Sermon podcast from the Fifth Sunday of Lent, 4-3-22 worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Isaiah 43:16-21
"New" podcast
Showing posts with label Isaiah 43:16-21. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah 43:16-21. Show all posts
4/09/2019
New
Sermon podcast from this past Sunday (4-7-19) at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL Isaiah 43:16-21
Video Sermon Preview
"New" podcast
Video Sermon Preview
"New" podcast
3/13/2016
A Way
Sermon podcast from today at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Into new, untraveled paths in the wilderness.
"A Way" podcast
"A Way" podcast
3/15/2013
New Thing
This week's Bible reflection (Going back home) introduces a "people are gonna talk" sermon for this Sunday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL.
"New Thing" text
"New Thing" podcast
"New Thing" text
"New Thing" podcast
3/11/2013
Going back home
It may not be a ‘life rule’, but I think that it’s accurate to say that folks romanticize past positive experiences to a point that the memory of the event is much more positive than the initial experience. I guess folks do the same with bad experiences – with the memory amplifying the experience in a negative way. Though the traditional wisdom on negative experiences seems to be that they fade with time. I don’t know. I do think, however, that when we try to recreate the past positive experiences they usually pale in comparison to our memory.
You can’t go back home, right?
In this week’s Bible reading from Isaiah 43:16-21, the prophet announces that God is going to do a new thing. But just before that announcement there’s a brief warning not to romanticize the events from the past and expect that this new things is going to be just like the things from before.
Romanticizing the past –
The people of Israel – who were living in exile when the prophet from Isaiah 43 spoke – romanticized the past.
They were a people delivered out of bondage in Egypt
They were a people who walked through the sea – while their would-be captors were drowned.
They were a people wandering in the wilderness for a generation.
They were a people at Sinai – getting the 10 commandments
They were a people who finally made it to the promised land
They were a people who had been thrown out of their land
They were a people with a strong history, but without a place to call home.
And they looked back at the events that defined them and remembered the glory days. ‘That’s what we have to get back to! When we get all that back we will be whole again!”
But things really don’t work that way.
You can’t go back home, right?
In this week’s Bible reading from Isaiah 43:16-21, the prophet announces that God is going to do a new thing. But just before that announcement there’s a brief warning not to romanticize the events from the past and expect that this new things is going to be just like the things from before.
Romanticizing the past –
The people of Israel – who were living in exile when the prophet from Isaiah 43 spoke – romanticized the past.
They were a people delivered out of bondage in Egypt
They were a people who walked through the sea – while their would-be captors were drowned.
They were a people wandering in the wilderness for a generation.
They were a people at Sinai – getting the 10 commandments
They were a people who finally made it to the promised land
They were a people who had been thrown out of their land
They were a people with a strong history, but without a place to call home.
And they looked back at the events that defined them and remembered the glory days. ‘That’s what we have to get back to! When we get all that back we will be whole again!”
But things really don’t work that way.
3/19/2010
A New Thing
This week's Bible study blog post for i.ucc.org (Going back home) gets the ball rolling for Sunday's "Turn the world upside-down" sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL
"A New Thing" text
"A New Thing" podcast
"A New Thing" text
"A New Thing" podcast
3/15/2010
Going back home
Here's this week's Bible study blog post for i.ucc.org:
It may not be a ‘life rule’, but I think its accurate to say that folks romanticize past positive experience to a point that the memory of the event is much more positive than the initial experience. I guess folks do the same with bad experience – with the memory amplifying the experience in a negative way. Though the traditional wisdom on negative experiences seems to be that they fade with time. I don’t know. I do think, however, that when we try to recreate the past positive experiences they usually pale in comparison to our memory.
You can’t go back home, right?
In this week’s Bible reading from Isaiah 43:16-21, the prophet announces that God is going to do a new thing. But just before that announcement there’s a brief warning not to romanticize the events from the past and expect that this new things is going to be just like the things from before.
This new thing? Apparently there’s no comparison possible.
The prophet announced it then – about an event then. But I don’t think God ever stops doing a new thing.
Question is- how do we experience the new thing God is doing?
It may not be a ‘life rule’, but I think its accurate to say that folks romanticize past positive experience to a point that the memory of the event is much more positive than the initial experience. I guess folks do the same with bad experience – with the memory amplifying the experience in a negative way. Though the traditional wisdom on negative experiences seems to be that they fade with time. I don’t know. I do think, however, that when we try to recreate the past positive experiences they usually pale in comparison to our memory.
You can’t go back home, right?
In this week’s Bible reading from Isaiah 43:16-21, the prophet announces that God is going to do a new thing. But just before that announcement there’s a brief warning not to romanticize the events from the past and expect that this new things is going to be just like the things from before.
This new thing? Apparently there’s no comparison possible.
The prophet announced it then – about an event then. But I don’t think God ever stops doing a new thing.
Question is- how do we experience the new thing God is doing?
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