The United Church of Canandaigua

As we reflect on the story of Noah from Genesis 6:9-9:17, we see Noah as a righteous man in a corrupt world, unwavering in his obedience to God's commands. Despite the widespread wickedness that led God to regret creating humanity, Noah's faith and adherence to God's instructions provided a glimmer of hope. The sermon highlights how Noah's faithful actions led to the salvation of his family and a covenant with God, symbolized by the rainbow as a promise never to destroy the earth with a flood again. We are encouraged to emulate Noah's faithfulness and obedience, trusting in God's promises and redemption through Christ.

The story of Noah is familiar to most of us. We remember the ark, the rainbow and the dove. We remember how God rescued in a world of wickedness. However, we seldom reflect on the wickedness of the world in these days. Genesis 6:1-8 describes the days of Noah. We will consider the pre-flood world and explore implications for our culture today.

The story of Adam and Eve is a fascinating account. Living in the glory of Eden, one could not imagine wanting more. Yet they are tricked into thinking that God is holding back. Their story is our story. The Fall describes the nature of evil in our world; the same forces of temptation, deception, disobedience are present in our culture today.

The second chapter of Genesis provides an extended account of God's creation of humans. As we delve into this story, we learn about God's design for men and women. Verses in this chapter are quoted by both Jesus and Paul as they taught about human sexuality. In a world that offers many versions of human sexuality, Genesis 2 points to God's plan and design.

After creating the world, God fashioned a haven for the first humans—a breathtaking environment that met all their needs. As we delve into this narrative, let us long for a return to this idyllic setting. The story of God holds the promise of a future restoration, where we will once again inhabit a similar paradise, as God renews all of creation.

Last week, we covered the first six days of creation. This week, we dedicate our sermon to the seventh day of creation, which holds profound importance and relevance in our culture. On this day, God rests from His work, setting an example for us to follow. The creation story offers a life pattern of rest that is seldom practiced in today's fast-paced world.

How did our world begin? This question is often asked by small children. We long to know the origin of the world in which we live. Scientists have attempted to explain our beginnings with theories of origin. Pagan religions have developed stories throughout the years that explain how our world came to be. We will engage Genesis 1 together to discover what the Bible says about how it all began.

As we conclude the season of Easter, we consider what happens in Acts 2. A lifeless, pathetic, group of confused people are waiting for God to show up. In Acts 2, it happens; the church is empowered, bold, ready to be all that God intended her to be.

In our final sermon on 1 John, we discuss eternal life, or Zoe life. John wants us to understand that this kind of life is only available through belief in Jesus as the Son of God. Moreover, this life, granted by God’s grace, includes the forgiveness of sins and transforms us into new creations living in Christ.

As we continue to discuss true love, John points us to the connection between love and obedience to God’s commands. God’s love is rooted in Him and cannot exist in opposition to His ways. The world around us may confuse us and falsely accuse us of not loving. But as we live in the light of God, we lovingly invite others into this light. This is the most loving way of living possible.