitators of him How is Christ calling you to be more humble more giving more selfsacrificial How is Christ leading you through the pain of dying to self How is Christ growing within you fullness of joy in living for him In what ways is the Holy Spirit working within you to make these things come about These are the things I hope we ll reflect on today May we all continue to grow together in realizing Christ s reign over our lives and may that reign unleash the joy of the Lord in our hearts Pg 4 Window Devotional Peter Matthew 16 13 19 The Simon Peter window beautifully captures the character of this complex man Symbols of Peter s life are nestled all around the perimeter of the window The fish the flames of Pentecost the boat he stepped out of to walk on the water the scroll of his letters the sword he used to defend Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane the cross on which he died and the rooster that crowed after he had betrayed Jesus An interesting visual feature of this window is how the rock upon which Peter s hand rests is in the foreground It covers up the border around the window giving it the appearance that Peter is stepping out of the window toward us Of course this effect draws our eyes to the rock calling to mind the pun on Peter s name Petros the Rock However we might also remember that Peter in his first letter invites us to come to Christ the living stone rejected by men but chosen by God I Peter 2 4 8 Late in his ministry Peter is still confessing Christ as the Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 5

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Messiah In the Matthew reading we see the first time Peter makes that confession Jesus says upon this rock I will build my church The Roman Catholic church has interpreted that statement to be the vesting of authority in Peter We understand that the rock upon which Jesus builds his church is the confession of faith Peter was bold enough to confess faith in Christ He continued to boldly confess Christ even to the point of martyrdom in Rome My favorite part of this window though is the gaze of Peter The artist has captured something of Peter s determination and his vision of the glory of Christ I look at these eyes and see the eyes of a man who witnessed the transfiguration who caught the sight of Jesus as the rooster crowed and who looked upon his risen Master with gratitude and humility The gaze says it all Peter was a proud man who was humbled by Christ Peter was a hard man softened by grace Peter was a bold man tamed by the suffering Savior Pg 6 Window Devotional David with Book and Quill Psalm 19 How do you measure the fullness of a man particularly one as famed as David a man after God s own heart I Samuel 13 14 Acts 13 22 A close inspection of the decorative border around this window reveals icons that refer to David s many roles The crook of a shepherd the sling and sword of a warrior the harp of a court minstrel and the crown of a king But the foreground image that dominates this window is David as a writer Here he is depicted as a young man tome under one arm and a quill pen held high aloft His stance is confident and straight his gaze fixed far and up The superscription gives us extra setting I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from Psalm 121 The rest of the verse expresses the very confidence written in the face and stance of this earnest young David from whence my help comes My help comes from the Lord the Maker of the heavens and the earth The image here is that of capturing David as a writer in the moment of inspi Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 7

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ration capturing in lovely poetry his confidence in the Lord supplement those readings with the reading of good books that stretch us and help us become I find it significant that we have better readers all so that we this window of David as a writer might come back to God s word We are people of the Book More with a readiness to delve deeper precisely we are people of the Bi for the riches therein Let us if ble from the Greek biblia which we dare write good books for means books or library It is coming generations that they may a vast and interesting library of hear our testimony of faith and be stories laws songs riddles ora encouraged in their own race of cles letters battle reports gene faith And as we do so let us alogies logical argumentation have the words of David ringing in and speeches And all of it radi our ears May the words of my ates with the authority of the Liv mouth and the meditation of my ing God who spoke through the heart be pleasing in your sight O prophets in all these different gen Lord my Rock and my redeemres at different times of history er Ps 19 14 David himself recognizes this in his Psalms The Law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy making wise the simple the precepts of the Lord are right giving joy to the heart the commands of the Lord are radiant giving light to the eyes Psalm 19 7 9 We are a bookish people because our faith is transmitted to us via books It is no little surprise that the reformers first concerns were having the Bible translated into the common language of the people Their second concern was in teaching people how to read So let us cultivate within ourselves the habits of reading and deeply attending to God s word Let us Pg 8 Window Devotional David with Harp Psalm 121 This window depicting David as a shepherd is an interesting contrast to the window depicting David as a writer See the previous devotional In the writer window David stands tall and confident in the inspiration he receives from the Lord This window however shows David on a knee in supplication His sheep doze gently beside him secure in his guardianship The superscription quotes Psalm 121 one of the Songs of Ascent These were songs that were collected as pilgrim songs to be sung on the journey to Jerusalem for the great feasts of Israel The Psalm begins with I lift up my eyes to the hills referring to the hills through which the pilgrims would travel hills that could easily conceal bands of marauders These hills might also have hidden the forbidden high places where some Israelites went up to worship the old pagan gods The hills were foreboding places of danger David on his knee gives us the picture of one who faces danger He is one who is confronted with the uncertainty of the wilderness not Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 9

