Genesis Church - Sermons

Farming during the harvest is hard work. It is so much easier for farmers to sit at McDonald's with a group to drink coffee and tell farming stories. But, any farmer knows the season of harvest is the whole purpose and goal for farming. Therefore, they watch the field, and when the crops are brown and the grain is ripe, farmers get to the fields. Followers of Jesus are a type of farmer. The first small group, the 12 Disciples, were asked by Jesus to pray for workers that would go into the harvest. Then Jesus sends them into the fields, as an extension of His mission and proclaiming His Kingdom. They become the answer to their own prayers, and Jesus empowers this small community to love and reach the people in their culture. This is also our purpose: to be Gospel shaped and formed communities on mission. Our groups are not just farmers sipping coffee around a table. We are teams of missionaries sent by Jesus into Eureka, Pacific, St. Clair, Washington, and to the nations. The fields are ripe---will you put on some overalls and join us?

Combines are the tractors that farmers use to gather the harvest. They are extraordinary tools used to cut the crops, sift the grain from the stubble, and fill hoppers with grain for storage. Before the harvest begins, farmers work hard to make sure these majestic machines are ready for the task and then head to the fields. Jesus gathered His small group, the 12 disciples, and He intentionally invested in their lives; pouring the Gospel, theology, and ministry into them. His reason for doing this was to prepare them to go, to be sent. For a while they were defined as learners and apprentices. Eventually, they would be defined as harvesters, missionaries, and "sent ones". But to prepare, Jesus first had to get them ready for the harvest. And the way He prepared them for the harvest was to gather them in circles and invest in their lives. Community matters, and just like the first disciples, God uses circles to prepare us for His mission and for the joy we find living out the purposes of God in our lives.

One of the most amazing aspects of Jesus' life and ministry is how He saw crowds. We tend to see masses of people, lumping them into categories, and gazing over the tops of their heads. But whenever Jesus saw crowds, He looked into the soul of each person. They were precious to Him, image bearers, His special creation. His mission was gloriously simple, to proclaim the Kingdom and change their lives. Yet, He did not do this alone. Jesus formed the first Community Group, a band of twelve guys who learned from Him and lived on mission with Him. His invitation to them was to lift their eyes so that they, too, would see crowds of people through His eyes, and notice that the fields were ripe. And then pray for the harvest, that God would raise up people to reach each and every one of them with the message of the Kingdom. This is also our invitation: to look on the harvest and notice that it is plentiful. And then to pray to the Lord of the Harvest.

We reach the end of our Top 10 Series by looking at the end--- the final day, the Day of the Lord. Our question for the final sermon is, What does the Bible teach about the end of the world? Honestly, it didn't take long for the first generation of believers to start wondering about this. They knew the Old Testament and Jesus both predicted an end to the world: a final judgment and the new heaven and earth. Just 30 years in, people were already questioning why it had taken so long and wondering how they would know when the Second Coming would happen. They thought God had been slow, so Peter reminds them that slow in our eyes is different from slow in Christ's eyes. While they wanted a calendar with specific dates, Peter reminds them that the most important thing about belief in the final day is to know it will happen, so they should live each day with perseverance and expectation. He will come like a thief, so we should live ready and do all we can each day to make sure others will join us on that day.

Our Top 10 Question this week is a good one: Who are the women of the bible and why are they so important for us to know? We won't rehash the recent sermon about gender roles and differences; yet, the truth is that often religion has failed to recognize the importance of women in the Biblical story, and the beauty of their inclusion in God's mission and purposes. In some ways, the inclusion of women in the story would have been scandalous and a reason for rejection by some in ancient cultures. Yet, God in His infinite glory and wisdom has chosen to include so many amazing women in His grand redemption story, and many of these women are pivotal as leaders, movers, teachers, and shapers of culture. Their stories remind us that everyone is created in God's image, has purpose, and has a wonderful role to play in the story of God in the world. Furthermore, their stories are unique---a great reminder that God's call and purpose reaches each of us where we are. He chooses to include us and use our unique humanity and gifts in amazing and miraculous ways. And finally, these stories remind us that the women in our churches are so valuable and wonderful as God continues to tell His story through unique, yet broken, lives to display His glory.

Another great question for our Top 10 series this week: How did we get the Bible and how do we know we can trust the canon we have? The Bible is by far the most translated and read book of all time, but more than this, Christians have consistently believed that the 66 books of the Bible collectively are the very Word of God. They are not just human books about God; rather, God spoke through the pens of real human beings to inspire every word. But how do we know this is true and real? And how do we know that these 66 books are actually the correct books to be received as Scripture? And finally, why would we accept the book we call the Bible as God's very Word? We will seek to answer these questions this morning and also show that the most important reason we should believe the Bible is because it shows us Jesus fully and shows us how to believe in Him.

