MNF - April 24th - Sarah a Woman of Faith

MNF

Lesson Notes on Sarah

4-24-2005

Order of Events:

1. Game Time – Hose and Tennis Ball

2. Snack and Fellowship

3. Song – Love the Lord your God 3 part round

4. Prayer Time

5. Lesson

Review:

We've embarked upon a new study of the Old Testament saints found in Hebrews 11. We've seen the faith of Abel and the faith of Enoch. We've seen the faith of Noah and of Abraham. Tonight we will look at the faith of Sarah.

Key Verse (to memorize): Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Intro Questions:

1. What's one the nicest things something has ever said to or about you?

2. Have you ever had a time when someone you knew was being praised or rewarded and you didn't think they deserved it?

3. Does God forgive and forget?

I think that Saddam Hussein is a good man. Would anyone care to disagree with me? Why? Does my opinion as your youth leader supersede the facts? No.

Let's read and discuss some passages about Sarah to see what the Bible tells us about her. (Hint: these passages will answer our four questions on the worksheet.)

• Genesis 12:1-6

• A promise of a son

• Sarai goes with her husband

• Genesis 12:10-20

• listens to Abram and says that she is his sister

• Genesis 16:1-6

• Sarai is barren

• Sarai offers Hagar to her husband to have children to fulfill the promise her own way

• She blames Abram for getting Hagar pregnant

• Sarai mistreats Hagar

• Genesis 17:15-16, 19

• Sarai renamed Sarah

• promise of a son confirmed to be through Sarah

• Genesis 18:9-15

• Sarah laughs at what the men tell Abraham about Sarah having a baby one year from today

• Sarah denies (lies) that she laughed

• Genesis 20

• Sarah does what Abraham says and tells people that she is his sister

• Genesis 21:1-13

• Sarah has a baby named Isaac (“he laughs”)

• Sarah praises the Lord

• Sarah has jealousy against Ishmael and tells Abraham to send them away

Optional 1 Peter 3:5-6 – Sarah obeyed her husband by saying that she was his sister

Overall how does the Bible portray Sarah? Do you think she is painted in a good light or a bad light?

After reading these passages, do you think Sarah should be in the hall of faith? If so what for?

Now let's read what God has to say about here in the Hall of Faith. Turn to Hebrews 11:11. What does he say?

God praises Sarah for being a woman of faith. She believed that God would keep his promise. God is not ashamed to be called her God.

But what about all those bad things she did? We read the stories; we know what kind of person she is. What do you think about that?

Well the truth is, it doesn't really matter what you think about Sarah. Only what God thinks about Sarah matters. And you know what, only what God thinks about you matters as well. God is pleased when we trust his promises and when we demonstrate faith no matter how small it seems.

Here's an encouraging verse:

Isaiah 43:25 – God will remember our sins no more. It's not that he forgets. When someone hurts you deeply you don't forget it, but you can choose not to remember it. You can choose to let it go and not dwell on it anymore.

“Even if we doubt we can be people of faith.”--Alison Wasser

So what can we learn from Sarah? How can we demonstrate faith this week?

Believe God's promises. God may not have promised that you would have a baby when you're ninety-some years old, but he has promised you other things. Provision – He will supply all your needs. Protection – nothing can happen to you that He doesn't want to happen. God also promises to remember our sins no more. They are forgiven.

Here's something else we can learn: Only what God thinks of us matters. Even though we may be tempted to please others and try and get them to like us, it doesn't matter what they think. God loves you and is pleased with you because you are His own dear child.