Faith and Grace in Fractured Families

 

Summary

In our journey through Genesis 12, we embark on a series titled "Faith for Fractured Families," exploring the lives of biblical figures who, despite their flaws and family challenges, experienced God's grace. We begin with Abraham, a man of faith, influence, and prayer, yet deeply flawed. The Bible doesn't present airbrushed saints but real people with real struggles, reminding us that faith is for the imperfect.

Abraham's story begins with a divine call to leave his homeland, promising blessings that would extend to all families on earth. Despite his faith and obedience, Abraham faced significant trials, including a famine in the promised land and the presence of Canaanites. These challenges tested his faith, much like the trials we face today. Abraham's journey to Egypt, driven by necessity, led to a deception about his wife Sarah, revealing his vulnerability and fear.

This deception, a recurring theme in Abraham's life, highlights the deep-rooted nature of sin and the need for God's intervention. Despite the dire situation, God intervened, afflicting Pharaoh's house with plagues, leading to Sarah's release. This divine intervention underscores the miraculous grace available to us, even when we feel powerless.

For Sarah, faith meant standing firm despite disappointment and betrayal. Her faithfulness to Abraham was rooted in her faith in God's promises, demonstrating that faith can sustain us through the most challenging circumstances. For Abraham, the story is a call to quit deception, face fears with faith, and persevere in his calling despite failures.

This narrative invites us to reflect on our own lives, acknowledging our flaws and the fractures in our families. It encourages us to seek God's grace, stand firm in faith, and persevere in our calling, trusting that God can bring about miracles of grace in our lives.

Key Takeaways:

- No Perfect Families: The Bible presents real families with real struggles, reminding us that no family is perfect. This truth should comfort us, knowing that faith is for the flawed and fractured, not the airbrushed saints. [01:56]

- Faith Amidst Trials: Abraham's journey shows that faith doesn't exempt us from trials. Instead, it calls us to trust God amidst disappointments, knowing that He can work through our challenges for His purposes. [13:58]

- God's Miraculous Intervention: In moments of powerlessness, like Abraham and Sarah's situation in Egypt, God can intervene miraculously. This encourages us to look to God for miracles of grace when we face seemingly impossible situations. [27:51]

- The Depth of Sin: Sin runs deep in human nature, and even great men of faith like Abraham are not immune. Recognizing this helps us understand that Christian marriage and life involve two sinners in recovery, needing grace and redemption. [35:05]

- Perseverance in Calling: Despite failures, Abraham's story encourages us to persevere in our calling. When we feel like giving up, we must remember God's promises and continue in faith and obedience, trusting in His grace. [43:53]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to the Series
- [00:30] - The Myth of Perfect Families
- [01:56] - Real Families in the Bible
- [04:21] - Faith for Fractured Families
- [05:29] - Abraham: The Flawed Father
- [06:39] - Abraham's Journey of Faith
- [07:57] - Abraham's Midlife Call
- [09:00] - A Man of Influence and Prayer
- [10:40] - Remarkable Spiritual Experiences
- [12:33] - Abraham's Feet of Clay
- [13:28] - Abraham's Faith Tested
- [15:44] - The Journey to Egypt
- [17:18] - The Deception Plan
- [22:41] - The Plan Goes Wrong
- [27:31] - God's Intervention
- [34:30] - Lessons for Sarah and Abraham
- [40:24] - Final Reflections and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Faith for Fractured Families