This morning's message is from the 21st chapter of the book of Revelation as we seek answers to the question, "What is Heaven?" The apostle John was visited by an angelic messenger and given a vision of the future. The future that he sees is a future shared with all who call on the name of the Lord for salvation. These 8 verses give us a glimpse into what awaits us once the fullness of God's grand redemption plan is ushered in.

Nothing like jumping into a hot one, but that's our topic this week: What does the Bible Teach About Gender Roles? We live in a culture that is deeply divided and greatly confused, not just about gender roles, but even the existence of gender. As we look into the grand story of the Bible, the Scriptures paint a beautiful picture that affirms the full and beautiful equality of every human being as a person made in the image of God, of equal worth before Him and an equal partner in the creation mandate given in Genesis 1 & 2. On the other hand, the story also affirms the goodness of gender, God creating His image bearers as male and female, and therefore, different biologically and emotionally, and having different roles in the home and the church. Today we will explain a theological position called "Complementarianism" which seeks to affirm both the equality and differences of the two genders. And we will share that the path to our flourishing as individuals, families, churches, and communities happens when we rightly understand how the Bible defines our humanity and we seek to submit to His purpose and will for our lives.

David Meyer is bringing the message today on the question, "How can we talk to people about Jesus when they have no faith background yet struggle with objections?" We are honored to have David and Brenda with us today from Ecuador! This week, we will be looking at the way the Apostle Paul approached this question with the people of the city of Thessalonica. The people of Thessalonica weren't that different in their thinking than those of our modern society. The Thessalonians thought of religion mostly in terms of what the myriad of gods could do for their own prosperity. The teaching of the Gospel, a free gift of salvation through the sacrificial death of a Man named Jesus on a Roman cross, was a difficult concept for the Thessalonians to digest. Paul gives us three principles in this chapter that we can use in sharing our faith today. First, our preaching must be with the boldness that comes from the conviction that we speak the truth. Second, sharing our faith is just as much about sharing our life of faith than it is about opening our mouth. And finally, the effectiveness of our message rests in the God who provides salvation, not on our own powers of persuasion.

Welcome and happy Independence Day weekend! We hope you have enjoyed the holiday weekend. As we give thanks for our country, we have an interesting question today from our Top 10 Series: How should we approach US politics and the role of Evangelical Christians? There are two things we shouldn't discuss in polite society, religion and politics, and this morning we are going to discuss both. Our goal, however, is not to tell you how to think about issues or vote. Rather, what we will share is the central truth found in Scripture for our political engagement, which is this: A follower of Jesus, and therefore an Evangelical Christian, is first and foremost, a person who has trusted in Christ as King and, therefore, whose primary allegiance is to His Kingdom. Peter reminds us that Jesus' followers are sojourners and exiles in the kingdoms of men; remembering this puts us in the best position to be the best citizens in any nation, rightly relating to the rulers and government as well as our neighbors. In the US, while we are thankful for our freedom, we need to heed Peter's challenge to "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." May this be our posture this weekend and throughout our lives.

Have you ever wondered about what happened after the resurrection of Jesus? Where did He go? What did He do? Today's topic from our question-based summer sermon series focuses on the question: "What happened in the 40 days between Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension?" While we can certainly dig into the physical actions reported in the Bible that Jesus took during those 40 days, we don't want to miss the long game of what Jesus was accomplishing on a more broad scale in fulfilling God's plan of salvation. To do this, we will step into the very beginning of the book of Acts to get a picture of what Jesus did during the 40 days after His resurrection and how that plays into God's plan of redemption of sinners by grace through faith in Christ.

If you've been around Genesis any length of time, you should have picked up by now, that we love the Bible---God's Word. It is how God has chosen to make Himself known to us and how we know what He expects from His followers. One of the consistent drum beats heard here is that you need to be reading and studying the Bible on your own and not just listening to us on Sunday mornings. The question we're addressing this morning in our Top 10 List is "How to do in-depth Bible study." If this concept is new to you, or maybe you've struggled with doing this on your own in the past, we're going to look at a method that will, if you invest the time, allow you to dig deep into God's Word, getting to know it well, so that you can apply it practically to your own life, and be aware of when others are mis-applying Scripture.

Happy Father's Day! Today we have a great topic from our Top 10 series as we remember the importance of dads. In John 17, Jesus prays to the Father to protect disciples who are sent to the world like He was, but also that they would not be of the world. That is a tricky line to walk, to be in the world, sent by Jesus, but not of the world. And it is challenging to raise children who are prepared to hold fast to their faith and live for God's glory in this world. Our question this week is, "What are some ways we can parent children who are "In the world" while trying not to be "of the world"? To help answer this question we will turn to the ancient book of Deuteronomy and a passage called the Shema, which means "to hear". In this text, God reminds His people to be certain of their God and to remain diligent to pass their faith and love for the True and Living God on to their kiddos. So, we hope to glean some truths about how we can raise kids who love Jesus in our technology addicted, pluralistic society.

f you hang around Genesis long enough, you are likely to hear something about "Reformed Theology." In fact, Reformed Theology plays a big role in our thinking and in our practice at Genesis. So what is it, why is it a big deal, and what does it have to do with you? That's our subject today and small spoiler alert: God's sovereignty is the central subject of today's sermon!

