Series: The Book of Genesis

Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong

Date: 12th April, 2026

Passage: Genesis 1-2

Sermon Summary:

In the beginning, there was nothing but God. He created the heavens and the earth ex nihilo, out of nothing—brought order to the earth that was without form and void.

Scripture tells us that God created the world in six days: time (the evening and morning) on the first; the land and sky on the second. On the third, He made earth and sea and brought forth vegetation. On the fourth day, God made the sun, moon, and stars, and on the fifth day He made the creatures in the sea and the birds in the skies. On the sixth day, He made the beasts of the earth, the livestock, and other creeping, crawling things—and the pinnacle of His creation, mankind, whom He created in His image.

As God surveyed all of His creation on the sixth day, the author of Genesis tells us, behold, it was very good. (1:31a) And as God finished the work of creation, He blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all His work that He had done in creation.

The Hebrew name for the book of Genesis translates to “in the beginning”, and as we go back to the beginning, we see that God intended for His creation to be very good. He was pleased by what He had made, but we can hardly reconcile what was pictured in the first two chapters of Scripture with what we see today.

Everywhere we look, we can see wars, famine, disease, injustice, and violence. This is hardly the world that God intended to bring into being! But although we grieve alongside the rest of creation, we who follow Jesus have the privilege of understanding the beginning with the expectation of the end. For we look forward to the day when Jesus will return for good, and set us free once and for all as He makes all things new in Him.

Series: /

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 5th April 2026

Passage: Colossians 1:13-14

Sermon Summary:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 3:4-5a, 8-9)

The story of Easter is the story of a God who loved us so much, He did the impossible.

He sent His beloved Son on a rescue mission for all mankind.

He was scorned, betrayed, and mocked all the way to the cross.

He subjected Himself—the Creator at the hands of His creation—to unbearable abuse.

He was separated from His Father when he took on the sins of all mankind, and He died for us to come home.

But the good news of Easter Sunday is that it doesn’t stop there.

The apostle Paul tells us that by sending Jesus on this rescue mission and by dying on the cross, God rescued us from the domain of darkness. He brought us instead to the kingdom of His beloved Son. In Him, we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14)—an act that no one apart from God could accomplish, a gift given freely by Him and Him alone.

The death and resurrection of Jesus is the most powerful act in human history, but it also doesn’t stop there! We read last year of Jesus’ ascension at the beginning of Acts, after which He sent to us the gift of His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), He who now dwells in His children as He sanctifies us day by day to be more like Him.

There is a time to grieve, but also a time to rejoice and celebrate because of what Christ has done—so will you listen and obey, church? And allow the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus to move and transform you?

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 29th March 2026

Passage: Acts 27-28

Sermon Summary:

The finale of Acts ends in a whirlwind: after being caught in a storm, Paul and those with him are lost at sea and without food. (27:14-26) When they finally land, shipwrecked, on the island of Malta, Paul is then bitten by a viper as he helps to start a fire. (28:2-4) But because God’s will is for Paul to reach Rome and to stand before Caesar, all those on the ship with Paul are alive and well (27:23-24). Though the native people of Malta were expecting Paul to swell up or to suddenly fall dead from the viper’s bite, nothing happened. (28:4-6)

In fact, Paul’s treatment as a prisoner in Rome isn’t bad at all. Though he was perpetually chained to a soldier who guarded him, he was allowed to stay by himself with his own earnings. (28:16, 30) For two years Paul lived in Rome, welcoming all those who visited him and proclaiming the kingdom of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (v.31)

This is where the book of Acts ends—Luke doesn’t say that Paul had the chance to meet Caesar, and it’s likely he didn’t meet his end here. Church tradition maintains that Paul visited Spain after Rome, which for him would have been the ends of the earth. Dogged, determined Paul had fought the good fight. In 2 Timothy, which is believed to be the final letter he ever wrote, Paul describes himself as having been “poured out as a drink offering”, having finished the race and kept the faith. (2 Tim. 4:6-7) How many of us can say the same?

Though the ending to the book of Acts may seem abrupt, it tells us two things: firstly, that the protagonist of Acts was always God, not Paul or Peter, nor anyone else. Secondly, Acts 28 now points towards us and asks—will you go? Will you follow in Paul’s footsteps, church? Will you obey and go?

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 22nd March 2026

Passage: Acts 23-26

Sermon Summary:

Though he continues to be in chains—though more than forty Jews bound themselves by an oath to neither eat nor drink until they had killed him (Acts 23:12-13)—Paul continues to speak about faith in Christ Jesus wherever he goes, whether by word or deed.

