Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• Read Genesis 12:1-3. Last week Pastor Bret showed us how Genesis starts at the broadest point possible (the creation of all things) and how chapter 11 functions as a funnel that brings us to one specific man, Abram.
• What is significant about the fact that the Lord spoke to Abram? When was the last time we have recorded in Scripture that God spoke to man? Why did God choose to speak to Abram? Why is this significant? What does this teach us about our God?
• What does God command Abram to do in v. 1? What aspects of this would have been difficult for Abram to follow? Did the Lord tell him what the land was like, where it was, how long it would take, what direction to go? What did this require of Abram? Look over at Hebrews 11:8 for some additional insight into this situation.
• What does the Lord promise Abram in vv. 2-3? List these out and try to give a further description of each. What was God’s purpose for blessing Abram seen in the second part of v. 2?
• Why would have the first part of v. 3 been a huge comfort for Abram given what God was commanding for him to do? Think on the second half of v. 3. What are the implications of this promise? What is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise according to Galatians 3:13-14?

Prayerfully Meditate

• Consider the significance of this moment in redemptive history. What had happened up to this point, and what happens following this point? This is a sort of hinge in redemptive history. Everything in God’s sovereign plan was leading up to this, and in a way, everything flows from and builds upon it.
• What would the impact have been for the original readers/hearers of this portion? Why would this have been a comfort for the nation of Israel who was about to go into the promised land?
• Think on what God was commanding Abram to do. Would this have been easy? Would this be easy for you? What does Jesus demand of his followers in Luke 14:25-33? What does this teach us about what God has always required of his people?
• Why should these promises comfort you? Have these promises been finally fulfilled? Why or why not? Either way, knowing the faithfulness of God to keep his promises how should you respond?