Creative Thinking...

A day has passed since we gathered at church to continue on in our study of the Emmaus Road Gospel. Five weeks were spent in the book of Genesis and I feel as though I barely dented the wealth of stories and blessings that come from that book. So I had this great idea - what if I gave you a list of stories to check out on your own? God has blessed us with competent minds and wonderful imaginations, and we may as well put them to good use!

Below is a list of must-read stories from the book of Genesis that we didn't get to in our survey or that we touched on but I think you should read on you own. Grab your bible and a cup of something hot (October forces us towards warm liquids), and then quietly let your mind slip into the sandals of the characters and see God through their eyes. Some of the stories will make you smile - others will make you scratch your heads. Keep in mind the Eternal and Abrahamic Covenants as you read - their content will explain some of your questions.

But above all else - find God in these stories! Where is He? What is He doing? Why did He want us to have this story? What does this story teach you about His character?

I trust you will find some time over the next week or two to work your way through this list - enjoy!

Genesis 14:1-24 - The capture and deliverance of Lot, with a little Melchizedek thrown in at the end

Genesis 18 and 19 - The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 25:19-34 - The birth of twins and the selling of the birthright

Genesis 27:1-46 - The deception of Isaac by Jacob

Genesis 28:10-22 - Jacob's ladder

Genesis 33 - Jacob meets up with Esau again

Genesis 34 - The massacre of Shechem

Genesis 38 - The strange story of Judah and Tamar

Genesis 39 - Joseph in Potiphar's house

Genesis 40 - Joseph interprets dreams in prison

Genesis 41 - Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams

Genesis 42 - The brothers come for a visit

Genesis 44, 45 through 46:7, and 46:28-34 - Judah steps up and Jacob meets Joseph

Genesis 50 - Joseph's final request

Notes for Lesson Six

Lesson 6 – Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Genesis 22, 32-50

I. A Passed Test – Genesis 22

A. The test is placed before Abraham – v. 1,2

1. God _____tested ___ Abraham

· Is this a test or a temptation?

· Better translation “prove”

· God tests us to produce __good____ in our lives

· How old is Isaac?

2. Love – this is the first mention of love in scripture

· Hebrew word is “ahab” (aw-hab) – means to have __affection________ for, love, like, friend

· Galatians 3 – shows Isaac as a ___type__ of Christ

· God sends Abraham to Moriah – II Chronicles 3:1 tells us that Solomon built the ____Temple____ on Mount Moriah

· Was it wrong for God to ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?

B. Abraham immediately obeys – v. 3-10

· Abraham tells the servants that he is going to do two things:

1. ___Worship_____

2. _Return__ to you

· We are going to look at these in reverse order:

1. Return to you – Abraham had every confidence in the ___character______ of God

o Matthew 19:29 – what have we left?

o Matthew 25:31-40 - what have we done for Christ?

o Mark 8:34-38 – are we ashamed or do we have a boldness?

o What is faith?

2. Worship – how was this an act of worship?

o “shachah” (shaw-caw) – to prostrate, to __bow__ __down_, to fall down, to do reverence, make to stoop, to worship

o Example of Daniel

o How has our concept of worship changed?

o New Testament never uses the term “worship” in reference to Christ, however Christ was the prime example of worship:

§ Matthew 8:20 – “lay His head”

§ Matthew 26:39 – Christ conformed to the _will__ of the Father

§ John 19:30 – “bowed His head”

C. The Father Intervenes – v. 11-24

· Abraham has been proven – he passed the test!

o Hebrews 11:17-19 – faith proven by ____works____

o James 2:14, 21-24 – faith proven by ____works_______

· Why did God ask this of Abraham?

1. Obvious __type____ of Christ

2. To prove Abraham’s __faith___ to his people

3. John 8:52-59 – Abraham ____rejoiced____ to see MY day

· God provides a ____ram___ - God will provide a __Lamb__

· Jehovah Jireh - God ___Provides______

II. Jacob – Genesis 32:22-32

· There are three Patriarchs in the Old Testament – Abraham, ___Isaac__ and _____Jacob_______

· Who was Jacob?

· Wrestling Match – background

· Hosea 12:3,4 – Jacob wept and sought ____favor___

· Other pre-incarnate visits by Christ:

o Abraham walked with the “angel of the Lord” who spoke in the first person

o In this story, Jacob says, “I have seen God face to face…”

o Moses in the entrance of the Tabernacle

o How do we know this is Jesus?