Bible Reading:
- Genesis 12:1-10

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the initial command God gave to Abraham, and what promises accompanied it? (Genesis 12:1-3)
2. How did Abraham respond to God's call, and what does this reveal about his character? (Genesis 12:4) [07:42]
3. What were the two major disappointments Abraham faced upon reaching the promised land? (Genesis 12:6, 10) [13:58]
4. Describe the deception plan Abraham devised when approaching Egypt. What was his reasoning behind it? (Genesis 12:11-13) [17:18]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Abraham's journey illustrate the concept that faith does not exempt believers from trials? Consider the challenges he faced in the promised land. [13:58]
2. In what ways does the story of Abraham and Sarah in Egypt highlight the depth of human sin and the need for divine intervention? [27:31]
3. How does Sarah's faithfulness to Abraham, despite his flaws, reflect her trust in God's promises? What can this teach us about the nature of faith in difficult circumstances? [39:13]
4. What does Abraham's repeated deception reveal about the persistence of sin, even in the lives of those with great faith? [31:52]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt your faith was tested by unexpected challenges. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now? [13:58]
2. Abraham's story shows that even great men of faith can fall into sin. How can you guard against recurring sins in your own life? What steps can you take to seek accountability? [31:52]
3. Sarah stood by Abraham despite his failures. How can you support a loved one who is struggling, while still holding them accountable? [39:13]
4. Consider a situation where you feel powerless. How can you invite God to intervene and bring about a miracle of grace in that situation? [27:31]
5. Abraham's fear led him to deception. Identify a fear that might be influencing your decisions. How can you face this fear with faith and trust in God? [42:29]
6. The sermon emphasized the importance of perseverance in our calling. What is one area in your life where you feel like giving up, and how can you find strength to continue? [43:53]
7. How can you apply the lesson of "no perfect families" to your own family dynamics, and what steps can you take to embrace grace and forgiveness in your relationships? [01:56]

Devotional

Day 1: Faith for the Flawed
Faith is not reserved for the perfect but is a journey for those who are flawed and fractured. The Bible presents real families with real struggles, reminding us that no family is perfect. This truth should comfort us, knowing that faith is for the flawed and fractured, not the airbrushed saints. Abraham, a man of faith, influence, and prayer, was deeply flawed, yet he experienced God's grace. His story encourages us to acknowledge our imperfections and seek God's grace in our lives. [01:56]

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." (Galatians 6:1, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a flaw or struggle in your family that you often hide. How can you bring this to God in prayer and seek His grace today?


Day 2: Trusting God Amidst Trials
Abraham's journey shows that faith doesn't exempt us from trials. Instead, it calls us to trust God amidst disappointments, knowing that He can work through our challenges for His purposes. Despite facing a famine in the promised land and the presence of Canaanites, Abraham's faith was tested, much like the trials we face today. His journey to Egypt, driven by necessity, led to a deception about his wife Sarah, revealing his vulnerability and fear. Yet, through these trials, God remained faithful, teaching us to trust Him even when circumstances seem dire. [13:58]

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a current trial in your life. How can you actively choose to trust God and seek His purpose in this situation today?


Day 3: Miracles of Grace in Powerlessness
In moments of powerlessness, like Abraham and Sarah's situation in Egypt, God can intervene miraculously. Despite the dire situation, God intervened, afflicting Pharaoh's house with plagues, leading to Sarah's release. This divine intervention underscores the miraculous grace available to us, even when we feel powerless. It encourages us to look to God for miracles of grace when we face seemingly impossible situations, trusting that He can bring about change beyond our understanding. [27:51]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you feel powerless. How can you invite God to intervene and trust in His miraculous grace today?


Day 4: Recognizing the Depth of Sin
Sin runs deep in human nature, and even great men of faith like Abraham are not immune. Recognizing this helps us understand that Christian marriage and life involve two sinners in recovery, needing grace and redemption. Abraham's recurring deception about Sarah highlights the deep-rooted nature of sin and the need for God's intervention. This understanding calls us to humility and reliance on God's grace, acknowledging our need for redemption and transformation. [35:05]

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." (Romans 5:12, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recurring sin in your life. How can you seek God's grace and take practical steps towards repentance and transformation today?


Day 5: Perseverance in Our Calling
Despite failures, Abraham's story encourages us to persevere in our calling. When we feel like giving up, we must remember God's promises and continue in faith and obedience, trusting in His grace. Abraham's journey was marked by both faith and failure, yet he persevered, demonstrating that our calling is not dependent on our perfection but on God's faithfulness. This narrative invites us to reflect on our own lives, acknowledging our flaws and the fractures in our families, and encourages us to seek God's grace and persevere in our calling. [43:53]

"Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you feel like giving up. How can you remind yourself of God's promises and choose to persevere in faith and obedience today?

