NASHVILLE (BP) – This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, Lifeway publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from The Gospel Project curriculum.
Bible Passage: Genesis 12
Discussion Questions:
- When you hear God’s call, how can Abram’s bold faith inspire you to obey and follow God?
- What reasons do you have to worship God, both for His past faithfulness and the hope of His future faithfulness?
- What do you need to do in faith to actively follow and obey God’s call on your life?
Food for Thought:
A calling from God in today’s world can be confusing to some. “What is God calling me to?” is a question many believers ask. But rooted in Scripture with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a working of the Holy Spirit, God will give us the confidence to know when He is calling us to something. And most of the time, the calling is more about our character than the specific action we’re needed to take. Many times, it’s a confirmation and a reassurance of our faith and trust in God, His character and His plan.
In Genesis 12, God calls Abram to go from his land and relatives to a land where He will take him. God promises to make him a great nation, blessing him, and then blessing the whole earth through him. And how did Abram respond? He “went” (v. 4).
Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going.” Abram obeyed. He listened and believed and trusted in God’s character and plan. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew, Lot, and all his possessions and set out for Canaan. And he was 75 years old. How many of us would uproot our lives at 75? Abram’s faith is an example for us at any age.
When Abram came to the land of Canaan, the Canaanites were in the land (v.6). In many other passages about foreign lands, fear is usually the result, but Scripture doesn’t mention that here. God told Abram that this land is for him and his descendants, and Abram built an altar to the Lord showing he believed what God was saying. Abram’s response was to give God glory.
And as Abram continued to move throughout Canaan, he continued to build altars to the Lord in this foreign land that did not know the Almighty God. Abram is listed in the great hall of faith in Hebrews for a reason. “By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:9-10).
When God calls, He is usually calling us first and foremost to trust in Him, to give Him glory, and make His name great wherever we go. Our faith in answering His call points to the greatness and glory of God.
Wherever we are called, may we have the faith of Abram to simply obey and, in so doing, spread the message of the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We know that as a result, God is glorified and the world will be blessed.
The Gospel Project
The Gospel Project is a chronological, Christ-centered study for kids, students and adults. The Bible is not a collection of stories. It is one story of God’s plan to rescue His people from sin and death. It is the story of redemption, the gospel message of Jesus Christ. More information can be found at Lifeway.com/gospelproject.
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