God's Forever Promise
(God changes Abram & Sarai's names)
Theme: A Journey with Abraham
Theme Verse: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." Hebrews 11:8 NIV
Readings: Genesis 17:1-8, 15-22
Memory Verse: "He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded for a thousand generations, the covenant He made with Abraham, the oath He swore to Isaac." Psalm 105:8-9
How old are the oldest people you know? Abram and Sarai are really old by now. How many people even today live to be 90 or 99? Are the old people you know Christians? What kind of a relationship do they have with Jesus? Many old people become very close to Jesus. They need him and he has plans for them. You are never too old--or too young--for God to use you!
God appears to Abram again 13 years after Ishmael's birth and Abram is 99 and Sarai is 90! It has been 24 years since Abram left Haran in response to God's word to him. God's special appearances and promises come from time to time to reassure Abram and to renew and give more details about God's covenant and promises. Maybe by now Abram was struggling with doubts--see vs.17! "Abram fell on his face and laughed and said to himself "Will a son be born to a man 100 years old? Will Sarai bear a child at the age of 90?" He suggests to God that He consider Ishmael for this promise. But although God says he will bless Ishmael, he insists that there will be a son of the covenant born to Sarai and God even gives him a name, Isaac, meaning "he laughs".
God begins his self-revelation by saying who he is and what he will do. "I AM God Almighty (El Shaddai-pronounced shad-dah'-ee). That is, I AM all powerful. Nothing is impossible for God (vs.1) The first thing God commands is "walk before Me, and be blameless..." God is very concerned with our daily walk, how we live our lives. But "blameless"???? There are other examples: Ps 15:1-2, Ps.18:25, Phillipians 1:9-11 and in Luke 1:6 Elizabeth and Zechariah are called "blameless". What does that mean? We know Abram was not sinless, so it can't mean that. Only Jesus was sinless. It means walking in the light God gives ( I John 1:5-7), trusting and obeying as Abram had done before. It certainly means "keeping short accounts" with God. When we fall into sin, repenting quickly and asking for forgiveness and restoration of the relationship. David certainly did that. When our sins are forgiven we become blameless, justified, restored to a right relationship with God like the tax collector in Jesus' parable, not like the Pharisee who tried to justify himself before God in a legalistic way. However the consequences of sin remain--for King David and for Abram & Sarai's choice to produce Ishmael. (Muslims today see themselves as children of Abraham and of Ishmael.) Proverbs 3:5-6 is a good summary of how to walk "blameless" with God. It certainly means doing things God's way--which they had not done by arranging Ishmael's birth.
It means walking before God and with him in trust and obedience on a daily basis.
We have to look at the character of God. God is both righteous and merciful. To walk blameless is to walk daily in God's mercy, seeking to be obedient, trusting in his mercy and that if we do, God will gradually change our character to be like his.
God is bringing Abram into a new covenant relationship with himself, with the covenant of circumcision which we will look at next week. So God gave Abram and Sarai new names to be a sign of this new relationship and of his promises. Abram ("exalted father") becomes Abraham, "father of a multitude (of nations)" vs.5. Sarai will become Sarah, "princess". She will have a son and become a mother of nations and kings. It is Sarah's son who will be the fulfillment of the covenant promise. God will make an everlasting covenant with Abram, Isaac and their descendents forever.
In Liberia tribal people would get new names when a special event happened. When Christians are baptized the sponsors are asked to NAME the person. Torre was baptized as an adult and the priest insisted he have a new name--Ambrose. Revelation 2:17 talks about a new name that those who conquer is the struggle with sin and evil will receive.
Words received: I have called Abraham to walk before Me and be blameless.
I changed his name as a sign of what I would do through him.
I want My people to let Me help them walk blameless before Me.
Will you invite Me into your daily walk so that I can do this in you?
Look how the covenant has developed or unfolded during Abraham's lifetime. In Genesis 12:2-3 it talks about a "great nation", "bless all peoples though you", "make your name great'', "bless", "curse". Genesis 13:14-16 talks about the land ... offspring like the dust of the earth for numbers. Genesis 15:4-5 talks about God being his shield and reward,...a son from your own body...and offspring like the stars. Genesis 17:2-11 talks about many nations and kings descending from him...I will be your God... an everlasting covenant to your and your descendents...Canaan...circumcision as a sign.
The covenant is God's covenant (MY covenant) and God's idea, not Abram's God bound himself by a blood covenant (Genesis 15) and in the next lesson we will see how God instructs Abraham to complete his side of the covenant with a sign in his own body.
Each time God appears and speaks to Abraham he gives more details and promises and more of himself (I will be their God). Abraham had to wait a long time--living with the promises by faith and obedience. By waiting he was relying on God's timing. What experiences have you had with God's timing?
Sometimes God reveals more of himself to us as well, to reassure us or help us through difficult times. Share if you have experienced this. How did it change your relationship with him?
God wants to make clear to Abraham that it is he who will make them fruitful. (Compare John 15:5 "He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.") It is God's work in us that make us fruitful. We are to follow his plan, his promises and his timing.
What about us? Read Galatians 3:2-9 & 24-29. By faith in Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, people of faith are blessed with Abraham and enter into his promises and become spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, "heirs according to promise."
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 11
Please read the Study Guide first.
Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones.
1. God is faithful. When He makes a promise He keeps it.
2. God wants us to "walk out" our relationship with Him on a daily basis.
3. God will help us keep our relationship with Him.
4. God's covenant is a promise.
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