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knowing from whence danger will come He seeks the protection of the Lord fear and anxiety May we rest easy knowing that the Lord is our shepherd And the Lord responds In this window it is the clear image of the hand of the Lord coming down in answer to David s prayer I find the image of that hand to be one of the most fascinating pictures in the sanctuary For some reason it gives me great comfort to be reassured of God s hand of providence extending in answer to earnest prayer Just as the sheep rest easy in David s protection so can David rest easy in the Lord s protection Just as the pilgrims in route to Jerusalem rest easy in the Lord s protection so also can we rest easy We all are pilgrims in this world Though we may be settled in one place for our whole lives we are still pilgrims We still face a world of danger and uncertainty We all have times in which we cry out from whence shall my help come May the confidence of the Psalm be our confidence that our help comes from the Lord who neither slumbers nor sleeps Though we might not see a visible hand of the Lord may we have the clarity of sight to perceive the effects of the hand of the Lord in our lives May we be sensitive to discerning God s providence even in times of Pg 10 Window Devotional Woman with Alabaster Jar Mark 14 3 9 Philippians 4 10 20 Philathea It means Lover of God It was the name of an early 20th century worldwide Bible study movement for women The Philathea Union and its partner movement for men the Baraca Union was geared at young women taking them deeply into the study of scriptures The Philathea Union also emphasized fellowship and evangelism and Covenant First was blessed to have an active and vibrant chapter of the Philathea Union The inscription on this window tells us that it expresses the ideal of the Philathea spirit of service It helps us grasp something of the heart of those saints of the past The image is that of the woman with the alabaster jar Her story is recounted in the Mark scripture above Luke s version of her story adds the additional detail of her weeping as she anoints Jesus feet Interestingly the artist depicts her before the actual anointing Here we see her standing tall ready and with Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 11

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a look of determination on her face She has already broken the lid off the jar unloosed her hair It is as though she is caught in that moment when all eyes are on her the looks of reproach bearing down hard Yet she will not be deterred from her task The look on her face conveys the confidence that comes from those who gaze upon the face of Christ and by his grace say I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4 13 way that it reflects honor on Jesus May the woman with the alabaster jar and the saints of the Philathea union be a part of that great cloud of witnesses that spur us on in running our race of faith with perseverance Hebrews 12 1 Let us like the woman in this window fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith Hebrews 12 2 The superscription verse gives us extra detail She hath done what she could Mark 14 8 The ideal of service and discipleship expressed here is one of bringing what gifts God has given you and using them to serve Christ The woman with the alabaster jar brought her gifts to glorify Jesus even though Jesus other followers looked at her with condescension Yet as a lover of God she had the strength to offer what she had We have each been given gifts to serve Let us look for opportunities to glorify Christ with what we have Let us look for those places throughout our day where we can give a blessing in the name of Christ Let us search our hearts more fully to see how we can attend to the day s work in such a Pg 12 Window Devotional The Boy Jesus with Teachers Luke 2 41 52 They found him in the temple courts sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions This stained glass window is tucked away in our bell tower you likely never see it unless you leave the sanctuary from the Elm Street entrance In vivid color it depicts the story of the boy Jesus in the temple courts speaking with the teachers of the law This scene is of the moment when Joseph seen just over Jesus shoulder and Mary arrive while Jesus is in discussion Jesus clothing gives us a visual cue that he is at home in the temple courts The red sash and the gold trim in his clothing match the decorative clothes of the teachers of the law more than the simple rustic attire of Joseph and Mary Visually the artist is telling us that Jesus is indeed at home in the temple speaking of the things of God This is also a place of erudition Both teachers hold open scrolls and to the side Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 13

