Saved by Grace - Class Notes

Genesis 24:1-4 (ESV)
¹ Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
² And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh,
³ that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,
⁴ but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

1.) Why was Abraham anxious to find a wife for his son Isaac and why not send Isaac on his own to find his wife?

Arranged marriages may have been common but these are usually meant to align families or based on another family providing the best dowry. Abraham’s desire was that his son should marry from his own clan and not marry a Canaanite woman. If he died before Isaac was married, Isaac would be on his own and would either be tempted to find a local wife or travel himself back to Nahor and leave the land God had sent Abraham.

2.) We don’t arrange marriages for our children today. Is that right or wrong? How involved should we be in our children’s lives and at what point should we pull back? Do we tend to pull back too early? Why?

No notes here…Just class discussion.

3.) Why did Abraham insist that Isaac find a wife from his own family and not from amongst the Canaanites?

There is no reason to believe that Abraham’s family in Nahor followed God anymore than the pagans living in Canaan. In following God’s covenant promise, Abraham was called to start and new people in the land. Inter-marrying with a Canaanite would cause Abraham’s line to just be mixed in with the people already there. Later, God establishes a direct law with Israel not to intermarry because that would lead to turning from God and to the Canaanite's gods.

4.) 2.) What is the significance of the title of Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth?

This draws a distinct differentiation between God and the multiple pagan gods in the land. This same distinction is made in Genesis 14 with the benediction of Melchizedek and in Abraham’s oath to God.

Genesis 24:5-9 (ESV)
⁵ The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"
⁶ Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.
⁷ The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
⁸ But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there."
⁹ So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

5.) Why is Abraham insistent that Isaac is not to go back to Nahor to find a wife for himself?

Isaac was to carry on Abraham’s family line and establish the people God had promised in the land of Canaan. If Isaac were to return to Nahor, he could be tempted to stay. We know when Jacob returns, Laban does his best to keep Jacob from returning to Canaan. He would surely have done the same with Isaac.

6.) How are we tempted sometimes to put ourselves in a position where we can fall out of God’s will for our lives?

No notes here…Just class discussion.

7.) Why does Abraham give his servant an out? What is Abraham not willing to compromise on? Why not?

Abraham knows God will fulfill his promise and produce a great nation from his seed and that Isaac is the next in that generation. He knows God will provide Isaac with the proper wife to carry on the family even if one cannot be found in Nahor that will return. However, Abraham knows God has sent him to this new land and he must not put Isaac in a position where he could decide not follow the family calling.

8.) Do we ever set our children up for failure and sin? How? How do we guard against it?

No notes here…Just class discussion.

Prayer time:

Pray for wisdom with our children. Are we involved enough in the lives of our children? Do we flirt with what the culture has to offer us and put our family at risk? Do we set up our children for failure and sin?

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Genesis 23:1-2 (ESV) 1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

1. What is a good eulogy for Sarah?

Genesis 11:29 – Married Abraham in Ur before he was called to go to Canaan

Genesis 12:11 - She was beautiful

Genesis 16:1 – She was barren for a long time – long enough to give up hope

Genesis 16:2 – She lost patience and talked Abraham into sleeping with Hagar in hopes of providing children to Abraham

Genesis 16:5-6 – She could be jealous and had a temper

Genesis 17:15 – God names her a princess

Genesis 18:15 – She had doubts and could lie with the best of them

Genesis 20:2 – She was beautiful even in old age

Genesis 21:2 – She is the mother of Isaac, the child of promise Genesis 21:6 – She was a believer in God and his promises

Isaiah 52:2 – A promise we can look towards

Hebrews 11:11 – She had faith in the impossible in spite of her doubts

1 Peter 3:6 – She is an example of a godly submissive wife

2. Peter points to Sarah as an example of an obedient wife. Was she and if so, how?

Sarah was obedient in following Abraham out of Ur and Haran in to the land God promised him. She was obedient when he told her to say she was his sister when he was afraid the people would kill him for her. However, Sarah also had a strong will. She encouraged Abraham to have Hagar in order to bear children we she gave up on her own ability. She also told Abraham to have Hagar and Ishmael leave the camp after Isaac was weaned. Submissive and obedient does not necessarily mean silent. It means the husband has the final say but as two have become one, the wife is an important part of the one.

