Blessed to Be a blessing
[ READ ] Genesis 12:1–9
The Call of Abram
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And 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. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lordappeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And 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. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lordappeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
God's call to Abraham did not end with Abraham. "I will bless you... and you shall be a blessing." That one small word, “and”, changes everything. The blessing was never a destination. It was a pipeline.
Abraham stood against his family, his culture, his whole known world, and left everything familiar behind. His father's household had already answered one call and left Ur, but they stopped at Haran. Halfway felt like enough. God did not let it be enough, because the blessing God had in mind could not be contained in Haran. It had to keep moving, all the way to Canaan, and beyond, to all the families of the earth.
Sarah was barren. Rich in silver, rich in livestock, but empty where it mattered most. How could a people be a blessing if there was no offspring? Barrenness is a metaphor for hopelessness. Abraham was unqualified, standing in the one place hope could not reach on its own. And it was there, before any evidence, before any son, that God spoke blessing over him.
This is how grace works. The blessing comes first. The fruit comes later. God did not wait for Abraham to prove himself useful before promising to bless the nations through him. He blessed a barren, unqualified man and then sent him out to be poured out.
Under it all, one promise: a son. Isaac, born of grace, points us to another Son. Jesus left His Father's house, gave up the ultimate security, and became homeless and fatherless so that the blessing could reach us too.
We have been blessed. Not so it would stop with us, but so it would move through us.
Who is waiting on the other side of your obedience?
- Mary Gunther
Abraham stood against his family, his culture, his whole known world, and left everything familiar behind. His father's household had already answered one call and left Ur, but they stopped at Haran. Halfway felt like enough. God did not let it be enough, because the blessing God had in mind could not be contained in Haran. It had to keep moving, all the way to Canaan, and beyond, to all the families of the earth.
Sarah was barren. Rich in silver, rich in livestock, but empty where it mattered most. How could a people be a blessing if there was no offspring? Barrenness is a metaphor for hopelessness. Abraham was unqualified, standing in the one place hope could not reach on its own. And it was there, before any evidence, before any son, that God spoke blessing over him.
This is how grace works. The blessing comes first. The fruit comes later. God did not wait for Abraham to prove himself useful before promising to bless the nations through him. He blessed a barren, unqualified man and then sent him out to be poured out.
Under it all, one promise: a son. Isaac, born of grace, points us to another Son. Jesus left His Father's house, gave up the ultimate security, and became homeless and fatherless so that the blessing could reach us too.
We have been blessed. Not so it would stop with us, but so it would move through us.
Who is waiting on the other side of your obedience?
- Mary Gunther
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ God tells Abraham, "I will bless you... and you shall be a blessing" (v.2). Why do you think blessing was never meant to end with Abraham?
+ Abraham was blessed before he had done anything to earn it, while he was still barren of any evidence that God would come through. What does that order, blessing before result, teach us about grace?
+ Verse 3 says, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" through Abraham. How does this one promise stretch all the way from Genesis to Jesus?
+ God tells Abraham, "I will bless you... and you shall be a blessing" (v.2). Why do you think blessing was never meant to end with Abraham?
+ Abraham was blessed before he had done anything to earn it, while he was still barren of any evidence that God would come through. What does that order, blessing before result, teach us about grace?
+ Verse 3 says, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" through Abraham. How does this one promise stretch all the way from Genesis to Jesus?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where has God blessed you, materially, relationally, spiritually, that you have quietly kept for yourself instead of passing on?
+ Paul says God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Who around you needs the specific comfort or blessing you've already received from God?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where has God blessed you, materially, relationally, spiritually, that you have quietly kept for yourself instead of passing on?
+ Paul says God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Who around you needs the specific comfort or blessing you've already received from God?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, You blessed Abraham not so the blessing would stop with him, but so it would flow through him to every family on earth. Forgive me for the times I have received Your blessings and held them tightly, as if they were mine to keep rather than mine to share. Show me who is waiting for the comfort, provision, or hope You have already given me. Remind me that just as You made Abraham a blessing, and just as You sent Jesus, the ultimate blessing, to the nations, You have made me a blessing too. Give me eyes to see the barren and hopeless places around me, and courage to carry Your grace to them. In Jesus' name, Amen.
+ Pray with me:
Father, You blessed Abraham not so the blessing would stop with him, but so it would flow through him to every family on earth. Forgive me for the times I have received Your blessings and held them tightly, as if they were mine to keep rather than mine to share. Show me who is waiting for the comfort, provision, or hope You have already given me. Remind me that just as You made Abraham a blessing, and just as You sent Jesus, the ultimate blessing, to the nations, You have made me a blessing too. Give me eyes to see the barren and hopeless places around me, and courage to carry Your grace to them. In Jesus' name, Amen.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who is one person you could bless this week simply because God has first blessed you? Tell someone what you're planning to do, and do it.
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who is one person you could bless this week simply because God has first blessed you? Tell someone what you're planning to do, and do it.
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