Dear Parents, We hope the following summary of the Sunday School lesson will help you in discussing the lesson with your children and in working through this booklet together. SCRIPTURE PASSAGES: Genesis 16 and 21:1-21 BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: Abraham and Sarah try to fulfill God’s promise on their own, and Ishmael is born. Twice, God meets Hagar’s needs in the wilderness, confirming that He sees and knows her. The Lord fulfills His promise through Sarah, and Isaac is born.
Abraham A Person of Faith
LESSON FOCUS: To understand that God will fulfill His promises in His time To understand that God sees me and knows what I need WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD: God is called “El Roi,” the God Who Sees Me. God is faithful to fulfill what He promises. LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE’VE LEARNED: After waiting many years for the son God had promised them, how did Abraham and Sarah try to help along God’s plan? Did their plan work well? They decided Abraham should take another wife, Hagar, Sarah’s maid. A boy, Ishmael, was born to Hagar. Resentment arose between Hagar and Sarah.
God Supplies My Needs
Was this how God wanted to fulfill His promise to Abraham and Sarah? No. He later did give them a son, Isaac. This was miraculous, as both Abraham and Sarah were very old by the time of Isaac’s birth.
Hagar and Ishmael
How did Hagar come to know of God’s care for her? At a point of dire need, she realized God’s provision for her. She and Ishmael had been banished from Abraham’s home after Ishmael had mocked Isaac. Wandering in the desert, they ran out of water. God saw them and provided water. He promised that He would make Ishmael into a great nation.
This Week’s Memory Verse Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
Does God ever change? No, He still sees us and cares for our needs.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
Will you cry out to God when you have a need, depending on Him to help you?
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Will you believe that God knows best, and trust Him to give you what you need in His time?
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
See you on Sunday!
Copyright 2003 Berean Baptist Church 309 E. Co. Rd. 42 Burnsville, MN 55306 952-432-7168
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 September 22, 2013
MONDAY – SARAH & ABRAHAM DOUBT
SATURDAY – THIS WEEK’S PUZZLE
Read Genesis 12:4. (Abram and Abraham are the same person.) When God told Abram to move far away to the land of Canaan, He also told him that he would have many, many children. Abram obeyed God and moved right away.
Fill in the puzzle with words from our memory verse. (Some of them are from the part of the verse that comes before this week’s section.) Then, say out loud the lines you’ve learned so far.
How old was Abram when this happened? ________ After 10 years, they still had no children. What would you have thought if you were Sarah? God is just taking His time Maybe God forgot His promise I will have a baby any day now! Read Genesis 16:3. (Sarai and Sarah are the same person.) Sarai began to think that God had forgotten, and she asked Abram to take another wife. What was her name? _____________________________ Read Genesis 16:15 to 16. What did they name Hagar’s son?
_____________________________
How old was Abram when Ishmael was born? 75 86 99 100 God had promised Abram and Sarah that they would have a son. Do you think choosing another wife was the right thing to do? Do you think God keeps His promises?
Yes No
Yes No
Maybe
For sure
Ask God to help you know how to obey Him today. Thank Him that He will help you do it. Look at our memory verse lines that are in the darkest print on the front cover. Say them out loud two times.
Across 5. Name for the One who made the world 6. What God gives us when we feel weary Down 1. What God increases for the weak 2. God has this, and it’s too big to measure (too big to fathom) 3. Bible book where our verse is found 4. People who are not very old
– Created with Puzzlemaker on DiscoverySchool.com –
FRIDAY – GOD SEES US AND HELPS US
TUESDAY – BABY ISAAC
(Today, we’re looking at the true story in Genesis 21:14 to 19.)
(Today, we’re looking at the true story in Genesis 21:1 to 14.)
Read Genesis 21:15 to 16. Which of the words below tell how Hagar and Ishmael may have felt before God heard them in the desert?
Read Genesis 21:5. How old was Abraham when God gave him the son He had promised?
Happy Weak
Read Genesis 21:3: What name did Abraham and Sarah gave their baby boy?
Lonely Strong
Tired Sad
Which of the words below tell how you feel when you have problems? Happy Weak
Lonely Strong
Tired Sad
Other ______________________________
Read Genesis 21:19. When God took care of Hagar and Ishmael by giving them cool clear water, they must have felt new strength come into their bodies! Read Isaiah 40:31 (part of the memory verses we are learning). “But those who ________________ in the ____________ will ___________________ their _______________________” When we hope in something, we are glad because we believe that it will come true! When we hope in God, we believe that He will take care of everything in our life! Can you think of a time when you felt new strength after praying to God? ______________________________________________________________ Will you pray and thank God for giving you new strength when you trust in Him?
35
75
100 years old
_____________________________________ Isaac means “laughter.” As Isaac got a little older, his big brother, Ishmael, made fun of him. Do you think this made Sarah mad?
No
Yes
Very mad
Sarah wanted Hagar and Ishmael sent far away. Read Genesis 21:11. Abraham was Ishmael’s father, too. How did he feel about sending Ishmael away? Fine A little bothered Very sad Read Genesis 21:12 to 13. Why did Abraham send Ishmael away? He hated Hagar & Ishmael. God told him to do what Sarah had asked. Ishmael needed to be punished. Sometimes obeying God is hard. When is it hard for you to obey God? __________________________________________________________________ Ask for God’s help to obey Him today, even when it’s hard to do. Practice saying this week’s memory verse lines.
WEDNESDAY – HAGAR REMEMBERS GOD’S CARE Read Genesis 21:14 to 15. Hagar and Ishmael had to leave, and they wandered in the hot, dry desert.
THURSDAY – GOD TAKES CARE OF HAGAR AND ISHMAEL Read Genesis 21:17. What did the angel of the Lord say to Hagar? “What is the matter, Hagar?
Abraham had given them food and water. Did that help? Yes, they had enough. Yes, it helped for a little while. No, it didn’t help at all. The water ran out quickly in the desert heat. Hagar thought Ishmael would soon die of thirst! They felt all alone, and they both began to cry. Read Genesis 21:17. Who heard the boy crying?
“You are the G_______ W_______ S________ M____!”
G ___ ___ has H ___ ___ ___ ___ the boy crying!” Read Genesis 21:19. What did Hagar see when God opened her eyes? A well of W___ ___ ___ ___! God provided exactly what they needed! God gave both Abraham and Hagar a special promise. He would make Ishmael into a great nation (Genesis 21:13 and 18).
____________________
Read Genesis 16:13. When Hagar heard God’s voice, she remembered another day in the desert, many years earlier, when God saw her trouble. Hagar had said to God:
What do you think God saw about Hagar? (Mark any that are true.)
D ___ N ___ ___ B ___ A ___ ___ ___ ___ ___;
She was hungry and thirsty. She was afraid. She felt unloved. She worried about how they would live
God saw and cared for Hagar and Ishmael. Today God sees you! He sees the things on the outside, and He sees the things that are inside your heart that you might not tell anyone else. God loves you and will take care of you just like He cared for Hagar and Ishmael!
Read Genesis 21:20 to 21. What other things are true about Ishmael’s life? God was with him as he grew up He kept living in the desert He had large herds of sheep He became an archer – good at using a bow and arrow His wife was from Egypt
Can you think of one way that God has taken care of you this week? _______________________________________
Tell God, “Thanks,” that He always sees and cares for you.
Will you pray and ask God to open your eyes to see the help that He gives you?
Can you add this week’s memory lines to those that come before them?
Practice our memory lines with someone in your family.