Image Driven Postmoderns

Does your mind think in words or pictures? When you shop, do you look at the thing you buy? Do you care for the picture to be displayed on the box? Or do you just ask for a description?
I am an ebay shopper, and unless I see a picture I would not even bother checking the lot. Someone said that images come as close as we ever will get to a universal language. As we are considering communicating Gospel to the Postmoderns we must recognize that propositions and words are lost on people’s ears. But metaphor they will always hear. Christ’s preaching was always replete with images and metaphors. Just think of the prodigal son, the cursed fig tree, the sower, seeds and birds - people could see what He meant. His mission was to project the Image – of the Invisible God. (Colossians 1:15)
Get the picture? What images are in your mind? What image of us, our church do we project into community around us?
There is a saying “ideas are dangerous for those who’ve got no idea…” Same with images: they are dangerous to those who do not have an image to hold on to. As we studied through the Revelation 13 recently it was a new discovery for many to realize that the final persecution will come not from the Sea Monster, not even from the Land Beast, but from an Image that people will erect under the deceptive influences. (Revelation 13:14-15)
What mental images are imprinted in your forehead? What do you focus you eyes on? Do you gaze into the promised land, having your head in heaven even though our bodies are still here?
Visual environment is very important for tuning our spiritual eyes. While recognizing the danger of images becoming objects of worship, we must also recognize the communicative power of images. Wise Solomon concluded that “as man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Our thought-images make us!
Christian writer Leonard Sweet says “Images are the stuff of which the soul is sculpted.” So check your visual archive and the images that eyes of your heart see. Apostle Paul prayed for new images (Ephesians 1:18). The culture around us is throwing at us images, virtual reality, metaphors, virtually drowning many. Just like in the old days parents soaped words from kids mouths, we must keep our eyes on images that are pure, true, noble, right, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
We crave images (just ask any teen about staying away from watching movies). So, relax, it’s not a new fad: Moses’ Tabernacle in the wilderness was the Drama Stage, could you think of anything more graphic to illustrate horror of sin, than having to cut throat to your favorite lamb? Solomon’s Temple was totally about images: all the walls were decorated to remind about Eden lost. It was a “virtual reality” garden with fruit trees, birds and creatures. (1st Kings 6:35)
As you walk in dark valley of this depraved world – think of the beauty of the city build by God Himself for his beloved children – us, and then project that image: walk as Victorious Child of the Heavenly King.