Living the Word:Teaching Youth God’s Story

(Narrative Lectionary, Year 1)

God Calls AbramLesson #1-2 + Genesis 12:1-9

God Calls Abram (Genesis 12:1-9)

Imagine being summoned to leave your home and everything that you’ve ever known. You’re moving to a strange new land, though you’re not quite sure which land that is yet. Why would you do this? Because God has called you. That’s how Abram and Sarai’s adventure started.

Bible Background: This passage marks the beginning of a new way in which God will interact with the world, through the blessing of a particular family. It all starts with one man, Abram, and his wife, Sarai.

When we first meet Abram and Sarai they are childless. In Bible times, to be childless would have been to be considered cursed. But God has plans for blessing in this story beyond what would be humanly possible! God calls Abram and Sarai to leave their homeland and to trust an amazing promise that God will make of them a great nation and that through their family all the families of the earth would be blessed.

The Beginning

Gen

esis

Lesson 1-2 @ A GlanceGod Calls Abram (Genesis 12:1-9)

Big Idea: Abram was blessed by God to be a blessing to the whole world. We too are both blessed by God and called to be blessings to the world around us!

Spiritual Practice Emphasis: Service

Bible Nuts and Bolts: God’s Promises & Blessings

Supplies needed for Core Elements of Lesson:Trail Mix & Bowls, Bibles, Sand, Glue Stick, Star Stickers, Copies of Youth Page, Pens/Pencils/Markers, Lotion or Bowl of Warm Water

Supplies for Extending the Learning Activities:Keychain Rings, Cord, Variety of Beads, Smart Phone(s), Play Sand, Large Plastic Storage Containers, Water, Hymnal/Worship Booklet

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless

you, and make your name great, so that you will be a

blessing. -Genesis 12:2

In the Bible, when God comes to people and asks them to do great things we often say that people have received a “calling.” Abram’s calling is important because it lays the foundation for creating the community of God’s people that will exist throughout the rest of the Biblical narrative.

God was faithful to the promise he made to Abram. In fact, God’s blessing to Abram extends even to us who claim Abram as an ancestor in faith. That God is the source of blessing and the keeper of promises is important! This is a theme that will be lifted up as our “Bible Nuts and Bolts” in this lesson.

In this lesson we will also introduce the concept of being “blessed to be a blessing.” God’s promise to Abram was blessing not only for himself but also for the whole world to be blessed through him. How is it that we also are blessed by God in order to be blessings to those around us?

For Your Reflection: 1. When have you had to leave behind something familiar?

2. What gave you the strength to make that move?

3. How did you experience God’s blessing then? How do you experience God’s blessing now?

Core Elements+Into the StoryTrail TalesStudents will share stories of their road trips and real/dream adventures while sharing a snack for the journey!

+Learning the StoryStars and SandStudents will use stars and sand to identify key passages of promised blessing along Abraham and Sarah’s journey.

+Living the StoryBlessed to be a BlessingUsing the Youth Page conversation starters as a guide, students will discover their own God-given blessings and callings!

> Bowls> Trail Mix (Made from any combination of seeds, dried fruit, pretzels or cereal, chocolate candy pieces, popcorn, mini marshmallows, and nuts or peanuts that sound good to you!)

Always be sure to double check any allergies!

> Bible (for each student)> Sand > Glue Stick> Star Stickers

Can’t get real sand and star stickers? Do this activity using markers to draw them in instead.

> Youth Page (copy for each student)> Pens, Pencils, or Markers> Binder or Folder (for each student)> Lotion or bowl of warm water

Overview, Objectives, and Materials You’ll Need

Short on time?items marked +

can be adjusted to be done with what you probably already have in your

pocket or classroom.

Extending the Learning:Hands OnBlessing BeadsStudents will practice blessing others by making a keychain for another member of the class.

+Mixed MediaUR MoversStudents will research travel in Bible times (comparing and contrasting them to modern day methods of travel) and create their own commercial for a Bible times moving company!

The Competitive EdgeSand SculpturesRemembering that what God built through Abraham was better than could be imagined, students will use their own imaginations as they race to build sand masterpieces!