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we see an urn with other scrolls We might well remember that Jesus would later say Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them Matthew 5 17 After the resurrection Jesus appears to disciples on the road to Emmaus and there beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning him Luke 24 27 Throughout His ministry Jesus shows that the Scriptures are not a dry set of outdated rules but rather they are vital and living testimonies to his work and heartfelt invitations to know Him more fully Scriptures deeply so that we might see Jesus more clearly through them And may the Scriptures impress upon us more powerfully the wisdom of Jesus Of course Jesus would be in his Father s house discussing the Scriptures For the Scriptures teach everything we need to know for faith and life And though Jesus has risen and ascended he still teaches us through the agency of the Holy Spirit the Counselor the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you John 14 26 So let us follow the example of the boy Jesus Let us meet together and discuss the Word of God Let us reflect upon the Pg 14 Window Devotional John the Evangelist John 1 1 16 The iconography of this window identifies the subject as John the evangelist John is often depicted as a young unshaven man however the giveaway is the eagle in the top of the arch The four gospel writers were traditionally identified with particular creatures associated with faces on the winged creatures of Ezekiel 1 1 14 From the earliest of times John was associated with the eagle signifying the tendency for John s gospel to dwell upon the heavenly realms and the divine relationship of the Son with the Father and the Holy Spirit But what has always interested me about this window are the symbols integrated into the framework around John Unlike the Peter window which incorporated symbols of Peter s life and deeds this window uses symbols that reflect John s theology The symbol at the peak of the arch is the Chi Rho an ancient Christian sign It is the combination of the two first letters of the Greek word Christos According to the Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 15

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ancient church historian Eusebius in 312 AD the Roman emperor Constantine had a vision of this sign and the words In this sign conquer In response Constantine inscribed the symbol on the shields of all his soldiers He went on to win the battle of Milvian Bridge which ended the division of the empire Constantine became the first Christian emperor and ended official suppression of Christianity queror This theme of Christ s rule is seen yet again in the crown The lamp symbol immediately calls to mind the verses from our the Scripture reading In him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not comprehended it Above the lamp symbol we find a strange symbol that looks vagueMeanwhile at the base of the ly like an O over top of a trianwindow are highly stylized Alpha gle I have theories about this Omegas a symbol combining the symbol but I ve not yet been first and last letters of the Greek able to find anything else that alphabet This symbol refers to looks like it If you have any Jesus words to John at the begin clues I d love to hear them ning and the end of Revelation I am the alpha and the omeOverall though the theme of the ga 1 8 22 13 The idea is symbols is to convey to us the that Jesus existed before all of great theme of John s theology time John 1 1 3 and that all Christ is the victor over sin and things find their completion in death and all the powers of darkhim ness John as an aged man received the visions recorded in Moving up from the base we see Revelation which dramatically the unusual symbol of the cross depict Christ s victory Let us all superimposed over an orb This take comfort and hope and couris called The Cross of Triumph age from the truth that Christ The orb represents the world and reigns even now the cross over it represents Christ s rule over all the earth The next symbol up is also as symbol of Christ s victory The cross with the letters IC XC NIKA These letters symbolize the phrase Jesus Christ the ConPg 16 Window Devotional Saint Paul Hebrews 4 12 13 This window of St Paul has always caught my eye for its vivid color for the expressiveness of Paul s face but mostly for the dominant feature of the great sword in Paul s hand Paul is traditionally depicted with a sword for two reasons First Paul gave us the image of the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Ephesians 6 17 This is an image that is also picked up by the writer of Hebrews in talking about how the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword The second reason for associating Paul with a sword is that tradition tells us he was executed with a sword As a Roman citizen Paul would not have been sentenced to crucifixion he would have been granted a swift death Interestingly both reasons seem to be in play in this window Notice that Paul carries the sword along with an open scroll lying over top of the hilt This scroll might either be referencing Paul s extensive study of the Old Testament Scriptures or his extensive writing ministry Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 17

