14. The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15)
One of the most significant moments of Abraham's life happens in Genesis 15. God made an agreement with Abraham called a covenant—and He promised him He would fulfill it no matter what. In this message, Conner Dill, a member of Thrive Harbor, explains why the covenant with Abraham is so earth-shaking and how it reveals to us the character of God.
13. Abram Rescues Lot (Genesis 14)
No one follows God in a vacuum. For Abram, his walk with God was lived out against the tough backdrop of paganism, cross-cultural experiences, and—in Genesis 14—Middle Eastern politics. In this message, Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, expounds the story of Abram defeating a coalition of kings who had taken his nephew captive.
12. Abram and Lot Separate (Genesis 12:10-13:18)
God promised to bless Abram, and for him that blessing included material riches. But God had to teach Abram how to have riches without getting attached to them, a lesson he learned one day when he and his nephew Lot got into a little dispute over real estate.
This message was given by Tim Guenther, a member of Thrive Harbor.
11. Abram’s Call (Genesis 11:10-12:9)
Three of the world's great religions trace their roots back to Abraham. But who was he and why is he so significant? In this message, Peter Churness, pastor of One Hope Church, introduces us to this central figure in the biblical story.
10. The Tale of the Tower (Genesis 10:1-11:9)
At the Tower of Babel, humanity marshaled their creative powers to rival the Creator. What began as an expression of human pride became a monument to human folly, and a pointer to the better way of Jesus, the one who ascended through descending and ruled through serving.
This message was given by Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor. Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 1:28; 10:1-11:9; 12:1-3; Daniel 4:30; Revelation 2:17; Philippians 2:7; and Matthew 11:28-29.
9. Noah, the Flood, and the Judgment to Come (Genesis 6-9)
The Bible says that God is a righteous judge. He gives us over to what we ask for and uses judgment to restrain evil. But He always provides a way of escape—much as He did for Noah and his family in the days of the flood. In this message, Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus, shows how the story of Noah points to the salvation Jesus offers us from the judgment still to come.
8. After Adam (Genesis 5)
Genesis 5:1 and Matthew 1:1 summarize the Old and New Testaments. The former is the "book of the generations of Adam," whereas the latter is the "book of the generations of Jesus Christ." And in Genesis 5 we see that Adam's book consistently, repeatedly ends in death. Only with the arrival of Jesus is death swallowed up by life. This message was given by Eric Lundquist, a special guest speaker.
7. Sin City (Genesis 4:17-26)
One of the first things humanity does after the fall is to build a city. Why? In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, looks at how Cain's city and descendants gives us a pattern for how all of us operate as sinners in a fallen world, desperately seeking hope and security through our own ingenuity and strength.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 4:17-26; Nehemiah 1:3; and Psalm 9:9; 18:1-2; 27:1.
6. Murder Most Foul (Genesis 4:1-16)
After humanity's exile from Eden, the question the rest of the Bible wrestles with is, "How can we get back?" And the story of Cain and Abel offers us hints. In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, explores how Cain's murder of his brother in Genesis 4 shows the right and wrong way to get back to God.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:17; 4:1-16; Jude 11; Hebrews 11:4; 12:22-24; James 1:13-14; 1 John 3:12; and John 7:7.
5. Paradise Lost (Genesis 3:8-24)
Genesis 3 ends with Adam and Eve exiled from the Garden of Eden. And yet even this punishment is an exhibit of God's mercy that points ahead to a future day of redemption. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, explores what Genesis 3 teaches about God's mercy and justice, and how the two fit together.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 1:22, 27, 28; 2:15; 3:1-24; 4:17; Isaiah 26:9; Romans 1:24, 26, 28; 11:32; Matthew 26:31; and Zechariah 13:7.
4. Nakedness, Covering, and Grace (Genesis 3:1-13)
Immediately after the first sin, Adam and Eve are ashamed to be naked and cover themselves. Why? What’s the relationship between sin and shame, and why does shame hold such power over us? In this talk, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, explores what Genesis 3 teaches about the consequences of sin.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 2:25; 3:1-13, 21; Hebrews 4:13; and Ephesians 4:24.
3. The Lie of the Serpent (Genesis 3)
What’s wrong with the world? The Bible's answer is sin. Sin is more than just the bad things we do. At the heart of sin is the lie of the serpent that God isn’t good and trustworthy. In this talk, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, unpacks what Genesis 3 teaches on the nature of sin.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 2:17; 3:1-24; 4:7; John 8:34; Galatians 3:16; and Luke 15:11-32.
2. A Very Good World (Genesis 2:4-25)
The fall in Genesis 3 explains for us why our world is broken and marred by sin. But the world didn't start out that way. Before Genesis 3, there was Genesis 1 and 2: a depiction of God's "very good" world, the world as it should be. So what can we learn from Genesis 2 about God's original design? In this talk, Conner Dill, a member of Thrive Harbor explores what Genesis says about the goodness of creation.
1. In the Beginning (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
Every story has a beginning. And how a story begins shapes its entire trajectory. What about our world? How does our world begin, and what does that tell us about God, ourselves, and the kind of universe we're living in? In this talk, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, opens up a new series on Genesis exploring how the Bible begins.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 1:1-2:3; John 17:24; Romans 1:20; 8:28; Ecclesiastes 1:9; Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:4; Psalm 139:14; Jeremiah 2:13; and 1 John 4:8, 16.