The Wrath of God and Peanut Butter Sandwiches

For some reason God has me preaching on His wrath this Sunday. To date it's been the most challenging Bible study I've ever done. We don't like to think about, much less dwell on the wrath of God. We see it as dark and depressing. We would much rather focus on verses like "God is Love". Last night I was feeling overwhelmed by God's holiness and wrath but God took this opportunity to show me His grace. Was it a burning bush? Was is it his audible voice telling me of His love? Did I see the face or Jesus in my pizza? Nope...it was a peanut butter sandwich...yep...comfort food. After I ate that sandwich I felt comforted, loved, and had a greater sense of peace about His wrath. It's amazing how something so simple as a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread can display the glorious, personal grace and love of God! And it was only the Wal-Mart brand. I can't imagine what would have happened if I had used the Skippy.

Child-like Faith

I'm so fickle and closed minded at times. I have all but abandoned "secular" music (i.e. music that never says Jesus' name). Recently I was browsing iTunes and found a string quartet that did tribute albums to Switchfoot and Relient K. I saw their catalogue also included a tribute to Death Cab for Cutie. I had heard of Death Cab somewhere so I checked out their stuff. Wow! That's the stuff I used to listen to when I was avoiding God during my college years. Pixies + XTC + New Order = Death Cab. Good stuff. I'm sold.

The song that first caught my hammer and anvil was No Sunlight. It's got a bouncy beat, strong bass, with flavoring from the piano. It's a perfect Summer tune. You know roll down the window and "Turn it up man!" Being a fan of the hook I paid attention to the lyrics and hear a lament that was pretty depressing...

When I was young lying in the grass
I felt so safe in a warming bath of sunlight
Vast open sky could do no harm Like an embrace of a mother’s arms
In sunlight, In sunlight

With every year that came to pass
More clouds appeared ‘til the sky went black
And there was no sunlight
And there was no sunlight anymore

It disappeared at the same speed
As the idealistic things I believed
When the optimist died inside of me
No sunlight, no sunlight
No sunlight, no sunlight, anymore

Whoa! It immediately brought the story of Jesus and the children to mind. Jesus indignantly tells the disciples, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." I'm only beginning to explore all the implications of that statement.

Welcome to Vintage Church

Church today is seen as judgmental, hypocritical, and irrelevant. Vintage Church has one purpose, point people towards the glory of Jesus Christ to they may be empowered to show the love of Jesus Christ to all others.