Pastor John Van Sloten

I’m just reading Alain de Botton’s new book on work and in it he describes someone’s daily commute into London.  His words reminded me of the sad experience I have in Chicago’s O’Hare airport every time I’m there.  It has to do with two of the coolest things that no one (except children) ever notices.  In terminal one there is a huge Brachiosaurus skeleton dominating concourse B.  I have never seen an adult looking up at it.  And in the tunnel between terminals there are these brilliant neon lights that dance to music as you travel the moving sidewalk.  Again, for the most part unnoticed.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbsONsWGAUs 

On Sunday a friend shared this quote with me.  ”The moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is a sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing.”  ~Eric Berne     So true.

Seerveld article  Pastor Tim Blackmon sent me this interesting article by Dr. Cal Seerveld on how creational revelation relates to biblical revelation.  It’s a bit theological but I found it both fascinating and helpful in terms of striking the right balance.

For just a couple of minutes!  It was my first time up in a 4 seater; a Mooney M-20. Cruised the city, then head out to the foothills to take in the sunset.  My pilot was Kevin Coombs (a new guy at the church – hopefully a new friend!)

As you might have already heard, this Sunday’s message will be looking at God’s truth as we find it in the new UK folk band Mumford and Sons.  Homework is to familiarize yourself with a few of their songs (we’ll be singing them on Sunday!). 

 The Cave – http://bit.ly/b2SKnz

Awake my Soul – http://bit.ly/9OJsRh

Roll away your Stone – http://bit.ly/c1U4J3

Sigh no More – http://bit.ly/aEvFQ9

Timshel – http://bit.ly/bdP5g3

 The thinking is that the better we all know the music, the closer we’ll all be in discerning God’s truth there.  Listen and try to hear what God might be saying to you.

Often people push back on the idea of God speaking through all things when those things are ugly or messy. It’s almost as though they want to protect God from getting his hands dirty.  Yet, again and again, in the bible God enters into the mess and mysteriously works through it all the time.

This morning I’ve been reading from the prophet Isaiah.  God’s people are being threatened by two ‘smouldering stubs of firewood’ (7:4) – neighbouring nations who want to destroy them.  And the people are trusting what they see with their eyes over God.  And God’s ticked.  So God speaks a word of judgment to his people (and to everyone else in the process).  God calls another neighbouring nation – Assyria – to totally douse those smouldering stubs (which it does!).  Assyria then takes over the land of God’s people – as punishment for Israel’s lack of faith.  But because the Assyrians do God’s judging work with too much arrogance (10:15ff)  God judges them as well, by sending a wasting disease on their nation.  And when God’s people see this happen to Assyria – a nation they had come to depend on even as they colonized their country – they finally repent.

Isaiah 10:20 – “In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.”   

What a messy way to get the point across!  A judgment-orama.  An angry and violent word from God spoken through all kinds of muck and mire in order to finally get his people’s attention.

For the past month I’ve been looking at Edward and wondering what he’s thinking.  Because of his very limited communication capacities I never really know what’s going on in that brain of his.  Often I wonder what he comprehends of God. ”Does he understand you? Know you?”  At times I struggle with this.  But watching the animated film How to Tame Your Dragon with him last night helped. To me, the reconciling gospel was very much present in that story.  Two warring sides brought together by an individual willing to sacrifice himself for their unity; the subtext was pretty obvious.  And it made me wonder if this is how God communicates the gospel to a disabled young man…  to a disabled young man and to countless young kids and parents who don’t know him yet. 

If you’ve seen the film, here’s its biblical twin; 

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”   Ephesians 2:14-22

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Dear Sir,

I just heard your sermon on Freddie Mercury (allbeit rather late) and I wish to convey how excellent and spiritual it was.

Although I’m a follower of Islam, The Bible still remains a part of my love as is Jesus. But I always think there is a higher order towards God through Inner spirituality which removes the divide of religions and control.

Thank you for the wonderful words and wisdom which I shared almost all the entirety I could relate to the passages and history. You spoke so well and I could tell you were a Queen fan.

May God always guide you.

Peace Be Upon You.

Amar Habib