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This window in our chapel depicts Christ praying in the garden preparing to die His was a prayer of agony Abba Father everything is possible for you Take this cup from me Here was Jesus at his most human agonizing over the price that he would pay to secure redemption for his people His was also a prayer of submission Yet not what I will but what you will which contributed to the New Testament scriptures Either way we visually see the close association of the sword with the Word of God Also notice the superscription from 2 Timothy 4 7 I have fought the good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith Those words to Timothy come after a frank admission that his time of death is near The superscription calls to mind the impending martyrdom of Paul and thus the other association with the sword May our own study of the Word so strengthen and equip us that when we come to die we too will be able to say with Paul that we have fought the good fight we have finished the race we have kept the faith In the Garden Mark 14 32 42 Dying to self John Calvin called it the sum of the Christian life Calvin distilled that thought straight from Scripture If anyone would come after me he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me For whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for me will find it Matthew 16 24 25 Jesus didn t just teach this truth he lived it Pg 18 Window Devotional Jesus prayer of submission teaches us how to die to self When we go through our dark night of the soul we re called to deny ourselves saying not my will but yours When events spiral out of our control when opportunities evaporate when mortality stares us coldly in the face when we fail when we run headlong into our limitations when we re called to do difficult things all of these situations and more are miniature Gethsemanes They are agonizingly painful We want to hold on to our comfort and security Jesus shows us that when we release our small comforts we can cling to him in his dying and rising again The very glass of this window is a parable of that truth Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 19

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The window came from a church in West Virginia that was no longer viable At the time our congregation was on shaky legs too and the future looked grim The doughty saints of Covenant First determined to persevere come what may bought the window David Schroeder and his brother went to pick it up when they reassembled it in our chapel it fit almost perfectly just a few minor adjustments needed Every time I look at that window I m reminded of that congregation in West Virginia Those saints names unknown to you or me continue to have a legacy Though their congregation has died their legacy lives on May it be that when we gaze upon this window we are challenged to die to ourselves and live for Christ In the Garden Luke 22 39 46 Jesus in his full humanity felt the intense anxiety of facing the agony of the cross How quickly we forget that truth when we are mired in our own sea of troubles The agony in the garden teaches us Jesus way of handling soul crushing anxiety By casting it upon the Lord in prayer The sanctuary window of the agony in the garden is subtly different from the chapel window of the same scene In the chapel window we see the disciples napping in the distance this window in the sanctuary focuses its attention entirely on Jesus This sanctuary window also gives us symbolic depictions of the troubles on Jesus mind At the top of the window is the cross rising up from a chalice Meanwhile directly above Jesus head is a small diamondshaped glass pane depicting the crown of thorns and the spikes that would pierce Jesus hands and feet The superscription in this window points us to Luke s portrayal of the agony in the garden Jesus asking for his burden to be removed from Pg 20 Window Devotional Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 21

