TLDR: A guide for having a family discipleship time on Genesis 13 based on the ACT Bible Study Method.
Act 3: God Promises Jesus
Scene 2: Abraham and Lot
Genesis 13:1–18
Analyze the Passage
Step 1: Introduce the Passage
Genesis was written by Moses sometime between 1445–1405 BC to help the Israelites leaving Egypt understand their history with God. It’s one of the five books of the Law that Moses wrote, which we also call the Torah, or the Pentateuch, which means “five books.”
Today’s true story continues the bigger story of Abram. Abram has left Egypt and has returned to the Promised Land, but there’s a problem to solve. This story is in Act 3: God Promises Jesus.
Step 2: Read the Passage
Step 3: Summarize the Passage
Abram returned to the Promised Land along with Sarai and Lot. By this time, Abram was quite wealthy with many animals to care for, feed, and water. Lot had many animals too. When the workers of the two began to fight, Abram and Lot decided to split up. Abram let Lot choose.
Lot chose the region toward the east. They separated and Lot went that direction and settled near the city of Sodom, an evil place. Abram went the other way and settled in Canaan.
God told Abram that he was giving all this land to him and his descendants. He also reminded Abram of his promise to give him a large family. Abram built another altar to God.
Step 4: Interrogate the Passage
Questions you and your family ask might include:
- How did Lot become so wealthy too?
- What did the workers fight about?
- Why did Abram let Lot choose when he was the elder?
- Why did Lot choose to live so close to Sodom?
- Did Lot know how evil Sodom was?
- Why hadn’t God given Abram a child yet?
Step 5: Wonder about the Passage
Wonder statements you and your family make might include:
- I wonder how many possessions Abram and Lot had.
- I wonder if the first altar Abram built between Bethel and Ai was still there.
- I wonder if Abram was hoping Lot would choose one direction over the other.
- I wonder if there was a big different between the land in the two directions.
- I wonder what Abram thought when God made this promise again.
Connect the Passage to Christ
Step 6: Find the World in Front of Text
God was making good on his promise to bless Abram. Even though Abram had demonstrated a lack of faith and character in Egypt, he returned wealthier. This was an act of God’s kindness. When he and Lot returned and experienced tensions because of God’s blessings to them, they handled it properly. Even though Abram was older and had the right to make a decision, he deferred to Lot. This way, the two would be guaranteed to leave peacefully. Lot would not have any hard feelings if he felt he had gotten the lesser of the two lands. It was an act of generosity, humility, and wisdom on Abram’s part.
This is how God wants us to live. He wants us to treat others the best we can. He wants us to be generous, to be humble, and to do all we can to care for others and preserve our friendships.
Step 7: Find the World of Jesus of the Text
Abram’s actions point to Jesus’. As Abram was generous with Lot, so is Jesus generous with us, giving us his very life so we can be saved from sin. As Abram was humble toward Lot, deferring although he was in the position of honor in the relationship, so Jesus came in humility to earth, deferring his exalted position as the Son of God. Abram’s generosity and humility saved his relationship with Lot and likely prevented violence between their workers. Jesus’ generosity and humility saved God’s relationship with people and prevented spiritual death for all who believe in him.
Translate It to Your Context
Step 8: Connect the World of Jesus of the Text to Your World
How can you be amazingly generous with someone this week to show them Jesus? Who might you be generous toward, how might you do it, and when might you do it?
How can you be especially humble this week? Remember, humility is not thinking poorly of yourself; it is thinking more highly of God and others. It is putting God first, others second, and yourself third. What are ways that you can display humility with your friends, family, and others to show them Jesus?
NEXT: Act 3: God Promises Jesus; Scene 3: Abraham and Melchizedek (Genesis 14:1–24)
Learn more about this family discipleship method here.
brian dembowczyk 