Teachings and Narratives Archives

May 04, 2024

Come You Who Are Blessed

The King will say to those on His right: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…. I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” For a fuller explanation of these words of Jesus, read Matthew 25:31-46. [eltdf_button size="huge-full-width" type="solid" text="Buy this item"...

Aug 17, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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The Book of Revelation

This painting celebrates the sovereignty and glory of Almighty God as described by the Apostle John in the book of Revelation. The composition reads from the bottom to the top, leading the viewer through major themes and moments in the unfolding drama of Revelation. We see the hand of Jesus holding seven stars, denoting the angels of the seven churches. Those churches are depicted by seven archways at the base of the image, with pictorial elements that are drawn from Jesus' letter to each of the churches. Also included are the throne of God, flashing with lightning, enveloped in an emerald rainbow, and encircled by thrones of elders. A Lamb that was slain opened the scroll with seven seals. Seven...

May 27, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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Unity in Christ

"Unity in Christ" is the about the active work of Jesus Christ in bringing together a people that are His very own. His church is made up of people from every tribe and tongue, every race and skin color. While we may appear to have nothing in common on the outside and every reason to build up walls between us (as the human race has often done), Christ takes hold of our hands and shows us a new way of living together. This manner of living is in keeping with the relational unity that the Godhead experiences as Father, Son, and Spirit. As Ephesians 2:14-16 says, "He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has...

Apr 24, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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Song of Songs

Tucked in the center of the Bible is a poem of passionate love and we call it the Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon. Two lovers rejoice in one another and celebrate God’s good gift of marital love within its pages. This painting contains selections of various images describing the love of the husband and wife. We see the gentle hands, speaking, “Come away with me.” We read that the lover’s lips are like a scarlet ribbon. He “browses among the lilies,” climbs his lover’s trunk and takes hold of her fruit, and delights in comparing her breasts to two fawns. Throughout the whole text, the intimacy of their love is hidden behind a veil of flowery words and...

Apr 08, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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Friendship

Friendship is a beautiful evidence of the common grace of God toward humanity. The Scriptures speak of its benefits. In Ecclesiastes chapter 4, we read how being in community and relationship with others helps us: our work efforts are multiplied, individuals are helped when they are struggling, and strength is found in the midst of friendships. The book of Proverbs also speaks of the goodness of friendship. In Proverbs 27, the advice of a friend is likened to the pleasantness of perfume and incense. Proverbs 17 tells us that a friend loves at all times, whether good or bad. In this image, elements of these passages are seen in the crocheters at work, the cord of three strands, the helping...

Feb 25, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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Sowing in Tears, Reaping with Joy

Psalm 126 is a chronicle of the prayers, praises, hopes, and longings of the people of Israel as they returned from the Babylonian captivity. The Psalm may seem to be hitched to a specific time in history, but once we read it today, it takes on new life and we see how the Word of the Lord is indeed living and active. We can identify with their sorrows, for we have traveled through heart-breaking trials as well. Our hearts resonate with theirs as we consider how God answered us in our time of need and replaced our mourning with laughter and singing. We trust that those who know our struggles marvel at what God has done to help us as...

Jan 21, 2023

by Andrew Lindberg

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Grafted In

For thousands of years, God's family could be traced from one lineage--the people of Israel, descended from Abraham. With the coming of Christ and His death and resurrection, God launched a new era in the life of His people, fulfilling prophesies that the nations would be counted as His people and worship Him (see Isaiah 49:6 and Psalm 86:9). Paul explains how God has put the Gentiles together with the Jews in God's family through the analogy of an olive tree with grafted branches. God is portrayed as a gardener who skillfully stitches a wild olive shoot into the body of an established olive tree. In the same way, adoptive families graft one life into the life of their family,...