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him that is a very human desire that we all at some point have shared Yet then he turns his gaze from his own suffering unto the call of the Father yet not my will but thine be done This is a striking illustration of the call to cast our anxieties upon the Lord And notice that Luke depicts an angel coming to minister to Jesus by offering him divine supernatural strength This reminds me of the passage in Hebrews which reads Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation Could it be that because of the work of Christ we too can hope for that kind of strengthening and angelic encouragement as well Could it be that our own agonies are ameliorated most when we turn our minds back to the living God and trust in him Let us share in his sufferings bringing our burdens to the cross that he might bear them Pg 22 Window Devotional Empty Tomb Philippians 2 1 11 I Corinthians 15 1 58 Of all our windows this is a strong contender for my favorite Every time I look at it new details strike me The subtlety of Christ s wounds the blazing sun at the top the cross banner unfurled behind Christ s head the fleur de lis motif worked into the background and of course the different postures of the soldier and angel It is a scene that compels me to gaze and ponder So it is with the resurrection It compels me to ponder I don t mean as a historical fact that was settled long ago The tomb was empty Christ s physical body was not merely revived but renewed in such a way that death disease and destruction no longer had effect I take that now as a priori a given In I Corinthians 15 Paul suggests that if Christ has not risen from the dead then we re engaged in a colossal waste of time with all this religious stuff Then he makes the claim But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep vs 20 Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 23

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We might ponder the future reality of the resurrection the blessed hope to which we look Listen I tell you a mystery we will not all sleep but we will all be changed in a flash in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet I Corinthians 15 51 52 Our future hope is to exchange clouded glasses for clear vision clay pots for vessels of gold ashes for beauty all areas of endeavor Here we have a posteriori evidence from daily experience Yes Christ is on the move he is exalted above all things even now he is working patiently and tenderly toward the culmination of his kingdom May we have eyes to see and hearts to live in his hope Yet what I ponder most is the present reality of the resurrection This window s superscription comes from John 11 25 Jesus has come to Bethany after Lazarus had died Martha expresses to Jesus her confidence in the resurrection at the last day Jesus replies I am the resurrection and the life When we come to know Jesus as our master our mentor our friend then the resurrection power that was started at Calvary is unleashed in our lives in the present And so I ponder the everyday evidences of resurrection Hearts that soften after years of bitterness relationships that are reconciled wrath that is laid down people choosing to live sacrificially rather than selfishly voices that join in worship and adoration ears that hear the hallelujah echoing through all creation minds that seek to glorify God in Pg 24 Window Devotional I am the Resurrection and the Life John 11 1 44 Today we consider one of our most deceptively simple windows Jesus offering a blessing Our eyes are immediately drawn to Jesus eyes for they are wide open and gazing directly at us the viewer The effect is striking drawing us imaginatively into the scene Then we note that Jesus right hand is raised in blessing and the left hand open and extended in invitation Thus far a simple and quite lovely design The superscription further adds to the effect It is a quote from John 11 25 the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead Jesus has arrived at the tomb and Mary and Martha seek comfort Martha expresses her conviction that Lazarus will rise at the resurrection on the last day to which Jesus replies I am the resurrection and the life This quote thus invites us to imaginatively consider ourselves in the place of Martha while Jesus delivers this message We might also imaginatively consider ourselves in the place of Lazarus with Jesus about to bring us back Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 25

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to life Fullness of life is found in Jesus alone and he alone is our hope and salvation Ruth and Naomi I m intrigued by the Christian symbols worked into the floral frame around the window The communion cup the crown of kingship the Alpha and Omega the cross the anchor cross of St Peter the sword and Bible symbol of St Paul At the top of the design are two intertwined Trinitarian symbols The triangle and the trefoil while at the bottom is a star which I take to be the star of Bethlehem What are we to make of all these symbols in this context I believe the artist is calling to mind how the spiritual and physical come together in Christ Fully human and fully divine Christ provides new spiritual birth for us but also guarantees for us a physical bodily resurrection You may be the only Bible that somebody ever reads goes the old country song The lyric gives us a pithy and memorable reminder that even when our lips our silent our deeds shout from the rooftops We have all heard the well worn maxim 93 of communication is nonverbal That adage is always quoted to remind us to pay close attention to other s facial expression and emotional tone when we listen What if we used it as a reminder to pay close attention to the way our actions communicate the faith we profess Let us take comfort and encouragement from Jesus assurance of hope in the resurrection and the life everlasting Amen Pg 26 Window Devotional Ruth 2 2 12 Matthew 5 13 16 The story of Ruth is a living illustration of Jesus exhortation let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven Matthew 5 16 The stained glass window from our sanctuary s north wall depicts Ruth professing her commitment to caring for Naomi even though it will make her a penniless beggar When they are back in Israel Ruth demonstrates a selfless determination to sacrifice and provide for her mother in law It is her actions Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 27