Today starts the Summer Top 10 series addressing topics nominated and voted on by you. We held nominations in the Winter, voted on topics during the Spring, and starting today, we will preach on the Top 10 (well, actually 12) topics chosen by you. And we start with a big one. This morning we seek to answer, How should we understand the book of Revelation and the Tribulation? The closing book of the Bible is definitely one of the most difficult to interpret and debated sections of God's Word. It is filled with symbols, images, numbers, and metaphors that have meaning for God's people. But to understand the meaning of the book, we have to know what these meant for those who initially received the book. The story begins with a mess in the world and a throne in the heavens, and ends with the close of history and the city of God. This morning we hope to give a glimpse on how we can best understand this book to give us hope in the present and for the future.

We come to the end of our journey through the book of Hebrews that began last September. This amazing book has reminded us that Jesus is better. "Better than what?" you might ask. The answer is that Jesus is better than anything and everything. The letter begins by reminding us that this man who lived in history was also the Creator and Owner of everything, and is the radiance of the glory of the True and Living God. Now, Hebrews ends with a beautiful benediction, a prayer that the God of peace would work through the Gospel of Jesus to equip the church for every good work. Jesus is our good Shepherd, the one who leads, feeds, guides, and protects His sheep. He is also the one who laid down His life for the sheep. Hebrews has been a reminder about the supremacy of Jesus in all things and a call to love Him deeply and glorify Him above all things. His glory is on display in the church around the world through a people doing His will and with His power working in and through us. So, the author ends this letter helping us endure in the faith and reminding us to fix our eyes on Jesus, to surrender all of life for His purpose, and to love His church to the end.

As the writer of Hebrews nears the end of his sermon, he reminds his readers and hearers of the wonderful pastoral leaders God gave His church, and calls them to watch their way of life, follow their lead, and submit to their authority in the church. But the author also warns them about other leaders who call them to embrace false teaching, move away from Jesus and grace, and to give themselves to false worship. The goal is to find godly leaders who will serve as a plurality of Elders, who will point people to Jesus and keep watch over the souls of God's people. When men don't do that, don't follow them and show them out. When they do, go all in to follow their lives and make their ministry a joy. And, most important, pray for your leaders continually.

We long for a happy life---one which fills and satisfies. Yet, a fulfilling life is actually difficult to find. The author of Hebrews shares some simple but profound pathways toward contentment and joy for those who have discovered the superiority of Jesus and believe in Him. All of these will run counter to the culture, yet they are the way to the joy of knowing and experiencing Jesus. So, we are to love one another, care for strangers and those in prison, build strong marriages and protect our sexuality, and keep our lives free from the love of money. Furthermore, Hebrews wants us to see the character described here as marks of authenticity for our faith and the very keys to forming the beautiful community that displays Jesus to the world. When we do this, we will find the promises of Psalm 118:6-7 to be true---that the Lord is on our side and He is our helper.

Sometimes it's easy to doubt a change in direction. Falling back to what is comfortable is a real thing, even if it's clear that the new direction is better. Our passage today in Hebrews deals with this reality. The author will show us two pictures, depicting the old covenant and the new covenant side by side. We'll see how much better the new covenant in the blood of Jesus is than the old covenant in the law; a contrast intended to encourage us to rest in the work of Jesus and stay the course running after Him. This passage also comes with a warning to not refuse when The Lord speaks of the gospel. Rather than reject the gospel and receive judgment for our sins, He calls us to receive the gift of salvation by grace through faith in the work of Jesus. The Lord also promises that there will be a day when He will shake the earth and the heavens such that all that can be shaken will be removed, and only that which The Lord deems worthy will remain. Faith in Christ leads to joy and a citizenship in that unshakable Kingdom, dwelling in the presence of The Lord forever.

It's so easy to get off course, lost in the woods, and worn out. As the author of Hebrews has reminded us, the life of faith is a race, and our role is to keep running with our focus on Jesus and our path is the journey of becoming more like Him day by day. The path is incredibly difficult at times. So today's text from Hebrews gives us two warnings for the journey. First, we can get worn out and just want to quit. Our arms are exhausted and numb, our knees hurt and we feel like we can't go on. So, Hebrews reminds us that we need to press into the power of the Gospel and get support from our faith family and keep running. This is the path to wholeness, to healing. Second, the journey has a lot of side paths we can take so we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. These side paths end in brokenness, hardened hearts, and dead ends. We get in trouble on the race when we look down at our own feet or start gazing in other directions. Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and keep on going!