July 19, 2026: You Want Me To Do What?
Genesis 22: 1-14

Rev. Dr. Leslie Taylor, preaching

Have you ever felt like life was testing you to your absolute limits?

This Sunday, we dive into one of the most intense, dramatic, and jaw-dropping passages in the entire Hebrew Scripture: the testing of Abraham, often called the Akedah (the binding of Isaac).

Just when Abraham thinks his life has finally settled down after years of wandering and the painful departure (banishment) of his son Ishmael and Ishmael’s mother, God calls to him with a shocking command: “Take your son, your only son, whom you love ’s mother, Hagar, God calls out — Isaac —and offer him as a burnt offering.”

The stakes couldn't be higher. Isaac isn't just Abraham’s beloved boy; he is the literal key to God's entire covenant. Sacrificing Isaac would mean sacrificing the very future God promised.

Yet, with heart-wrenching devotion, Abraham sets out on a three-day journey toward the mountain, carrying the fire and the knife, while young Isaac carries the wood on his back.

It is a story filled with agonizing tension, profound obedience, and ultimate relief. When Isaac notices something is missing and asks, "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham responds with words that echo down through the generations: "God will see to it."

And see to it, God does. At the final, breathtaking second, God provides a ram caught in the thicket. Abraham names the place Yahweh Yireh — "The LORD Will Provide" (literally, "The Lord will see").

Come explore what it means to trust God when the path ahead makes no sense, and discover how the God who "sees" our deepest struggles is the very same God who provides exactly what we need, right when we need it most.

The way we worship is the way we live.

Worship is the work of the people, bringing together our fullest selves in a communal act of love and gratitude.  Each voice is important; each person is valued as the Spirit draws out our authentic gifts and talents, shared in the ever-widening circle of God’s people.  We hope you’ll join us this week as we gather to worship the God of extravagant welcome.