· Jacob’s name is changed to ____Israel__ - means ____wrestles with God__

III. Joseph – Genesis 37-50

· The largest chunk of Genesis is devoted to the story of Joseph

· The 12 sons of Jacob become the 12 tribes of Israel

· Joseph’s sons are each given a portion – double portion to Joseph

· The story of Joseph places the children of Israel in Egypt, which is the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Abraham about his children in Genesis 15

· Story time - Brief synopsis of Joseph’s life:

· Theme verse for Joseph – Genesis 50:20

· Joseph is not considered a Patriarch

· Genesis 49 is Jacob’s prophetic blessing that he gives on his sons – v.8-11 is a key prophecy because Jesus comes through the line of Judah

What happens to the children of Israel in Egypt? Genesis 15:13,14

Piece by Piece

"And we know that God causes all things

to work together for good, to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

When you hold just one piece of a puzzle in your hand, it's hard to see the big picture, right? This piece could be where the sky meets a grassy field, a part of a rainbow, or a tie-dyed tee shirt. It's not until the piece is put in its proper place that we are able to understand its part in the whole scheme of things.

As we study the Big Picture of the Bible, week by week we place another piece into the puzzle that contributes to the whole. It all started with God and His beautiful, perfect creation. We added Adam and saw that through him sin was now a reality in all our lives. Then came Noah and we saw that sin truly corrupts. We were then given a piece that revealed the heart and character of God - He would not destroy humanity because He had a plan for them, so He extended grace to Noah. But man quickly rebelled and refused to fill the earth, so God confused the language of man and forced them to obey. Again, grace, not obliteration - patience, as well. Enter Abraham, chosen by God for His glory, and given incomprehensible promises but also the faith to comprehend. Now He has a people and He will mold and shape them until the time is right to place His Son right in the middle of it all.

Piece by piece.

God knows the Big Picture - it's His picture. Can't you just see Him holding the next piece, waiting to put it in its place at the exact right moment.

You know, it's not just the stories of the Bible that fit into His puzzle. He holds the pieces of our lives, as well. Think back 2 years ago, or 5, or 10 - can you see all the pieces? Can you see God working in all the pieces, blessing, leading, maturing, disciplining - all for His glory?

Maybe right now you don't see the hand of God in your life. Maybe you feel like you are battling it alone. I'm sure there were times Noah wanted to quit and Abraham wasn't sure if leaving his family to wander in a strange land was worth it, but by faith, they both obeyed the word of God and left the big picture outcome in His hands. Be assured that you are never alone - God is omnipresent - He's always there. So be patient and wait for that next piece to be put in place - one day it will all make sense, but for now, just obey.

I'm loving the Emmaus Road Gospel - I'm loving every piece of the puzzle. I wish I had time for four lessons on each piece! But an overview is an overview. It is my prayer that this study sparks a flame in your heart to know Him more, to study His word more closely and to trust in His sovereign plan for your life more easily.

Remember, God is immutable - that means He never changes. So the same God you see in our study is the same God we have today, working all things for our good, for His purposes and for His glory.

Read This Carefully

"What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,

how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?

God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?

Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised,

who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written,

“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,

nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,

will be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I was a bit frustrated after yesterday's bible study - I'm just being honest here - and I think I know why. I am poorly communicating something and this morning I want to straighten that out.

God's plan is personal and is driven by love.

Sometimes I think I want to emphasize the fact that God is in control so much that I forget to emphasize His love. The passage above does not replace the word "love" with "plan," (as in, nothing can separate us from the plan of God) but it uses the word "love" purposefully. Why? Because God really does love us. He really does want a personal, intimate relationship with each one of His children. He really has sacrificially met our need. He really does have a motivation behind His covenants and His actions.

We are not simply part of a plan that God is obliged to keep because of His character. He is holy. He is immutable. He is omniscient and just, righteous and true, faithful and forgiving, almighty and sovereign. And He also loves with a love that is so far outside of our comprehension...

I am thankful for the love of God and that I am securely bound to Him because of His character and His will, because left to myself, it would be impossible to attain.

Thank you, Father, for including me in your story. May all the glory and honor and praise be to You alone.