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that draw the attention of Boaz I ve been told about what you have done he says Ruth s actions didn t arise from a desire to be recognized or an expectation that she and Naomi would have all their dreams come true Rather they rose out of Ruth s simple determination to love Naomi and to love the Lord The text on the window gives just the first part of Ruth s commitment Entreat me not to leave thee but the verse continues Where you go I will go and where you stay I will stay Your people will be my people and your God my God Ruth 1 16 When we see this window may we be reminded that God is graciously growing within us a love that goes and acts May we remember that God doesn t love us because we go and act but rather he sends us to go and act because he loves us and delights in giving us a place in the outworking of his kingdom Finally may we remember that when we like Ruth go and act upon our faith people take notice and God receives glory Pg 28 Window Devotional The Good Shepard Psalm 23 The shepherd is one of the most richly developed symbols in the Bible Of course the image of the shepherd is often used to show God s care for his people as in this reading However Old Testament prophets frequently refer to the leaders of Israel as shepherds of the people And Jesus picks up on this motif calling himself the good shepherd who lays down his life for the flock John 10 1 30 The Good Shepherd window calls to mind Psalm 23 through the superscription and John 10 through the visual image of Jesus as shepherd Here we see Jesus carrying the shepherd s crook tending to two of his sheep One the lamb is cradled lovingly in Jesus arm This visual calls to mind the parable of the lost sheep whom the good shepherd finds and carries home Luke 15 4 7 Interestingly both the lamb and Jesus are depicted with closed eyes This suggests an identification between the two perhaps a shared moment of tenderness Perhaps the visual similarity serves to remind us that Jesus is not only our shepherd but also the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world John 1 29 Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 29

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The other sheep an adult curls its neck around Jesus staff and gazes up toward him This posture indicates the attitude of mature Christian discipleship As we grow in our faith we must stand on our own feet Jesus carries us for a time but he then teaches us how to walk through the valley of the shadow of death without fear We fear no evil because of the faith in the protective rod and staff of the shepherd As we learn to fix the gaze of our hearts on the Shepherd we also learn to follow his lead to green pastures and still waters which Constantine conquered is also the sign of the humble Shepherd We should remember God s great provision for us We will of course remember that God has set a table for us and that our cup runneth over We are grateful for the material blessings God has provided in our lives However let us also give thanks for the spiritual blessings that our Shepherd offers Let us be thankful for his self sacrifice for his return for his exaltation as king Let us thank God for Christ s restoring our soul and leading us through the Holy SpirFinally above the superscription it Let us give thanks that our the artist has incorporated the Shepherd stays by our side all Chi Rho one of the earliest Chris through our lives tian symbols of Christ The symbol combines the first two Greek letters of Christ s name Chi which is written as a capital X and Rho written as a capital P The Roman Emperor Constantine had a powerful vision involving this symbol and he converted to Christianity From that point the official religion of Rome became Christianity Interestingly the artist depicts the Chi Rho as being made from wood This visually calls to mind the shepherd s crook in Jesus hand and mentally calls to mind the cross The sign through Pg 30 Window Devotional David and Goliath I Corinthians 1 26 31 I ll wager that you ve never noticed the David and Goliath window in our sanctuary Because it is on the eastern lower wall it is in front of the narthex which means that it doesn t get the brilliant sunlight When it is backlit it is usually dim This is a shame for it is a fine window The scene takes place mere moments after young David s victory over the giant Goliath I Samuel 17 50 True to the story the artist has portrayed David as unarmored and bearing only a sling and a bag of stones for weapons David is depicted in motion running to the body of the slain Goliath David has eyes of steely determination for the battle is not yet over The Philistine army still looks on and at this point of the story they have not yet fled This David is portrayed as running to meet the next challenger Of course David who was anointed as the next king in I Samuel 16 prefigures Christ The story of David and Goliath is not about how we can overcome our personal giants but about how God provides for us a ruler and defender in his Son Jesus Christ Like David Jesus Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 31

