In our first sermon series of the New Year, we are going back to the beginning; the very beginning. We are studying the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis (Genesis 1-11). Where did the world come from? Where did we come from? Why are things the way they are? Why and when did things get so messed up? Is there any hope for the world? Genesis is a book of origins and in it we will discover the origins of the universe, the world, man, woman, marriage, sin, evil, death, murder, diversity of languages and more. The ancient text not only takes us back to the beginnings of things, but it also sheds light on many contemporary issues. Sermon transcripts, audio files and discussion questions can be accessed by clicking the appropriate icons. Sermon information will be posted by the end of the weekend it is delivered on assuming there are no technical difficulties. Scripture references can be read by clicking on the reference. Date Preached by Description Read Listen Discuss Jan. 7, 2011 Pastor Cam A great book needs a great opening sentence. The greatest book in the world has the greatest opening sentence of all time: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). In this message (In the Beginning) we focus exclusively on this profound opening sentence. What foundational theological truths does it establish? How do we know Genesis 1:1 is true? If it is true, what are the implications for us today?   Jan. 14, 2011 Pastor Cam Genesis 1:1-2:3 raises many questions in our minds. Not all Christians answer these questions in the same way. In this message (God Commanded…And They Were Created), we take a quick look at some of those questions, but we quickly move beyond them. Most of our modern questions focus on the “How?” and the “When?” of Creation. But Genesis 1 focuses on “Who?” This is where we spend most of our time in this message. If God created the world and the universe around us, what does the universe reveal about him? How do these truths about God affect us today?   Jan. 21, 2011 Pastor Cam There is a very important, very fundamental question which demands an answer. How we answer the question has huge consequences in almost every domain and realm of life. It is the question: What is man? It will take us several sermons to explore the Biblical answer to this question. By looking at the account of the creation of the first man (in Genesis 1:26-27 and Genesis 2:4-17) we discover what man was in his original state; made of dirt but destined for glory! This will take us well on our way to understanding what man was intended to be as well as give us clues to why we are in the mess we’re in today.   Jan. 28, 2011 Pastor Cam In Genesis 2:18, God declares, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” As God set out to rectify that situation we learn valuable lessons about man, gender and marriage in this message entitled Male and Female He Created Them, taken from Genesis 2:18-25.   Feb. 11, 2011 Pastor Cam This is the first of two messages from Genesis 3. In this message, entitled Things Fall Apart and focusing primarily on Genesis 3:1-13, we approach the passage as a case study in Satan’s strategy and the dynamics of temptation. “Forewarned is forearmed” is certainly true in this case!   Mar. 18, 2011 Pastor Cam This second sermon from Genesis 3 is entitled Consequences. We look at God’s pronouncement of judgment against the serpent, the woman and the man, as well as the consequences of the Fall of man on the creation as a whole. It is a tragic story, but in it we are also able to trace the threads of hope and of God’s grace.   Mar. 25, 2011 Pastor Cam Genesis 4 is a familiar story: the first brothers, the first murder, Cain and Abel. It is a story that has fascinated mankind from the beginning of time. In this message A Better Sacrifice we discover the pernicious nature of sin and the way it spreads. We also discuss the contrast between the sacrifice of Cain and the sacrifice of Abel. Why did God accept the one and not the other?   Apr. 1, 2011 Pastor Cam Genesis 5:1-6:8 makes dry and puzzling reading. What is the purpose of this chapter of “begats” being included in the Bible? And who on earth are the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men” and the “Nephilim” in chapter 6? In this message, we attempt to answer these questions. But the real focus of the message is an intriguing phrase found in chapter 5. It is the summary of a distinctive life: Enoch Walked with God. Who is this man? What do we know about him? And what can we learn from him?   May 6, 2011 Pastor Cam Genesis 6-8 contains one of the most familiar stories in the Bible: the story of Noah and the Flood. We tend to focus on the story from the perspective of Noah and his family in the ark. But what about the implications of the story for those left outside when the rain began to fall and the flood waters started to rise? This is our focus in this first message And God Saw… on this passage as we look at the theological lessons behind the story: lessons about the nature of man and the character of God.   May 13, 2011 Pastor Cam By Faith Noah…Built an Ark. This is a second sermon from Genesis 6-8. In the first message we focused on the reasons for the flood. In this message we explore the reasons for the ark, and we find ourselves face to face with profound Scriptural truths of grace, faith and obedience.   May 20, 2011 Pastor Cam What did the earth look like as Noah and his family emerged from the ark? How did the world after the Flood differ from the world before the Flood? While we cannot answer these questions with any certainty, God’s promises and pronouncements in Genesis 9 give us some intriguing clues. In this message, I Will Make a Covenant with You, we look at God’s covenant with Noah. What was new and what remained the same?   May 27, 2011 Pastor Cam In this last message of the series, we look at the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. The title of the message is The Lord Scattered Them. What was the problem with the people’s plan? Why did God scatter them? When does unity become a dangerous thing? Pastor Cam also uses this lessons of this chapter to give a farewell challenge to people who will be leaving Abu Dhabi permanently over the summer.