Fall 2020 Sermon Series - Sep. 13 - Oct. 21
"What is the Promise: A Series on Grace and Our Purpose?"
Week 1: Sep. 13
Text: Gen. 2:4b-7, 15-17; 3:1-8
Promise/Grace: God desires us so much that God's loving creation of us and the world is the promise that takes priority over everything else
Purpose/Calling: God created us to serve the creation by caring for its health and future; our first purpose in life is to be servants of others and the world in whichever ways we carry out our lives
Week 2: Sep. 20
Text: Gen. 15:1-6
Promise/Grace: God gives faith to us to trust God and be aligned with Him
Purpose/Calling: Having an intentional prayer life in which we seek God's blessing and direction
Week 3: Sep. 27
Text: Gen. 37:3-8, 17b-22, 26-34; 50:15-21
Promise/Grace: Only God can provide forgiveness; humans do not want to do this naturally. With forgiveness, there is always a way forward
Purpose/Calling: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;" being a forgiver, not holding grudges, not being vengeful
Week 4: Oct. 4
Text: Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8
Promise/Grace: God provides a beginning for a way out of oppression for those who love God
Purpose/Calling: Desire to see others' oppression and work to lift it
Week 5: Oct. 11
Text: Exodus 32:1-14
Promise/Grace: God's mercy is greater than God's wrath; this is a good, healthy God, not a demanding, narcissistic god
Purpose/Calling: Our mercy should always be greater than our wrath
Week 6: Oct. 18
Text: I Samuel 1:9-11, 19-20; 2:1-11
Promise/Grace: God is willing to let us see that we can converse with God with our deepest feelings; God stoops to be in our real, daily lives
Purpose/Calling: We should approach God regularly and with utter awe and hopeful seriousness