Sermons on Genesis
Irresistible Resistance
We read today of how Pharaoh represents the Kingdom/s of Men or Kingdom/s of the World with his hoarding, violent, oppressive, and extractive practices. Pastor Tom will lift up the women in the story who all engaged in different kinds of resistance against this oppression. The Church today is called to follow the example of these women as we seek to be the Beloved Community or Kin-dom of God. We are called to resist the Kingdoms of this world with…
We Never Stop Growing in our Faith
The story of Jacob wrestling with God is a classic initiation story. Jacob seperates, faces challenges, gains a new identity, and reintegrates. We go through initiations all the time including puberty, moving out, finding a partner, becoming a parent, and many more. Through it all God is with us and through it all our understanding of God and our faith can grow along with us. We are always invited into deeper understandings and a deeper relationship with God. -Pastor Tom’s…
100% Responsibility: What It Is and What It Is Not
In our story today, Joseph is faced with almost impossible choices. He has no good options. Yet, in each situation he makes the best choice he can. Each time he takes 100% responsibility for his decisions, never blaming the unfairness of the situation. What does it mean for us to take 100% responsibility for our choices? And just as important, what does it not mean?
Bad News, Good News, and Finding the Blessing
What are we willing to lose to serve God and our neighbor? In this sermon, we continue discussing the stories of early leaders in our faith as we turn toward Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarh in Genesis 12:1-9. We talk about all of God’s promises to Abram, as well as the many things God challenges Abram to let go of.
Dealing with People Who Don’t Play by Your Rules
How do we deal with people who don’t play by the rules we thought everyone had agreed upon? Rebekah is a woman with a message from God in a patriarchal society. She has to resort to deception to realize God’s message. Can we ever meet Rebekah’s example and learn how to nurture God’s blessings?
Did God Really Want Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac?
Does God really ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac? Or is there a deeper challenge in the story of Genesis 12:1-14? Pastor Billy will preach on what we can all learn from Abraham and Isaac’s encounter with God (spoiler alert: killing your children is not what God wants).
How Can We Widen our Circles of Compassion?
How can we widen our circles of compassion? How can we avoid compassion fatigue? Genesis 1 suggests we are not so different from the animals except that we have a particular responsibility to compassionately care for them.
Leaders Keep Dreaming
Joseph and Julian (our storybook character for this week) are both leaders, and they’re both dreamers, too. Julian’s abuela responds to his dreams with support; Jacob responds to Joseph’s dreams with critique. Christian leaders know that the world will respond with both support and criticism; our job is to keep dreaming anyway.
We Have So Much in Common: Summer Stories Series
Adam’s first words to Eve are about how much they have in common. The story of humanity, however, soon turns to a focus on our differences. We need to remember Adam’s focus on our shared humanity and a shared creator. This is the first Sunday of our Summer Stories Sermon Series.