He is God and We Are Not by Ray Pritchard Session Three: What God Demand He Supplies Good Questions: These Lessons Have Groups Talking www.joshhunt.com

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Lesson Three: What God Demands, He Supplies

Genesis 22 ⁽¹⁾

Accountability

• What three fellowships do we have planned for the next 3 months?
• What have you read in your quiet time recently that has warmed your heart?
• Has anyone had a spiritually significant conversation with an outsider in recent days? ⁽¹⁾

OPEN

• Let's share our name and how many kids we have.

DIG

1. This book is about some foundational principles of the Christian life. Let's review. Can you recall any of the principles we have looked at or previewed?
2. Look at the Table of Contents. Let me ask 8 of you to read one of the chapter titles of this book. Take a stab at what you think might be in that chapter. ⁽³⁾
3. We are going to look primarily at the biblical text of Genesis 22 this week. Before we do, did any of you get a chance to read the book? Look over this week's reading. Was there anything that particularly spoke to you?
4. Verse 1 says, "Some time later." Scan over the chapters before this. What have we read of Abraham's life up till now?
5. Is this before or after the burning bush? ⁽⁴⁾
6. Verse 2. Make an attempt to put into words what Abraham is feeling here.
7. God calls upon all of us to give up everything ⁽⁵⁾ to follow Christ, to take up our cross ⁽⁶⁾ and surrender to Him as Lord. Has God ever tested you, as he did Abraham here, to see that you meant it? Has God ever placed your hand on something in your life and said, "Give it to me"?
8. God knew how this test was going to turn out. Why did he test Abraham?
9. How was Abraham's life different after this experience?
10. Verse 3. How long did Abraham delay in following God? ⁽⁷⁾
11. If we delay following God, does it ever get easier? Does procrastination ever help in following God?
12. Why do we sometimes procrastinate when we know it is not going to get any easier?
13. How can procrastination hurt us?
14. Verse 8. Some of you know from studying the lesson, or from other studies, what the word for God here is in the Hebrew. We even have a song we sing about it. Anyone know what it is? ⁽⁸⁾
15. Describe a time when God has been Himself in this sense for you-the God who provides. Tell a story of when God has provided for you.
16. Let's all look up Philippians 4:19. ⁽⁹⁾ Let's memorize it by saying if five time out loud. Then, I want three of you to say it by yourselves. Don't forget to say the reference, before and after.
17. What do you think Abraham had in mind when he said, "God will provide"?
18. Verse 10. How close did Abraham come to taking Isaac's life?
19. How did God provide in this story?
20. Who can say Philippians 4.19?
21. Verses 15 - 18. What benefits came to Abraham because of his willingness to follow God no matter what?
22. How does this story picture the heavenly Father giving up the life of His Son?
23. How does this story illustrate this week's lesson: what God requires, he provides?
24. How can we pray for one another this week?
25. Who can say Philippians 4.19?

1. Normally, I will be walking through the text of the book, page by page. This week, however, the Genesis 22 seems to say what Pritchard is getting at, and provides plenty of material for an hour of study.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"

"Here I am," he replied.

[2] Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

[3] Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. [4] On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. [5] He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

[6] Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, [7] Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"

"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.

"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

[8] Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.

[9] When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. [11] But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

"Here I am," he replied.

[12] "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

[13] Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."

[15] The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time [16] and said, "I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, [18] and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

[19] Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba. Genesis 22:1-19 [NIV]

2. You might cycle through these questions, asking a different one each week.

3. Always a good idea to review and preview.

4. Before. . . way before! That is Moses. Just wanted to see if you are paying attention.

5. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33 [NIV]

6. Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 [NIV]

7. Not at all. First thing the next morning, he got up and got going.

8. Jehovah Jireh-the Lord who provides.

9. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philip. 4:19 [NIV]

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