A Life Of Faith - Genesis
Read the summary of the Sunday sermon: After the death of Abraham, God affirms his promises to Isaac for his own journey. Isaac finds that his faith is quickly tested through various experiences. Along this journey, God promises that he will provide and be with him. Isaac learns this through successes and failures. His story is an example to us as we also seek to follow Jesus in our own life of faith.
Read: Genesis 26:1-14, 26-29
Questions for Discussion
Why do you think God repeats the promises he made to Abraham in Genesis 12 and Genesis 15 to Isaac in Gen. 26:1-5?
How does this moment in Isaac’s life (verses 6-16) compare with a similar moment in Abraham’s life (Genesis 20)?
What does the story of Isaac repeating Abraham’s failure tell us about the human condition?
Much of this chapter is centred on Isaac trying to find a place to dig a well (v. 17-33), and repeatedly running into opposition. How does this situation shed light on what it means to obey God in our lives?
Which promises of God do you find hardest to believe/easiest to forget and why? (Ex. I find it hard to believe that God will provide, I tend to forget that God is with me, etc.)
What are some tangible steps you can take to position yourself to receive these promises in a new way in your life?
What can it look like for you to live with integrity and honesty before others this week, especially people who don’t follow Jesus?
How can we encourage each other this week toward obedience to Christ even in the face of hardship or opposition?
Prayer: Take some time to thank God that he is faithful to all his promises, and that he has proven it in sending Jesus to fulfill those promises. Ask God to continue to fulfill the promises you may have a hard time believing in, and that you would experience his faithfulness in your life by the work of the Holy Spirit.
