Date: 2-25-2024
Scripture: Genesis 14:18-20, 15 (LSB)
Sermon Title: A Promise Keeping God
Genesis 14:18-20 (LSB)
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. 19 Then he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then he gave him a tenth of all.
Genesis 15:1 (LSB)
1 After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
Genesis 15:2-3 (LSB)
2 And Abram said, “O Lord Yahweh, what will You give me, as I go on being childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no seed to me, behold, one born in my house is my heir.”
God is not
of our questions.
Genesis 15:4-6 (LSB)
4 Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This one will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” 6 Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness.
It is through
alone that we are made right with God.
Genesis 15:7 (LSB)
7 And He said to him, “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.”
Genesis 15:8-11 (LSB)
8 And he said, “O Lord Yahweh, how may I know that I will possess it?” 9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and split them into parts down the middle and laid each part opposite the other; but he did not split apart the birds. 11 Then the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
Genesis 15:12 (LSB)
12 Now it happened that when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror [and] great darkness fell upon him.
Genesis 15:13-16 (LSB) – Summary
Genesis 15:17,18 (LSB)
17 Now it happened that the sun had set, and it was very dark, and behold, [there appeared] a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day Yahweh cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your seed I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:
Our God is a
God.
Challenge:
Stop chasing
.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (LSB)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; 9 not of works, so that no one may boast.
Life Group Questions:
Get to know you question (optional):
1. Share a time you were genuinely terrified.
2. Read Genesis Chapter 15 (prior to life group): When you read through the scripture take note of anything interesting, unique, or questions that come to mind when reading. Take some time and dig in deeper in the following areas.
Genesis 15
Why is Genesis 15:6 such an important passage? What are some other Bible passages that teach this same principle of salvation through faith alone?
What can life look like if we understand this passage?
What can it look like if we don’t understand this passage?
In Genesis 15:12-18 it outlines the covenant agreement between Abram and God. Discuss what a covenant is, other places you see covenants in the Bible and what is unique about this one. The smoking oven / pot and the flaming torch represent God.
What are other times you see God represented in this way (fire)?
How might it tie back to this passage?
3. What are the ways we can try and earn our salvation?