God's call of Abram sets the mold for the entire Bible: One man is chosen in order to bless the whole world. This blessing doesn't just save individuals; it builds a flourishing society. And Abram's participation in the blessing is entirely free, yet it costs him everything.
One For All
Genesis 11:10-12:3
November 19, 2023 • Walter Henegar • Genesis 11:10—12:3
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Learning God
Expansive Grace
November 12, 2023 • Walter Henegar • Genesis 11:1–9
The tower of Babel is a powerful picture of human cooperation gone wrong—and of God’s overruling grace to make things right. It’s not really about pride and folly as much as the drive to find security and identity apart from God. When we resist being drawn with God into the thrilling diversity of his world, we find that: we’re always exhausted, our fear never goes away, we’ve got company, it doesn’t work, and it scares people away.
Drunk History
November 5, 2023 • Walter Henegar • Genesis 9:18—10:32
Noah’s drunken final chapter reminds us that all of us are shaped by the models around us, especially our families, but that God always works through fallible people. Ultimately, Jesus is re-gathering people from all the scattered descendants of Noah into his new family where grace reigns.
Bacon Rainbow
October 29, 2023 • Walter Henegar • Genesis 8:20—9:17
After the flood, God leads us to expect that life and blessing will continue to multiply, but in the shadow of death and judgment. This includes a new relationship to animals where we, the “apex predators” are accountable to God for how we treat animal life and especially human life. It also includes God’s covenant to preserve creation until Jesus returns to make all things new. In the sign of this covenant, God commits to redeem humanity, even aiming his “war bow” at his own heart. Millennia later, Jesus will fulfill this covenant promise on the cross.