Sept. 8: Images of God with Crosby Bearden

Our Images of God Change

(Preached with Crosby Bearden)

Mark 10: 13-16

September 8, 2024

As we start a new school year, I decided it was a good time to highlight the amazing children of our church. I sat down with Crosby to see what we might preach about together. Crosby said he was fascinated with the ways in which his understanding of God and his image of God had been shifting. We decided to focus on this and include the thoughts of some of the other children as well.

As we share our perspectives, I encourage you to think about the ways your image of God has changed over the years. I know we talked about this a year ago, but Crosby and some others were not around to hear that. So after our message is done, I’ll invite you to share how your images of God have shifted over the years.

Let’s start with Crosby sharing some of his early images of God. Describe God when you were young. Tell us who most closely resembled God. And share with us some words and thoughts about what God does.

Crosby: When I was young, I thought that God was just something we talked about at Thanksgiving or Christmas but then faded away. God was absent from my life. He did not do anything, and I did not think about him, as he probably did not think about me. I didn’t even know the story of Jesus at such a young age. When I did, I thought about this genie of sorts who could grant wishes.

Let me share some of my childhood images of God. Mostly I thought of God as distant and uninvolved in my life. God was more like an astronaut, far far away – deep in space. God had gotten everything started and walked away, far away.

I believed that God no longer did anything. I believed that God was in Jesus doing lots of miracles to help people. But then God blasted back off into space and has never returned.

God was very loving and caring during the time of Jesus. I believed that God helped people in need through Jesus. But now God just looked down to earth from up above. We could pray to God, but God wasn’t in the business of doing anything anymore.

As we were talking about all this a few weeks ago, Crosby decided he would like to interview our church children and see what images of God they have right now. So he will do that right now:

Crosby ask each of the children four questions:

1. Describe God
2. What or who most closely resembles God?
3. What is it about that person or thing that resembles God?
4. Tell me some words that describe what God does

As Crosby and I were reflecting on our image of God as children, we decided to focus on a Bible passage that highlights the place of children. We came up with this story from the gospels told about Jesus. The story is when some children were brought to Jesus for him to bless them. But the disciples told the parents and the children to stop bothering Jesus.

Jesus responded by saying, “Let the children come to me. Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom unless you accept it the way a child does.”

So, Crosby and I have been pondering the question: What is it that a child has or does that makes them the example of how we get into God’s kingdom?

What do you think Crosby? What is Jesus talking about here?

Crosby:

Personally, I don’t know for sure what Jesus is talking about, but we can make a few guesses. Maybe it means to enter the kingdom clear-headed and oblivious. Maybe it means cleansed and without sin. I am also guessing that if we were perfect beings, we would know the answer by heart. “What is 2 + 2? How do you enter the kingdom of heaven like a child?” But perhaps it is not that either. We must consider all possibilities.

Crosby, you talked about your image of God when you were younger. What about now? How do you describe God now? What or who most closely resembles God? What is it about them that makes them similar to God? What are some words that you would use to describe what God does?

Crosby:

I feel like God most closely resembles who talks about God the most. In this day and age, it is Pastor Mike. I think my reasoning behind this is, whoever that is, that is when I think about God the most. Now that I have started going to church, my visions have opened up. Now God is this all-knowing, all-powerful creator that is in every aspect of our lives and someone who certainly earns our respect. Some words that describe what God does include omnipotent, just, wisdom personified, eternal, true and caring. I believe in the Trinity, the belief that God the Father, God the Son Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit are one in the same. Each of them has a role and exist as three entities, but they ultimately comprise one main entity. I believe that The Father creates a plan, the Son Jesus implements the plan, and the Holy Spirit administers the plan. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are unified together as God and function in harmony in the universe as well as in the lives of mankind.

I too have changed how I view God. Whereas when I was a child, God was distant. I now see God very close. I even see God at work inside me. I find God in the natural world around me. I find God in the people around me, including all of you.

I would say that God is ever present and ever loving.

If I had to say what or who most closely resembles God, I would point to the people who I have been in the most intimate loving relationship with, in my life. That would mean my wife Lori. For me God is a lover most of all: someone who loves me unconditionally and someone I love unconditionally. The word that describes what God does is love. It’s a passionate, powerful, persistent love.

Crosby, I’d be curious to know. Do you think your image of God will continue to shift throughout your life? Or do you think you’ve finally arrived at the perfect vision and understanding of God?

Crosby:

I think it is selfish to think we’ve arrived at the perfect understanding. After all, you’re basically saying you’ve got it all figured out. But I am almost certain that when I do arrive at that perfect understanding, I’ll be in my coffin. But maybe that is not the case. After all, most of you might have been thinking about God the same way for as long as you will admit to remembering. Me too. I think we must leave room for thought nonetheless.

What about the rest of you? How have your images of God changed and shifted throughout the years? What is your image of God right now?

We’ll conclude this time by singing a hymn that highlights many different images of God. We’ll sing Bring Many Names.