GOD'S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM

Text: Genesis 12:1-3

Introduction:
  I. The promises.
     A. Scriptures.
        1. Genesis 12:1-3
           a. a great nation.
           b. God will bless Abraham.
           c. Make Abraham's name great.
           d. Abraham shall be a blessing to people.
           e. Bless those who bless him.
           f. God will curse those who curse Abraham.
           g. All families will be blessed.
        2. Genesis 12:7 - land promise
        3. Genesis 13:14-17
           a. Land
           b. The great nation
        4. Genesis 15:13, 18.
        5. Genesis 17:3-7, 16 - kings shall come from him.
        6. Genesis 22:15-18.
     B. To sum up the promises:
        1. Bless and protect Abraham
        2. Then his children (the great nation)
        3. The land promise
        4. Kings
        5. The seed promise.
     C. This is the key of the rest of the Bible (because the rest 
        of the Bible is about the fulfillment of these promises 
        especially the seed promise through whom all the nations 
        of the earth would be blessed).

 II. The type of covenant.
     A. Two types of covenant.
        1. Unilateral (unconditional).
        2. Bilateral (conditional).
     B. God's promises to Abraham were unilateral.

III. The fulfillment of the promises.
     A. To bless and protect Abraham.
        1. Suggest that you read Genesis 12-25 and see how God 
           keeps His promises to Abraham.
        2. For example: when Abraham was in Egypt.
     B. Then his children (a great nation).
        1. Exodus 2:23-25
        2. Exodus 32:13-14
        3. The prophets
        4. Psalms 105:8-45
     C. The land promise.
        1. Joshua 21:43-45
        2. Psalms 105:44
     D. Kings
        1. David
        2. Solomon
        3. Jesus Christ
           a. Matthew 1:1
           b. Acts 2:30-31
           c. Daniel 7:13-14
           d. Micah 5:2
     E. The Seed promise
        1. Acts 3:25-26
        2. Galatians 3:8, 14, 16

 IV. The promises today
     A. The physical things in the Old Testament became 
        spiritual in the New Testament.
     B. The children of Abraham today.
        1. Who are his children today?
        2. Romans 4:11-12.
        3. Galatians 3:6-7, 16.
     C. The land promise
        1. Hebrews 11:9-10, 16
        2. Hebrews 4:9
           a. The writer has discussed the children of Israel 
              not entering the promise land (a land of rest).
           b. And that is a type of the spiritual land of rest, 
              heaven.
     D. King - Jesus
     E. Seed - Christ

Conclusion: 
 I. Have you become one of his children?
II. The way to be a child of Abraham is:
    A. Hear the gospel - Romans 10:17.
    B. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the fulfillment 
       of the Seed promise to Abraham - Mark 16:16.
    C. Repent (change of mind or purpose) of your past sins - 
       Acts 2:38.
    D. Confess your belief in Christ - Romans 10:9-10.
    E. Be baptized into Christ - Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:38; 22:16.

This lesson is based on material from a class that Phil Roberts 
taught at the Lakeview church of Christ in Hendersonville, TN.

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