Preached by Rev. Erik Kindem.
Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22
Summary
On the lam from the broken relationship with his brother Esau, Jacob has a dream that reveals God's graceful companionship even with a serial cheater. The place of this encounter becomes Bethel, "House of God."
When my life is tethered to God’s promises, my world becomes larger. The map extends beyond personal needs and goals to encompass our community of faith, our neighbors and neighborhood, our world. Without that broader dimension, it’s easy to draw a circle around me and mine and leave it there.
God calls us into community so that we will open ourselves to each other and learn from each other. God says: “I’m giving you these people as companions. Through sharing one another’s stories and discovering how they connect with my story—you’ll catch a glimpse of the bigger picture, of what I’m up to.”