GOD LOVES TO WALK WITH ME! (Genesis 24:1-28)
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SERMON NOTES:
Love, Faith, & Camels
Genesis 24:1-28
God loves to walk with me!
The Plan. (1-9)
The Preparation. (10-14)
The Moment. (15-25)
The Credit. (26-28)
How does this biblical account apply to my life?
- Remember God’s faithfulness .
- Use wisdom . (Matthew 4:7)
- Watch God work.
- Thank God. (James 1:17a; Romans 8:28)
- Anticipate your future wedding .(Rev. 19:7)
study questions:
For Next Lesson Questions - Genesis 24:1-28
1. When have you struggled to discern God’s Will for your life? What are common ways Christian try to figure out God’s will on any given issue (dating/marriage, education, job)? Which of them are biblical? Which are not? In Genesis 24, Abraham gives an unnamed servant a monumental task. He had to find a spouse for Abraham’s son Isaac in order to pass along God’s Covenantal Blessing.
2. Read 1-9. How is Abraham acting out of faith in His God during this first scene? Keep in mind, Sarah has died, Abraham is very old, and Isaac is 40 and unmarried. What fears might Abraham had to wrestle with given these circumstances? What events in Abraham’s past would have strengthened his faith in His God (Prov. 16:9)? In that culture, placing the hand under the thigh was similar to signing a legal contract. What conditions does Abraham give the servant? Why is Abraham insistent that Isaac not be brought back to the “land of my kindred” in verse 6? What supernatural promise is given to the servant at the end of verse 7?
3. Read 10-14. How does the servant prepare? What does that teach us about walking by faith? Notice that the servant prays for God’s “steadfast love (hessed).” Was the servant’s plan to wait for a woman who gives water to his camels right in light of Deut. 6:16 and Matt. 4:7? Keep in mind the servant’s specific promise for supernatural angelic intervention back in verse 7. Is it ok for Christians to ask for a specific sign before moving forward on a decision? Why or why not (Prov. 2:1-6)?
4. Read 15-25. God had been providentially working behind the scenes even before the servant prayed. What do we learn about Rebekah? A typical thirsty camel will drink 32 gallons. Ten camels would have needed 320 gallons which would have weighed roughly 2,560 pounds in total. How is Rebekah’s hospitality similar to Abraham’s hospitality? Notice in verse 21 how the servant responded to Rebekah’s actions. What does that teach us about following God’s Will and God’s providence (guiding hand)?
5. Read 26-28. Why is the servant’s worship significant? Why does the servant give God all the credit (James 1:17)? Take a moment and piece together God’s providential care in the family of Abraham (blessed in all things, supernatural guidance, a (future) wife for Isaac). Now look at the servant’s pattern of walking by faith in pursuit of a wife for Isaac (he planned, committed, prepared, prayed, discerned, and worshipped). What opportunity, big or small, has God given you to faithfully walk in?