Scripture: Genesis 18: 16-33
Main Themes: Hospitality to strangers, covenant, justice and mercy, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, faithful questioning, evolving images of God, love of God and neighbor.
Discussion Questions:
- Reading Genesis 18 in Context:
● The sermon describes Genesis 18 and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. What interpretations of this story have you heard before?
● How does reading the story through the lens of hospitality, violence, and the treatment of strangers change the way you understand it? - Practicing Hospitality:
● The sermon emphasizes that hospitality to strangers is a biblical mandate. Why do you think Scripture returns to this theme so often?
● Where do you see opportunities for RPPC to practice deeper hospitality in our church, neighborhood, and wider community? - Scripture, Love, and Harm:
● Pastor Mark challenges interpretations of this passage that have been used to shame or exclude LGBTQIA+ people. How can communities of faith repair harm caused by harmful readings of Scripture?
● Augustine wrote that if our interpretation of Scripture does not lead us to love God and neighbor more, we have not understood it correctly. How might this guide the way we read difficult biblical passages? - God’s Covenant and Mercy:
● The sermon suggests that Genesis 18 shows God being held accountable to the covenant God has made with humanity. What does that image of God stir up for you?
● Abraham speaks honestly with God, asking whether the righteous should be swept away with the wicked. What does this conversation teach us about prayer, courage, and trust? - Justice, Mercy, and Our Intertwined Lives:
● The sermon raises a hard question: How do justice and mercy relate to one another? Where do you feel that tension in your own life or in the world around us?
● Pastor Mark asks how we think about the ways our fates are “inextricably tied.” What does that mean for how we live as neighbors, citizens, and people of faith? - Faith That Wrestles:
● The sermon says faith is not a static statement of beliefs, but a living, evolving relationship with God and one another. How has your understanding of God changed over time?
● Have you ever felt like you needed permission to question or wrestle with your image of God? What helps make a faith community safe for honest questions? - Applying the Sermon:
● What is one way you can practice hospitality to someone who feels like an outsider this week?
● How can RPPC continue to be a place where all are welcome, where questions are honored, and where love of God and neighbor shapes how we read Scripture?
