Sunday, August 20, 2023
Holy Instrusions
Music
Introit
Hymn #330
Hymn #250
Hymn #48
Hymn #549
Sermon Notes
By Jeff Gilstrap
Scripture:
Genesis 32:22-32Theme:
God is faithful to us and to God’s promises. When we fail to remember this during times of struggle, God will intrude into our life to remind us, and to walk with us.
Reflections:
Jacob has quite a storied past (I would encourage you to read all of Chapter 32 and 33, which helps set the scene). He is the child of Isaac and has a twin brother Esau. When Isaac was old, Jacob tricked Isaac and stole his father’s blessing that was supposed to be reserved for Esau. Upon discovering Jacob’s trickery, Esau became very angry and threatened to kill Jacob. In fear, Jacob fled and lived with his Uncle Laban for many years.
In our scripture, we find Jacob by the river living in complete fear. He is convinced is brother Esau is coming to kill him and his entire family. Jacob has forgotten God’s promises delivered to him earlier “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you” Jacob is a apparent heir through which God will work to form and shape the people of Israel. As he sits by the river alone and in fear, God intrudes into his darkness. God comes to him in the form of an angel, but Jacob did not recognize God because of his fear. In the end, God blesses him. And as a sign of this encounter and blessing, God leaves him a sign, a new name and a limp. A physical sign to remind him to always trust God.
We too experience Holy Intrusions – times when God breaks into our lives to bless us, heal us and to walk with us through life. We often do not recognize it at the time, but the proof comes when we look back through our lives. My hunch is there have been times of darkness or joy where God was present but did not recognize it until later.
Questions:
1. Why do you think Jacob feared his brother in light of God’s promise to him?
2. Think about a crisis in your past? How did it resolve itself?
3. When has God intruded in your life in the past or maybe even now?
4. Looking back, where were you blessed? Did God leave a sign of God’s blessing?
Music Notes
By Kenneth Jones
Reflections:
Introit: “Hear My Cry, O Lord, and Save Me!” is classified under “Lament and Longin for Healing”. The tie in to our scripture comes with verse 3, “In our grief you stand beside us, there to lift us and to guide us.”
Opening Hymn: Our opening hymn, “Our Help Is in the Name of God”, a paraphrase of Psalm 124, is a hymn of praise and thanks for God’s aid. Each verse ends with the title as it’s final statement.
Special Music: “I Am Here”, word and music by Jay Stocker, sung by Kenneth Jones.
Responsive Hymn: “God is faithfule to us and to God’s promises”. What better hymn to sing of God’s promises than the Hymn of Promise, otherwise know as “In the Bulb There Is a Flower”.
Sending Hymn: A short little hymn we sang recently. As I searched in the hymnal for references to God’s promises, “Rain Down” came up as result. The imagery likely comes from Ezekial 34:26, “where God promises to send showers of blessing upon the people of the covenant.”
Benediction: For the month of August we will sing “May the Love of the Lord”, an English translation of the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:24-26.