+Simply ServingThose in TransitionStudents identify those in their communities who are currently in transition and choose a service project to be a blessing to them along their journey.

+Making the ConnectionWords of BlessingAfter learning that a traditional part of a worship service is the “benediction” or “blessing” students apply what they’ve learned- either by writing their own words of benediction and/or leading that portion of the worship service.

> Keychain Rings> String or Cord> Variety of Beads> Optional: Card Stock Paper and Markers> Optional: Internet Access> Optional: Reflective Music > Smart Phones (or other such device allowing internet access and video capabilities)> Optional: Method of playing video back on a larger screen

> Play Sand (available at home improvement stores or perhaps a nearby backyard!)> Large plastic storage containers> Water> Optional: Plastic buckets, shovels, etc.> Optional: Oldest member of your congregation to serve as judge

> Nothing is needed for this portion of the lesson as students will be doing some thinking and planning. Additional supplies may be needed when they carry out their plans.

> Nothing> Optional: Pens, Paper, Markers> Optional: Worship Book (such as a hymnal used in worship or print out of power point used in worship if it contains a sending blessing or benediction)

Into the Story: Trail TalesStudents will share stories of their roads trips and dream adventures

while sharing a snack for the journey!

BEFORE CLASS:1. Prepare Trail Mix.2. Set table with bowls.3. Review the discussion questions listed below. What would your answers be?

DURING CLASS:1. Welcome! Well as you can see I’ve

brought some trail mix for us this morning. Grab a bowl and dig in!

2. Did you know that trail mix was supposedly invented by two surfers? They mixed raisins and peanuts together to make a quick and portable snack they could take with them on their adventures. Actually, though, lots of different cultures have mixed ingredients together like this to make nutritious and portable meals for journeys. I brought trail mix for us today because we are going to be hearing about an important journey in the Bible. It was a great adventure for our ancestors in faith. Before we get to that, though, I want to hear about some of your adventures. Choose one or more of the following questions to get students started talking. If there are those in your group who haven’t had the opportunity to do much traveling, focus on places that they have heard of or think would be fun to visit.

3. What was the last road trip you took? Where did you go? Who went with you?4. What is the furthest from home you have ever been?5. Have you ever visited another country? What was it like? What surprised you?6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you pick?7. Have you ever moved to a new town? What was the hardest part of moving?8. Our story for today is about a man named Abram and his wife Sarai. God told

them to move to a new land, but the hard part about it was that God didn’t tell them where they were going... or when they would get there... or really any of the details. The one thing God did tell them was that God would bless them and that through them God would bless the whole world. You can imagine that would have taken a lot of trust on their part. But God was faithful to the promise. That’s the adventure we’re going to hear about today in our Scripture reading.

Supplies: > Bowls> Trail Mix (Made from any combination of seeds, dried fruit, pretzels or cereal, chocolate candy pieces, popcorn, mini marshmallows, and nuts or peanuts that sound good to you!) Always be sure to double check any allergies!

+Alternative: Use the discussion questions below without food.

.

Learning The Story: Stars and SandStudents will use stars and sand to identify key passages of promised blessing along

Abraham and Sarah’s journey.

DURING CLASS:1. Our story for today begins with

meeting two very important people in the book of Genesis. Their names are Abram and Sarai. Let’s look at Genesis 11:31. This is the first verse in the Bible where Abram and Sarai are mentioned. What do you learn about them right away? Be sure that the conversation includes the notice of the fact that Sarai was barren; that she had no children.

2. Okay, the passage that we are going to read in church this weekend actually starts at the beginning of chapter 12. So let’s start reading there. The first 3 verses are an important promise that God makes to this couple. Who will read for us verses 1-3? Have a volunteer read Genesis 12:1-3. What did God tell Abram to do? [Go!] Did God give Abram a map or directions? How would Abram know where to go? [God would show him.] What did God promise? [God would make of Abram a great nation, God would make his name great so that he would be a blessing. He would bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him. In Abram all the families of the earth would be blessed.]

