Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Teen lesson for Sunday: Abram's call

First we will read Hebrews 11:8-19.  Then I will ask these questions.

11:8 –How do we know Abraham had faith in God?  (When God called him, he obeyed without question.)
11:10—What did Abraham look for?  What is this city?
11:11 – What else did Abraham believe?  Why did he believe this?
11:17—What did Abraham do that showed he believed in God?  Why did he do this?  Did he think that Isaac’s death would be the end?

Abe had faith in God because when God called, he obeyed without question.  He also had faith simply because God gave it to him.  Abram looked for a city that was not in this world.  He died before his promises came to pass.  This city is the New Jerusalem, the one Jesus will prepare for all of us.  He also believed God would keep his promises.  He had no proof of it, but God called him and that was proof enough.  His faith enabled him to become a father, and all of this was not anything he did, but what God did.  He didn't always have this faith because after a while, both he and Sarai gave up and had a child with Hagar.  But because God told him the promised seed would come through Sarai, he still believed and performed his duty for Sarah.

Then we will read Genesis 11:27-12:20.  While someone reads, someone else will keep a family tree.  I will read a few verses than ask a question.

11:31 -- Who all headed to Canaan at first?  Could it be possible that God called the whole family?  Why did they settle in Haran?  (11:28?)
Not only did Abram start out for Canaan, but so did his father Terah, along with Sarai and Abe's nephew Lot.  I think that God called the whole family.  It must have been after Haran died.  Then at some point Terah died, and they all got stuck in a city called Haran, possibly named for the deceased son.  
11:32-12:1-3. Now God is reminding Abram that he needs to go to Canaan as originally planned.  What 1 thing did God command in verse 1?  What 2 things did he promise in verses 2-3?
God promised him the land in verse 1, and then lots of children and grandchildren who would live in that land forever, and also that those children would bless all people on the earth.  This supports my idea that God saves some people so that they can save others, although I'm still reformed and believe that God still saves only those who he wants to save.  Still, there'd be no Great Commission if God did not want us to bless others with the eternal life he's given us.
12:4—What is Abram’s response?  Who went with him?  (Lot and Sarai)  How were they related?
 Abram obeyed again.  Just like when we get lost in the original plan God had, he still reminds us and we need to obey him.  Lot and Sarai still went with him.  Lot is Abram's nephew.  Sarai is his wife.  I'm really not convinced that she is his half-sister like he tells Abimelech.  In that situation, he's still trying to cover for the lie he told the king.  When I read Genesis 11, Sarai is mentioned with Milcah who is said to be Haran's daughter and Nahor's wife.  I get the idea that Sarai is also Haran's daughter, so she would be Lot's sister.  But it's not important.  Sarai is related to Abram closely.
12:6-7—What has happened that God said would happen in verse 1?  
God's first promise comes to life.  Abram reaches his land.  Abram's going to go much longer before the one promise happens, and will die before the last one is fulfilled.
12:10—Now that Abram was in the right land, why did he leave?  Didn’t God say he would give him children and his nations would bless the earth forever?
I think Abram's trip to Egypt was another lapse in Abe's faith.  God said he would take give him many nations.  Abram had to live for that to happen.  
12:11-13—Does Abram demonstrate trust in God in these verses?  What did God promise in verse 2?
God is still faithful, even when Abram goofs.  Abram put his wife in danger of defilement, but God protected her and revealed the truth to Pharaoh.  God promised that they would have children.  That would be endangered if Pharaoh had had his way with Sarai.  
12:14-20-- How can we see God working in this situation?
Why did God call Abram?  Was it because Abram was a good faithful man?   
Read Joshua 24:2.  No, Abram worshipped idols just like his culture.  God didn’t call Abram because he was faithful.  Abram was faithful because God called him.

After this we will play some quiz game where they answer questions and draw a card.  They will have a map of Abraham's journey from Ur to Canaan.  Each card will have an arrow or be blank.  The first person to reach the promised land wins.

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