Of Forests and Trees. Abraham.

From a Jewish-identity perspective, it all stars with Abraham. Take this time to talk about not only Abraham but also what these images and stories means to faith for other people, in other cultures, all these generations later. There is a lot of content here. You should feel free to use all of it, or select parts that fit your group's personality.

Thaw

• What's the biggest thing you have ever been promised?
• What's the biggest promise you have ever made?
• What most stuck with you about the message Sunday?

Read

• Genesis 12:1-3
• Thoughts?
• What do you notice about what God is setting up?

Leader note: Note that God, six times in just these three verses, says "I will". It's already based on God before the details are given. Also note this is not a tribal or cultural or nation-based promise. It's for all. The actual hebrew terms translated here are "all the various tribes/families of the soil ("adamah") will be blessed because of you". This is something for all humanity, despite the rigid exclusivity that the Jews, and later the Christians, put on it.

Read

• Genesis 15:1-12
• Thoughts?
• Why would God count Abram's continued faith as righteousness, when he'd done nothing else at this point? Why is God so big on trust?

• Why do you think God had Abram reference the stars?

Leader note: Stars make the point of the innumerability of Abram's offspring very well. But also, remember, that Abram has been called out of a whole system that worships and depends on the close watching of the night sky to determine blessing. God is now teaching Abram to use it to remember the faithfulness of a real God.

• Why do you think God used an already established custom of covenanting with cut animals, verses creating something new to get the point of "commitment" across?

Leader note: God seems to, most times, take existing cultural norms and spin them. Circumcision already existed. Temples already existed. Law contracts with abbreviated summaries already existed (see the Torah and the 10 commandments for His spin on that), eating bread and drinking wine were already sacred acts, baptism already existed, sacred writings already existed, hymns, psalms, prophecies, shepherds, sacrifice, etc, etc...)

• Why doesn't God correct Abram for all his questions? 
• Does this seem like doubt? 
• Do you express your doubts to God, or to people, or do you hide it? Why?

Leader note: the  "birds of prey" in verse 11 are "ayit", most likely carrion eating falcons. These falcons are identified with the Egyptian God, Horus, and is likely a wink toward the people of Israel's coming tussle with Pharaoh that would last 4 centuries. But, the seed Abram would, in some sense, successfully shoo that bird away.

Read

• Gen 15:12-13, 17-18
• Thoughts?
• What are the implication of God walking thru the blood alone and twice?
• Going back to the original chat with Abram in Gen 12, and now this- the whole plan seems to rest on the shoulders of God. So, then- what's the responsibility of Abram and all that would come after him?

Leader note: in the coming chapters, you find Abram lying, sleeping with a servant, Hagar, to "help" God with His promise, getting very little right and being largely clueless. God doesn't seem to be hoping we all have our lives all put together.

• Respond as a group to this statement: "God has obligated Himself to what He alone created. He has made Himself the sole guarantor to all creation being set right and redeemed. All our prayers for justice, all our hopes and dreams for being made whole in our own hearts and in all our relationships, all our cries that what is evil and ugly and broken be mended, go to a God that promised He would do all these things. God has bound Himself to fulfilling the purest ache for salvation in us. He has compelled Himself in His covenant to Abram to save the world and to redeem everything in heaven and earth. He must follow through."

Apply

• How do covenant relationships differ from contractual ones?
• How do we live as covenant people in a world that needs the blessing God promised thousands of years ago? 
• What are some examples of stepping into this covenant in our own lives?
• Do you think this LifeGroup is an example of covenant relationships, or something else?
• What can the people of this group do to more fully give themselves to the others,regardless of others performance, merit, etc?