Faith Conquers Death!

Do you believe it? Since the fall of man, death has been a relentless presence to life on earth. The greatest men of faith were not immune from grief and death. For over 60 years, Abraham and Sarah lived through life together as they followed after God through the ups and downs of life. Until the day that death came to separate them.

This week we read through Genesis 23 and see the record of the death of Abraham's wife, Sarah. We'll look at how Abraham grieved for the loss his wife and study how even the act of burying Sarah in the promised land was a declaration of faith in the certainty that God would give the land to Abraham's descendants through Isaac. And then we'll ask ourselves if we are keeping our focus on this present world that is passing away or the eternal hope of heaven where Christ is.

Which is more important: obedience or sacrifice?

Abraham's journey of faith had persevered over many decades through many spiritual highs and spiritual failures when God's promise of a son was fulfilled in the birth of Isaac. But after years of peace living in the blessing of God's fulfilled promise, God had one more test for Abraham to prove the quality of Abraham's faith.

This week we begin reading Genesis 22 and study the greatest spiritual milestone in the life of Abraham. We'll see God test Abraham's faith by calling him to sacrifice Isaac and we'll study how this test of faith for Abraham became a picture of the redeeming work of Christ Jesus for the salvation of the world!

When will God finish the work that He started?

Twenty-five years after God first called Abraham and Abraham set out on his journey of faith, God's promise that Abraham would have a son by Sarah his wife is finally fulfilled! Unfortunately, the miraculous birth of Isaac doesn't mean that Abraham and his family go on to live happily ever after. But does the continuing conflicts in Abraham's household mean God has stopped working in Abraham's life?

This week we continue our journey through Genesis with chapter 21 and the birth of Isaac, the son of promise. We'll see God continue to work in Abraham's life through the blessings and the conflicts to produce a faith in Abraham more precious than gold. And we'll see how Abraham's story parallels the work of sanctification that God works in our own lives today.