Love Chapel Hill

Matriarchs of the Faith --- Judges 4:1-10

The book of Judges doesn't have a whole lot of characters you could call "role models." This was a period of time where Israel's identity got murky. It emphasized their need for a righteous leader by showing how nasty things could get without one. Deborah, however, stands out as being one of the more obedient of these leaders. Hers is a rule of, most importantly, redemption. In a violent time, her life would set the stage for what Jesus would complete generations later.

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Matriarchs of the Faith --- Exodus 2: 1-10, 15: 20-21

Miriam…. Moses’s sister, right? Sang that song one time? Obviously, the story of the Exodus heavily features Moses and his and his brother Aaron’s role in the delivery of the Israelites from slavery. But it’s worth returning to the text and remembering the very important role their sister Miriam played. This was the woman who saw her baby safely delivered to the Pharaoh’s daughter and established their mother as nursemaid. And she didn’t just sing a song, she led the worship of an entire people. This was a leader. A Prophet. An essential part of how the Kingdom of Israel would eventually be established. Her voice, like those of countless generations of women, tends to get drowned out by the patriarchy. And we do culture, ourselves, and our faith a supreme disservice when we dismiss how much the women among us have to offer.

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Matriarchs of the Faith --- Genesis 29 - 30, 35

Two sisters. Jacob, the man who would be called Israel. And the twisty story that would literally birth the twelve tribes of said Israel. What begins with all the trappings of a love story turns into one of pain, disobedience, jealousy, and perhaps some redemption. These matriarchs lay the foundations of the Hebrew people and their identities. And they also remind us that we're human; broken. Yet God has provision for us, even in our triumphs and our sin.

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Matriarchs of the Faith --- Genesis 12:11-20, 16:1-6

The descendants of Abraham don't outnumber the stars without Sarah. And though her story is critical to the establishment of God's people, we are often confronted with what she does not get: agency. The objectively stunning matriarch of the wonderful Otwell family (whose husband has no apologies for his LACK of objectivity) takes a look at Sarai's early, and very human, journey.

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Matriarchs of the Faith --- Genesis 1:26-31, 2:15-26

We begin our fall Old Testament series on a group of people sorely who haven't gotten the attention they've deserved in our history: the Matriarchs of the Faith. The women who grew a nation and shaped our identities. Women eclipsed by millennia of patriarchy. And it began with the mother of humanity in the story of Eve. It's a story of surprising equality and the sin that broke it all apart.

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Who Are We? --- Matthew 8:4-13

We close out this series at the same time that we celebrate our 13th birthday as a church. And the story of the centurion embodies so much of our mission. And our effect. Even Jesus is caught off-guard when an officer of the occupying army shows faith in his power rarely seen by even one of Christ's own people. Ours is a faith that doesn't stop at worship. It changes lives and destinies in ways we couldn't have imagined. That's who we are. And who we are is about to shape what we'll be in the days to come.

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Who Are We --- Luke 19:25-37

It's hard to top the example of radical hospitality Jesus gives in his parable of the Good Samaritan. While "Samaritan" is now synonymous in contemporary culture with with this good deed, it's worth remembering that Jesus made his protagonist an extremely inconvenient figure. It's the story of classes and cultures that didn't mix; one where a Jewish man's own people and role models quietly sneak out of the story. Love Chapel Hill is called to make neighbors out of everyone, even when it's costly or sometimes socially inconvenient. It's a mission we live out in pride while continuing to improve year after year.

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Who Are We? --- Mark 5:1-20

A demon-possessed man raves in a tomb outside of town. Jesus confronts the man and his demons. After a dramatic exorcism, the man is free to tell what he has seen. Sam breaks down the beautiful layers of this narrative to show the optimistic grace given to a man personifying ultimate oppression. This is a reaffirmation of the power Christ has over the personal and political forces that would break us down and control us. Where do you see yourself in this story? You might be surprised.

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Who Are We? --- 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

NOTE: Once again, we had an audio sourcing issue and we noticed about 15 minutes in. It gets much better after that.

Many places in Scripture define what you give is not so much an amount, but rather a proportion. Those who have little and less to be generous with but do so anyway are praised for their courage and substantially add to the value of the Kingdom. We're in a unique place to live out the Great Reversal here in the Triangle, and in doing so we make our community and our lives so much better.

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Who Are We? --- Luke 15: 11-32

One of the best known parables is one of the best examples of what reckless love should look like. A prodigal wastes a huge chuck of his father's legacy on sin, pure and simple. A brother, good and faithful, respects his family and what he has. But the twist is the exuberance of forgiveness when we were lost. It's also the repudiation of anger for the repentant who returns to celebration. All are welcome in our church. It is our duty to recklessly love those who feel they are beyond such, even when we're pressured by others to agree.

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