His-Story Vol 1, Ch 2: Patriarchs

Sermon Notes

HIS-STORY: The Bible in 18 Weeks

Volume I: The Old Testament Story

Chapter 2: Patriarchs (Genesis 12–50)

1. Abraham: Blessings of Obedient Faith

• God’s Call & Covenant with Abraham

• Abraham’s Faith

• Abraham’s Failures

• Willingness to Offer Isaac

2. Isaac: God’s Plans are Better than Ours

• Miraculous Birth

• God’s Covenant with Isaac

• Isaac’s Faith & Failures: Like father, like son

3. Jacob: God Uses Unlikely People

• Jacob the Schemer

• God’s Covenant with Jacob

• Jacob and Laban (Rachel & Leah): the deceiver deceived

• Jacob Wrestles with God: Renamed “Israel”

• Jacob’s 12 Sons = the 12 Tribes of Israel

4. Joseph: God Turns Bad into Good

• Joseph & His Brothers

• Joseph’s Faith in Trials

• Joseph & His Brothers (Round 2)

• Israel Moves to Egypt

  a. The Flood (Gen. 6–9)

  b. The Tower of Babel (Gen. 10–11)

Study/Discussion Questions:

1. What was Abraham promised in the Abrahamic Covenant? How does this relate to the whole story of the Bible?

2. In what way does the story of Isaac mirror God’s actions with his own beloved Son?

3. The theme of the story of Jacob is that God takes the most unlikely people and uses them for his purpose. Can you think of other examples of this in the Bible? In your own experience?

4. The theme of the story of Joseph is that God takes bad and turns it into good. Can you describe an example of this principle in your life, your family or in society?

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