Click here to see the sermon discussion questions or see them listed below. We highly encourage you to listen, think, and talk about the sermon. These are questions you can reflect on by yourself, with your family, or with your small group.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. How do you know if someone truly believes in God’s promises and what God says about Himself?  What evidence do you see in how they live? (i.e how they deal with their finances…how they treat their family, co-workers, strangers and even enemies…how they prioritize their time and energy?) 

2. When God exhorts Abraham not to fear and says that his reward will be great, Abraham laments that he has no heir by which God’s promises can be fulfilled.  What is the difference between complaining and lamenting? Why does God welcome Abraham’s lament?  Why should we learn to lament?

3. Abram believed the Lord and this belief was counted to him as righteousness. Describe what Abram believed and why his belief was ultimately no different than the belief that saves people today. 

4. God promises Abraham that his descendants will be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years, and that they will not return to Canaan until the iniquity of the Amorites is complete.  What do you think this means and what does it say about God’s judgment of sin as well as His longsuffering and mercy towards sinners?  How should this lead us to repentance?

5. In Genesis 15, God formalizes His covenant with Abraham.  Describe the significance and meaning of the animals split in two and the smoking fire pot and flaming torch that passed between them.  What promise is God making and what is He saying about Himself?

6. God’s covenant with Abraham did not prevent his offspring from suffering. Simlarly, God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises does not mean Christians will live pain free lives. In the midst of our trials, pain, and suffering, how can believers be 100% sure that God’s word is true and that He will be faithful to His promises?  Going back to question 1, to whom are the promises of God made?