All Souls Presbyterian Church

In this sermon on Psalm 3, Pastor Josué Pernillo teaches us that in the sorrows of life, we can cry to the Lord, see the glory of God, gain courage, and trust in God’s salvation. From Sunday Evening Worship, November 9, 2025. allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

There’s a certain erroneous way we tend to think about God’s favor. We think there is a bar, a minimum standard requirement for entry that we must reach to receive God’s favor, his love, his acceptance, and so many of us live either believing we have lived up to that standard and feeling good, or knowing we have fallen short and feeling bad. But surprisingly, God’s ways are not your ways. We find it hard to forgive, hard to get past wrongs done to us or the wrongs we have done to others, but, unlike us, God is ready to forgive. And his forgiveness will lead to blessing. In this sermon on Genesis 48, in which Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh, the children of Joseph, Pastor Luke Herche focuses us in on the fact that God is determined to bless, despite what we think, by the logic of his grace. Therefore, we can stop doubting and rest in Jesus. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, November 9, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What scenes or surprises in Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh catch your attention most, and why? God was determined to bless his people, even when they didn’t expect it or deserve it. Where have you experienced God’s grace showing up unexpectedly in your own story? Where do you tend to assume God’s blessing must be earned — and how does that shape your view of him, your struggles, or other people? How does Jesus’s upside-down life, death, and resurrection redefine your idea of blessing and whom it’s for? How does God’s "logic of grace" shape how you see yourself and others? If you trusted deeply that God delights to bless you by grace, not performance, what might change in your relationships, emotions, or decisions this week? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

In this sermon on Genesis 45:16–46:27, in which Jacob learns that Joseph is alive and travels to Egypt with all of his family, Pastor Luke Herche teaches that God’s blessings are tied to the land, that resurrection assures us of present and future blessing, and that we can now be confident in God’s blessing both here and in the world to come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 26, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What stands out to you about how God’s hand moves through the events and responses of these people? What emotions, surprises, or reversals do you notice? Read Genesis 46:3–4. What do these verses reveal about God’s heart toward his people when they face uncertain transitions? How might God’s promises reshape our definition of blessing? Why do you think Jacob hesitated to leave the land of promise? Where do we today struggle to believe that God can bless us “here”—in our own version of Egypt? How does seeing Jesus as the “greater Joseph” deepen your understanding of God’s presence and blessing in hard places? What difference do the cross and resurrection make for how we interpret seasons of suffering or exile? If God is with us and will one day bring us home, how can that confidence shape daily life—our attitudes toward hardship, our priorities, and our relationships? Which “old way” do you sense the Spirit inviting you to release, and what “new way” of trust or contentment could take its place? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

In Genesis 43:1–45:15, Joseph’s brothers journey to Egypt for the second time, this time with Benjamin in tow, where they are tested by, and ultimately reconciled to, Joseph. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage, taking a closer look at the events that unfold, at the character and actions of Jacob and his sons, and especially at Judah, the one through whom God’s promised child who would bless the nations would come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 19, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What part of this story is most moving to you and why? How does Judah distinguish himself as a leader among God’s people? How does his leadership point us to Jesus? How is his leadership a model for us? Think of an area of your life where you have relational struggles. How might a willingness to lead by sacrifice for others be used by God to restore intimacy? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

