Abraham

Day 1-Abraham Obeyed God’s Call

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Review very briefly with your kids what had happened from Genesis 1-11. God created the world but because sin had entered it, people were separated from Him. The only way to bring His people back to Him was to send a Savior, and He chose to do that through Abraham’s family.
  • Read Genesis 12:1-7 (older kids can continue reading all of chapter 12).
  • Ask, “What did God ask Abram to do? Did he obey? Who did he bring with him? How do you think Abram felt about leaving his home and other relatives? Why would this have been a difficult thing to do? What does God want our family to learn from this story?
  • Note: You can split this lesson into two days if you need to.
  • Read or summarize Genesis 13. Read verse 8 directly from the Bible.
  • Ask, “What was causing strife/disagreements? What solution did Abram come up with? What are some words you could use to describe Abram’s character in the situation? [Younger kids-prompt them by asking questions like, “Was he loving? (yes) Was he generous? (yes) Was he selfish? (no)]
  • Discuss with your children ways that they can show love and selflessness and integrity to other members of their family in the midst of strife.
  • Pray. One person can pray, asking God to help your family obey Him. Another person can pray, asking God to help your family love each other and put each other first.

Day 2-Abraham Rescues Lot, Refuses to Compromise, and Believes God

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Ask, “Have you ever been offered something that would be really nice to have, but you know it’s not the best for you so you turned it down?” Abram had a similar experience.
  • Read Genesis 14:13-16 after explaining that Lot, Abraham’s nephew had chosen to live in a place called Sodom (Genesis 13:12-13). Sodom had gotten involved in a rebellion and many of its people were taken captive by their opposition.
  • Read or summarize Genesis 14:17-24.
  • Explain that Abraham knew that God had blessed him and had given him victory. So when the wicked king of Sodom offered him a reward, he refused it because he did not want to be associated with that which would not be pleasing to or give glory to God.
  • Read Genesis 15:1-6.
  • Ask, “What did God say He was in verse 1 (a shield)? Why do we need a shield? How must Abram have been feeling for God to say these things (read verse 1 again)?”
  • God is our shield too (Psalm 28:7, Ephesians 6:16). It can be hard to have courage to do what pleases God, but His reward is greater than what anyone else may offer us.
  • Ask, “What did God ask Abram to do when he took him outside? Why do you think God had him do this? How did Abram respond? What did call his belief (righteousness)?
  • Ask, “What does God want our family to hear from what we read today?

Day 3-Is anything too difficult for the LORD?

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Have your kids imagine that they were sitting in the door of their tent back in Abraham’s day, trying to stay cool in the midday heat. This would be a great story to use your Little People or other props to help you tell the story to younger children.
  • Read Genesis 18:1-15.
  • Ask, “How did Abraham treat the visitors? What does the way he treated them tell us about Abraham’s character, what he was like? Can we as a family learn something from the way he showed kindness?
  • Ask, “What message did the travelers come to bring Abraham and Sarah? How did Sarah react to the news she overheard? Why did she have this reaction? What is another way she could have responded? If you were in Abraham and Sarah’s place, how do you think you may have reacted? Is there something going on right now that is really hard or seems impossible?”
  • Reread Genesis 18:14a.
  • Discuss how there are things that may seem impossible, but we can always trust God because God will always do what He has promised to do.
  • As a family, think of times in the Bible that God showed Himself faithful and trustworthy in difficult and ‘impossible’ situations. How does remembering those stories help your family trust Him more?
  • Parents, think of a time similar to this in your own life, when things seemed really hard or when it was difficult to believe. Share with your children how the Lord showed His faithfulness to you.

Day 4-When a Baby is Born…

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Ask, “What has been one of the happiest moments in your life?”
  • Read Genesis 21:1-8.
  • Ask:
    • Who are the people in this passage?
    • What is happening in this passage?
    • When did this take place [How old were Abraham and Sarah? How many years had it been since God first promised them that he would make Abraham into a great nation? (25) Genesis 12:4, Genesis 17:17, Genesis 21:5]
    • Why did they name the baby Isaac? (Isaac mean “laughter”. Genesis 17:19, Genesis 18:12-15)
    • How does this story help you trust God more?
  • Discuss with your children that God gave Isaac to his parents at just the right time, just like He did for each of your children. Talk about how God put them into your family for a reason. Look up verses about what God says about each of us.
    • Psalm 119:73
    • Psalm 139:13-14
    • Isaiah 49:15-16a
    • Jeremiah 29:11
  • Parents-tell each of your children about the day they were born or were adopted into your family.

Day 5-The LORD Will Provide

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Ask, “What have we read about Abraham so far? Can you think of three words that would describe him?”
  • Read Genesis 22:1-14.
  • Ask, “What stands out to you in this passage?” Try to guide your kids to retell the story back to you in their own words.
  • God was examining Abraham’s heart in order to grow Abraham’s faith and trust and dependence on God (older kids-look up James 1:2-4, 12-18 and discuss how trials can grow us).
  • Ask, “How did Abraham have enough faith in God that He was willing to sacrifice his only son, the one God had promised him, the one he had waited for so long?” (He had seen God’s faithfulness before, and He trusted God’s faithfulness in this situation. He trusted God would provide in the way that was best.)
  • Discuss with your children how this story points us to Jesus. He was His Father’s only Son. He was the lamb that God provided to take our place for the punishment that our sins deserve. (Isaiah 53:4-6, John 1:29, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
  • Ask, “How does hearing this story help you trust God more? What name did Abraham give to the place where this event took place? In what areas does our family need to trust that The LORD Will Provide?”
  • Activity
    • Crayon Resist Art
    • Print off a hidden picture puzzle