Genesis 12; 15; 17
February 16, 2025
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
In today’s reading, we see how God kept and demonstrated His faithfulness to Abraham by establishing a covenant with him. The faithfulness of God is shown through Abraham's family lineage as God's promises were ultimately fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – a descendant of Abraham.
How did God establish His covenant with Abraham? What was the significance of Abram’s name change?
Though the promises of Genesis 15:4 were years away from fulfillment, God made a covenant to show that He would be faithful to do what He promised Abraham no matter what. God wagered His namesake through establishing this covenant, promising on behalf of His own name and reputation that His promises would indeed come to pass. Animal blood was shed through this ceremony and was used to seal the covenant, demonstrating the gravity of what was at stake. God spoke to His servant’s questions regarding his inheritance of both a nation and a land to call their own.
In chapter 17 when Abram received his new name from God, he was 99 years old—still childless, yet still believing by faith. For him to father not only a son, but an entire nation seemed implausible. Yet, God changed Abram’s name from “The Father is Exalted” to Abraham, “Father of a Multitude.” Though the promise of a descendant was not yet in his reach, God spoke to him and over him that His Word was true and worthy of his obedience.
The bloodshed in this covenant agreement foreshadowed the blood to be shed as God’s promises would find ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. Through His Son, God would do what seemed more impossible than Abram’s unlikely fatherhood—God would make the way for the unrighteous to be brought into His family forever. Like Abraham, we are counted as righteous when we place our faith in Christ and in His finished work on the cross. Reflect on the great lengths God demonstrated to prove that His covenant was trustworthy and how He brought it to completion through Jesus. Now is time to proclaim this covenant love to your kids. May you speak clearly about the loving faithfulness of your Father in heaven.
** Next week: Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22)
This Week's Main Ideas
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This Week's Main Ideas •
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God made a promise to Abraham.
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BABIES-TODDLERS
Jesus came to earth as part of Abraham’s family.
PRESCHOOL-K
God promised to bless all the people in the world through Abraham. God sent Jesus to earth as part of Abraham’s family. God blesses all the people on earth through Jesus because Jesus saves people from their sins.
1ST-5TH GRADE
God kept His promises to Abraham. Abraham became the father of the nation of Israel. Jesus came into the world as a descendant of Abraham to fulfill God’s promise. All who place their faith in Jesus are part of God’s family forever.
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Q: Does God keep His promises?
A: Yes, God always keeps His promises because He is faithful.
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PRESCHOOL-K
The LORD is good, and His love lasts forever. Psalm 100:5
1ST-5TH GRADE
The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever. It will last for all time to come. Psalm 100:5
Family Discipleship Activities
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Family Discipleship Activities •
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Read all or parts of Genesis 12:1-3; 15; 17:1-9 from the Bible
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Abraham believed God’s promise, but he still wondered how God would make it happen. God gave Abraham another reminder of His promise. If you remember this week’s Bible story, you probably thought it was very different and a little odd.
God had Abraham sacrifice animals and lay the two halves on opposites sides of a path. While this might seem surprising to us, it was familiar for Abraham. This was common for kings, military leaders, or even businessmen to make this type of agreement with one another. After making an agreement, the two parties would walk together through the middle of the animals as a way of saying, “Let what happened to these animals happen to me if I break my promise.”
Abram probably understood this ceremony and what it meant. But God demonstrates grace for us by putting a very interesting twist on the ceremony. When it comes time to seal the deal, God puts Abram in a deep sleep. Then, God makes the covenant with Abram and moves through the path all by Himself. This is God’s amazing grace!
God was showing Abraham that He would be faithful to keep His promise. And this promise was not dependent on what Abraham could do but on what God would do. We see God uphold His side of the deal with Abraham, and many years later He sends Jesus as the ultimate display of His grace. On the cross, Jesus took the punishment for sin that we deserved, and He gives us the opportunity to have a relationship with God that we definitely do not deserve.
That is amazing grace!
God kept His promises to Abraham. Abraham became the father of the nation of Israel. Jesus came into the world as a descendant of Abraham to fulfill God’s promise. All who place their faith in Jesus are part of God’s family forever.
Pray: God, thank You for your grace to Abraham and to us. Thank You for showing us how faithful You are. We thank You for sending Jesus as the fulfillment of Your promise to Abraham. Thank you that we can have a relationship with You—not based on what we have done for Jesus but on what Jesus has done for us!
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PRESCHOOL-K
The LORD is good, and His love lasts forever. Psalm 100:5
1ST-5TH GRADE
The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever. It will last for all time to come. Psalm 100:5
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Mornings
Give thanks to Jesus for the sacrifice He made to save us from our sins. What did Jesus do to save us from our sins? Why was He the perfect sacrifice?
Evenings
Thank God for the pastors at your church and ask God to bless the work they do. How can we be encouraging to those who teach us about Jesus?
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For Fun
Pick a prize or reward for your family if they can complete a series of tasks, but make the tasks impossible for kids to complete on their own. After they attempt the challenge, talk about their inability to complete the tasks and whether they deserve the reward. Grant the reward or prize even though kids did not complete the challenge. Remind them of God’s promise and fulfillment to Abraham based on His grace—not Abraham’s performance—while you enjoy the reward together.
To Serve
Take your family to a local animal shelter to play with dogs, serve by cleaning kennels, or donate supplies. Talk about the families who will adopt these dogs and give them a home. Remind kids that it is because of Jesus that we can be part of God’s family forever.