The Choice (Genesis 13-14)

The Choice (Genesis 13-14)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. James Tang Date: 21st June, 2026 Passage: Genesis 13-14 Sermon Summary: Though Abram chose to worship God as He received God’s promise to him (Gen. 12:7), his story in Genesis 12 ends disappointingly. Not only does he ask his wife Sarai to lie to Pharaoh by telling him she’s his sister, not his wife (v.11-13), he also effectively sells her into Pharaoh’s harem as Pharaoh gifts him various livestock and servants. (v.16) By God’s grace, Abram’s deception is revealed, but Pharaoh acts more righteously than Abram did as he simply sends them away with all he has given them. (v.20)  In Genesis 13-14, we see Abram undergoing a major shift. Not only does he graciously offer his nephew Lot his pick of the land when their households fight over a lack of resources. (Gen. 13:5-7) He continues to trust God in the midst of uncertainty and responds to God’s promise of providence and abundance by worshipping Him. (v.18)  When Lot is kidnapped by Chedorlaomer king of Elam and his coalition of kings, Abram even rises to the occasion by leading 318 of his trained men to rescue Lot and his household. (Gen. 14:12-16) This is in stark contrast to how Abram behaved when confronted by Pharaoh in Genesis 12. Like the first man Adam before him, Abram remained silent when faced with what he had done, but here we see Abram courageously going forth to defeat Chedorlaomer and the kings with him.  After Abram’s return and victory, King Melchizedek (whose name means “king of righteousness”) of Salem (derived from the Hebrew root word “shalom”) and King Bera (meaning “son of evil” or “in evil”) of Sodom go out to greet him. (v.17-18) Abram’s next choice here reveals what he’s put his trust in: to the priestly king Melchizedek, Abram gladly gives a tenth of everything as he acknowledges the part that God played in the battle. (v.18-20) With Bera, Abram refuses what is offered to him, trusting instead that God alone will provide. (v.21-24)

The Call (Genesis 12)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. James Tang Date: 14th June, 2026 Passage: Genesis 12

The Nations (Genesis 10-11)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong Date: 7th June, 2026 Passage: Genesis 10-11

The Rainbow (Genesis 8-9)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. James Tang Date: 31st May, 2026 Passage: Genesis 8-9 Sermon Summary: Genesis 6 tells us that every intention of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually, so much so that the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. (v.5) Genesis 7 shows us the de-creation as God blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, except for Noah and those who were with him in the ark. (v.23)  Still, things are not made right—Noah as the second Adam is far from perfect. Noah  received God’s favor upon him and was blameless in his generation as he sought to walk with God (Gen. 6:9). However, Genesis 9 sees Noah discovering and drinking wine and becoming naked and ashamed in his drunkenness, just as Adam before him became naked and ashamed in his sin. (v.20-21) Right before He establishes His covenant with Noah, God acknowledges that “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” (Gen. 8:21) His covenant with Noah reveals how the world has changed and been made broken as a result of sin. From then on, the fear and dread of man would be upon every beast of the earth, every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. (Gen. 9:2) Romans 8 addresses this brokenness that the world was subjected to. The apostle Paul writes that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” (v.22) But we can have hope, because there was a last Adam who came to redeem the world and everything in it. Unlike Adam and Noah, He came and did all things right—yet willingly subjected Himself to being naked and ashamed upon the cross as He died to make all things right. Like all of creation, we wait eagerly for that day when Jesus will return for good. Until then, church, let us find our hope and joy only in Him.

The Boat (Genesis 6-7)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. James Tang Date: 24th May, 2026 Passage: Genesis 6-7 Sermon Summary: While Genesis 3 describes the line of Cain, Genesis 4 devotes itself to the line of Seth. Seth’s line includes Enoch who walked with God and was not, because he was taken by God. (v.23) Enoch fathered Methuselah, who is widely believed to be the oldest person in the Bible, and Methuselah fathered Lamech, who fathered Noah.  Unfortunately, Noah’s time is when it all starts to go wrong: those from the line of Seth (the sons of God) see that those from the line of Cain (the daughters of man) are attractive, and they intermix and mingle. Because of their compromise, the wickedness of man became great in the earth, and “every intention of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) Their sinfulness is so great that it caused God to regret that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. (v.6) Thus the Lord commands Noah to make for himself an ark as He intends to bring about a reset of all humanity. (v.13-14)  The Hebrews 11 hall of fame applauds Noah for his faith (v.7), and Scripture tells us that Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation, who walked with God. (Gen. 6:9) Though Noah’s trust in and submission to God are things we must emulate, let us remember that before all these, Scripture already says that Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (v.8) He did not earn God’s favor through good moral conduct, and God did not see fit to choose Noah because of what he had done. Instead, God’s favor was lavished on him, the same way that God’s grace and mercy are lavished on us through Christ today—and Noah responded in holy fear by building the ark, just as God had commanded.  As for us, church: will we remain in our sin or where we are when God calls, or will we be faithful to obey, no matter how far-fetched things seem?