The Bible Passage for Our Sunday Service (Genesis 18:1-15)

We're going to spend the summer of 2023 with the Patriarchs. During eleven worship services, beginning on Father's Day, we'll use passages from the book of Genesis to look at Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, focusing on how the Lord was consistently and actively involved in their lives. And by the end of the summer, we should have a better understanding of the one whom they followed and on how that same God can lead us. During this series, we'll look at the stories and passages below:

• June 18 - The Lord Chooses Abram (Genesis 12:1-9)
• June 25 - The Lord Promises Abraham a Son (Genesis 18:1-15)
• July 2 - Abraham Sends Hagar and Ishmael Away (Genesis 21:8-21)
• July 9 - The Lord Tests Abraham (Genesis 22:1-14)
• July 16 - Abrahams Finds Isaac a Wife (Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49)
• July 23 - Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-34)
• July 30 - Jacob's Dream at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-19a)
• August 6 - Jacob with Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29:15-28)
• August 13 - Jacob Becomes Israel (Genesis 32:22-31)
• August 20 - Joseph and His Brothers (Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28)
• August 27 - Joseph Tells His Brothers Who He Is (Genesis 45:1-15)

On Sunday, we'll focus on what we can learn from the Lord promising Abraham that he would have a son, Genesis 18:1-15. Below is the passage on which we'll focus.

Genesis 18:1-15 [Contemporary English Version]

1 One hot summer afternoon while Abraham was sitting by the entrance to his tent near the sacred trees of Mamre, the Lord appeared to him. 2  Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. He quickly ran to meet them, bowed with his face to the ground, 3 and said, “Please come to my home where I can serve you. 4 I'll have some water brought, so you can wash your feet, then you can rest under a tree. 5 Let me get you some food to give you strength before you leave. I would be honored to serve you.”

“Thank you very much,” they answered. “We accept your offer.”

6 Abraham went quickly to his tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get a large sack of flour and make some bread.” 7 After saying this, he rushed off to his herd of cattle and picked out one of the best calves, which his servant quickly prepared. 8 He then served his guests some yogurt and milk together with the meat.

While they were eating, he stood near them under the tree, 9 and they asked, “Where's your wife Sarah?”

“She is right there in the tent,” Abraham answered.

10  One of the guests was the Lord, and he said, “I'll come back about this time next year, and when I do, Sarah will already have a son.”

Sarah was behind Abraham, listening at the entrance to the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was well past the age for having children. 12  So she laughed and said to herself, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, will I really know such happiness?”

13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Does she doubt that she can have a child in her old age? 14  I am the Lord! There is nothing too difficult for me. I'll come back next year at the time I promised, and Sarah will already have a son.”

15 Sarah was so frightened that she lied and said, “I didn't laugh.”

“Yes, you did!” he answered.