3. What do you think, is God’s promise trustworthy? (See Bible Nuts and Bolts Box)

Supplies: > Bible (for each student)> Sand > Glue Stick> Star Stickers

+Alternative: Use markers/crayon to draw in stars and sand.

Bible Nuts and BoltsGod’s always keeps God’s promises! This was true for Noah as God kept him and his family safe from the flood. This was true for Abraham throughout his journey. It is also true for us that God keeps the promises that God makes to us. If there is any hesitation in the conversation at this point on God’s promise being trustworthy, take time to explore with your youth what they are basing their conclusion on. What experiences lead them to believe that God’s word is (or isn’t) trustworthy? It may be that your lesson needs to redirect here from a conversation about God’s faithfulness in blessing to a conversation about how God is faithful even in the midst of hardship. God certainly provided much blessing to Abraham and Sarah, but the journey wasn’t always an easy one. Instead, God provided in spite of difficulty and human failure, in spite of human conniving, and Abraham and Sarah’s mistrust. If need be, spend some more time as you look at the specific verses listed below reading the ones that come just before and just after each one. In almost all of these instances, God’s blessing is given right in the middle of a difficult circumstance: be it discouragement, family estrangement, distrust, dishonesty, even death. God’s blessing doesn’t mean that we won’t experience hardships. It does mean that God will be present and active even during those difficult times!

4. Let’s see what Abram did. Who will read verses 4-6? Have a student read Genesis 12:4-6. What did Abram do? [He, his wife Sarai, and his brother’s son Lot went!]

5. Okay, so in this next verse is where things start to get exciting. Who will read verse 7 for us? Ask a student volunteer to read Genesis 12:7. Who did God say the land would be given to? [Abram’s offspring!] Remember back in that first verse one of the very first things that we learned about Sarai and Abram was that they didn’t have any children. And since they were leaving their home, they didn’t have any land either... right? Here’s the first glimpse we get that God’s blessing is going to involve a family and a land for Abram.

6. Do any of you know the story of Abram and Sarai? Their journey was a long one. Along the way God even changed their names. You might be more familiar with their new names than their old ones. God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah. Have you heard those names before? Even though they were old, God did give them children. At times along the journey Abraham and Sarah needed to be reminded of the promises that God had made. They needed to be reminded that God had promised to bless them and make them a blessing to others. One of the times that Abraham was feeling overwhelmed, God took him out and pointed to the stars. God told him that he would have more descendants than stars in the heaven. Another time God compared the family he was going to build for Abraham to the dust or sand on the earth... that he would have more family members than the grains of sand. I brought some sand here with me today. I also brought some star stickers. The journey of Abraham and Sarah is too long for us to read the whole thing in class today, but let’s take a look at some of the passages along their journey where God blessed Abraham and Sarah and mark those with these star stickers.

7. Ask for volunteers to read each of the following verses. Encourage youth to put a star sticker by each of these verses in their Bibles as a symbol of God’s blessing to Abraham:

- Genesis 13:2- Genesis 13:14-16- Genesis 14:19- Genesis 15:5- Genesis 15:7- Genesis 15:13-14 (We’ll hear more about this next week!)- Genesis 17:5- Genesis 17:8- Genesis 17:15-16- Genesis 17:19-20- Genesis 21:1-2- Genesis 22:17

- Genesis 25:7-98. Keep your fingers here in Chapter 25 and flip all the way back to where we began

in chapter 12, where God first promised blessing to Abram. Show youth how spreading a thin line of glue stick over the margins of their Bible makes the page sticky enough for sand to stick. Have youth do a line of glue stick down the margin of each page between Genesis 12 and chapter 25. Scoop plenty of sand over the top of each page to cover the sticky glue and then shake the excess off back into the container of sand. This sand represents the faithfulness of God through all of Abraham’s journey and the promise of blessing that even extended on to coming generations. We’ll stop putting sand on here... but actually the story of Abraham continues on down through the whole rest of the Bible. God not only kept the promise to Abraham that he would be blessed (through coming to the land that God gave him and having children) but God also kept the promise that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him. When we get to the New Testament we even see how God has blessed us through Abraham by giving us Jesus--- one of those great, great, great, great.... grandsons of Abraham’s family!