Ananias, Felix, and King Agrippa display three very different responses to what Paul shares. The high priest Ananias was known and hated for his cruelty, ruthlessness, and corruption. It’s no wonder that even Paul loses his temper when dealing with Ananias (v.3), though he apologizes once he learns who Ananias is. (v.5) While Paul’s actions reflect the integrity and righteousness of his Lord Jesus Christ, Ananias and the Jews continue to hunt him down as they vow to kill him, showing no softness in their hearts for Jesus. (Acts 24:1)

For his part, Felix had heard about the followers of the Way (v.22), and so knew that the charges raised against Paul were false. When he finally hears Paul speak, Paul does not shy away from declaring God’s righteousness and self-control, and the coming judgment of Jesus Christ. (v.25) This unsettles Felix, who was in an illicit marriage with his wife Drusilla, having convinced her to divorce her Jewish husband to marry him, a Gentile. Instead of being moved to repentance, Felix became alarmed (v.25) and left Paul in prison as a favor to the Jews. (v.27)

King Agrippa, who was of Jewish lineage, recognizes all that Paul has done, and he believes him—he even says that Paul had done nothing to deserve death or imprisonment. (Acts 26:31) But when it comes to following Christ, he counts the cost after receiving Paul’s invitation to know Christ (v.28-29) and finds the world more compelling than Jesus.

We will receive such responses when we set out to share

Jesus, church, but do not be discouraged. Only invite the

Holy Spirit to move as Paul did, and let Him lead and guide

you.

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong

Date: 15th March 2026

Passage: Acts 21:17-22:22

Sermon Summary:

What a 180-degree change from how Paul was treated in our last two passages of Acts!

While the brothers received him gladly as he arrived (Acts 21:17), the Jews at Jerusalem had gotten the wrong message. They believed that Paul was teaching them to forsake the way of Moses and the Law. (v.22) As a gesture of goodwill, Paul was advised to prove his observance of the Law, but his actions were interpreted otherwise.

Instead, the Jews who saw him at the temple stirred up the crowd on false charges of defilement against the temple. (v.28b) Not only those in the temple, but the whole city was stirred up to the point where the Roman tribune and soldiers had to intervene. Despite all this—despite the people seeking to kill him, the violence and viciousness of the crowd—Paul insists on speaking to them. (v.39) He speaks to them in the Hebrew language, not primarily to prove his innocence, but to defend the way of Jesus and God’s call for him to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. Yet the crowd’s heart is unchanged.

Church, were you ever falsely accused or wronged, not just by people around you, but by a brother or sister in the faith? Did you feel upset, unseen or unheard though your intentions were good? Our own hearts demand justice, but Paul wasn’t looking for vengeance or retribution. He had come to expect this kind of treatment from the warnings the Holy Spirit had given Him, and he only wanted a chance to defend the gospel.

Paul was calm and collected in the face of danger because he was focused on the One who had sent him there. He understood the immense weight of what he had received, and he was determined to make it known. Will you do the same, church? The next time you feel unjustly wronged—will you focus on the grace of God that you have received, and choose to let that move you instead?

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 8th March 2026

Passage: Acts 21:1-16

Sermon Summary:

What does it cost you to follow Christ? Constrained as he was by the Holy Spirit to visit Jerusalem (Acts 20:22), Paul knew very well that imprisonment and afflictions awaited him there. He was told by the Spirit that suffering awaited him in every city he visited. In Acts 21, the prophet Agabus even comes down from Judea to visit him at the house of Philip the evangelist. (v.10) Agabus takes Paul’s belt and binds his own hands and feet with it as a gesture of what the Holy Spirit has told him, that Paul would be thusly bound by the Jews at Jerusalem and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. (v.11) Still, Paul perseveres. 

Though Paul suffers, he is also blessed with great friendships in Christ—the elders of the Ephesian church pray and weep with him as he departs from them. (Acts 20:36-37) They embraced and kissed him, and were sorrowful because they knew they would not meet face-to-face again. (v.37-38) In Acts 21, the disciples in Tyre persuade him through the Spirit not to go, as they know the fate that awaits him there. (v.4) At Caesarea, not only the people there but Paul’s own travelling companions urge him to refrain from heading towards Jerusalem, because of their great love for him (v.12)—and Paul says to them, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?” (v.13a) He knows and is blessed by their great love for him, but he is ready and determined to do the will of the Lord. (v.13b)

We are blessed to be in a city so sheltered that we can forget or be ignorant of what goes on outside it. So much so that we forget the brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who are undergoing intense persecution and suffering for Christ’s sake. As the world is increasingly drawn into conflict, will you count the cost and stand with them?

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 1st March 2026

Passage: Acts 20:1-38

Sermon Summary:

At this point in Acts, Paul is nearing the end of his life. The

gospel has made its way through Jerusalem, Judea, and

Samaria—even swaths of Asia, just as Christ promised.

(Acts 1:8)—and yet Paul shows no sign of slowing down.

If anything, this week’s passage of Acts 20:17-38 speaks to Paul’s immense love for Christ and his impeccable

character: he admits that he knows nothing about what

awaits him in Jerusalem (v.22), yet recounts the constant

trials he has faced in his attempts to preach the gospel.

