The Story Begins: God's Covenant with Abraham

The Story Begins: God’s Covenant with Abraham

Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-6, 17:1-14

An Unconditional Covenant is one in which God binds Himself by His own promises no matter what the other party does or does not do.

John 6:39 - “This is the will of Him who sent Me, all that He has given Me I will not lose even one, but raise them all up on the last day.”

A Conditional Covenant depends on the faithfulness of both parties and is nullified should one or both break the covenant.

Genesis 3:17 – “Then to Adam God said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground because of you….”

      1. God commits to a renewed relationship with His people.       12:1-4

Acts 3:25-26 – “…God said to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’  God, having raised up His servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your sin.”

Galatians 3:29 – “And if you are in Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

 I. Land (where we live/work/play)

 ii. Offspring (who we disciple)

iii. Blessing (when we speak and show the Gospel)

 2. God commands us to trust His promises.        15:1-6

 3. God calls His people to be distinct in this world.        17:1-14

 Colossians 2:11 – “And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”

Faith Sheet

Series Memory Verse - Genesis 1:26-27 – “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”    

Monthly Verse - Genesis 22:18 - “All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command.”

Weekly Verse - Genesis 15:6 –“Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”

Reviewing This Past Sunday

The Story Begins: God’s Covenant with Abraham

Genesis 12:1-4, 15:1-6, 17:1-14

1. Notice the uses of the pronoun “I” as it appears in the Lord’s words to Abram in Genesis 12:1-4. What does this tell us about God’s commitment to His glory and His plan of redemption?

2. Why do you think Abram obeyed God by leaving his land according to the text?

3. What would it take for you to obey God if He called you to do something that made no sense from the world’s perspective?

4. In what areas of your life do you often struggle with trusting the promises of God (financial, marital, parental, relational, etc.)? Why?

5. In what ways do we imagine our relationship with God is dependent on how well we keep His rules? What will a rules-focused life cause us to become?

6. If we are part of His chosen people in Jesus, then how does God continually relate to us?

7. Can we be on mission with God and yet fail to pursue Christ-likeness? Why or why not?

8. Are there unreached peoples who have come to our community? How can we begin to reach them with the gospel? 

“The call of Abram is the beginning of God’s answer to the evil of human hearts, the strife of nations, and the groaning brokenness of his whole creation.”   -Christopher Wright

“Saving faith is faith in God’s provision, not our performance.” -Tim Keller

Preparing for Next Sunday

The Story Begins: The Testing of Abraham

Genesis 22:1-14

1. Read the passages and ask the Lord to reveal Himself and His truth. (Genesis 22:1-14)

2. HIGHLIGHT a verse or truth that stands out to you and write it out.

3. EXPLAIN the text in your own words to make sure you see the big picture of God’s Story.  (Who wrote it and why was it written? To whom it was written? What is the context? How does the text point to the Father, Son or Spirit? What is the text telling us about our new identity as believers in  Christ or what we are to be doing?)

4. APPLY a truth from the text to your own life. (Focus on what God is saying to you. What is your act of obedience, confession, praise, giving thanks, etc.)

5. RESPOND in prayer and go apply what God reveals to you from the Scriptures.