3. What can we take from Sarah's life and apply it to our own?

Our failing faith can lead to a stronger faith as we recognize when God does fulfill his promises in our lives.

Read Genesis 23:4-20

4. Abraham calls himself a sojourner and foreigner in the land of Canaan. Can we relate as Christians to Abraham and his visitor status?

1 Peter 2:11 - We are temporary residents and aliens in our world. We have to live in the world and interact with it as Abraham had to do. However, like Abraham, we must not conform to this world and compromise our faith in return for what the world offers us.

5. Why did Abraham insists on paying for the land to bury Sarah?

Abraham did not want to owe Hittites anything. He knew that could be used against him in the future and perhaps endanger him to compromising his faith in the future.

6. What can we learn from Abraham and how he lived as a foreigner in Canaan as we live as foreigners in our world?

Abraham engaged the world – bought the land following the customs of the land but would not allow them to give the land to him, or take what the world was offering. The world offers us plenty of things and stuff that may appear harmless but could compromise our walk with Christ.

Class discussion on what "stuff" the world offers that we should turn down?

7. What does it mean to abstain?

Merriam-Webster: : to refrain deliberately and often with an effort of self-denial from an action or practice

8. What are passions of the flesh?

Galatians 5:19-21 (HCSB)
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,
²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar, about which I tell you in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul says the works of the flesh are obvious and he also makes it clear that this is not an all encompassing list ("and anything similar").

Class discussion on what other works of the flesh are obvious and similar to the above but not explicitly listed. The litmus test - is what I am doing glorifying God?

9. Do you abstain from passions of the flesh or just dabble?

No notes - just class discussion\challenge.

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Genesis 22

Genesis 22:1 (ESV) 1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."

1.)What is apparent about Abraham’s walk with God in verse 1? God initiated this conversation. When God calls his name, Abraham responds with “Here I am.” Abraham was listening and ready to respond to God’s calling, whatever that was to be.

2.)What is the significance of Abraham’s immediate response, “Here I am”, to God’s voice? Read these other “Here I am” verses.

Genesis 22:11 (ESV) 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."

Genesis 31:11 (ESV) 11 Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob,' and I said, 'Here I am!'

Genesis 46:2 (ESV) 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here am I."

Exodus 3:4 (ESV) 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

1 Samuel 3:10 (ESV) 10 And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears."

Isaiah 6:8(ESV) 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." Isaiah 52:6 (ESV) 6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I."

Isaiah 58:9 (ESV) 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

Isaiah 65:1 (ESV) 1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here am I, here am I," to a nation that was not called by my name.

Acts 9:10 (ESV) 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

What is our normal response when someone calls our name? Is it, “Yeah” or “What”? In most cases, whatever the response, is the tone one of, “Yes, what can I do for you?” or is it, “Yeah, what do you want from me?” “Here I am” is a response that is ready to listen and take action. It’s a response that knows more is to follow. It’s not a response that is annoyed or skeptical.

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-10

3.)What is our response when God calls our name? How’s your response when any loved one calls your name?

Is it, “Here I am, how can I serve you”? If this is not your response to people you say you love, it is probably not going to be your response when God calls on you either. Samuel could have been annoyed with Eli calling him the middle of the night, but instead he was eager to whatever Eli was asking of him, whenever he was asked. If he had been annoyed and ignored what he thought was Eli, he never would have recognized that it was God calling him.

Genesis 22:2 (ESV) 2 He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

4.)Was this command so absurd that Abraham knew God would not go through with it? Child sacrifices were not unheard of in Abraham’s culture. Many religions sacrificed children to their gods often to insure continued fertility. There is no telling what Abraham felt about this command from God but it would not have been as absurd to him as it sounds to us.

Genesis 22:3-8 (ESV) 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.

5.) How did Abraham respond to God’s command?

He took immediate action. He did not talk it over with Sarah first. God said to go so he went.