Quotes


There are no picture perfect families they do not exist and that will be a comfort to you to help to you right from the off um if you have carried in your mind the sense that there's uh there's fracturing in me and there's fracturing in us but everyone else seems to be just fine put that idea out of your mind straight away. [00:01:55]

Faith is for fractured families it's the only kind of families there are in this world and over these next four weeks we're going to to look at four scenes from The Book of Genesis um we're going to look today at Abraham uh the flawed father um the next week God willings Sarah the perplexed wife we're going to look at Hagar the single mother and then we're going to look at ish M who I'm describing as the troubled son. [00:04:30]

The Bible regularly makes clear that Abraham was a great man of Faith he was wonderfully blessed uh by God um but it it is always important to remember that men at their best are simply the raw material on which God's grace begins a redeeming work uh the best Christian uh including the Christian who is sitting next to you is a sinner who is in the process of being redeemed. [00:05:49]

Abraham was a man of faith I mean God calls him God gives him this command he's to move to another place and we read in verse four these wonderful words so Abraham went That's The Obedience of faith if it's in the Bible if it says it if it's clear to me I do it and that is what Abraham does God says to him you're to move and he goes. [00:07:32]

Abraham's faith is tested in a profound way some of you know what this is like Lord I can't figure this out I have extended myself to follow you in faith and in obedience I've taken on responsibilities in leadership I I've made sacrifices of time and of money I pushed myself I've given everything that I've got to Ministry I spent myself I I've done at personal cost what I thought was right in order to do to honor you and now this. [00:15:06]

The problem begins when they get near to Egypt and Abraham comes up with a plan now in order to understand what's happening here you need to know that in ancient culture a single woman was under the protection of her father but in the absence of a father a single woman would come under the protection of her brother who would take the place of the father. [00:17:12]

When the princes of pharaoh saw her they praised her to pharaoh and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house by the way the if you're the king of Egypt you don't need to put your profile up on e-harmony or Christian Mingle um because what we're being told here is that the King has a whole team of Scouts who are out there looking to find suitable candidates to be his wife. [00:23:07]

And then God steps in you know the New Testament puts it at the right time when we were still powerless God sends his son and when both Abraham and Sarah are in this situation of absolute hopelessness I mean what could Abraham do he's only one man what could Sarah do she's only one woman how in all the world could this marriage be rescued and be restored. [00:27:31]

A mature Christian knows that the problem of sin runs very deep in the human personality and it doesn't go away with a decision to follow Jesus what that means is that a Christian marriage a Christian marriage is the union of two sinners in the process of recovery that's why I love the title of that book that's been brought out about Christian marriage what did you expect. [00:35:05]

Look for miracles of Grace I mean think of it here's Abraham and Sarah and it looks like their marriage is over how can they ever even meet again now that they've been separated and she's captive as it were to to the Pharaoh in in the palace in Egypt their situation is impossible what in all the world can ibim do now he's one man he can't storm the palace what can Sarah do she's one woman she's got no one to protect her she's got no means of Escape she is absolutely powerless the situation is hopeless until God steps in. [00:36:59]

Stand firm in faith and in obedience Sarah lived in a culture that was very very different from our of course but think about this with me seriously if Sarah was living today and uh she was um uh part of our culture what do you think she would be saying to Abraham after the incident in Egypt I'll tell you Abraham I am so out of here after that incident in Egypt we are done d n e and don't talk to me about going to see a counselor. [00:37:46]

Persevere in your calling because when you feel badly the easiest thing in the world to do is to give up you know this don't you and I do too give up on yourself give up on God slink off into wasting the rest of your life and thank God Abraham doesn't do that God had promised to bless him and he steps out in The Obedience of faith and after all the trials and the traumas in Egypt he just keeps going that's what you need to do that's what all of us need need to do when you feel your failure you mess up your testimony bring pain into the lives of others you persevere with your calling and you do it in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. [00:43:53]

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Transcript
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