The Do-It-Yourself Disaster (Genesis 16)

The Do-It-Yourself Disaster (Genesis 16)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong Date: July 5, 2026 Passage: Genesis 16 There is something satisfying about a good DIY project. But while a "do-it-yourself" mindset is great for fixing things around the house, it leads to trouble when we apply it to the promises of God. In Genesis 16, Abram and Sarai are exhausted from waiting for God’s promised child. Like many of us, they grow anxious in the delay. In their impatience, Sarai suggests a DIY solution: Abram should take her servant, Hagar, and have a baby with her. They take matters into their own hands, following the cultural norms around them over God’s design for marriage. Taking shortcuts with God's plan always leaves a mess. Sarai wants a kid, but all she gets is conflict, contempt and jealousy. Her harshness eventually drives a pregnant Hagar to flee into the wilderness. When  we act out of anxious fear rather than faith, we only create heartbreak and conflict. Yet in the middle of the mess, God meets Hagar in the wilderness. He corrects her but also comforts her with the promise of numerous descendants and telling her to name her child Ishmael, meaning "God hears." In return, Hagar calls Him "The God Who Sees Me." For someone who felt used and disposable by Sarai, it was enough for her to know that God truly saw her affliction. God doesn't need our striving or scheming to keep His word. To balance taking faithful action with waiting on the Lord, we can ask a few questions. Does our plan align with Scripture? Are we acting out of faith or out of fear? Are we praying and relying on God for the outcome? If you are in a season of waiting, don’t try to DIY the outcome. Look to Jesus. On the cross, He did the ultimate work for us so we don't have to do it ourselves. And if we can trust Him with our souls, we can stop striving, surrender our timelines, and trust the God who sees us.

The Gaps In Our Faith (Genesis 15)

Series: The Book of Genesis Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong Date: 28th June, 2026 Passage: Genesis 15 As Christians, we readily confess that we trust God, yet we still wrestle with the “what abouts” of life—our health, our jobs, and our futures. There is often a gap between our faith in God’s promises and the anxiety we feel when facing difficult circumstances. In Genesis 15, we see that Abram, the father of our faith, also lived in this gap. Despite his genuine belief, he held real fears about his safety and his lack of a biological heir. When Abram asked God for proof of His promises, God didn't rebuke him for his doubts. Instead, He pointed Abram to remember His power. God met Abram gently in his uncertainty. To give Abram assurance, God initiated a covenant. In the ancient world, two parties making a treaty would walk between severed animals, signifying that whoever broke the vow would share the animals' fate. But God put Abram to sleep and passed through the pieces alone. God took full responsibility for the covenant, declaring that even when Abram, and us, inevitably fail, God would still fulfill the covenant Himself. This ancient covenant points directly to Jesus. Christ stepped into the gap for us on the cross, taking the penalty for our sin. Abram simply "believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." We are saved by faith in Christ also. Our salvation doesn't depend on having perfect, unwavering faith. Just like crossing a glass bridge, whether you walk across with bold strides or trembling knees, it is the strength of the bridge, not the amount of your faith, that keeps you from falling. When the "what ifs" and “what abouts” overwhelm you, look up to the cross, and rest in the strength of the One you put your faith in.

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