SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-Third Quarter 2015-Abraham: The First Missionary

[Wally]

 Lesson 2 July 4-10

Abraham: The First Missionary

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 12:1-3; 14:8-24; Heb. 11:8-19; Gal. 3:6; Gen. 12:6-7; 18:18-19.

Memory Text: "So also Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you"" (Galatians 3:6-8 NIV).

It’s no coincidence that three of the world’s major faiths, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are sometimes called the "Abrahamic faiths." That’s because all three, in one way or another, trace their roots back to this great man of God.

Though Abraham is admired as the defining example of faithfulness, this week’s lesson will examine this faithfulness from a different angle. That is, we want to view him as a missionary, as someone called by the Lord to go to another land and witness to the people about the true God, the Creator and Redeemer.

God gave Abraham, and his family after him (see Gal. 3:29) a threefold purpose:

    to be recipients and guardians of the divine truth of God’s kingdom that had been lost in the earlier history of humankind;
    to be the channel through which the Redeemer would enter history; and
    to be, as God’s faithful servants, a light to the nations, a light to those who needed to know the Lord.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 11.

Sunday July 5

The Call of Abraham

"The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you"" (Gen. 12:1-3 NIV).

Abram-whose name meant "the father is exalted" and whose name was changed to Abraham, "the father of multitudes"-grew up in Ur, in what is now Iraq. God called him to separate himself from his familiar social and spiritual context and migrate to an unfamiliar country, where God conducted a 100-year spiritual makeover, turning him into the "father of the faithful." In the midst of personal and family struggles, Abraham became a prototype missionary to several people groups and a respected leader who witnessed to his faith in God.

Read through Genesis 12:1-3. What principles can you find here that could apply to any of us in our own particular situation; that is, what did Abraham experience that we might experience in our own way, as well? See also Heb. 11:8-10.

The patriarch was called to leave his past behind him, to step out in faith, to believe what seemed unbelievable, to do what God had called him to do. And as a result of his faithfulness, all the nations of the world would be blessed.

Many of us are tested, as was Abraham. Of course, we might not hear the voice of God speaking directly to us, but He calls us by the teachings of His Word and the events of His providence. We may be required to abandon a career that promises wealth and honor; we might have to leave congenial and profitable associations and separate from family; indeed, we might have to enter upon what appears only to be a path of self-denial, hardship, and sacrifice. But if called, how can we refuse?

In Genesis the Hebrew reads literally, "And God said to Abram, "Go for yourself from your land. . . ."" He was told to go "for himself"; that is, for his own sake. How should we understand what that means, and how can we apply it to ourselves?

Monday July 6

Abraham’s Testimony to the Kings

Lot was a relative of Abraham and accompanied him on some of his travels. His choice of the well-watered Jordan valley brought him into the company of the wicked men in Sodom (Gen. 13:1-13). He was then rescued first by Abraham (Gen. 14:11-16, and later by two angels (Genesis 19).

When Abraham heard that his relative Lot was in trouble, he decided to help him. In rescuing Lot, Abraham headed a military force of more than three hundred men of his own household. Numerous kings were involved in the battle for Sodom, and Abraham came out the victor.

Read Genesis 14:8-24. What did Abraham’s actions say about his character and, hence, about his faith and his God?

To the kings he conquered, Abraham revealed the power of God. Even during this rescue mission, the "father of the faithful" did not lose his divine call to be a blessing to the nations.

"The worshiper of Jehovah had not only rendered a great service to the country, but had proved himself a man of valor. It was seen that righteousness is not cowardice, and that Abraham’s religion made him courageous in maintaining the right and defending the oppressed. His heroic act gave him a widespread influence among the surrounding tribes. On his return, the king of Sodom came out with his retinue to honor the conqueror. He bade him take the goods, begging only that the prisoners should be restored. By the usage of war, the spoils belonged to the conquerors; but Abraham had undertaken this expedition with no purpose of gain, and he refused to take advantage of the unfortunate, only stipulating that his confederates should receive the portion to which they were entitled."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 135.

Think about your dealings with others. What kind of witness do they present to others about your faith?