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does not fit our idea of the strong place after our Savior Christ has deliverer Neither was much already won the glorious and dewhen considered through the lens cisive victory of power and position And yet David became the ideal king presiding over a golden age in Israel s history Jesus s dying rising and ascending was the most important era of history Jesus broke the curse of sin and heals the hearts of millions who follow him Not bad for a peasant carpenter Our passage for reflection reminds us that God s persistent pattern is to use the humble and weak as his chosen instruments God consistently confounds our pride For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways declares the LORD For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts Isaiah 55 8 9 Let us then place our trust less on our own plans and fix it more firmly on Jesus Let us consider more deeply the humility which God is working within us Certainly let us be ready for action In the David and Goliath story the army of the Israelites took off in hot pursuit of the fleeing Philistines they were ready for action However our action is the clean up operation that takes Pg 32 Window Devotional Esther Hebrews 4 14 16 Hebrews 10 19 25 The stained glass for this month depicts Esther just before she is going before the king Remember the story Esther s people the Israelites were in danger of suffering genocide at the hands of the ruthless courtier Haman Only a decree from the king himself could save the people of Israel from eradication Esther was the queen she knew that she had to speak to the king But Esther had a problem The Persian king had an ironclad law If anyone appeared in his court without having first been summoned by him then that person would be put to death Even though she was queen Esther too was subject to the law The window s superscription quoting Esther 4 16 reflects her resolve If I perish I perish The scene of the window reflects that tense moment of the drama right before Esther enters the court We see only the leg and arm of the seated king yet in his hand he holds the scepter the royal emblem of power and authority We see Esther in that moment where she had to summon all her courage all her will to enter the Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 33

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throne room and speak with the king Ruth and Gabriel Luke 1 26 55 I m struck by the comparison of this scene with the picture we receive in Hebrews In Hebrews we are exhorted to approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need 4 16 Just like Esther we are told that we must speak with the king Yet we are free to come in confidence because of the new and living way 10 20 that Christ has made for us This window is surprising The superscriptions from Ruth 2 1314 help us identify the figure on the left Ruth the Moabitess sickle in hand having just gleaned barley Above her are Ruth s words to Boaz Let me find favor in thy sight my lord Boaz s words of reply compose the superscription on the right Come thou hither and eat of the bread However the figure on the right is not Boaz Yet in a way we still have to exhibit the same courage as Esther Do we really believe that the king will listen to us Do we really believe that the king will act in our favor The church is the bride of Christ Ephesians 5 25 33 do we have faith that he will give his bride a hearing The crown and wings clearly identify this figure as an angel In his hand is a lily Artistically the lily often symbolizes the threefold virtues of faith hope and love However there is an old artistic convention of depicting the angel Gabriel as holding a lily when he visits Mary That seems to be the convention being visually referenced here Yes prayer takes humility it takes courage And it takes a willingness to listen to how the king responds May we be strengthened by the example of Esther and may we go before God s throne of grace with great boldness May we dare to hope great things from the King Pg 34 Window Devotional Ruth receiving the kindness of Boaz and Gabriel announcing God s choosing of Mary to bear Christ How do these two scenes relate First they are both scenes depicting God s favor and kindness Just as Ruth receives favor from Boaz so Mary receives word of God s favor toward her Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 35

