31. Getting Back on Track (Genesis 35-36)
After a wayward period, Jacob returns to Bethel and renews his commitment to God. The steps he takes to rekindle his faith show how we, too, can get back on track spiritually.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 31:3; 34-36; Colossians 4:17; and Ephesians 4:20-24.
30. A Dangerous Detour (Genesis 34)
A costly detour results in tragedy befalling Jacob's family. What does that detour show us about the Bible's wisdom in shepherding us through suffering and injustice? In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, looks at the heartwrenching story of Dinah for hidden pointers to God's grace.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 2:24 28:20-22; 31:13; 33:18; 34:1-31; 49:5-7; 1 John 1:9; 2 Samuel 13:1-22; and Romans 12:9-21.
26. Battle for the Blessing (Genesis 27)
Many people think the Bible is filled with stories of religious heroes. But Genesis is filled with villains. The people God uses in the Bible often don't come off as moral exemplars to be emulated but as trophies of his grace and mercy. In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, looks to the story of Jacob and Esau for evidence of God's grace in working through flawed and broken people.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 24:67; 25:21-23, 27-34; 28:10-15; Romans 10:17; and Ephesians 2:8-9.
25. Faith of a New Generation (Genesis 26)
Many people who grew up in Christian homes drift from the faith they were raised in. With Abraham now off the scene, how will God train his son, Isaac, to make his father's faith his own? In this message, Dale King, pastor of Calvary Fellowship, explores the way God forms Isaac's faith in Genesis 26.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 15:6; 21:33; 26; 1 Corinthians 15:33; and Hebrews 11:13.
24. Family Feud (Genesis 25)
Following the death of Abraham, his son Isaac fathers twin boys, Jacob and Esau—whose rivalry nearly tears the family apart. In this message, Dustin Polley, director of Thrive Kitsap, looks at how Genesis 25 points to God's ability to redeem messed up families.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 25; Malachi 1:2-5; Romans 9:1-24; and Micah 6:8.
23. Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24)
Isaac and Rebekah had a remarkable, unconventional love story. In this message Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus, shows how this romantic tale points beyond itself to something greater: a Father seeking a bride for His beloved Son.
22. A Sleeping Place for Sarah (Genesis 23)
When Abraham's wife, Sarah, dies, Abraham does something unusual: he buries her in a foreign land. But Abraham knows that God has promised him that land and that one day Sarah will rise again. In this message, Thrive alumnus David Baumgaertel unfolds the hidden significance of Genesis 23 and the Christian's future hope to which it points.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 3:15; 12:1-3; 13:15; 15:6, 18-19; 22:20-23:20; and Hebrews 11:17-19.
21. Where Is the Lamb? (Genesis 22)
The most dramatic moment in Abraham's life is when God asks him to sacrifice Isaac, his beloved son. But at the last minute, God spares Isaac and substitutes an animal instead. In this message, Tim Cedarland, Thrive's director emeritus, looks at what Genesis 22 teaches about trust, obedience, and God's provision.
20. Is Anything Too Wonderful for the Lord? (Genesis 21)
It's been said that all of our problems in life come from lack of belief in the goodness of God. When God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son in their old age, it sounded too good to be true—but then He fulfilled it! In this message, Joe Schneider, one of Thrive's board members, looks at the miraculous birth of Isaac in Genesis 21 and what it shows us about the riches of God's goodness.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 21; Proverbs 8:22-31; and 2 Corinthians 5:21.
19. When the World Rebukes the Church (Genesis 20)
God often uses us in spite of us, and Abraham was no exception. In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, unpacks Abraham's blunder with Abimelech and how the gospel gives us the power to be faithful witnesses to the world around us.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 12:10-20; 13:18; 18:1; 20; 22:1-19; 50:20; Galatians 3:9; Matthew 6:33; and Romans 8:28.
18. True Witness (Genesis 19)
When you become a Christian, God changes you from the inside out and makes you new. But how should we relate to old people and patterns as we live out this new life? In this message, Michael Bouterse, director of Thrive Harbor, explores what Genesis 19 says about how God's people should relate to the world. Only as Christians maintain their distinctiveness from the world can they actually serve and bless the world as Jesus would.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 12:4; 13:10-13; 14:12-13; 18:16-33; 19; 23:3-5; 2 Peter 2:7-8; Ruth 4:1-12; and James 1:13-15.
17. God Meets with Abraham (Genesis 18)
What would it be like to meet God? In Genesis 18, Abraham finds out. Through his encounter with God, Abraham learns that God desires to meet with His people, that He is a righteous judge, and that He at the same time delights to show mercy. This message was given by Tim Guenther of Thrive Harbor.
Scripture passages cited (or alluded to) in this message include Genesis 18; Exodus 33:20; Psalm 19:1; John 17:24; Luke 24:13-35; Romans 10:9; Matthew 26:42; 2 Corinthians 5:21; and Isaiah 53.
16. Considering the Covenant
God is a promise-making and a promise-keeping God. In this message, Cedric van Duyn, pastor of Anthem Church, explores some of the ways the promises God made to Abraham in Genesis 17 echo in the New Testament.
15. Faith and Patience (Genesis 16)
In Hebrews 6:12 we read that "faith and patience inherit the promises”—or in other words, trusting in God means waiting. In this message Jake Chambers, pastor of Local Church, looks to the story of Abram and Sarah in Genesis 16 to unpack the messy and frequently painful fallout of taking matters into our own hands when we feel God isn't coming through for us—but also God's incredible patience with us even when we're impatient with him.
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.