God Promises Abraham a Son

Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 17: 1 - 7, 15 - 16

At the time of this promise from God to Abraham, Abraham already had a son with Hagar, the Egyptian servant of his wife, Sarah. Modern Arabs believe they are descended from Abraham through that son, Ishmael.

But when Ishmael was thirteen, God promised Abraham that he would have a son with Sarah. When three strangers approached Abraham and Sarah to tell them the same thing, Sarah laughed out loud. So she and Abraham named their son Isaac, which means "she laughed."

The form of God's promise to Abraham is called a covenant. Christians believe that God makes the same sort of promise to them through the sacrament of baptism.

1. How old was Abraham when the Lord appeared to him?

[Abraham was ninety-nine years old.]

2. What did God promise Abraham?

[God promised Abraham more descendants than he could count.]

3. What reason did God give for keeping his promise?

[God said, "I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants because I am your God and their God."]

4. What did God promise about Sarah?

[God promised that Sarah would be the mother of nations, and some of her descendants would even be kings.]

5. Who was the most important descendant of Abraham and Sarah.

[Jesus, king of kings and lord of lords, was the most important descendant of Abraham and Sarah.]