Failure & Faithfulness

Redemption Hill Church

Failure & Faithfulness

Genesis 20

November 5, 2023 • Genesis 20

This Sunday we return to our series, Abraham: Journey of Faith with a fascinating story about Abraham and Abimelech. It is possible for us to live our lives day to day without any real sense or awareness of God’s active work in our lives and in the world around us. The more busy and focused we become on what is happening immediately in front of us, the more tempting it can be to forget that there really is someone working at all times, in all circumstances, and in the lives of every person; that God is sovereign, knowing, present, and active. Genesis 20 is a good example of human efforts that are exposed as failures on every side, and God’s faithfulness in the midst of it.

End of the Road

December 17, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 25

As we close our series, Abraham: Journey of Faith, we come to Genesis 25:1-11, Abraham’s death. Like Sarah’s death, it feels kind of sudden after so much story and time together. There are some interesting details in the passage that we will look into. Most of our time, though, will be spent looking at Abraham’s life. We will look at his importance and place in Redemptive History, God’s plan for redeeming humanity and renewing and restoring all things. And we will see how Abraham points us to Advent, the longing, waiting, and anticipation of what God would ultimately accomplish in the coming of Christ.

Mission Impossible

December 10, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 24

This is a long chapter, but we’re going to cover it in one go. I encourage you to take the time to read it between now and Sunday so you can come in with some familiarity. After Sarah’s death, Abraham realized that it was time to find a wife for his son, Isaac. He sent his servant on a journey that led to an intriguing encounter at a well with a young girl name Rebekah. The chapter shows us something of God’s care and will for us. In Abraham’s Journey of Faith there have been a lot of ups and downs. He finally came to the point of complete surrender and God was faithful to provide exactly what was needed. Everyone else in the story shows steps of faith as well, showing us the beauty and freedom we can have in self-surrender.

Eulogy for Sarah

December 3, 2023 • Pastor Bill Riedel • Genesis 23

This chapter details the legal negotiations and contract for a piece of land containing a cave in Hebron. At first reading it might feel boring to most. With a closer look, though, we can come to realize that this is the first piece of the land God promised to Abraham that was secured as Abraham’s own, and at a high price. Our focus on Sunday, though, will be Sarah. The reason Abraham bought the land with the cave was to bury his wife, the Matriarch of the Promise, after her death. On Sunday we will take a look at Sarah’s life as a whole, and lessons we can learn from her, in a kind of Eulogy for Sarah.