Confirmation: Abraham

To download and print this lesson click here:  DOWNLOAD

Work through the confirmation Lesson below.  Do the best you can on your own.  If you need help, or if you get stuck send me an email, (revrichm@gmail.com), text or call me (610-401-5602).  When you're done, post your answers at the bottom.  When we meet next I will go over this and we'll do an exercise to have some fun with it.  

Abraham

My Faith Story

Big Question: Can I really trust God?

Think about your own faith story using the suggestion below or another way to share about how God has kept promises in your life.

Time is an important element of the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. God expected Abraham and Sarah to go without delay and then wait for years and years.  Consider the clock in your room and think about on how quickly or slowly life is passing you by. What makes time seem to fly by? What makes it seem to go slow? What does being on God's time mean and feel like to you?

Open the Bible

Open to Genesis 12:1–4a. Before you read it, consider these questions: What is God promising? What does God ask Abraham and family to do? What do they do? Then read the passage with those questions in mind. 

Continue with Genesis 12:10–20. This story may be completely new and unknown to you.  Why do you think this story is less popular than other stories about Abraham and Sarah. 

Continue with Genesis 15:1–16. What is God promising? What does God ask Abraham to do? What does Abraham do? How is this covenant like and unlike the one you read in Genesis 12?

Q.  How do Lutherans understand God's promise to Abraham?

A.  The key matter regarding God's promise to Abraham is not the location of the Promised Land or the bloodline of the promised descendants, instead, for Lutherans the key matter is summed in chapter 15:6: "And he [Abraham] believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness."  Since this is the first instance in scripture that faith is commended, according to Luther, "This is therefore one of the foremost passages in all of scripture." How does Abraham "obtain righteousness" here?  "In this way," said Luther: "God speaks and Abraham believes what god is saying."   

Turn together to Genesis 17. What is God promising? What does God ask Abraham to do? What does Abraham do? How is this covenant like and unlike the ones you read in Genesis 12 and 15? 

Before you turn to Genesis 18, make believe that three strangers showed up at your door.   What kind of hospitality would you show them on such short notice?  Now read Genesis 18. What kind of hospitality did Abraham and Sarah show? 

Go back to Genesis 16 and 21:8–21, the story of Hagar and Ishmael.  This story reveals more about who Abraham and Sarah are as people. What promises does God make to Hagar? What does God do? What does Hagar do? How is this covenant like and unlike the covenants God made with Abraham and Sarah? 

As you continue through Genesis, note that the "sister" trick Abraham pulled on the pharaoh in chapter 12 is repeated in chapter 20. What is going on, here?

Read Genesis 21:1–7. What did God do? What did Abraham and Sarah do?  Did Abraham and Sarah "deserve" such favor from God? What does it mean that God loved them, and kept God's promise to them despite all their human imperfections?

Open the Catechism

Here We Stand Student Book page 306: Read through Luther's description of confession. What does God promise? What are we trusting God to do?  make a list of your own confessions. These are not to be shared with the class, or on this blog, but if you wish to talk privately with me about anything you feel like confessing please contact me.  What is the purpose of making confession? How does it provide comfort and relief? Is there anyone in the world who doesn't have any sins to confess?

Here We Stand Student Book page 176: Comparative Religions

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam trace roots back to Abraham. What are some of the similarities and differences between these three religions?

Here We Stand Student Book page 45: Five Facts about Life in Old Testament Times

Which of these five facts surprised you the most? 

Which do you think you’d have the hardest time adapting to?

Here We Stand Student Book page 96: A Brief History of God’s Covenant with the People

What kinds of covenants can you think of that exist between people? 

How are these like and unlike God’s covenants with God’s people?

Cartoon Connection

What makes the story of Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham seem real
to you?
How do you feel about Hagar’s banishment to the wilderness?
What makes human relationships so complicated?

Life Connection

God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). Draw a small star on your hand.  Every time you see it this week, remember that God keeps promises.

Quiz

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The name Abraham means . . .

     a. man with a thousand sheep.

     b. father of many. 

     c. one who waits patiently.

     d. There is no meaning to this name.

2. The name Sarah means . . .

     a. a person everyone likes.

     b. noble shepherdess.

     c. princess (of a nation).

     d. perfect wife and mother.

3. Waterproof tents used by Abraham and his people were made of . . .

     a. coarse goat hair. 

     b. Gore-Tex™.

     c. cashmere.

     d. duck feathers.

4. The name Isaac means . . .

     a. he laughed. 

     b. he cried.

     c. he scowled.

     d. he lived.

5. Abraham got Pharaoh and Abimelech into trouble by saying that Sarah was his . . .

     a. wife.

     b. sister. 

     c. very good friend.

     d. sister-in-law.

True or False Questions

6. All families experience conflict. 

7. The heroes of the Bible are nearly perfect. 

8. Hagar is the mother of Isaac. 

Word Search

9.  God established a _________________________with Abraham and Sarah.

10.  Abraham and Sarah's response when God said they would have a child was________________.

11.  Abraham's son with Hagar was named_______________________.

12.  Hagar was Sarah's_____________________________.

13.  Abraham's son with Sarah was named ___________________________.

14.  The name Isaac means "he___________________________.

15.  In Genesis 15 Abraham made an _______________________ to God.

16.  God always keeps God's _______________________.

Confirmation: The Flood

To download and print this lesson click here:  DOWNLOAD

Work through the confirmation Lesson below.  Do the best you can on your own.  If you need help, or if you get stuck send me an email, (revrichm@gmail.com), text or call me (610-401-5602).  When you're done, post your answers at the bottom.  When we meet next I will go over this and we'll do an exercise to have some fun with it.  