[Wally]

Tuesday July 7

Exemplar of Faith

Though hardly perfect, Abraham was a man of God, and time and again in the Bible, even in the New Testament, he is used as an example of faithfulness and of what it means to be saved by faith (see Gen. 15:6, Gal. 3:6).

Read Hebrews 11:8-19. What does it tell us about Abraham and his faith that is so important for anyone who wants to be a missionary for God in whatever capacity possible?

The Lord wanted to use Abraham, but the first thing He had to do was get him to leave his past behind. The lesson there should be obvious to any of us, especially those of us who have pasts not in harmony with the will and law of God, which actually includes us all.

Amazing, too, was the fact that though Abraham left, "he did not know where he was going" (Heb. 11:8 NIV). Though most missionaries know where they are going, at least in a geographical sense, in another sense when any of us takes a giant leap of faith and give our hearts totally to God, we really don’t know (at least in the short run) where we will wind up (though in the long run, we have absolute assurance). If we did know, it wouldn’t require that much faith; hence, not knowing is prerequisite for truly being able to live by faith.

Another crucial point here is that Abraham was looking to "the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10 NIV). Abraham kept the big picture in mind; he knew that whatever he faced here, whatever toils and struggles, it would all be worth it in the end.

He knew, too, that he wasn’t just a stranger in "the promised land" but that he was one of many "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13, NKJV).This world, and our lives in it, as precious as they appear to us now (it’s all we have now), is not the whole story, not by a long shot.

And, of course, the greatest example of faith in the Old Testament was what Abraham was willing to do to his son on Mount Moriah at the command of God.

In what ways have you experienced what it means to step out in faith? What hardships have you faced? What joys have you experienced? Knowing what you know now, what might you have done differently?

Wednesday July 8

Abraham, the Wanderer

A study of Abraham’s life reveals that his faith included difficult struggles against doubt and disbelief in God’s power. Abraham’s ancestors were idolaters (Josh. 24:2), and perhaps this background explains why he did not always have full confidence in God’s power. Twice he showed cowardice and told Sarah to tell only a half-truth (Gen. 12:11-13; 20:2). He laughed(Gen. 17:17) when he was told that he would have a son with Sarah. Despite his faults, Abraham was still used by the Lord because Abraham wanted to be used by Him; and thus, the Lord was able to mold His character.

One means God used to shape Abraham into a reformer and missionary was his many wanderings. Traveling is an education in itself. It opens a person to new ideas and the possibilities of change. Pilgrimages to Jerusalem were an important and required part of Israelite worship. The changes the pilgrims experienced when they had to walk distances, sleep in other places, eat different food, encounter another climate, and meet other people enhanced their faith by their vulnerability. Their worship, with its sacrifices and offerings, sacred dances, and reciting of psalms, helped God’s people to confirm their identity and traditions.

In his travels from his birthplace in Ur to his burial site in Hebron, Abraham visited at least 15 different geographical areas. Most of the important reforming and missionary episodes in his life are connected with his journeys.

What were some of the spiritual lessons that Abraham experienced in the following places?

Moreh at Shechem (Gen. 12:6-7)

Hebron (Gen. 13:18,14:20)

Mamre (Gen. 18:1,20-33)

Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:1-14)

[Wally]

Thursday July 9

Abraham: A Missionary in His Own House

"Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD, by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him" (Gen. 18:18-19 NIV).

What important lessons about faithfulness and serving God do we find in these texts?

"God called Abraham to be a teacher of His word, He chose him to be the father of a great nation, because He saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God’s law. And that which gave power to Abraham’s teaching was the influence of his own life. His great household consisted of more than a thousand souls, many of them heads of families, and not a few but newly converted from heathenism."-Ellen G. White, Education, p. 187.

Missionary activities will be more successful when they are backed by a family life that is in harmony with the designs of God. Bible history and church history tell us that most early Christian churches were house-and family-based. One of the reasons Abraham was chosen was that God saw his ability to direct his children and his household in the way of the Lord. God’s purpose in the family equals His purpose in missions; namely, "to do what is right and just" (Prov. 21:3 NIV).

What examples of Abraham’s family can you find that showed that they were faithful to the Lord? See, for example, Heb. 11:11,20.

