Genesis Church: Sermon Audio

Gideon is a fascinating character. When he is introduced in the Book of Judges, he is anything but a brave and mighty warrior. As a result of their idolatry and abandoning God, the Hebrew people have been handed over to their enemies, the Midianites, who treat them horribly. Midianites were notorious for stealing crops and livestock, so the Hebrews were hiding in caves and mountain dens, helpless and cowering. From there they cried out to the Lord. First, God sends a prophet with the Word of the Lord to the nation. This is followed by the Angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon, who is also afraid. Yet, the messenger from God addresses Gideon as a mighty warrior, and from his hiding place, God invites Gideon into His story. The story of Gideon is unique; but, embedded in the story is a reminder that God saves people and then invites them into His mission. He doesn’t work through the most courageous and powerful; rather, God acts in and through people who are often the last person we would choose. The d

If you’ve ever sung in a group setting, you might have experienced a feeling of elation or comradery with those around you. Science actually backs up that notion: studies have shown that singing produces chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which produce feelings of elation and aid bonding with others in the group. It also reduces cortisol, which lowers stress and anxiety, not to mention the added intake of oxygen which increases blood flow to the brain and lowers blood pressure. Is it possible that God designed our bodies to work this way as a supplemental physiological benefit to His biblical call to sing together as His redeemed people? Today, we will encounter a song in Judges 5 that functions as the response of God’s people to the revelation of His redemption. We will see how it was the sovereign hand of God orchestrating the events of the crazy story in Judges 4 such that He fulfills His mission in ways we could not predict that portray His undeniable love, grace, and mercy for His people.

Today is a special day for Genesis as we will introduce the Good Neighbor Initiative and the work of Oasis International during our service. Rachel Hart, Director of Good Neighbor, will be with us to share how we can join the mission of God in loving our refugee neighbor. Our text this morning in Judges 4 is a crazy story and, at first glance, does not seem to fit the message we intend to share. The truth is that this crazy and bloody story in Judges is all about the mission of God and His glorious purposes. God’s mission for His people at this time is tied to His protection of them as a nation of people. So, God raises three different people—a prophetess, a warrior, and housewife—to be His arms of rescue and deliverance. God’s mission is different in the New Testament; no longer about defending a nation, now the mission is taking the Gospel to neighborhoods and the nations. Yet, God is still raising up ordinary men and women to trust Him and be used by God for His glory while procl

What do you think about when you hear the word “idolatry”? A little golden statue encased in a make-shift shrine with primitive people bowing down to it like something from The Temple of Doom? These sorts of idols seem almost silly to our culture. It seems so distant when God commands His people to avoid making idols and warns the Hebrews about falling into the idolatry of the surrounding peoples. Sadly, the book of Judges shows the utter failure as Israel slipped deeply into that very idolatry. We may think of idolatry as bowing to a little wooden or golden images, but the problem lies much deeper. Actually, the Bible show us that idolatry happens whenever we put something other than God in the place of God—pursuing created things as ultimate things— believing our happiness, identity, and purpose is in them. Judges helps us understand idolatry as the core problem in our humanity and the fountain that produces all of our sin. And, it reminds us that idols never keep their promis

What do we think of when picturing a judge? A man or woman in a robe sitting on a bench and dispensing justice for a court? This is not the meaning of a judge in the Biblical book. There was no king, so as people did right in their own eyes, they ended up in oppression. As they cried out to God, He raised up deliverers, generally in the form of military leaders who became an extension of God’s justice, both to Israel’s oppressors and for the nation in rebellion. He fought their enemies, often in crazy and rather insane ways, returning the nation to the state of blessing promised under the covenant. But these judges are not heroes. Rather, they are incredibly flawed humans who actually grow worse and worse in character as the nation drifts further away. But, they are pictures of our need for rescue from the worst of enemies brought on by idolatry and sin, and of the better Judge who came to bring God’s justice for the nations and deliverance for us, His people.

The book of Joshua (just prior to Judges) details a glorious military campaign with victories on every side that resulted in God’s people being given the land God promised Abraham. But, they did not fully trust and obey God in the process. Judges begins with reminders of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises, but also shows the unfaithful path His people begin to take. Judges ends with a statement that defines the whole book, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Of course, we should read this a bit sarcastically; there was a King—God was their King. But they turned to worship the idols of the surrounding nations and, as a result, forfeited God’s protection. The outcome is a downward cycle that runs through the whole book. Today’s sermon will introduce this repeated cycle of apostasy—God giving them over to bondage and the people cry out. God raises a deliverer who rescues them, and they have a season of ease

The Old Testament book of Judges opens by setting this historical story in the larger narrative of Israel’s relationship with God. As a book of history, Judges is doing so much more than giving us facts and details about events in history, movements, and leaders. The key to understanding Old Testament books of history is to see that they are revealing the true and living God in a covenant relationship with a nation of people whom He loved, rescued, redeemed, and brought into a relationship. Through the series, we will learn that God is faithful and people are not. Because God is faithful and gracious, He has provided The One True Rescuer.