Using the Youth Page conversation starters as a guide, students will discover their own God given blessings and callings!

DURING CLASS1. Pass out Youth Page 1-2.2. Invite discussion using the conversation starters as a guide. Conclude this part of the

conversation with asking the question “So What?” In other words, What difference does hearing this Scripture passage make for your daily life? What’s the important thing you’ll remember? Have students record their answers in the “So What?” box. Encourage students to help each other out with this and learn from each other!

3. After you feel students have had a good chance to converse together, set aside 3-5 minutes for students to create their own “responses.” This might be in the form of words (such as a journal of thoughts), it might be a drawing, song lyrics, poem, etc. The space is theirs to create a way for them to record their thoughts regarding this story and what God is doing in their life today.

4. After the 3-5 minutes are up, encourage youth to look at the four spiritual practice areas: Prayer, Worship, Service, and Fellowship. After hearing this scripture passage and reflecting on it, what area do students feel called to spend particular time in this week? You might decide to choose one together as a class, or to have individuals choose their own. It might help for you to ask questions like the following:

- Is there a particular situation you’re being called to pray for this week? - How does hearing this story make you think about worship? Did you learn

something new about God to be thankful for? Is there something that you particularly want to praise God for?

- How are you being called to help someone else or to reach out in service to others? How is God calling you to use your time, energy, and resources to be a blessing to the world around you?

5. Do the “Try It” activity: Blessing of the Hands. Sometimes in hospitals or other places where workers care for others, a pastor will do a ceremony called a blessing of the hands. It’s an opportunity to pray for those who care for others. Today we have the opportunity to do our own blessing of the hands, for each other as a way of remembering that these hands that God has given us are also a blessing to others. You are sent to go - journeying into this week- to be a blessing to those around you. Give each student a squirt of lotion or wash their hands in a bowl of warm water. As you do, pray together the prayer listed on the youth page for each student.

6. If you are keeping these student pages to make a “Student Bible Book” hole punch them and put them in each student’s binder.

Living the Story: Blessed to be a Blessing

God Calls Abram Youth Page 1-2

Genesis 12:1-9B

less

ed: M

ade

holy

, con

secr

ated

.B

lessing: Something that brings w

ellbeing.

Imagine being summoned to leave your home and everything that you’ve

ever known. You’re moving to a strange new land, though you’re not

quite sure which land that is yet. Why would you do this?

Because God has called you. That’s how Abram and Sarai’s

adventure started.

Abram and Sarai set out on a great adventure with only God’s promise as assurance that their journey would be worth everything they had given up.

It was a long journey. At times they grew discouraged. At times they tried to take matters into their own hands. At times, they lied and deceived. In spite of all that, though, God was faithful.

God kept the promises made to Abram (turned Abraham) and Sarai (turned Sarah). God gave them a son and the promise continued on through their generation to the ones that followed- in fact through Jesus even all the way to us- that God’s blessing would be known through their family.

PRAYER + WORSHIP + SERVICE + FELLOWSHIP

RESPONSE AREA

> Abraham was “Blessed to be a blessing.” What does that expression mean to you?

> What are some of the blessings in your life?

> How is God using you to be a blessing to others?

TRY IT: Blessing of the Hands Lord, Bless these hands and all that they will do as they journey

through this week. Bless all they will encounter. Bless all whom they will help. Bless their work and their fun in Jesus’ name. Amen.

So What?

Hands On: Blessing BeadsStudents will practice blessing others by making a keychain

for another member of the class.

BEFORE CLASS1. Write each student’s name on a slip of paper.

DURING CLASS1. Have each student pick one slip of paper out of a

hat (or bowl, or somebody’s hand). Do not let a student keep their own name. This is the name of the classmate who will receive the keychain the student makes.

2. Students use the given supplies to make keychains for their “secret journeyer.” During this time you may choose to play some quiet music encouraging the students to pray as they make their keychains for all the places their classmate will travel.

3. If you have internet access, encourage students to look up “As You Go On Your Way” lyrics by John Ylvisaker and listen to this song (or pray the words) as they complete their keychains.