Of course, in the Bible we can also find examples of godly men whose families didn’t follow the way of the Lord. Nevertheless, the point of the texts for today is clear: Abraham’s faith and example were strong enough that those of his household learned to "keep the way of the LORD".

To "keep the way of the LORD." What does that phrase mean to you? How are we to "keep the way of the LORD"?

Friday July 10

Further Study: "q>God called Abraham, and prospered and honored him; and the patriarch’s fidelity was a light to the people in all the countries of his sojourn. Abraham did not shut himself away from the people around him. He maintained friendly relations with the kings of the surrounding nations, by some of whom he was treated with great respect; and his integrity and unselfishness, his valor and benevolence, were representing the character of God. In Mesopotamia, in Canaan, in Egypt, and even to the inhabitants of Sodom, the God of heaven was revealed through His representative."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 368.
Discussion Questions:

    For thousands of years the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah has thrilled and challenged the faithful, while evoking scorn and ridicule among those who have seen it as an act of cruelty and barbarity. Read the story over again in Genesis 22. What great lessons can we take from it? What does it teach us about the cross and the terrible cost of sin? What does it teach us about what taking a leap of faith entails? Why is the story so troubling to many?

    Read Genesis 12:11-13,20:2, two accounts where Abraham, a man of God, showed a lack of faith. What can we take away from these stories?
    One of the most famous texts in the Bible is Genesis 15:6. What does it say? In what context is it given? How is this text used in the New Testament (see Rom. 4:3, Gal. 3:6, James 2:23)? What does it teach us about faith, works, and salvation?

    Who were some of the great religious leaders whose family members didn’t follow in "the way of the LORD"? What can we learn from their stories that can encourage anyone who struggles with helping family members be faithful?

[Richard Myers]

My apologies for neglecting the lesson this week. Am at the GC Session.   Will try to do the lessons later today on the way home.

[JimB]

From Sunday's lesson.

But if called, how can we refuse?

The carnal heart will probably find not much resistance in refusing a call but the heart that is surrendered to God will gladly accept even in uncertainty.


Mat_16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

[Richard Myers]

Amen, Jim. If many in the church refuse to obey  the clear counsel set before them, why would they answer a call to a life of sacrifice and suffering?  We must first be converted before we will accept a call to labor sacrificially. I wonder how many who have accepted the call  of the  "church"  would be willing to accept the call to live as Christ lived? Or, NAD pastors taking a year or two to work in South America or Africa for the  wages paid in those regions? The lesson as Jim points outs states "How can we refuse?"  Very easy unless we are fully surrendered.

[Richard Myers]

Monday July 6

Abraham’s Testimony to the Kings

Lot was a relative of Abraham and accompanied him on some of his travels. His choice of the well-watered Jordan valley brought him into the company of the wicked men in Sodom (Gen. 13:1-13). He was then rescued first by Abraham (Gen. 14:11-16, and later by two angels (Genesis 19).

When Abraham heard that his relative Lot was in trouble, he decided to help him. In rescuing Lot, Abraham headed a military force of more than three hundred men of his own household. Numerous kings were involved in the battle for Sodom, and Abraham came out the victor.

Read Genesis 14:8-24. What did Abraham’s actions say about his character and, hence, about his faith and his God?

14:8   And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same [is] Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 
 14:9   With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 
 14:10   And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 
 14:11   And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 
 14:12   And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 
 14:13   And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these [were] confederate with Abram. 
 14:14   And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained [servants], born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued [them] unto Dan. 
 14:15   And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which [is] on the left hand of Damascus. 
 14:16   And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 
 14:17   And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that [were] with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which [is] the king's dale. 
 14:18   And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high God. 
 14:19   And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 
 14:20   And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 
 14:21   And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 
 14:22   And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 
 14:23   That I will not [take] from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 
 14:24   Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion. 

Abraham certainly revealed he was not  selfish, and that he wanted the glory to go  to God.

To the kings he conquered, Abraham revealed the power of God. Even during this rescue mission, the "father of the faithful" did not lose his divine call to be a blessing to the nations.

