Commencing 15th January 2023
This term we will be learning together from the life of Abraham from Genesis chapters 12 to 25. As
well as seeing the world restoring promises of God, we will be learning together what it looks like to
live by faith in those promises. This is the life that followers of Jesus are still called to today. We will
be learning together from the faith and the failures of Abraham the father of all who have faith (Rom
4:16).
Some big themes in the Abraham story:
God’s restoration plan.
Genesis is the book of beginnings. Adam – Beginning of the human race. Noah – Beginning of the
post flood humanity. Abraham – The beginning of God’s chosen nation. Through this nation God
would fulfil his purposes to restore the world to himself. In Genesis 12-25 we see these purposes
proclaimed and protected. The use of “I will” in the promises of Genesis 12 remind us this is God’s
work. His plans with not be thwarted even by failures of obedience and faith. We also get hints that
this purpose will draw in the Gentiles as well (e.g. Gen 12 and Gen 23).
As the church today we are still part of this restoration plan today through faith in Jesus. The LORD
of Genesis 12-25 is our God who is restoring the world to himself through Jesus the seed of
Abraham. He is the God who says “I will” – the God who is taking action. It is his promises that we
can believe and trust.
God’s sovereign interactions with his people and with the world
In Genesis 12-25 we see God graciously dealing with the faith and failures of his servant Abraham.
True faith is tested faith. True faith is disciplined faith. Through the life of Abraham we learn much
about the way God lovingly and graciously deals with those he has called. Test and Assuring. Calling
and Comforting.
We also see God as judge. We see God who brings judgement on Sodom and Gomorah. We also see
him bring plagues on Egypts ruler in judgement. God is the sovereign “judge of all the earth.”
Through the story of Abraham we will learn how God continues to sovereignly deal with us and with
his world. Ordering our circumstances and showing his grace in the every day movements of life.
Abraham the man of faith and “father of us all”
In Abraham we see the journey of faith from its call and conception to its ultimate triumph. We learn
from Abraham lessons in simple belief / faith (Heb 11:8-19). As Pink puts it: “See then in Abraham’s
up and down experiences, his trials, his failings, a representation of yours.”
As we read through the life of Abraham, we will learn the attributes and experiences of living faith.
Learning lessons from his “character and career.” Abraham is the type of stranger and pilgrim in the
earth.
In the typological sense Abraham points us to Jesus as the man of faith. The one who had perfect
faith even to the point of death.
Abraham is also a type of the Father, Jesus as Messiah, and the church.
As we read the life of Abraham we might share in the expectation of Pink who says:
“May divine grace enable writer and reader to walk by faith not by sight, to live in complete separation from the
worlds as strangers and pilgrims, to render unto God a more prompt and unreserved obedience, to
submit to His will and hold all at His disposal, and then shall we find with Abraham that the path of
the just shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
You can listen to all of the sermons in this series below: