The Kingdom Promised, Part Two

Week Ten | March 9-15

At 99 years old, Abraham’s wife Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac. God kept his promise! From Abraham’s descendant, Isaac, a whole nation would be formed. That nation would be a blessing to all peoples. Abraham had waited 25 years from the time God first made his promise to Abraham. But that time of waiting was not the hardest thing Abraham would have to endure. When Isaac was a young man God tested Abraham’s faith, asking him to sacrifice his promised son. How could that be? How could God’s promise come true if Abraham sacrificed his son? God is trustworthy and he never makes mistakes. Abraham trusted God and at just the right moment, God provided a ram to be sacrificed instead of Isaac. Isaac grew up and had a son of his own, Jacob. God’s promise to Abraham was passed on to Isaac, then Jacob, and many years and generations later, God’s promise would be fulfilled in their descendent, Jesus–the Lamb of God, who would become the sacrifice for the sins of all people, just as God designed it to be.  

Memory Verse

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Numbers 23:19 

Worship

Day One

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about God fulfilling his promise to Abraham and Sarah by giving them a son, Issac:

Genesis 21:1-7, Numbers 23:19

Genesis 21:1 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he might lie,
or a son of man, that he might change his mind.
Does he speak and not act,
or promise and not fulfill?

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Heavenly Father, you are the God who makes the impossible possible. You are faithful and always keep your promises. We see that in the story of Abraham and Sarah, and in our own lives. We confess that we have sinned against you and often doubt your plans. Please forgive us and help us trust you more. Thank you for your forgiveness that we can count on, through faith in Jesus Christ. We acknowledge that you are the provider of all our needs. Please meet our needs today according to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Day Two

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about how God tested Abraham’s faith. (Note: This story may be hard for some younger kids to understand, so use discernment. Consider reading from a children’s Bible. Remember that God is trustworthy and never makes mistakes. God gave his own Son Jesus to become the sacrifice for all.)

Genesis 22:1-3, 7-14

 Genesis 22: 1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 

7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Heavenly Father, You are a holy perfect Father. As we read this story of Abraham and Isaac we are reminded of that. You love us so much that you did not spare your own Son, Jesus, to save us from our sins. We confess the ways we have sinned and dishonored the sacrifice you made. Please forgive us. Thank you for your love! Thank you for giving your Spirit to us so that we can understand your love and grow in faith and obedience. Please help us walk in that. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Day Three

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about the birth of Isaac’s sons, Jacob and Esau:

Genesis 25:19-26

Genesis 25: 19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Lord, You are faithful and always keep Your promises. You made a covenant with Abraham that You would give him as many descendants as the stars in the sky. We see you fulfilling this promise through the birth of Isaac and Jacob. Lord You are faithful to us, just as You were to Abraham and Issac. We confess our sin to you today, surrendering our own plans and trusting Yours. Thank you for reminding us that You are worthy of our devotion. Thank you for all the blessings we see from You. Please help us with the specific things in our life that only You can help us with. We love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. 

Day Four

Read

Here are some verses for your family to read about God’s promise to Isaac, which is then passed on to Jacob:

Genesis 26:2-4, 23-25; 28:10,12-15

God renews his covenant with Isaac:

Genesis 26:2 And the Lord appeared to him(Isaac) and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…

23 From there Isaac went to Beersheba. 24 The Lord appeared to Isaac that night. The Lord said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Don’t be afraid because I am with you. I will bless you and give you many descendants. I will do this because of my servant Abraham.” 25 So Isaac built an altar and worshiped the Lord there. He made a camp there, and his servants dug a well.

 God renews his covenant with Jacob:

Genesis 28:10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran…12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth…13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Pray

Lead your family in a time of prayer over what you read.

Consider the ACTS model:
A – Adoration/ praise God (remember that this is part of worshiping God)
C – Confession (confess sin and your need of God)
T – Thanksgiving (thank God)
S – Supplication (ask God to supply your needs) 

Lord, You are gracious- leading, protecting, and providing for Your people. You care for Your people and desire what is best. We know that the very best for us is You. Our sin kept us from You, but You made a way for us to be restored to You through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Thank you for reminding us of how faithful You are, even in the details of Isaac’s story. Thank you for caring for the details of our own story. We ask that You supply our needs today, according to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Day Five: Family Sabbath

Be Present

Set aside distractions (electronics, work, chores, etc.) and spend time with God and each other. 

Pray

God, thank you for giving us rest. You created us with limitations and command us to rest to remember You and all You provide. Help us rest in You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Play

Choose a fun activity to do together as your family rests from work. Here are some ideas:

• Celebrate National ___________ Day (find a list of unique days to celebrate online)
• Go for a run
• Write a short story together

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