Genesis Lesson #25

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GENESIS 12:11-20
LESSON #25
MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST

• MEMORY VERSE: EPH 5:33

• READ GEN 12:11-20
• ABRAHAM FAILS THE TEST OF FAITH (12:10) BY GOING TO EGYPT.
• NOTICE ABRAHAM WAS ALREADY HEADED FOR EGYPT BEFORE THE FAMINE CAME. GEN 12:6,9
• EGYPT SIMBOLIZES A RELIANCE UPON WORLDLINESS.
• ABRAHAM DID NOT SEEK GOD’S COUNSEL OR DIRECTION BEFORE GOING TO EGYPT.
• ABRAHAM’S LACK OF FAITH PRODUCED CONSEQUENCES IN HIS FAMILY.
• ABRAHAM’S LIE TO PHARAOH REGARDING SARAH:
• ONE SIN LEADS TO ANOTHER, ONE FAILURE LEADS TO ANOTHER.
• ABRAHAM’S LACK OF FAITH CAUSED HIM TO BE OUTSIDE THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD. INSTEAD HE WAS IN GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL IN EGYPT.
• GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL MEANS HE WAS NOT TRUSTING GOD COMPLETELY. INSTEAD HE RELIED ON HIS OWN FAULTY WISDOM.
• SARAH AND ABRAHAM WERE RELATED. SHE WAS HIS HALF SISTER (GEN 20:12)
• TO PROTECT HIMSELF, ABRAHAM LIED TO PHARAOH.
• ABRAHAM’S AND SARAH’S MARITAL RELATIONSHIP (A RELATIONSHIP WHERE BOTH ARE BELIEVERS IN GOD):
• READ EPH 5:22-33:
• DISCUSSION

: IN LIGHT OF EPH 5, WHAT DID ABRAHAM AND SARAH DO RIGHT? WHAT DID THEY DO WRONG?

• EPH 5:22 SARAH WAS TO SUBMIT TO ABRAHAM. SHE DID.
• EPH 5:23 ABRAHAM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HER PROTECTOR AND SAVIOR BUT HE FAILED TO DO IT GOD’S WAY.
• EPH 5:25 ABRAHAM WAS SUPPOSED TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF FOR HIS WIFE IF NECESSARY, BUT HE FAILED.
• EPH 5:26-27 ABRAHAM WAS TO DO ALL HE COULD TO KEEP SARAH PURE AND TO PRESERVE HER RELATIONSHIP TO THE LORD. HE FAILED.
• EPH 5:29 ABRAHAM WAS TO PROVIDE FOR SARAH. THIS HE DID.
• EPH 5:31 THE TWO WERE TO BE IN AGREEMENT AS ONE FLESH.
• IF SHE DIDN’T AGREE, SHE SHOULD HAVE APPEALED TO ABRAHAM.
• EPH 5:33 SARAH WAS TO “REVERENCE” ABRAHAM.
• “REVERENCE” MEANS = TO DEFER, PREFER, NOTICE, HONOR, TREAT AS A PRICELESS TREASURE, VENERATE, LOVE, ADMIRE, PRAISE EXCEEDINGLY, TO REGARD.

• HUSBAND (CHRIST) AND WIFE (CHURCH) RELATIONSHIPS
• EPH 5:22-33
• CHRIST AND THE CHURCH ARE THE MODEL FOR HUSBAND AND WIFE RELATIONSHIPS

• NOTICE THAT MORE IS SAID TO THE HUSBAND THAN TO THE WIFE.
• NOTICE THAT THE HUSBAND IS COMMANDED THREE TIMES TO LOVE HIS WIFE. WHY?
• BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE NATURAL THING TO DO.
• HE MUST DO IT WITH GOD’S HELP.
• NOTICE THAT THE WIFE IS COMMANDED TO SUBMIT TO, TO SUBJECT HERSELF TO, AND TO REVERENCE HER HUSBAND.
• THESE ARE NOT NATURAL FOR HER TO DO.
• SHE MUST DO THEM WITH GOD’S HELP.
• READ 1PET 3:1-7
• HOW FAR MUST SUBMISSION GO?
• DISCUSSION

: IF YOU WERE IN SARAH’S SHOES, WHAT WOULD YOUR ACTIONS BE?

