Genesis 32[9-13] 22-30, Mark 14:32-36, Psalm 24
More Info: https://katyandtheword.wordpress.com/2019/08/27/seeds-resource-page/
More Resources for this Week.
Concepts:
After wrestling with God, Jacob won’t let him go; he clings to him, seeking God’s blessing (see image at https://suzannewoodsfisher.com/faith/jacobs-wrestling-match-genesis-3226/ and https://pastorross1.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/wrestling41.jpg
You cannot walk away from encountering God without being changed (our friend Rev. Elizabeth Vandegrift); after Jacob’s confession of who he is (heel-grabber), he has no more reported conflicts with others (husband Len Hedges-Goettl’s take). See *** below under exegesis.
Night is a vulnerable time/space https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship/lectionary-calendar/eighth-sunday-after-pentecost4 Also Brueggemann below* under exegesis
What it means to wrestle with God See**Children’s sermon link below
Wrestling is a sign of intimacy; you can’t wrestle with someone you are far away from (Image of this saying at https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/b6/2c/cbb62c35b45738be1c8235302b1072d9–perfect-guy-wrestling.jpg
Images
https://www.creationswap.com/media/12018/wrestling-with-god
Sculptures by Nathan Rapoport at
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNQeGXiGSA-3pv_RZtVDudQrQtFB8w:1568163897181&q=Jacob+Wrestling+with+the+Angel,%22+Nathan+Rapoport&tbm=isch&source=univ&sxsrf=ACYBGNQeGXiGSA-3pv_RZtVDudQrQtFB8w:1568163897181&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjO1KngycfkAhUEtlkKHS14Cp0QsAR6BAgJEAE&biw=1821&bih=810#imgrc=haSJyS7LRSBmhM: This sculptor has done many versions of Jacob and the angel/God; would be interesting to look into why; see links from Wikipedia for more about him
Gaugin https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/4940/vision-sermon-jacob-wrestling-angel
Children’s sermon**
http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/09/year-c-proper-24-29th-sunday-in.html
Liturgical resources
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship/lectionary-calendar/eighth-sunday-after-pentecost4
Opening Prayer
Original resource by Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using/adapting.
O God, you continue to reveal yourself to us.
You continue to make and keep promises to us.
You continue to graciously give to us, even when we deserve nothing.
Draw us to yourself. Touch and change us. Amen
Call to Worship
Original resource by Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using/adapting.
One: God, like Jacob, we wrestle.
Many: Like Jacob, we confess who we are.
Like Jacob, we do not let you go.
Like Jacob, we seek your blessing.
ALL: Hear and answer us, O Lord, we pray. Amen.
RITE of CONFESSION
Original resource by Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using/adapting.
*Call to Confession Sometimes we think that no one would love us if they knew all about us. But God knows all about us and continues to love us. Let us confess our continuing need for God’
*Prayer of Confession
O God, we have things we would like to keep private—if not secret. We have done—and not done–things that keep us awake at night. We don’t always treat others as your children. We don’t always honor ourselves as made in your image. We don’t always trust your grace and love. Forgive us. Remake us in your image. (Silent Confession)
*Assurance of Pardon (Romans 8:28-29, New Living Bible) Pastor Len
Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thanks be to God for the Good News: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Hymns
BOW – The United Methodist Book of Worship
CLUW – Come, Let Us Worship (Korean)
MVPC – Mil Voces Para Celebrar (Spanish)
SOZ – Songs of Zion
TFWS – The Faith We Sing
UMH – The United Methodist Hymnal
URW – Upper Room Worshipbook
WSM – Worship & Song, Music Edition
WSW – Worship & Song, Worship Resources Edition
SoG – Songs of Grace
| Genesis 32:22–31 | UMH | MVPC | CLUW | TFWS | SOZ | URW | WSM | WSW | SoG |
| Be Thou My Vision | 451 | 240 | 180 | ||||||
| Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown | 386 | 148 | |||||||
| Faith Is Patience in the Night | 2211 | ||||||||
| God Be with You till We Meet Again (God Be With You) | 672 | 347 | 37 | ||||||
| God Be with You till We Meet Again (Randolph) | 673 | ||||||||
| God of Many Names | 105 | ||||||||
| How Can We Name a Love | 111 | ||||||||
| I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath | 60 | 123 | |||||||
| O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go | 480 | 255 | 322 | ||||||
| Oh, I Know the Lord’s Laid His Hands on Me | 2139 | ||||||||
| Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God | 405 | 201 | 136 | ||||||
| Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud | 113 | ||||||||
| Sweet Hour of Prayer | 496 | 248 | 330 | ||||||
| The God of Abraham Praise | 116 | 28 | |||||||
| There Are Some Things I May Not Know | 2147 |
Lutheran:
Blessed be the God of Israel ELW 250
Onward, Christian soldiers H82 562, UMH 575
Also
Fight the Good Fight (PCUSA blue #307)
Exegetical resources
***NL on Jacob having to name himself in a move that is both confession and a death leading to new life; http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?m=4377&post=1597
How Jacob was changed http://www.verityfellowship.org/blogarchive/2017/6/12/the-dependent-prayer-of-jacob-jacob-part-1
NL on the whole Jacob cycle (I don’t agree that the passage is about persistence; that’s as though it’s a version of let’s make a deal—see alternatives above) https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2555
Another resource covering the whole Jacob cycle. Contains images, references to other books/resources, discussion/further questions, etc. https://www.journeywithjesus.net/Essays/20071015JJ.shtml
Buechner: https://www.frederickbuechner.com/blog/2016/10/10/weekly-sermon-illustration-jacobs-w
More compete Buechner on whole Jacob cycle http://day1.org/6297-the_magnificent_defeat
Interview of Brueggemann by Bill Moyer-video of part of interview; more in writing *https://billmoyers.com/content/god-wrestling/
Further resources: https://preachingandworship.org/search/Genesis%2032%3A22-30
katyandtheword 
