2014 Sermon Series
The Book of Genesis
Pastor Tim Potter leads us through an in-depth look at the first book of the Bible.
Genesis 12
- March 16, 2014
God continues to reveal His glorious plan of salvation for the ages and uses an ordinary man to do so.
The end of Genesis 11 records the descendants of Shem and focuses in on a man named Terah. We see that godly people were still alive at the time of the Tower of Babel as a small remnant. God provides salvation to His people and grace to persevere regardless of how dark a culture is.
Genesis 12 begins the “Regeneration” section of Genesis and the Patriarchal period of Bible history. God had doled out judgment on those who didn’t steward His Word, and is about to give more revelation.
Genesis 12:10-13:18
- March 23, 2014
The genuine walk of faith always includes more spiritual success than failure.
When studying narrative or story portions of the Bible, we will not find as many direct commands from God. We draw out spiritual principles from stories, and these are just as authoritative as direct commands.
We have observed several virtues in Abram so far, his spiritual discipline and patient obedience. The next section of narrative show Abram succumbing to temptation. Genesis records God speaking to Abram 7 times, and 3 times of Abram being tempted away from God’s truth. Here is our first principle: A saved person will never be sinless, but in the process of progressive sanctification, they will succeed more than they fail.
Genesis 14
- March 30, 2014
Tender compassion ministers to compromise in peril
Genesis 14 takes a “compare and contrast” method to present truth. Lot’s story continues as a subplot in the Abram narrative, showing the life of a righteous person who does not persevere well as Abram did. Lot’s life demonstrates that the way of the transgressor is hard, and it doesn’t get easier.
In contrast, Abram dwells in stability, prosperity, hope, and peace. As we walk with the Lord, darkness around us will naturally be exposed.
Genesis 14:17-24
- April 6, 2014
Tender Compassion Ministers to Compromise in Peril.
Abram’s life is a study in perseverance by grace.
Lot had formerly walked with the Lord, and he knew enough to be convicted of his compromise. Yet he did not act on this conviction or repent in the face of Abram’s merciful ministry.
Genesis 15
- April 13, 2014
God's Salvation Covenant with Abraham.
God gives the third unconditional covenant of the book of Genesis to Abram.
Genesis 16
- April 27, 2014
Faith Thrives When We Turn from Sin.
Have you ever acted impulsively and hurt those closest to you? Abram was a godly man of faith, but he still acted out of emotion on occasion. He was given God’s word seven times, yet in this chapter he deflects it and takes his own way.
As Christians, we will never be without sin, but our goal should be to sin less. As we persevere in our walk, like Abram, we will hopefully succeed more than we fail.
Hebrews 11:11-12; Genesis 18
- May 11, 2014
A Portrait of a Woman’s Persevering Faith.
When you look at a painted portrait of a woman, you often wonder what she was really like. We wonder the same thing with Bible characters. A few verses in Hebrews 11 show us how to interpret Sarah’s story. She was known as a woman of faith.
Sarah is involved differently in all 3 sections of Genesis 18. God’s promises to Sarah and Abraham show what he can do with faithful obedience in simple, singular things.
Genesis 19
- May 18, 2014
When God’s People Live Like the World.
Genesis 19 is a hard chapter to understand. It is often misunderstood and misinterpreted as judgment on one particular sin, but it is not. Rather, it should be read as a sub-narrative in Abraham’s story about how God’s people can slip into living like the world.
Genesis 20
- June 1, 2014
Supreme faith waits for God in crisis and the commonplace.
The narrative of Genesis 20 might look familiar, because we saw a similar story in Genesis 12. This is Abram’s second failure to trust God with his wife and his personal safety. Whenever God’s Word repeats itself, there is something for us to learn.