How do you know when you’re being tempted? There are times when temptation seems obvious, but often it’s subtle and discreet, appealing at first until you find yourself caught in a snare. The call in Scripture is constant to watch, be vigilant, stay awake, be aware of the temptation that is coming, and to pray. In Psalm 141, David, keenly aware of the snares that surrounded him cried out desperately to the one who could deliver him from sin and temptation. Listen as Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on this psalm, showing us how we, too, can cry to the Lord for help, praying against a sinful heart, for sinful people, about the sinful consequences, for sin’s resolve. From Sunday Evening Worship, October 12, 2025. allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you realized you had no idea what was going on? Life was sailing along as normal and then suddenly something happened: bad news from a doctor, relationship changes, unexpected bad grades, the loss of a steady job. You didn’t see it coming and you can’t make sense of God’s providence. But in those moments, what if rather than being anxious and fearful you could be calm and confident in God’s work for your good? In Genesis 42, Joseph’s brothers come to him in Egypt for food during the famine, and we see that, though God’s providence seems confusing, his purposes are good. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this chapter, showing us that God is at work for good, we are in a season of trial, Christ endured that we might come through, and what matters now for us is our response. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 12, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What parts of this story grabbed your attention most—either something Joseph did or how his brothers reacted——and why do you think that stood out to you? How would it affect your current situation if you really believed God is weaving all things for good—even the ones that don’t make sense right now? When trials press in, what do you tend to reach for——control, escape, blame, despair? What would it look like to name that honestly and bring it to Jesus? Jesus stood the ultimate test so you could be found faithful in him. How does knowing that he passed the test for you change the way you face your own tests today? What is one small, grace-fueled step you can take this week to respond to trial not with self-protection or self-pity, but with trust and openness to God's refining work? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The news can be frightening. Many people feel less safe after watching, listening to, or reading the news. On the global scale, we hear of world rulers who seem to have the power to shape our world for years to come, either for good or for ill. But in what power do you place your trust? Is it in the visible, impressive, but ultimately limited powers of this world? Or is it in the invisible, often hidden, but absolute power of God who rules over all? In Genesis 41 we find God’s sovereignty, his control over all things, and his power on display again in the life of Joseph as Joseph is called before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this chapter, showing that human power is ignorant and impotent, God’s power is counterintuitive, and God’s power is a call to act. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 5, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: Where in Joseph’s story do you see God working behind the scenes——and how does that reshape your understanding of God’s role in your own past or present struggles? When life feels stalled, silent, or unfair, how do you typically respond——and what does that reveal about where you place your hope? How does seeing Jesus as the One who was falsely accused, imprisoned, and ultimately exalted help you reframe your own seasons of pain or powerlessness? What would trusting God’s sovereignty look like in a practical area of your life this week——especially where you feel powerless or impatient? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The hardest part is often the waiting. Sometimes it seems as if God is not at work and nothing is happening in your life and you wonder if God is doing anything at all. But what if this season of waiting is not a sign of God’s absence, but the very place he is doing his most profound and necessary work in you? In this sermon on Genesis 39:21–40:23, Pastor Luke Herche invites us to see that even when God’s promises seem on hold, God is at work in the waiting, present with his people and preparing for things to come. Jesus endured delay and experienced God’s absence before receiving God’s kingdom, and we can now endure with hope that God is with us and at work, whatever may come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, September 28, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: Which moments or details in Joseph’s story did you find most striking or relatable, and why? What emotions does the scene in the prison stir in you? This passage wrestles with what it feels like when God’s promises seem on hold. What thoughts or reactions come up for you in seasons where life feels slow, stuck, or silent? The sermon highlighted how God is at work in the waiting—even when we can’t see it. How does that truth land with you? When have you experienced God’s presence in an unexpected or unremarkable season? In what area of your life are you currently waiting, or feel forgotten, overlooked or sidelined? How does the gospel help you wait with hope, trusting that God is with you and preparing you—even now? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Many Christians have a fairly optimistic expectation when it comes to life and ministry, feeling that with enough prayer and hard work they can change the world. Others have a more pessimistic view, with little expectation of fruit or of God using them. But Scripture offers a more nuanced option, a realism that knows that God is with us to work through us even in the hard spots and difficult times in life. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on Genesis 39:1–20, the account of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, showing in this passage God’s continuing plan to bless the nations through the offspring of Abraham. Pastor Luke focuses on four main points: —God is with his people, to bless the nations through his people. —Temptation and persecution make it seem as if God is absent and his blessing has failed. —Jesus faced God’s curse and absence that we might know his presence and blessing. —Jesus is with you; trust God in your calling, whatever may come, confident in his resurrection power. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, September 21, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: If you were retelling Joseph’s story in this passage to a friend, which moments would you highlight most vividly, and why do they stand out to you? This passage raises a big question: when life unravels through temptation or injustice, where is God? How do you wrestle with that in your own story? Joseph’s life reminds us that blessing isn’t about circumstances but about God’s presence. What makes it hard to believe that God is with us in our difficulty? What would help remind you of that reality in difficult times? God blesses “the nations” through his people. What might living as a bearer of Christ’s blessing look like in your work, home, or community this week? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Sorrow and wickedness and evil are all around us. In the words of Shakespeare, “Each new morn new widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face.” But what do we do in light of all this evil in the world? In Psalm 94 we find a reflection in the face of wickedness, a sober psalm that looks at the world as it is and helps us to wrestle with the question of how to respond. Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on this challenging psalm, teaching us that in the face of evil Christians can cry to a judge, hate wickedness, wait patiently, and hope for restoration. From Sunday Evening Worship, September 14, 2025. allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The Christian life is like running a marathon. And like a marathon, following Jesus over the long-haul is difficult. It’s going to include times where you want to give up. But in Hebrews 12:1–2 we find that following Jesus for the long-haul is also worth it. Listen as Pastor Ethan Brown preaches on this passage, showing that the race of the Christian life is not just something to be endured, but it can be a joy as we run together, run light, and run to Jesus. From Sunday Worship, September 14, 2025. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