6.) Based on Abraham’s response and the fact that he never hid from Isaac that a sacrifice was the intent of the journey, what was Abraham’s belief?

Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV) 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Genesis 22:9-14 (ESV) 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." 12 He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."

7.) Abraham responds to the angel’s call with “Here am I” again. What does this say about where Abraham’s head was at during this test?

Abraham was expecting God to do something. He did not know what or how. He was just obeying and relying on God to work it out. He was listening for God and not wrapped up in the sorrow of his own situation. As we go through trials, we need to focus on God’s promises and expect His deliverance. If we get caught up in self-pity we may miss God direction.

8.) While God’s request may not have been as crazy sounding in Abraham’s time as it sounds to us today, it certainly tested him. He had already lost one son (Ishmael was sent off) and now God was asking him to give up Isaac, the child of promise. What might God ask us to give up that might be similar in context?

While none of us expect God to come calling to ask us to sacrifice our children, he may call us to do something that is painful in its own right. We are not to put anything ahead of God, not even our family. This is not an excuse to neglect your family because you have a calling for a particular ministry.

While God may call you to serve in a way that takes you from your family, often we abandon others on our own for tasks we attribute to God when God has no intention for us to go off on our own.

Genesis 22:15-24 (ESV) 15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. 20 Now after these things it was told to Abraham, "Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel." 23 (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

9.)After the trial, God reassures Abraham of His promise. The promise Abraham held onto to survive the trial. What promises should we hold on to as we face our tests and trials?

James 1:12 (ESV) 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Our take home today is, “What is there in my life that giving up would as close as can be imagined to sacrifice your child?” Are you willing to give it up?

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Genesis 21 Read Genesis 21:1-7

1.) How patient are we as a culture in America? What are some examples of our cultural impatience?

Fast food
Credit cards
High risk mortgage How we buy cars – other countries order new cars and expect to pick them up 6-8 weeks later. We expect to walk off the lot with the car we want once we have made the decision to buy.

Ecclesiastes 7:8
Lamentations 3:26
Luke 21:19
Romans 12:12
Hebrews 10:36
James 5:7

2.) God’s promise to Abraham required a great deal of patience. Why do God’s promises often require patience?

Romans 5:3-4 (ESV) 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

James 1:2-4 (ESV) 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 2:20 (ESV) 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV) 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

3.) What happens if you are not patient? We may miss God blessing. We have to live with the consequences. The ongoing strife in the Middle East and the world is the result of Abraham fathering Ishmael because he and Sarah grew impatient and tried to help God along.

Read Genesis 21:8-21

4.) Was sending Hagar and Ishmael out of the camp and into the desert the right thing to do?

5.) Why did God allow this to happen? Ishmael and Isaac would never be able to live together. Ishmael was the son of Abraham own flesh and works. Isaac was the son of promise.

Read Galatians 4:28-31

6.) In what ways are we children of the promise, similar to Isaac?

1 Corinthians 15:46 (ESV) 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

7.) In what ways are we persecuted by the flesh like Isaac was persecuted by Ishmael?

Galatians 5:17 (ESV) 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Read Genesis 21:8 again.

8.) Isaac was the son of promise. Like all newborns there came a time when he had to be weaned. In Jewish custom there is also the bar mitzvah when a boy moves from childhood to an adult. Many of us are well passed our newborn and even childhood state in our Christian life. Have we weaned ourselves or moved on from childish ways? What does this look like in a Christian walk?

9.) A mature Christian does not live by the flesh but neither does he or she bind themselves to a bunch of legalistic rules. How is this done?

Galatians 5:16 (ESV) 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Read Genesis 21:22-34

10.) Why did Abimelech come to make a truce with Abraham? He could tell that God was with Abraham. He probably had concerns because Abraham’s earlier deceit had almost cost him his life.

11.) How did Abraham respond? Abraham swore to deal honestly with Abimelech. He also brought up the issue of Abimelech’s servants seizing Abraham’s well. He gave Abimelech seven lambs as a “receipt” of proof that the well was his. In sharp contrast to how Abraham acted years earlier with Abimelech, he was not being upfront and not afraid of retaliation from the king.

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