Day 1- LINEAGE OF JESUS CONTINUED

Continue adding to the Lineage of Jesus chart where you ended last.
Read Luke 3:34
Which one of Terah’s three sons was in the lineage of Jesus?
This week you are going to learn about how a guy named Abram, who was also known as Abraham after God changed his name. You are going to learn how Abraham was a part of God’s plan for Jesus and how the true stories of his life point to Jesus!

Day 2- GOD’S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM

God made some promises to Abram (a.k.a. Abraham).
Read Genesis 15:1-6. List all the things God promised Abraham.
How many offspring or descendants would Abraham have?
Read Genesis 17:1-8
God told Abraham that he would be the father of a multitude of what?
What would come from him? Read verse 7 again. What type of covenant would God make with all of Abraham’s people?
This probably was overwhelming and very confusing to Abraham because he was old and didn’t have a son. Later in the chapter, God promises Abraham that he and his elderly wife would have a son. Could you imagine waiting 99 years to have a son? What is more confusing to Abraham is how he would be the father of many nations. Abraham and his wife were Israelites. In today’s culture, an Israelite is more commonly known as a Jew. Abraham is the father of Jewish people, but how can a Jewish man and a Jewish woman father many nations? Jesus, who is in Abraham’s direct lineage, would unveil the mystery of how this could happen after He died and resurrected.
Read Ephesians 3:6
In the Bible, Gentiles are any nation that is not Jewish. Because of Jesus, who else are considered God’s people?
Are there different people from all different nations in the world now who believe in Jesus? Did God’s promise to Abraham come true through Jesus?
How does this give you confidence in Jesus?

DID YOU KNOW

God chose to show Himself through His people throughout the entire Bible. In the Old Testament His people are the Jews, but it doesn’t mean that other people couldn’t be His people. There are many non-Jewish people (the Bible calls them Gentiles) who believed in God. Rahab and Ruth are two examples. In fact, both of them were in Jesus’ lineage!

Day 3- BELIEVE TO BE SAVED

Read Genesis 17:1-7 again
What was Abraham’s response to God when God made him a promise?
The Old Testament can be hard to understand because we don’t live in that era anymore. God will ask His people, the Israelites, to do many things that we don’t have to do because we now have Jesus. These verses are important because you get to see God’s heart is the same in the Old Testament as it is today. To get God’s righteousness, you must believe.
Read Romans 10:9. Who must you believe in to be saved?
Abraham did not know Jesus, but he did know God and believed in His promises. Jesus died for all sin past, present and future. You believe in Jesus to be saved. Abraham believed in the promise of Jesus and He was saved. Yes, God asked His people to do lots of things in the Old Testament, just as He asks you to do things for Him today. Doing those things won’t save you, but you should want to do them because you believe.
Do you believe in God’s promises like Abraham? Do you accept God’s grace?

Day 4- ABRAHAM’S SACRIFICE

Read Genesis 22:1-19
What did God ask Abraham to do?
Was Abraham obedient?
What did Abraham trust God would provide?
Write down verse 14 below and circle what Abraham named the place were he almost sacrificed his son.
This seems crazy for God to ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, but God was testing Abraham’s faith. You read yesterday that Abraham believed. God is giving us a clue about what kind of sacrifice it would take to save people from their sin. Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son, but God would.
Read John 3:16
How did God give His one and only Son?
Why did He do this?
Thousands of years after Abraham almost sacrificed his son, God would sacrifice His Son for the sins of the world. God would provide the true Lamb just like Abraham believed He would.

BIGGER & BETTER

The Bible says that Abraham took Isaac to offer him as a sacrifice on the mount of the Lord. If you study the Bible, you will see the mount of the Lord is Mount Moriah. Mount Moriah is a range of mountains and Abraham would have offered a sacrifice on the highest part of the mountain. The highest part of Mount Moriah was a place called Golgotha. Abraham’s almost sacrifice is where God would sacrifice His Son thousands of years later.

Day 5- THE RAM BEFORE THE LAMB

Read Genesis 22:8
You can only imagine how hard it was for Abraham to lay his only son on the altar. Especially because this was the son that God promised many offspring through. Abraham trusted God would provide the lamb.
Read Genesis 22:13
Did God provide a lamb? What did He provide instead?
Abraham was right, God would provide the lamb but it wouldn’t be until thousands of years later. He first provides a ram. The ram represents God’s Old Covenant which is the law He would soon give Moses. The law set up requirements for His people to follow God and atone for their sin. God’s plan was the Lamb, but He first needed to show people why they needed the Lamb.
Read Romans 7:7. How did God use the law?

Read Exodus 20:1-17
Have you broken any of these Ten Commandments?
Do you realize you need Jesus?