Welcome to 2026! The first week in January—the time where gyms are full, weight loss programs make all their money, and financial plans are in place. It’s one thing to make resolutions; it’s a completely different thing to develop some healthy rhythms. The 70’s Christian song “Day by Day” gives us a good prayer for the New Year: “Three things I pray. To see Thee more clearly, to love Thee more dearly, and to follow Thee more nearly, day by day.” The book of Psalms begins with a vivid picture of two paths to walk. One becomes a path to a withered and wasted life. The other is a path that creates deep roots like a tree near a stream. But how do we walk the path to life? The Scriptures teach us that the way to walk this path is in developing healthy rhythms that lead us to deeper love for and knowledge of Jesus and a more devoted life to His mission. Today we will look at the spiritual rhythms of Bible intake, prayer, rest, worship, and fasting; sharing ideas to

Kevin McCallister just wanted to make his family disappear. The next morning he woke up and the bossy, critical, and negative group of people were gone. He was all alone, able to do whatever he wanted. Our culture loves this story because it personifies the central belief of the American dream—you can be your own person, set your own agenda, and pursue your own dreams. And, even if a couple robbers show up, you have it in yourself to save yourself and your house. Think about it, our most known document is the Declaration of Independence. But here is the problem, this pursuit doesn’t work and actually leads to loneliness, despair, and hopelessness. The Bible compares us to sheep for a reason. Left to themselves, sheep will get stuck, fall off a cliff, or get eaten by a wolf. Sheep need a shepherd. When Jesus declares His name to be “The Good Shepherd,” He is connecting Himself to multiple Old Testament passages, including Psalm 23 and Micah 5,promising a future Shepherd for God’s

Clark Griswold had a noble goal—to provide the perfect Christmas for his family. But, what ensues is a hot mess that shows all the faults in Clark and the imperfection of every person in the family. We can laugh at it because it’s someone else, yet the truth is that we also long for a sort of perfection and many of us get deeply stuck in the traps of performance and appearances. Since Adam and Eve messed everything up in the Garden of Eden, two things are true. We long for things to be perfect, whole, and right, and at the same time, no person or situation is ever perfect. The Bible uses the term “righteousness” to refer to things being right and perfect. It is a good thing to long for righteousness. Yet, we are unrighteous people living in a broken world. Furthermore, our desire for perfection in life and things is often driven by pride or guilt and shame as we seek to make our own identity known or strive to make up for past failures. These truths are on display in the Griswold hous

In the 1946 Christmas Classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the likable George Bailey was disappointed time and time again with how his life was turning out. Making decisions to help others in his small town of Bedford Falls meant putting HIS dreams on hold. He was not satisfied with his life because he longed for a greater purpose. At least, greater in his mind. When Old Man Potter stole all his company’s cash and he was faced with jail for embezzlement, he considered suicide. That’s when his “guardian angel” Clarence helped him understand his real purpose in life. But, the movie stops short of naming the only source of real purpose in life, our savior Jesus. Today we will discuss Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35) as the only source of real purpose, satisfaction and fulfillment.

Do you have an early memory of watching the original cartoon version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas? Based on the Dr. Suess book, and now having two full-length movies, this character is … “A mean one.” In the two movie versions, the Grinch is mean because he was a lonely, bullied orphan who felt ostracized by the Whos of Whoville, leading to emotional pain, anger, and bitterness. His meanness is a defense mechanism stemming from feelings of sadness and rejection, particularly his aversion to the sounds and joys of Christmas, which remind him of his painful past. But, something in the story of Christmas filled the longing to belong and gave the Grinch a family. Like the Grinch, the desire to belong is a central human longing, yet, we can feel the weight of our own failures and rejection. We live in a time where people are more connected than ever, yet feel more and more lonely. As Luke shares the great story of Christmas, he tells us about the angel Gabriel’s announcement to a

Christmas movies are such a big part of the holiday season. Over the years there have been some great ones. While having different story- lines, the movies people love during December have a common theme. The main character expresses a deep longing of the human heart in the hopes that the wonder of Christmas just might be the answer. Of course, there are blown up Christmas trees, bandits, a clumsy angel, and a lot of inner turmoil get in the way. Yet, in the end, the true meaning of Christmas somehow fills the longing and provides answers. The truth is that there is a kernel of truth in these movies because in the manger and incarnation, God does fulfill the deep longings of the human heart. This Christmas season we will look at some of our favorite Christmas movies and show how the longings of the heart are answered in the wonder of Christmas and the beauty of the Gospel. Buddy the Elf seems to have found something none of the other characters in his story understood. The longing to find Christmas cheer

