Things are about to get really messy, but God is not surprised and Abram cannot thwart or prevent God’s redemption plan as it has never been dependent on Abram – it has always been dependent on God alone. Still, sin always hurts people and Abram and Sarai’s actions, while culturally normal, are sinful. It is good to heed that warning while also maintaining the wonder of how Great and Profound God’s mercy is. This first recorded appearance of the Angel of the Lord is to a single mother-to-be slave girl from Egypt with a pride problem! Additionally, this is the first time we read of God giving a name before birth, showing He has a plan for her child. While the promised Messiah and covenant will be with Abram and Sarai’s son Isaac and the Hebrew people, we must not assume this means that God is not also personally involved in other nations of the world, including the Arab people (Ishmael’s descendants.) As the psalmist says; the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. (Psalm 24:1) As you read this chapter, pay special attention to how God is relating to each individual according to His character revealed thus far in scripture. (from weeks 9-14; He calls, reassures, shields, and sees)

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 16-17

God continues to reveal Himself to Abram over time as he goes along. It has been years since Abram left home, and while he has amassed much wealth and his household has grown - he still has no children and owns no land. What did God’s promises mean? How long will they take to come true? What continued hardships will this journey with God entail and how will Abram endure it all? God visits Abram and tells him not to be afraid. He answers Abram’s questions, often in surprising ways with disheartening details. This next chapter lets us listen into Abram’s intimate conversation with the God of the universe revealing to us deep and significant truths about who God is, how He relates to individuals personally and how He is at work in the world. 

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 15

After his brief stint in Egypt, Abram returns to where he started and calls on the name of the Lord. What follows is quarreling and strife in his family, years of war among the kings in the area, a rebellion and the capture of his nephew who had ended up on the loosing side. Abram mounts an army from his own household and three of his allies, rescues Lot, and then is visited by a mysterious king/priest named Melchizedek. The scriptures don’t tell us anything about what Abram’s first 75 years were like, but these past 15 have been quite eventful! God calls him to leave his home and go to a place unknown and the first thing we read is that there is a famine. Now there is a lot of fighting. Could it really be God’s plan to lead him into such chaos and hardship? As you read these chapters pay attention to what Abram’s choices reveal about his character, and the things God says and does to reassure Abram of His plan.

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 13-14

The first 11 chapters of Genesis cover thousands of years and the whole earth while the rest of Genesis will cover few hundred years and zero in on one individual and his descendants. What is the author implying about the significance of this particular family? Matthew chapter 1 gives us a clue - revealing to us a plan that went way beyond Abraham and his children. Eve’s promised seed who would crush the head of the serpent is the significance - and we know this is Jesus. But Adam, Eve, Abram & Sarai didn’t know this. As our study takes us through the details and descriptions of their interactions let us not forget the big picture of what everything is pointing to - Father, Son, and Spirit working together to rescue the human race from the curse of sin. It all begins with a man who is called to leave his home and go to a place unknown, taking one step at a time with the God who called him.

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 12

This chapter reveals once again how desperately we need God’s intervention. We see here the people’s; “Come, let us make; Come let us build…” contrasted with God’s; “Come, let us go down and disperse….” Left alone we choose our own way, we seek to glorify ourselves, to stay put and establish our own mini kingdoms. Without the ‘But Gods’ of our lives we would not, could not, follow Him or obey His instructions to disperse, be fruitful, and multiply. 

God’s command from the very beginning has been to go into all the earth declaring the praises of Him who made us – that all the world would surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. Come, let us deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Jesus. For His name alone is worthy of all Praise.

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 10-11

Due to Technical Difficulties, we were unable to record this teaching. We apologize for this, we know it's a bummer that those who were unable to attend in person will miss out. We hope with the study guide you are still able to connect with a friend to share what you learned in this passage.

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After the flood the earth and everything in it has significantly changed. Adam’s loving supremacy over the animals has now been replaced with fear and dread. Directions are now given with respect to taking Life. For the first time we have recorded God establishing a covenant – a formal, solemn, and binding agreement – with all humans and all of creation. The fulfillment of this covenant is not dependent on people’s obedience but on God’s faithfulness alone. Were it not so the peaks of our beloved 14ers might be covered tomorrow!

The world we now live in has been deeply affected by Adam and Eve’s sin. Isaiah tells us there will be a return to the patterns of relating between man and animal when Jesus makes all things new again. (Isaiah 11:6-9) Until that day we join with creation’s groaning as we wait eagerly to be set free from our bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. This is the Hope unto which we have been saved. (Romans 8:18-25)

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 9

This account of God’s judgment is jarring as the concept of His wrath can seem offensive. That is until your son’s bike gets stolen and then it is deeply comforting. In all seriousness, this is one of the most heart wrenching and sad chapters in scripture. The entire human race has reached the point of no return. No hope. No thoughts of love or kindness or goodness or beauty. Enmity – that is, active opposition and hostility - exists between God’s Spirit and the sinful nature of Adam’s race. Where is that promised seed of the women who will crush the head of the serpent?  

God is not distant – He has remained present and connected throughout all these generations since the beginning of time. He is grieved beyond any grief we can possibly imagine. God’s beautiful creation, the ones made in His own likeness – The likeness of Him whose disposition is only good all the time – have now reached a level of depravity that “every inclination of the thoughts of their heart is only evil all the time.” And so, God is going to destroy what He created – the people, the animals, and the earth. But, He will not leave anyone without a way to be saved – He will provide a means of rescue and place of safety. Sound familiar??

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 6-8

Every life is important to God, and His desire is for none to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) The dividing point between all people is their response to God and His word. These chapters describe two such streams of humanity – the descendants of Cain (ch 4) and those of Seth (ch 5). These histories illustrate the enmity God promised between those who follow Him by faith and those who pridefully go their own way. 

In one family line we are told of individuals’ cultural advancements including their skill, artistry, and craftsmanship. In the other we are only told of individuals’ relationship with God. We say that our identity is in Christ, yet let us pause and ponder; if my own legacy were to be recorded, would I be ok with everything about me being left out except for my relationship with God?

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 4-5

The pursuit of knowledge at the expense of trust is a Siren song we struggle against still to this day. We place high esteem on the learned and at times pity the uneducated. Having more information doesn’t always lead to deeper trust. It is trust we need in keeping with worship of, hope in, and obedience to God. Jesus tells us it is in Him that life is found, and the pursuit of understanding is in vain if it does not lead us to Him. “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40) 

The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made, His love is great, and His compassion never fails. Ultimately that is all we need to know. 

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 3

We now move from broad strokes of all creation, down to man and woman, revealing who we are, and the meaning and purpose of life. Another distinction is a change from; “after its kind” to “after God’s own image and likeness.” Additionally, just as God rules over the entire universe, humankind is given permission to rule over and name the creatures God has made. With everything else, God speaks “let it be, and it was so,” but with man and woman He shares a more detailed and intimate account of forming from dust and breathing His own breath to give life. God’s Eden is a garden of delight, pleasing to the eye and good for food. He has thoughtfully made a place for Adam and Eve to live together and flourish. And finally, He has invited them into a relationship of trust in His wisdom, love, and care; willingly living according to His command.

Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Genesis 2:4-25