"The worshiper of Jehovah had not only rendered a great service to the country, but had proved himself a man of valor. It was seen that righteousness is not cowardice, and that Abraham’s religion made him courageous in maintaining the right and defending the oppressed. His heroic act gave him a widespread influence among the surrounding tribes. On his return, the king of Sodom came out with his retinue to honor the conqueror. He bade him take the goods, begging only that the prisoners should be restored. By the usage of war, the spoils belonged to the conquerors; but Abraham had undertaken this expedition with no purpose of gain, and he refused to take advantage of the unfortunate, only stipulating that his confederates should receive the portion to which they were entitled."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 135.

Think about your dealings with others. What kind of witness do they present to others about your faith?

In Christ, we rightly represent His Spirit even if mistaken about some duties.

[Richard Myers]

Tuesday July 7

Exemplar of Faith

Though hardly perfect, Abraham was a man of God, and time and again in the Bible, even in the New Testament, he is used as an example of faithfulness and of what it means to be saved by faith (see Gen. 15:6, Gal. 3:6).

"Hardly perfect"?  At all times?  Well....Abraham did sin a couple grievous sins when he called his wife his sister and when he took Hagar. As a result, Abraham was given the closest test ever given to man, other than Jesus.

Read Hebrews 11:8-19. What does it tell us about Abraham and his faith that is so important for anyone who wants to be a missionary for God in whatever capacity possible?

 11:8   By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 
 11:9   By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 
 11:10   For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God. 
 11:11   Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 
 11:12   Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 
 11:13   These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 
 11:14   For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 
 11:15   And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 
 11:16   But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. 
 11:17   By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son]. 
 11:18   Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 
 11:19   Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 

The Lord wanted to use Abraham, but the first thing He had to do was get him to leave his past behind. The lesson there should be obvious to any of us, especially those of us who have pasts not in harmony with the will and law of God, which actually includes us all.

Amen!  Conversion brings about a radical change in character. We leave the "old" behind  and  seek a better world.

Amazing, too, was the fact that though Abraham left, "not knowing whither he went." (Heb. 11:. Though most missionaries know where they are going, at least in a geographical sense, in another sense when any of us takes a giant leap of faith and give our hearts totally to God, we really don’t know (at least in the short run) where we will wind up (though in the long run, we have absolute assurance). If we did know, it wouldn’t require that much faith; hence, not knowing is prerequisite for truly being able to live by faith.

Another crucial point here is that Abraham was looking to "the city with foundations,  whose builder and maker [is] God." (Heb. 11:10). Abraham kept the big picture in mind; he knew that whatever he faced here, whatever toils and struggles, it would all be worth it in the end.

He knew, too, that he wasn’t just a stranger in "the promised land" but that he was one of many "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13, NKJV).This world, and our lives in it, as precious as they appear to us now (it’s all we have now), is not the whole story, not by a long shot.

And, of course, the greatest example of faith in the Old Testament was what Abraham was willing to do to his son on Mount Moriah at the command of God.

In what ways have you experienced what it means to step out in faith? What hardships have you faced? What joys have you experienced? Knowing what you know now, what might you have done differently?

Knowing Abraham sinned two sins that led to his being asked to sacrifice his son, causes me to  realize there are consequences to sin.

[JimB]

I wonder how many who have accepted the call  of the  "church"  would be willing to accept the call to live as Christ lived? Or, NAD pastors taking a year or two to work in South America or Africa for the  wages paid in those regions?

Last evening I read the chapter in Patriarchs and Prophets "The Call of Abraham" and I think this fits your question.

  It was no light test that was thus brought upon Abraham, no small sacrifice that was required of him. There were strong ties to bind him to his country, his kindred, and his home. But he did not hesitate to obey the call. He had no question to ask concerning the land of promise--whether the soil was fertile and the climate healthful; whether the country afforded agreeable surroundings and would afford opportunities for amassing wealth. God has spoken, and His servant must obey; the happiest place on earth for him was the place where God would have him to be.  {PP 126.3} 

[Richard Myers]

Thanks for  sharing that, Jim. That is right to the point. It all comes down to belief (faith).  There is no greater sin than unbelief. If God calls us, then why would we doubt Him and His love and wisdom for us?