4. Prayers of blessing may be written out on card stock paper to be given along with the keychains if so desired.

5. After the keychains are completed, reveal the secret of who was making for whom. Encourage the students to keep their keychains either on a set of keys, on their backpacks, or anything that will journey with them into the week as a reminder that God’s blessing and their classmates prayers go with them this week!

Supplies: > Keychain Rings> String or Cord> Variety of Beads> Optional Card Stock Paper and Markers> Optional Internet Access> Optional Reflective Music

Mixed Media: UR MoversStudents will research travel in Bible times (comparing and contrasting them to modern

day methods of travel) and create their own commercial for a Bible times moving company!

BEFORE CLASS1. Check with your pastor or worship leader if you are

hoping to be able to share the video your class makes before or after the worship service!

DURING CLASS1. Encourage kids to get out any smart phones that they

may have brought with them and use them to look up what travel would have been like in Bible times. Try Google searches under terms like: Abraham’s Travels, Travel in Biblical Times, etc.

2. Put your youth to work creating a comedy sketch about travel in Abraham’s day. What would it be like to be Abraham’s moving company?

3. Film a commercial for that moving company - or better yet designate a crew of youth to do both the acting and the filming! If possible, show the film to another group of students or part of the congregation!

Supplies: > Smart Phones (or any other such device allowing internet access and video capabilities)> Optional: Method of playing video back on a larger screen.

Remembering that what God built through Abraham was better than could be imagined, students will use their own imaginations as they race to build sand masterpieces!

BEFORE CLASS1. Decide if you will be inviting a guest judge. Since

Abraham and Sarah were quite old even as they journeyed with God, you might consider inviting one of the older (or oldest!) members of your congregation to be the guest judge!

2. Divide the play sand into large plastic storage containers (bins) - one for each team of builders.

3. If the weather and location permits, consider doing this activity outside!

DURING CLASS1. Remind students that there were times Abraham and Sarah couldn’t even imagine what

God was doing through them! God was building something even better in and through them than they could have dreamed.... like blessing so many people through them that the multitudes blessed through them would be more than the number of grains of sand on the earth!

2. Give students the challenge to race to build their own sand creations. Choose qualifications for their buildings, such as the tallest sculpture (silliest, widest, most creative, etc.) that can be built in 5 minutes. (Adjust the time and qualifications to fit your particular group and schedule.)

The Competitive Edge: Sand Sculptures

Supplies:> Play Sand (available at home improvement stores or perhaps a nearby backyard!)> Large plastic storage containers> Water> Optional: Plastic buckets, shovels, etc.> Optional: Oldest member of your congregation to serve as judge

Simply Serving: Those in TransitionStudents identify those in their communities who are currently in transition and choose a

service project to be a blessing to them along their journey.

DURING CLASS1. Ask students to think of those in their community or people that they encounter on a

daily basis who are in some kind of transition. How might we as a class use our blessings to be a blessing to them on their journey? Use the following list of ideas to get youth started thinking about who these people might be:

- College students- Those who are new to town- Adoptive and foster families- People who are in the hospital- New residents at a local nursing home- Those living in a shelter- Refugees or those displaced by disaster- Others?

2. In the book Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC, author and theologian Frederick Buechner writes, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Where is there a need among those in transition in your community? What blessings has your group been given that might be used to be a blessing to those in need? (For example: Is it your group’s love of cooking that will lead you to make a meal for a family with a new baby?) Use your creativity!

After learning that a traditional part of a worship service is the “benediction” or “blessing” students apply what they’ve learned- either by writing their own words of

benediction and/or leading that portion of the worship service.

BEFORE CLASS1. If your congregation uses a benediction or

blessing as part of your worship service, gather any worship materials you would like to show students.

2. Talk to your pastor and/or worship leaders if you would like to have your class help with this part of the worship service on this or a coming Sunday.

DURING CLASS1. Genesis 12 is an important beginning for the whole rest of the Bible. It is the start of

God’s blessing upon the family of Abraham through whom God will bless the whole world. Blessing is an important concept in the Bible. It is also often plays an important part of our worship.

