Send us Fan Mail

Preaching: Rev. Dr. Stephen M. Fearing

Texts: Exodus 32:1-14 & Matthew 22:1-14

A wedding invitation turns into a city on fire. A camp cookout turns into a golden calf. If that sounds like whiplash, you’re hearing the same tension we wrestle with today: God keeps setting the table, and we keep grabbing for control when fear kicks in. We read Matthew 22’s wedding banquet parable alongside Exodus 32, and we don’t try to “fix” the weird parts. We name the violence, the refusal, and the uncomfortable question of what it means to be called and chosen.

Then we stay with the golden calf, because it’s funny until it isn’t. When Moses delays and the people get bored, they spiral into scarcity thinking and build a god they can manage. That’s not just ancient history. It’s a spiritual pattern. We talk about how trauma and a ruthless economy train people to believe there will never be enough, and how idolatry can look like a quick solution to anxiety. We also linger on Moses as mediator, pushing back on God and pleading for mercy, and on the shocking grace of a God who relents.

Finally, we bring it home: the church as a weekly feast where we practice unlearning. We name modern idols that beg for our attention, including violence and scapegoating immigrants, and we challenge the low bar of “neighborliness” that asks only that we not be jerks. The invitation is bigger: share resources, loosen our grip on control, and trust the God who welcomes everybody to the table. If this connected with you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one “idol of control” you’re ready to put down this week?

Follow us on Instagram @guilfordparkpresbyterianchurch
Follow us on Facebook @guilfordparkpc
Follow us on TikTok @guilfordparkpreschurch
Website: www.guilfordpark.org