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Both women question that favor Ruth 2 10 Luke 1 24 And both women humbly receive the favor granted them More importantly however both scenes point us to Christ The book of Ruth concludes with the genealogy showing Ruth to be the great grandmother of King David This means that she is also an ancestor of Jesus She is one of three women mentioned in Matthew s genealogy of Jesus Meanwhile Mary s scene is obviously about the coming of Christ Interestingly though her scene is riddled with backwards references to David Joseph is identified as a descendent of David 1 27 Gabriel says that Jesus will have the throne of David 1 32 and Mary s song 1 4655 is widely acknowledged as having deep roots in the song of Hannah in I Samuel 2 1 10 remember that I and II Samuel are the epic story of the rise of King David As we gaze upon this window let us consider anew how Christ is the full expression of God s favor toward us Let us pray that we might humbly receive that favor and that like Mary we might joyfully sing of God s favor to us in Christ Pg 36 Window Devotional Moses and the Ten Commandments Psalm 119 97 112 Moses was the great prophet the one to whom God delivered the Law The depiction of Moses in this window looks like it is straight out of the famous Cecil B Demille film The Ten Commandments I can almost imagine the voice of Charlton Heston rumbling The Lord of hosts will do battle for us Behold his mighty hand With his right hand raised high Moses calls the viewer to pay attention and heed what he has to show We cannot miss the long rod that rests against his shoulder the rod that God bestowed as a way of validating Moses ministry This was the rod that God turned into a serpent in Pharaoh s court This was the rod that God used to work wonders in Egypt This rod symbolizes Moses calling as a spokesperson for God Above Moses we see the flames bringing to mind the burning bush where God first spoke to Moses calling him to the office of prophet However the flames might also put us in mind of the much later story of Pentecost Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came down in Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 37

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tongues of fire and blessed the church With his left hand Moses points to two stone tablets the first 10 letters of the Hebrew alphabet listed on them signifying the 10 commandments The superscription from Exodus 20 1 serves to remind us that these 10 commandments as well as the rest of the law do not come from Moses imagination or brilliance They come from God They are the word of the Lord Moses the great prophet calls our attention and then directs the attention not to himself but to the word of the Lord Our passage for reflection comes from Psalm 119 an extended reflection on the excellence of God s word What great comfort to know that God s word makes us wise that it leads us in our decision making and that it grows joy and delight within us However to attain these benefits we are called to meditate upon God s word Oh how I love your law I meditate on it all day long Ps 119 97 Pg 38 Window Devotional Mary and the Magi Matthew 2 1 12 The Nativity window is one of the sanctuary s hidden treasures Located on the balcony level just above the organ console it is not visible to most of the congregation during worship This is a shame for it is a majestic piece rich in color and expressiveness I encourage you after worship on Sunday to step up on the platform and gaze upon this window The scene depicts the adoration of the Magi from Matthew 2 Though Scripture does not give us a specific number tradition has ascribed three one for each of the gifts presented The scene is neatly divided Mary and Christ on the left the three Magi on the right There are no surprises in the depiction This is a conventional presentation of a very familiar scene Interestingly the verse in the superscription above the scene doesn t fit For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord These are the words of the angel to the shepherds keeping watch in the fields from Luke 2 11 Chronologically the shepherds would have been the first to arrive bearing gifts of praise and adoration Covenant First Presbyterian Church Pg 39

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The Magi would have arrived and may we all be transfixed by much later 12 days according to his glory tradition hence the 12 days of Christmas and the January 6 holiday of Epiphany The Scripture and the scene unite the Gospel birth stories The birth of Christ was cause for celebration for the lowly shepherds and of humility for the elite Magi The presence of Christ elicited worship from both high and lowly The worth of Christ inspired them to bring gifts of praise and material wealth And this is before Christ accomplished anything in his life Christ is intrinsically worthy of our adoration Each year we spend the month of Advent in preparation for the commemoration of Christ s birth Let us continually bring to mind his great worth Worthiness in another draws forth awe recognition of our own limitations recitation of the worthy person s wonderful deeds a desire to abide in the worthy person s presence a feeling of being strengthened by the worthy one When you are with the worthy one you are changed How is Christ the worthy one drawing you How are you led to adoration of his might How is he changing you May he work powerfully upon all of us Pg 40 Window Devotional

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