Good - Genesis 1:1-2:4a - Trinity Sunday - 6-7-20

Sermon podcast from our 6-7-20 online worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Genesis 1:1-2:4a

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"Good" podcast

The whole worship service livestream recording

Blessing - Genesis 12:1-4a - Second Sunday of Lent - 3-8-20

Sermon podcast from yesterday at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.  Genesis 12:1-4a.
God never leaves. God never calls off the “blessed” bit. And as God promised that Abram would be blessed, so God promises and wants all of God’s children to be blessed.  All.  All. All. No exceptions.
We have to stop trying to undo that.

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"Blessing" podcast

Blessing

Sermon podcast from this past Sunday at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove.  Genesis 12:1-4a
"Blessing" podcast

Between

This week’s short Bible reading from Genesis 12:1-4a describes some of the beginning of a journey. God told Abram go to the land God would show him.  God promised blessing.  And Abram went.

I wonder what occurred between the part where God told Abram to go and Abram went?

• Questions
• Fear
• Doubt
• Arguments
• Plans
• Packing
• Unpacking
• Packing again
• Second-guessing
• Questions
• Fear
• Doubt
• Arguments

 And then maybe going?

I think we often have gotten this idea that God told Abram to go and Abram picked up and went.  The Bible doesn’t hold back on all the adventure after Abram left. I wish there was a little more description about the adventure that came before the journey started.

Why? Because that’s where we live. I think that’s where most of humanity now lives and where humanity has lived for generations. I want to know about the doubts and the fears that took place before Abram just up and left. I know I can’t be positive that Abram had doubts and fears and questions and arguments about the whole “go” thing, but the rest of the story shows a significant amount of confusion, doubt, mistakes, and failures. 

Blessed

This week's Bible study post (Go) is somewhere in Sunday's sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL.  Yes,  I know that the title is the same as a sermon I preached less than two months ago. So I like the word!  And it's a different sermon. :)
"Blessed" text
"Blessed" podcast

Go

Here's this week's Bible reflection:

Go

This week’s short Bible reading from Genesis 12:1-4a describes some of the beginning of a journey. God told Abram go to the land God would show him.  God promised blessing.  And Abram went.

I wonder what occurred between the part where God told Abram to go and Abram went?

• Questions
• Fear
• Doubt
• Arguments
• Plans
• Packing
• Unpacking
• Packing again
• Second-guessing
• Questions
• Fear
• Doubt
• Arguments

And then maybe going?

I think we often have gotten this idea that God told Abram to go and Abram picked up and went.  The Bible doesn’t hold back on all the adventure after Abram left. I wish there was a little more to the adventure that came before the journey started.