A Family Portrait
In The Return of the Prodigal Son, Henri Nowen writes about his encounter with Rembrandt's painting of the scene he writes about like this:
The more I spoke of the Prodigal son, the more I came to see it as, somehow, my personal painting, the painting that contained not only the heart of the story that God wants to tell me, but also the heart of the story that I want to tell to God and God's people. All of the Gospel is there. All of my life is there. All of the lives of my friends is there. The painting has become a mysterious window through which I can step into the Kingdom of God. It is like a huge gate that allows me to move to the other side of existence and look from there back into the odd assortment of people and events that make up my daily life. Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son,. 15-16.
This week Pastor Ken invited us to consider this amazing family portrait in the context of the other pictures we have been looking at throughout this series, all of which give us glimpses of just what Loving God, Loving People looks like when it is actually embodied and lived.
If you would like to listen to the sermon once again, you can do so by clicking here.
Rhythm
In addition to the metaphor of "Getting the Picture," is the complimentary imagery of hearing the music that plays around us all the time, and which invites us to participate in the life of the kingdom. Early in the church service, the following video clip was played. If you would like to take a few moments to enjoy it again, and allow it to speak to you, you can do so below:
To Read the story that goes with the picture, click here . . . but don't leave the picture too quickly. Take the time to contemplate what is being communicated through the portrait. Do you get the picture? Can you hear the music playing?