Relationship Greater Than Religion Week 3

Abraham Covenant: Week 3
based on a sermon preached by Greg Ballog, 2/1/26

Opening prayer
Lord God, thank You for revealing Yourself as the God who calls, promises, and keeps covenant with Your people. As we look at Your covenant with Abraham, open our eyes to see Jesus and the blessing we have in Him, and soften our hearts to trust and obey You. Lead our conversation by Your Spirit and unite us in faith and love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scripture readings

1. God’s call and promise to Abram – Genesis 12:1-3,7
2. God’s covenant and Abram’s faith – Genesis 15:1-6,17
3. God confirms His covenant – Genesis 17:1,7
4. The blessing of Abraham fulfilled in Christ – Galatians 3:10-14
5. Salvation by grace through faith – Ephesians 2:8-9

You can have one person read each passage aloud, or read Genesis 12 and 15 at the start and save Galatians 3 and Ephesians 2 for later in the discussion.

Discussion topics and questions

1. God’s call and our willingness to move (Genesis 12:1-7)
   Key idea: God called Abram to leave what was familiar and go to a land He would show him, and Abram responded in obedience.

Discussion questions:

• What stands out to you about God’s call to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3?
• Where do you see the tension in the quote, “God move in me, but I do not want to move”? How have you felt that tension in your own life?
• What did it cost Abram to obey, and what did he gain? How have you seen obedience to God cost you something yet also bring blessing?
• If God asked you to “move” in some area of your life right now (habits, relationships, priorities, service), what might that be?

2. Wrestling with doubt and desire for God’s promises (Genesis 15:1-6)
   Key idea: Abram brings his honest questions to God about being childless, and God responds with reassurance and a bigger promise.

Discussion questions:

• In Genesis 15:1-3, what is Abram feeling and fearing? Where do you relate to his questions?
• Talk about the quote: “There is a difference between a doubt that denies God’s promise and a doubt that desires God’s promise.” Which kind of doubt do you tend to have, and why?
• How does God respond to Abram’s doubts in verses 4-5? What does that teach you about God’s heart toward your questions?
• Verse 6 says Abram believed the Lord, and God credited it to him as righteousness. What does it mean, practically, to “believe the Lord” in your current circumstances?

3. Waiting between what God said and what we see (Genesis 15:7-17; 17:1,7)
   Key idea: There can be a long gap between God’s promise and its fulfillment, but His covenant faithfulness does not change.

Discussion questions:

• Reflect on the quote: “There may be some time between what God said and what we see. But that doesn’t change the fact that what God said is TRUE.” Where are you living in that “in between” right now?
• In Genesis 15:13-16, God tells Abram about 400 years of difficulty for his descendants. How does this shape your view of God’s timing and purposes?
• What is significant about God passing between the pieces in Genesis 15:17 (the smoking oven and flaming torch)? What does this say about who carries the weight of the covenant?
• In Genesis 17:1,7, God calls Himself “God Almighty” and promises a permanent covenant. How does knowing God as “God Almighty” encourage you to trust Him with your future?

4. The blessing of Abraham and the work of Christ (Galatians 3:10-14; Ephesians 2:8-9)
   Key idea: The blessing promised to Abraham ultimately comes to us through Jesus, who took the curse for us so that we receive salvation by grace through faith.

Discussion questions:

• Read Galatians 3:10-12. What does it teach about relying on our own works to be right with God?
• How does verse 13 describe what Jesus did for us? How does this connect back to the covenant with Abraham?
• According to verse 14, what is “the blessing of Abraham” that comes to us in Christ? How have you experienced that blessing personally?
• Read Ephesians 2:8-9. How would you explain these verses to someone who believes they need to be “good enough” to get into heaven?
• Use the Q&A from the sermon:
  Q: “Why should I let you into heaven?”
  A: “You paid my way.”
  How does that answer challenge our tendency to trust our performance instead of Jesus?

5. Responding to God’s covenant love today
   Key idea: God has already done enough for you to believe in Him, and He invites you into a relationship of trust and obedience.

Discussion questions:

• Consider the quote: “God has already done enough for you to believe in Him.” What are some specific things God has done (in Scripture and in your life) that fuel your faith?
• Where might you be saying, “We will not know what God already said with our Bible closed”? How can you practically open the Bible more and listen to God’s promises?
• What is one concrete step of obedience God may be calling you to take in light of His covenant faithfulness (in your family, church, work, or community)?
• How can this group help one another live as people of faith like Abraham this week?

Follow-up exercise for the week
Invite the group to choose one or both of these exercises:

1. Promise meditation:

• Each person chooses one key promise from the passages (for example, Genesis 15:1, Genesis 17:7, Galatians 3:13-14, or Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Write the verse out by hand, keep it somewhere visible all week, and pray it back to God daily, especially in moments of doubt or fear.
• At the next meeting, share how meditating on that promise shaped your attitude or decisions.

2. Step of obedience:

• Ask the Lord specifically, “Where are You calling me to move in obedience?” (a conversation to have, a habit to start or stop, a step of service or generosity, a sin to confess, etc.).
• Write down one clear step of obedience you sense God leading you to take this week.
• Share it with one trusted person in the group and ask them to pray for you and check in with you.

Closing prayer
Have one person pray, or invite a few people to pray short prayers in turn. You can guide the closing prayer with themes like these:

• Thanking God for His unchanging covenant faithfulness and for sending Jesus to redeem us from the curse and bring us the blessing of Abraham.
• Confessing areas of fear, doubt, or disobedience, and asking for faith like Abraham to trust what God has said even when we do not yet see it.
• Asking the Holy Spirit to help each person obey whatever next step God has put on their heart this week.
• Praising God that our hope of heaven rests not on our works but on Jesus, who “paid our way” because He wants a relationship with us.

You might close with a simple group prayer like:
“Lord, thank You for Your covenant love shown to Abraham and fulfilled in Jesus. Thank You that Christ redeemed us from the curse so that we might receive the blessing and the promised Spirit through faith. Strengthen our faith, help us to obey where You are calling us to move, and keep our hope anchored in what Jesus has done, not what we do. We trust You with what we cannot yet see and commit this week to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”