• THE BALANCE OF OBEDIENCE AND APPEAL
• OBEDIENCE REQUIRES THAT WE KNOW THE WISHES AND GOALS OF OUR AUTHORITY, AND WE DESIRE TO FILL THEM.
• APPEAL REQUIRES THAT WE KNOW THE STANDARDS OF GOD, AND THAT WE DETERMINE NOT TO VIOLATE THEM WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES.
• HOW TO APPEAL TO AUTHORITY:
• YOU MUST BE IN RIGHT STANDING WITH A SUBMISSIVE ATTITUDE.
• YOU MUST HAVE A RIGHT BASIS FOR APPEAL.
• YOU APPEAL ACCORDING TO HIS REPUTATION.
• YOU APPEAL RECOGNIZING HIS RIGHTFUL AUTHORITY.
• YOU APPEAL TO CONFORM TO HIS ULTIMATE GOALS.
• YOU MUST APPEAL AT THE RIGHT TIME.
• YOU APPEAL WHEN YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE BALANCED.
• YOU APPEAL WHEN THE PERSON IN AUTHORITY CAN CONCENTRATE ON IT.
• YOU APPEAL WHEN YOU ARE STILL WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR IT.
• YOU MUST GIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
• YOU MUST HAVE RIGHT ATTITUDES.
• THE PROPER ATTITUDES ARE GENUINE LOVE, LOYALTY, AND A SERVANT’S SPIRIT.
• YOU MUST USE RIGHT WORDS.
• YOU MUST DISPLAY A RIGHT RESPONSE TO YOUR APPEAL IF IT’S REJECTED.
• THE BOTTOM LINE IS ONE OF FAITH. YOU FULFILL YOUR ROLE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY BASED ON THE DIRECTION GOD GIVES YOU. THEN YOU TRUST GOD FOR THE OUTCOME.
• HOW DID GOD HONOR SARAH’S OBEDIENCE?
• GEN 12:17 HE PLAGUED THE EGYPTIANS SO AS TO PRESERVE THE FIDELITY OF SARAH’S MARRIAGE AND KEEP PURE THE BLOOD LINE TO CHRIST.
• THE CONSEQUENCES OF ABRAHAM’S LIE AND HIS LACK OF FAITH:
• HE LOST TIME IN HIS WALK WITH THE LORD IN EGYPT.
• HE DID NOT LEARN FROM IT, AS WE WILL SEE HIM REPEAT THE LIE IN GEN 20.
• HE ESTABLISHED THE PATTERN OF DECEPTION AND LYING IN HIS FAMILY THAT WAS CARRIED ON BY HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. (GEN 26:7 EXO 34:7)
• ABRAHAM LEFT EGYPT WITH A GREAT DEAL OF WEALTH WHICH POSED ANOTHER TEST FOR HIM LATER, WHICH HE PASSED.
• ABRAHAM LEFT EGYPT WITH HAGAR, A MAID TO SARAH, THAT POSED ANOTHER TEST FOR HIM LATER, WHICH HE FAILED.
• DESPITE ABRAHAM’S FAILURE AT FAITH MANY TIMES ALONG THE WAY, GOD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS TO ABRAHAM, JUST AS GOD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS TO US WHEN WE FAIL.
• REMEMBER, ABRAHAM IS THE FATHER OF FAITH.
• REMEMBER, GOD CONSIDERED HIM RIGHTEOUS DESPITE HIS FAILURES.
• APPLICATION:
• WE HAVE SEEN ABRAHAM STUMBLE IN HIS FAITH, YET GOD WAS FAITHFUL.
• WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE NEW TESTAMENT CONSIDERS ABRAHAM’S FAITH PERFECT EVEN THOUGH WE SEE IN GENESIS THAT IT WAS NOT ALWAYS SO.
• GOD SEES OUR FAITH POTENTIAL IN THE SAME WAY HE SAW ABRAHAM’S FAITH POTENTIAL.
• EVEN THOUGH WE STUMBLE AND FALL, AND EVEN THOUGH OUR FAITH IS SOMETIMES WEAK, GOD IS PATIENT TO WORK WITH US.

• HOMEWORK
  GEN 13:1-18

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION

• APPLICATION OF GEN 12:11-20
• IF YOU ARE MARRIED, EXAMINE YOUR MARITAL RELATIONSHIP IN LIGHT OF ABRAHAM AND SARAH, EPH 5:22-33, AND 1PET 3:1-7
• WHAT CHANGES IN ATTITUDE DO YOU NEED TO MAKE?
• WHAT ACTIONS DO YOU NEED TO TAKE?
• WHERE DO YOU NEED TO TRUST GOD MORE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
• IF YOU ARE NOT MARRIED, WHERE IN YOUR LIFE DO YOU NEED TO TRUST GOD MORE?
• PREPARATION FOR GEN 13:1-18
• READ GEN 13:1-4
• ABRAHAM RETURN S TO BETHEL. REVIEW YOUR NOTES ON BETHEL FROM GEN 12:8 AND COMMENT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS STEP IN HIS FAITH WALK.
• HOW DOES ONE DO HIS FIRST WORKS OVER AGAIN? REV 2:4-5
• READ GEN 13:5-9
• CHART THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ABRAHAM’S AND LOT’S ATTITUDES.
• READ GEN 13:10-13
• WHAT IMPORTANT THINGS DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT LOT’S DECISION AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE LORD?
• READ GEN 13:14-18
• WHAT WAS GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARD ABRAHAM’S DECISION? HOW DID GOD EXPRESS IT TO ABRAHAM?
• MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 4:19