Embrace Church Sermon Audio

Embrace Sunday Gathering (11am, July 5, 2020)

Songs:
Your Presence is Heaven
Unto Your Name
I Surrender All
Im a Lover of Your Presence

Scripture: Genesis 24:1-67

Sermon: Genesis (Part 5): God is Busy at Work, by Pastor John

Thursday (6/25) Noon Check-in

Embrace Church, Lexington, KY

Topics Covered:
Pastor Tanya challenged us to seek deeper intimacy with Christ, and to be honest with ourselves about where we need to repent and to seek God's help for our unbelief.

Tuesday (6/23) Noon Check-In

Embrace Church, Lexington, KY

Topics Covered:

-Pastor John shared about his story of finding himself in the midst of a loving community of encouragement.

-He also shared a song, God Believes in You, by Pierce Pettis.

-The challenge: each day this week reach out to at least person and offer a word of encouragement and blessing.

Embrace Sunday Gathering (11am, June 21, 2020)

Songs:
Hear Us From Heaven
Promises
Because He Lives
Make Us One

Scripture:
Genesis 16:1-16 & 21:8-21

Sermon: Genesis (Part 3): The Uncomfortable Mirror, by Pastor John

Quotes:
“I can remember many times that white people have said to me things like, ‘I don’t have a culture’ or ‘I’m just a ‘normal’ American.’ They assume that their interpretations of the world are purely objective and universal perspectives that everyone else should adopt...In America, the white dominant cultural way is often assumed to be the right way. The culture, values, and norms of the dominant group get translated into the universally right and moral way of life.”
-Drew Hart, Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church View Racism

"FOR BLACK WOMEN, the story of Hagar in the Old Testament book of Genesis is a haunting one. It is a story of exploitation and persecution suffered by an Egyptian slave woman at the hands of her Hebrew mistress."
-Renita Weems, Just a Sister Away

"This story reminds us to scrutinize our actions, to think of the ways in which we have been blind to the power we have abused, unthinking in the ways in which our privilege has caused us to bring suffering to others, to people we don’t fully see. This Torah reading is meant to be an uncomfortable mirror, a call to empathy and accountability."
-Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

“Hagar gave this name to Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”
-Genesis 16:13

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
-Genesis 20:17-18

Sermon: Genesis (Part 3): The Uncomfortable Mirror, by Pastor John

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-16 & 21:8-21

Quotes:
“I can remember many times that white people have said to me things like, ‘I don’t have a culture’ or ‘I’m just a ‘normal’ American.’ They assume that their interpretations of the world are purely objective and universal perspectives that everyone else should adopt...In America, the white dominant cultural way is often assumed to be the right way. The culture, values, and norms of the dominant group get translated into the universally right and moral way of life.”
-Drew Hart, Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church View Racism

"FOR BLACK WOMEN, the story of Hagar in the Old Testament book of Genesis is a haunting one. It is a story of exploitation and persecution suffered by an Egyptian slave woman at the hands of her Hebrew mistress."
-Renita Weems, Just a Sister Away

"This story reminds us to scrutinize our actions, to think of the ways in which we have been blind to the power we have abused, unthinking in the ways in which our privilege has caused us to bring suffering to others, to people we don’t fully see. This Torah reading is meant to be an uncomfortable mirror, a call to empathy and accountability."
-Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

“Hagar gave this name to Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”
-Genesis 16:13

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
-Genesis 20:17-18

Thursday (6/18) Noon Check-In

Topics Covered:
-Sara Trapp shared a testimony about God's presence with her as she cares for her mom dealing with health issues.
-We share some favorite psalms that are speaking to us.
-Shared some praise and protest.

Tuesday (6/16) Noon Check-in

Topics Covered:
-Phrases of truth that have helped grow our understanding of discipleship

-The Eugene Peterson phrase "A long obedience in the same direction," and how it helps us view Genesis through a formational lens

-The lengthy time of waiting through which Abraham and Sarah grew in faith (even with stumbling and mistakes)!

“‘Pilgrim’ tells us we are people who spend our lives going someplace, going to God, and whose path for getting there is the way of Jesus Christ...Abraham, who ‘went out’ is our archetype. Jesus, answering Thomas’s question, ‘Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road? gives us directions: ‘I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.’”
-Eugene Peterson (A Long Obedience in the Same Direction)

Embrace Sunday Gathering (11am, June 14, 2020)

Songs:
More Than Conquerors
Break Every Chain
What a Beautiful Name
Promises

Scripture:
Genesis 12:1-3; 18:1-15; 21:1-7

Sermon: Genesis (Part 2): Disruptive Newness, by Pastor John

Quotes:

“God calls the hopeless ones into a community with a future. He calls the fixed ones into pilgrimage.”
-Walter Brueggemann

"Disruptive newness"
-Walter Brueggemann

“Genesis introduces us to an awesome God who holds a good world in loving hands. Such a deity has been comforting, as we Africana peoples have needed a source of hope in a world dominated by those opposed to our very being. After enduring the governance of European domination, oppression, slavery, segregation, and genocide, scripture’s emphasis on God’s ultimate control over the horrors of this world was requisite. Genesis provides a context to understand God’s control in spite of—in spite of all the horrors we have faced, we have needed to know that there is yet a reason to keep on keeping on.”
-Hugh Page, Jr.

Sermon: Genesis (Part 2): Disruptive Newness, by Pastor John

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-3; 18:1-15; 21:1-7

Quotes:

“God calls the hopeless ones into a community with a future. He calls the fixed ones into pilgrimage.”
-Walter Brueggemann

"Disruptive newness"
-Walter Brueggemann

“Genesis introduces us to an awesome God who holds a good world in loving hands. Such a deity has been comforting, as we Africana peoples have needed a source of hope in a world dominated by those opposed to our very being. After enduring the governance of European domination, oppression, slavery, segregation, and genocide, scripture’s emphasis on God’s ultimate control over the horrors of this world was requisite. Genesis provides a context to understand God’s control in spite of—in spite of all the horrors we have faced, we have needed to know that there is yet a reason to keep on keeping on.”
-Hugh Page, Jr.

Thursday (6/11) Noon Check-In

Topics Covered:
-Pastor John shared a brief reflection on staying awake and refusing to look away at the suffering around us.
-Rick Reams shared a brief testimony about how God has been challenging him to not look away.
-Closed with a time prayer and sharing.