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Featured Window

Window of the Month
Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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Window

Building Name: Third Reformed Church

City: Holland

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Subject/Title of Window: Resurrection

Brief Description of Subject: Resurrection
Matt 28:2 “And behold there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.”

The Resurrection exemplifies the great transforming power of God in all of Life. This great transformation is very evident as we compare this stained glass window with the preceding one. In the Resurrection picture our Lord Jesus Christ is the dominant rising figure as over against the kneeling figures in Gethsemane. Now his hands are raised in benediction whereas before they were clasped in the attitude of petition. He is now holding the staff with white banner and cross upon it showing victory, triumph rejoicing, and the conquering of sin and death. In Gethsemane the only living thing is the half dead thorn denoting the curse of sin and death upon mankind, but in the Resurrection there is the hyacinth growing under foot signifying peace and power, and the Easter lily reminding us of the beauty of the Easter morn. In Gethsemane the hard rock was unmoved, but now the rock hewn tomb stands empty because the stone has been rolled away.

Each of these symbols reminds us one of the ways in which life is transformed by the Resurrection. Before the Resurrection. Before the Resurrection it seemed that sin and death were the great resigning forces in the world. There seemed to be nothing that could dispel the dark and evil shadow which has been case over all life. This sin lay within men hears like a viper and rested upon the mind like the thorn of consciences. But now we have the victory over it through the forgiveness of God in Christ Jesus.

Still another transformation is indicated by our art glass window, and that is in the realm of military and political power. Notice the solider. He is neither standing or kneeling but sitting. He is off balance, startled, not knowing what to make of it. His hand is thrown up to catch his balance and fend off some danger that seemed to be present. This admirably depicts that what happened to it when Jesus rose from the dead. Until that moment might and force had held sway. The ultimate power seemed to be the power of the state. They had placed a guard at the tomb with confidence that if only the guard were strong enough nothing could upset their plans. They also knew that if anything happened to the body of Jesus “the last error shall be worse than the first” Matt 27:64. And indeed it was. They found out that there was a power with which swords and politics and wealth could not cope. It was the power of the risen Christ which threw them off balance. They could do nothing against it. Therefore, we see this solider symbolizing all this.

Resurrection
Resurrection

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