The Flood

My Faith Story

The Big Question: What does an old covenant have to do with me?

The word covenant translates roughly to "promise." In more legal terms, a covenant is similar to a contract—if you do this, I promise to do that.  Think of the concept of covenant/promise as it relates to keeping (or breaking) a confidence, such as, "Promise not to tell anyone."    Friendship is often contingent on promise-keeping.  God's promise to Noah helps us understand how God keeps a promise unconditionally, even when humans cannot live by the rules and maintain faithfulness to God.

Open the Bible

Noah "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9) before the flood. However, God was very displeased with the wickedness of the rest of humankind (Genesis 6:5, 11–13). God found Noah's family to be the only righteous people left in creation. 

  

Read Genesis 9:8–11. After keeping Noah, his family, and the animals safe during the flood, God made a covenant.  A covenant is a promise between two unequal parties. God made a promise to Noah and his descendants to never destroy the earth again. There is no mention of Noah's part in this covenant. As is always the case with God's grace, the promise does not depend on anything humans do. God cared enough about Noah and his family, and all humanity that was to come after them, to give them good news for the future.

Read Genesis 9:13 about the rainbow.   Remember, unlike us today, the biblical people lived outside. No one would miss spotting a rainbow! This verse states that the rainbow would be a sign. Throughout the Bible God gives signs to people to help them remember who God is.  Can you think of some other images from nature that God used to teach people in the Bible?  

Open the Catechism

Student Book page 299: Read the first article of The Apostles' Creed. This part of the Creed states what we believe about God the creator.  God promises to care for us and for all of creation.   How does God care for us through other people, giving us what we need, protecting us each day, and enabling us to believe in God as our continuous creator.

Student Book pages 96–97: Read the introduction of "A Brief History of God's Covenant with the People" and the first selection "Covenant with Noah."  God's covenant with Noah was really a promise with all people who would follow him. In that one covenant, God's grace was given to all humankind.

Student Book page 111: Check out the "Noah's Ark" text and illustration. That's one BIG ARK!  

How many feet are there in a cubit. Then measure the height, width, and length of your bedroom (in cubits) and determine how many rooms that size would fit into the ark. Remember that just like the rules and formulas of math, there are rules for humans to follow in order to live together. Fortunately, there is God's unconditional love and mercy that we need when we have trouble living by the rules.

Cartoon Connection
Why is this a couple's cruise?

The cruise promises to be 40 days.  Is that promise too good to be true?
Would 40 days together on a boat be a good thing or a bad thing for your family?  Why? or Why not?

Life Connection

"I promise..." is something we say and hear a lot.  But many people take promises lightly and think nothing of breaking them.  Think of a time when someone broke a promise with you.  How did that make you feel?  In the next week, make an important promise to a friend or family member.  Make a point of keeping it.  How do kept promises make you feel? 

Quiz

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The point of the flood was to . . .

     a. show the effects of global warming.

     b. restore God's creation. 

     c. sell more arks.

     d. freshen up creation.

2. God chose to save Noah because . . .

     a. he already had a lot of pets.

     b. Noah "walked with God." 

     c. he was the best carpenter God could find.

     d. he had a large family that could repopulate the earth.

3. God decided not to destroy the world again with a flood because . . .

     a. people are imperfect and will always need rules and love. 

     b. another 40 days and nights of rain was too much to bear.

     c. new generations of people would be more God-fearing.

     d. it's not possible with people spread out in so many places.

4. A cubit is a measure of the distance roughly equal to . . .

     a. your ear to your big toe.

     b. your molars to your front teeth.

     c. your knee to your ankle.

     d. your elbow to your fingertip. 

True or False Questions

5. God told Noah to find a pair of every animal with the exception of the snake because it was cursed by God.

6. God's judgment returned creation to the watery chaos out of which it first arose.

7. The ark was built of gopher wood, a hardwood that no longer exists.

8. Mount Ararat, where some scholars say the ark probably landed, is in the country of Italy.

Use Genesis 6-9 to help you unscramble these words:

9.   IBWRAON

Reminds God not to flood the earth again.

10.  NNETCAVO

God made this with Noah

11.  RYFOT

It rained this many days and nights.

12.  MLSBASEEL

God considered Noah the last_________man on earth.

13.  SEWENCKIDS

God sent the flood because humankind was this.

14.  BTSICU

The ark was measured in these.

15.  GTIHE

This is how many people were on the ark.

16.  EIOVL

The dove came back with this leaf.

In Your Own Words

17.  God spared Noah and his family during the flood, but what happens to them after the flood? Read Genesis 9:18–28.

18.  The flood did not rid the world of sin, but it cleansed the world and allowed God and humanity a fresh start.   How can God's covenant keep you positive when you realize that you will always be a sinner?

19.  Besides the rainbow in this story, what other signs can you think of in Old Testament and New Testament stories?

20.  God didn't just save humans. Animals were included on the ark, too. What does God's commitment to saving animals mean for us?