05/04 The Gospel Project
Unit 2 Session 2 - God's Covenant with Abraham
Unit 2 Session 2 - God's Covenant with Abraham
Step 1: Read the Scripture
Read all or parts of Genesis 12:1-3, 15, 17:1-9 from your Bible.
Step 2: Read a devotional
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.
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.
Step 3: Reflect and respond
PRAYER PROMPTS
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!
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!