In 2013 the Rijksmuseum reopened after a 9 year renovation. 375 million euros was spent on redeveloping the most famous museum in the Netherlands (and one of the most important in the world). Across 80 rooms you can see 800 years of Dutch history and over 8,000 pieces of art & history. The Rijksmuseum was so substantially altered during its redevelopment that only one piece of art remained in its original position — Rembrandt’s Night Watch.
The centrepiece of the collection
Pierre Cuypers, the original architect, designed the building around the Eregalerij (Gallery of Honour). This was to be its heart, and the Night Watch was hung (and still hangs) at the end of this hall — right at the centre, the pride of the museum.
The best way to view the Night Watch is to enter the Eregalerij at the far end (the main entrance & grand staircase are designed to take you here). Temporarily ignoring Vermeer’s Milkmaid, Rembrandt’s Syndics and other works by Steen, Van Dijck, Hals and many others, you walk towards the Night Watch slowly taking in its grandeur as it grows larger and more impressive. The whole experience is designed to take your breath away and leave you in no doubt that this stunning picture (nearly 4m by 5m) is the centrepiece of the entire 8000 collection.
The centrepiece of Christianity
Jesus, we know, is the culmination and centrepiece of the story of the bible. Jesus is central to everything we believe, everything we do, everything we are.
However, some of the most evocative and elegant language in the bible is reserved for not the bridegroom but the bride:
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21.2
The Apostle John, whilst on the island of Patmos in the Mediterranean is having his Eregalerij moment. He’s at the pinnacle of this grand vision given him to be God, he’s walking through the hall and sees at its far end, at the pride of place — Christ’s bride — the church.
Or consider this from the Apostle Paul:
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22–23)
And again:
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19–22)
Not hidden away
The church is not supposed to be some ragtag piece of art, consigned to a backroom in a dark corner of the museum or, worse still, left in the storehouse collecting dust. It’s supposed to be — we are — the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, won with a price, awaiting a glorious future. But also supposed to hang in pride of place here on earth displaying all of God’s glory.
So often the church has been relegated to a lesser position by many Christians and Christian leaders. And within wider culture it really is a forgotten relic. It’s become acceptable to talk about Jesus, but the church? — No.
Saying “I love Jesus but not the church” is like looking in his face and saying “I love you but I hate your body.” — Wendy Alsup
Wacky modern art
Even if we don’t ignore the church, we can somehow treat it as a wacky piece of modern art — we respect that it may well be ‘art’ but we just can’t understand it. However, far from being an ugly cast off or a take-it-or-leave-it addition to the gospel, the church is a living image of the gospel itself.
Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10)
The church is supposed to be unveiled, displayed, shown-off, so that ‘through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known’. As crazy as it might sound — we will reach this city through the church displaying the glory of Christ.
Reaching the city
The first disciples certainly believed this. As a result of the day of Pentecost, they sought to display the love of God the only way they knew how — planting the very first church, and then planting dozens more.
The story of Acts is not just individuals doing incredible things (remember not just one Munching) but communities of believers, the body of Christ, displaying Christ.
We should be hung at pride of place in this city, magnifying the beauty of Christ.