We’ve spent the last couple months looking at a 1,700 year old creed, thinking about the core truths believed by Christians everywhere. But one might ask, what do these things mean for me? Among other things, our belief in Jesus comes with the promise of our own empty grave and resurrected body. The Christian belief in the final resurrection has always been a doctrine that separates Christianity from almost all other world religions. In most belief systems, including the prominent spiritualities in ancient Rome, salvation was obtained when the spiritual part of one’s existence was freed from the evil of the material world. But Christianity tells a different story in which the whole of God’s creation is restored and those who follow Jesus in life will be resurrected from the dead, their bodies being redeemed. When Paul wrote our text from Romans 8, his words were actually radical. Sadly, so many still believe in a bodyless heaven. But just as Jesus was raised from the grave, our hope is tie

“We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.” Wait, we believe in the Catholic Church? I thought we were Protestant! The Nicene Creed echoes the language of almost every creed in church history using this wording to confess belief in the doctrine of the church. If we interpret the word “catholic” as speaking of an institution, we do have a problem. But the church was never an institution—it was always the assembly of the redeemed people. The word catholic means “universal”, the affirmation that in Christ, God has purchased a people for Himself. Our confession is that the church of Jesus is unified in the Gospel, global and diverse, and built on the foundation of the Apostles. Local churches are visible outposts of the universal church. In this light, we do believe in One, Holy, Universal, and Apostolic church made up of those who have believed and been baptized for the forgiveness of sin. This morning we will take a look at the doctrine of the church, and

As we’ve seen so far in our current series, 4th century theologians,worked very intentionally to ensure the Nicene Creed had a very clear, Biblical understanding of the person of Jesus Christ. But what do Christians believe about The Holy Spirit? Is The Holy Spirit a force or a person? Is The Holy Spirit God or a created being or some sort of entity? And what exactly does The Holy Spirit do? Without a clear understanding of the person and work of The Holy Spirit, it can be difficult to see God at work in our lives. The Spirit’s importance cannot be understated. In fact, on His last night with the disciples, Jesus Himself taught a vast amount about The Holy Spirit, particularly that it was to the disciples’ advantage for Jesus to go away so that The Holy Spirit would come to them. Wrapped up in all of this is the mystery of The Trinity, that there is one God, in three persons: God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit. They are distinct, yet all work together as one. Without The H

In our study of the Nicene Creed, we come to the line “Whose,Kingdom Shall Have No End.” Why is this line included? We’ve learned about Jesus’ divinity,,His humanity, and His place in the Trinity, but if we mess up any,of those, we will have a Jesus who either isn’t truly king at all, or,He has a kingdom that will one day pass away. Today in our study, we will see that Jesus is King forever, with a,kingdom that will never end or pass away. That is amazing,news for us, the people of His kingdom!

Who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven. If you have been with us the last few weeks in our exploration of the Nicene Creed, you might be asking, “Does all of this really matter?” We have discussed some pretty deep theological ideas. Seems like a lot to think about. Doesn’t doctrine like this divide? We might think that unity is more important than doctrinal clarity. But the bishops at Nicaea knew that the very truth of salvation was at stake. Jesus came into the world to save sinners. God sent Jesus to be born to a virgin mother, live as a man, die at the hands of Pilate, be buried in a real tomb, and then rise again for this purpose, to rescue people. Paul proclaimed this salvation in his preaching, reminding people that Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. And there is salvation no where else and in no other name. To mistake Jesus’ identity and mission is to miss salvation. Furthermore, to have the right doctrine of Jesus, yet fail to authentically b

Sometimes the smallest things make earth-changing differences. At the Council of Nicaea 1700 years ago, the exclusion of a single “i” defined all Christian doctrine. There was much debate about whether Jesus was homoousios or homoiousios with God the Father. Sounds like a fun debate, right? Ousios is Greek for “substance or being.” Homo means “the same,” while Homoi means “similar.” So, was Jesus the exact same substance as God the Father, or merely a similar substance to Him? While the “i” seems insignificant, for Christianity, this debate gets to the very heart of theology. The council and creed affirmed that Jesus is the full and same substance as God the Father. The Christian church went on to affirm the full deity of the Holy Spirit. God the Father, Son, and Spirit—one in substance and being, three in person. As Christians, the doctrine of the Trinity is not just a philosophical formula, it is an invitation to know the God who is lov

The central and glorious mystery that defines the Christian faith and separates it from all other paths is the miracle of the incarnation. God stepped into human flesh, became one of us. The One who was eternally begotten as the Son of God was born in human history, taking the likeness of men. This means that at one point God indwelt a zygote, was born a human baby, went through adolescence, and lived as a fully human man. He did not lay aside His deity; yet, He took on full humanity, “taking the form of a servant.” As a human being, He lived a righteous human life, died a human death, and was buried in a tomb. And, as a human, He rose again, the down payment for every human resurrection. We cannot truly believe in Jesus without embracing this mystery—that God took on human flesh and dwelt among us. But, when we do embrace it, His humanity becomes the representative for ours, meaning that His death is for us and His resurrection guarantees yours and mine.