The first few chapters of the gospel of Mark put Jesus’ authority on display: his authority to heal, his authority to forgive sins, his authority in teaching, his authority over creation, and in Mark 5:1–20 we see Jesus’ authority to cast out demons. In this account we find a question on the lips of a man possessed by a legion of demons that, surprisingly and counter-intuitively, we all need to ask ourselves: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” Have you ever asked Jesus that question before? What might his answer be? Listen as RUF campus minister Ethan Brown preaches on this passage, giving us a clearer view of the authority, wisdom, and compassion of Jesus as he shows us how Jesus restores, Jesus destroys, and Jesus answers. From Sunday Worship, September 7, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What is an area of your life you want Jesus to restore? What do you hope that restoration will look like? What is an idol in your life you want Jesus to destroy? How do you want to work alongside him this week in the work of destroying your idols (the love of money, self-righteousness, or some other false god)? Can you think of a time in your life when getting what you wanted was bad for you? Can you think of a time in your life when God said “no” to you as an act of mercy and love? Take a moment to ask the Lord the question: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” When you've landed on an answer in light of the truths of God's Word, share that answer with someone you love. ----------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Can God keep his promises when we fail? It’s a major question in the book of Genesis, and even throughout the whole Bible. A popular question about the problem of evil is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” But in this sermon on Genesis 38, the story of Judah and Tamar, Pastor Luke asks a twist on that question: Can God do good things through bad people? Or, will God keep his good promises when we fail so bad? Pastor Luke looks at the answer to that question under three heads: Our sin seems to endanger God’s redemptive purposes; God works through what is sinful and shameful to accomplish his glorious redemptive purposes; we can now boast in our weakness, trusting that our darkest moments are a part of Christ’s redemptive story. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, August 31, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What parts of Judah and Tamar’s story are the most shocking to you? How does this chapter challenge the idea that God only works through “clean” situations or morally impressive people? Where in your own life have you assumed “God can’t use this”? How does knowing that Jesus willingly entered the family line of Judah and Tamar impact the way you view your own failures? How might you share your story (even the messy parts) in a way that points to Jesus as the hero? Take some time to pray that God would use the weak and messy parts of your life for his glory. Confess your sins and ask for power to live in the hope of God’s redeeming grace. ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Can our sin derail God’s purposes? Is it possible to undo God’s good plan with your poor choices? Can you out-sin grace? These questions seem to be on the mind of the writer of Genesis in Chapter 37, where we find the account of Joseph, Jacob’s favored son, and his brothers. This story, though well-known on its own, is just a part of the larger story of Genesis, and a part of the even larger story of redemption. Through Joseph we ultimately get a glimpse of Jesus; through Joseph’s rule we find a picture of God’s kingdom. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage under four heads: 1) God’s promise to restore his world includes exalting his King. 2) Pride tempts us to resist God’s King; pain tempts us to despair of his promise. 3) God uses opposition to his rule to exalt his King. 4) Take heart—despite present appearances, our King reigns; his kingdom is coming. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, August 24, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: In your own words, retell the key events of Genesis 37. What stands out most to you? How does this story show us God’s determination to right his world and human opposition to it? (Consider also Psalms 2 and 8.) Why are we, like Joseph’s brothers, so opposed to God righting his world? Why do we often like Jacob despair of it ever happening? Which temptation is stronger for you right now—resisting Jesus’ reign in some area of your life, or despairing that his promises will ever come true? The sermon asked, “Can our sin derail God’s purposes?” How does Genesis 37 begin to answer that question? Do you find this easy or hard to believe? Why? Read Acts 2:22–24, 32–33. How might looking to the cross (both the significance of Christ’s opposition and the wonder of God’s purposes) change the way you respond to difficult circumstances this week? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Everyone longs for life. And most people don’t just want to survive, but to thrive, to know life to its fullest. A Biblical way to say it is that people long for blessing. In Scripture, to bless is to bestow life upon and God, the blessed one, the source of all life, all power and good, is the one who blesses us. The book of Genesis is fundamentally about life and blessing. If you want blessing in your life, you need the message of this book. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche returns to a sermon series on the book of Genesis, re-introducing the book and showing that Genesis is the beginning of God’s story to bless the nations through the promised child. Pastor Luke exhorts us to believe the promise, give thanks for present blessing, and wait expectantly for what is to come as he walks us through the beginning of the story of blessing, the content of the story of blessing, and our response to the story of blessing. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, August 17, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What do you think about the idea that we must understand Genesis (and, indeed, every book of the Bible), in light of the whole story? What are the strengths of that approach to the Bible? What are the dangers? Where do you see blessing and curse play out in your own life, experience, or context? What do these things look like “at ground level”? Which do you find to be the most difficult, believing God’s promises, giving thanks in the moment, or waiting hopefully for what is to come? Why do you think that is? Jesus takes the curse we deserve at the cross and receives the blessing we need in his resurrection. How does that enable you to give thanks for present blessings even as you wait for good things to come? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.