Bible ReadingRomans 4:1-25 “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.’ Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’ But the words ‘it was counted to him’ were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
[11:11]Genesis 18:17-19 “The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.’”
[15:25]Genesis 22:1-19 “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 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.’ 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. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.’ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 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?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together. When they came to the place that 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. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 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.’ 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. 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.’ And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.’ So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.”
[29:08]Observation questions- In Romans 4, what repeated phrases show that Abraham is not only the father of the Jews, but the father of all who believe? [12:16]
- In Genesis 18:17-19, what was Abraham expected to do for his children and household, and what specific kind of life were they to keep? [16:05]
- In Genesis 22, what details show Abraham’s immediate response to God’s command about Isaac? [30:30]
- According to Romans 4:19-21, what did Abraham refuse to focus on, and what did he stay focused on instead? [46:15]
Interpretation questions- Romans 4 says Abraham is “the father of us all.” What does that mean for how believers should read Abraham’s life—not just as history, but as a pattern for walking with God? [40:43]
- Genesis 18 connects Abraham’s leadership in the home with God’s larger promise across generations. Why does godly influence in a family seem to matter so much in the outworking of God’s promises? [21:03]
- Genesis 22 shows Abraham obeying God without putting Isaac above Him. What does this reveal about the difference between loving a gift from God and letting that gift take God’s place? [36:17]
- Romans 4 says Abraham grew strong in faith by giving glory to God and being fully convinced God would perform what He promised. What does that suggest about how faith grows in a real person over time? [47:01]
Application questions- God’s Word is something to listen to closely because something heard today may save a life one day. How have you been treating the Word lately—like background religious content, or like living truth you may need in a crisis? What would it look like this week to listen more closely? [09:09]
- Fathers are called to help their children and household keep the way of the Lord. If a person has children, grandchildren, or younger believers looking to them, what would “staying present” look like right now instead of checking out or living in regret? [18:17]
- Walking with God means that God is part of daily life and integrated into every part of life. What part of life is most tempted to become a compartment for you—work, money, family decisions, entertainment, private thoughts? What would it look like to bring that area fully under God’s way? [31:57]
- Faith agrees with God’s Word even before circumstances change. Is there an area where you have been waiting for visible proof before agreeing with what God has said? What promise of God do you need to begin agreeing with in a more steady way? [41:47]
- Strong faith does not keep staring at the problem. What circumstances have been filling your vision lately? How could you shift your attention from what looks dead, stuck, or delayed to what God has promised? [46:13]
- Abraham avoided strife because he trusted God to take care of him. Where is strife trying to get a foothold in your life right now—family tension, church hurt, work conflict, social media, old offense? What would peace-filled trust in God look like there? [50:15]
- Abraham did not put even Isaac above God. Is there a relationship, blessing, dream, or answered prayer that has started to hold too large a place in your heart? How would you recognize if a good gift was starting to compete with simple obedience to God? [49:22]