2. Introduce the words of blessing used in your worship service or share some of these examples:1

- Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever.- The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord’s face shine upon you with grace and

mercy. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.- The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may

abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.- The God of all grace bless you now and forever.

3. Talk about where in your worship these blessings are found and where they come from. (Are they based on scripture? See Numbers 6:24-26 and Romans 15:5 for example.) What purpose do they serve? What is the congregation’s response?

4. If different words are sometimes used in your worship, talk about why that is? What words would your youth pick for a blessing?

5. With your pastor’s / worship leaders’ guidance, invite youth to participate in the benediction this week or as part of an upcoming worship service. Perhaps they will lead using a standard wording or one that they have written.

1 These examples are among those listed in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006) Augsburg Fortress Publishers and are based on both scripture and tradition.

Making the Connection: Words of Blessing

Supplies:> Nothing> Optional: Pens, Paper, Markers> Optional: Worship Book (such as a hymnal used in worship or print out of power point used in worship if it contains a sending blessing or benediction)

The Story @ Home + Youth 1-2Genesis 12:1-9God Calls Abram

Ble

ssed

: Mad

e ho

ly, c

onse

crat

ed. B

lessing: Something that brings w

ellbeing.

Imagine being summoned to leave your home and everything that you’ve

ever known. You’re moving to a strange new land, though you’re not

quite sure which land that is yet. Why would you do this?

Because God has called you. That’s how Abram and Sarai’s

adventure started.

Abram and Sarai set out on a great adventure with only God’s promise as assurance that their journey would be worth everything they had given up.

It was a long journey. At times they grew discouraged. At times they tried to take matters into their own hands. At times, they lied and deceived.

In spite of all that, though, God was faithful.

God kept the promises made to Abram (turned Abraham) and Sarai (turned Sarah). God gave them a son and the promise continued on through their generation to the ones that followed- in fact through Jesus even all the way to us- that God’s blessing would be known through their family.

Just as God was faithful to Abram and Sarai, God will be faithful to you, too. God’s promises are certain. God’s blessing is steadfast.

> Abraham was “Blessed to be a blessing.” What does that expression mean to you?

> What are some of the blessings in your life?

> How is God using you to be a blessing to others?

Try It: Blessing of the Hands

Gather your family together. Use a bowl of warm water or a squirt of lotion to rub each person’s hands. As you do, pray this prayer:

Lord, bless these hands and all that they will do as they journey through this week. Bless all they will encounter. Bless all whom they will help. Bless their work and their fun in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Last Week/Next WeekLast week, we began our journey through the Bible with the story of Noah and the Ark (Genesis 6:16-22; 9:8-15). At the end of that story, God sets a bow in the clouds as a promise to never destroy the earth in a great flood again. In today’s lesson, we read the promise that God made to Abram in Genesis 12:1-9. The next lesson, found in Genesis 39:1-23, tells the story of when Joseph was thrown into an Egyptian prison. In that story, God stays faithful to Joseph and keeps a promise to protect and always be with him, no matter what.

Family Devotions This WeekLike Abram, God also promises us to be faithful and provide us with all that we need. It is important that we recognize and thank God for these blessings that God gives us. This week, make a point of saying a prayer of thanksgiving each time your family gathers for devotions. Keep a journal of blessings you see each day. (You can write or draw!) Share these blessings with your family members and be reminded of the ways in which God is faithful to us.

Daily Devotion SuggestionsAbram is not the only person to whom God makes promises in the Bible. Check out these other Scripture stories illustrating the promises that God makes to people:

Sunday - Read Genesis 15:4-6 (Read outside under the stars.)

Monday- Read Exodus 3:11-12 (Pray for those facing impossible tasks.)

Tuesday- Read Joshua 1:9 (Thank God for going with you to....)

Wednesday- Read 1 Samuel 1:27 (Look for answered prayers!)Thursday- Read Isaiah 9:6 (Thank God for sending us Jesus for us.)

Friday- Read Luke 1:13 (Who’s brought you good news recently?)

Saturday- Read Acts 1:8 (What has God given you to help you?)

The Story @ Home + Youth 1-2Genesis 12:1-9