(v.19) It is almost certain that Jerusalem will be no

different, as the Spirit testifies to him in each city of the

imprisonment and affliction that await him (v.23), but he

cares not for his own life. He wants only to complete the

mission God has given him. (v.24)

Even so, there is immense love in his heart for the people

God has called him to. Knowing that it would be the last

time for those from the church of Ephesus to see him, Paul

gathered the elders of the church to him and shared with

them his final testimony. (v.17) As he recalls how he served

the Lord amongst them with all tears and humility (v.19),

how he did not hesitate to speak to them the truth (v.20-

21), and how his heart and mind were focused fully on the

things of God and His commandments (v.33-35); he urges

them to be “imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)

And what of you, church? As you set out to follow Christ,

can you say that you have sought to imitate Paul—or even

better yet, Christ—in all things? What is the call or mission

that God has given you to shepherd or steward? Have you

listened? Have you obeyed? How are you being called

higher to know, love, obey, and enjoy Him in all things? Will you listen? Will you obey?

Series: The Birth of the Church (Acts)

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 22nd February 2026

Passage: Acts 19:1-41

Sermon Summary:

We’ve been tracing as a church the movement of the gospel and the Holy Spirit through the book of Acts. We witnessed their movement through Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria—in some ways, they even reached the (then-known) ends of the earth! If your memory of what we’ve gone through is a little hazy, no worries. Acts 19 will be the perfect refresher for you.

Apart from the movement of the gospel and the Holy Spirit, one of the key themes in the book of Acts is God’s power exemplified through His Spirit. We see examples of this in how Paul lays hands on some disciples in Ephesus to receive the gift of the Spirit. (v.6) God also does extraordinary miracles through Paul, so much so that people were taking away handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin to heal the sick and to free the demon-oppressed. (v.11-12)

There may be some reason why God chose to perform such extraordinary miracles in the city of Ephesus, which was a spiritual stronghold where supernatural practices were exceedingly common. However, we must remember that as far-fetched or far-removed from our current context in Hong Kong these examples sound, there are parts of the world where similar practices remain common and ongoing today.

Even if it isn’t the supernatural fight between good and evil, can we honestly admit that we have never made gods or idols for ourselves with our own hands? Have we never turned to other things instead of God, or used God to get what we want? For Demetrius the silversmith, it was the silver shrines of Artemis that he made (v.24)—and perhaps it was the unseen idols of wealth and reputation as well. (v.25, 27) For the seven sons of Sceva (v.13-14), it could have been success in their work and livelihood. What is it for you, and are you willing to search your heart, confess these things, and repent and turn to God?

Series: Chinese New Year Service

Preacher: Ps. Gabriel Wong

Date: 15th February 2026

Passage: Acts 17:22-34

Sermon Summary:

What would the apostle Paul say to us today if he were at the dinner table with us? What would he make of our customs, such as dressing in red, passing out lai see, or our Chinese New Year’s blessings? How might he respond to the anxiety felt at big family gatherings when someone asks an insensitive question or comments negatively on our appearance?

Remember that in Acts 17, Paul was in Athens only because he was waiting for Silas and Timothy. Yet he became so provoked by the idols in the city that he chose to dialogue with people from different faith backgrounds while he was there. If Paul were here in Hong Kong today, he might do the same!

Let’s remember that these fears might not be altogether

irrational. Beneath the Chinese obsession with wealth might be a desire to provide for one’s family, especially when people were unsure where their next meal would come from. To this, Paul reminds us that God is the One who made the world and everything in it. (v.24) He alone gives to all mankind life and breath, and He will provide for us what we need. (v.25)

To those feeling anxious about meeting with family and what they might say, Paul reminds us that God made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth. (v.26) God’s intention was and is for every one of us to seek and to find Him. (v.27) Instead of being preoccupied about what others might say, why not take the opportunity to point back to the one God who is Father of all?

As for those who cling on to superstitions and remain bound by fear—if you repent and turn to the Lord Almighty, there will be nothing you need fear. God has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (v.31), but He alone is mighty to save.

Series: The Church

Preacher: Ps. James Tang

Date: 8th February 2026

Passage: 1 Peter 2:1-12

Sermon Summary:

We commonly assume that God’s priesthood is reserved for those called to full-time or vocational ministry. Like the Levites before them, God must have set these people aside for a special calling. This couldn’t be further from the truth: the call for all of God’s people to be part of His holy priesthood has remained the same over the ages. 

The heart of the priesthood is to create and maintain a space for people to encounter God. We see this in Genesis, where God called the first man and the first woman to rule over and subdue the earth, to have dominion over every living thing on it. (Gen. 1:28) We see this in the Israelites after they were brought out of Egypt, where they were asked to obey God and to keep His covenant. (Exod. 19:5-6) The apostle Peter tells us in the New Testament to put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. No longer do we need to offer up animal sacrifices to God like the Levites did, since Christ’s sacrifice did this once for all when He offered up Himself. (Heb. 7:27) But Peter tells us to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (1 Pet. 1:1-5), and the apostle Paul tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. (Rom. 12:1)

We might not associate the call to God’s priesthood with the command to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28L16-20), but the two are shockingly similar—in both, there is the command to observe everything Jesus taught us. We are to dedicate God’s people to Him by baptizing them in the name of the triune God. Because we are people ransomed by Him, we are to live holy, set-apart lives, lives that are different from those around us. 

Will you obey the command of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations? Will you heed the included call to become part of God’s priesthood?