Abraham

Download the PDF here.

 

Gathering time

10 minutes

You will need: refreshments; a comfortable place to sit and chat

As the young people arrive, serve them refreshments. As you eat and drink together, chat about the young people’s lives - do they have anything to share? Any triumphs? Any disasters?! Share stories from your life too, if appropriate.

Letter from my future self

10 minutes

You will need: pens and paper

Invite the group to write a letter to themselves from ten years in the future. What will they be doing in ten years? Who will they be with? Will they be happy, sad or something else? Encourage them to use their imagination. Ask for some volunteers to read out their letters.

 

Bible exploration

10 minutes

You will need: props or costumes for the drama; Bibles

Use this drama as a fun but silly retelling of the Bible passage. Cast: Eliezer (head servant), camel, servant, posh sheep, not posh goat.

Scene one

Eliezer: OK, OK, listen up. You’ve probably heard by now that we’re on the move.

Camel: On the move? Don’t I know it. Have you seen the size of the packs I have to carry? It’s enough to make you spit. (Camel spits.)

Sheep: I wish you wouldn’t do that, it’s so common. And that only just missed me, it’s a nightmare getting out of my wool.

Goat: Oh, you and your wool… (Imitates the sheep.) “Look at me, look at my wool, it’s so nice and proppah!”

Servant: Yes, stop spitting, I’m the one who has to clear it up, and I have enough to do already with the move.

Eliezer: Yes, Yes, it’s a lot of work. But the master thinks… No, he believes that this is the right thing to do.

Camel: Right thing to do? He doesn’t have to carry the tents, food and other possessions that he has. He’s not poor you know! He’s got a lot.

Sheep: Yes, including me and my gorgeous woollen coat.

Goat: Well, I know who I’d like to leave behind if we’re taking too much. (Looks pointedly at the sheep.)

Servant: I’m just sure I’m going to forget to pack something. I tried listing everything in my papyrus journal, but I ran out of space.

Eliezer: Don’t you worry, we’ll remember everything. Now let’s get the packing finished and get going. It’s a long, long journey but the future is looking bright, I see good things ahead for me, I mean us.

Scene two

Servant: So, not so happy about the future now, eh Eliezer?

Camel: And after such a successful, long trip too. Not that I believe a word of it. To be honest I think the old fella has gone off the deep end. He’s one hump short of a Bactrian.

Sheep: It’s not natural you know. I mean the master isn’t a spring chicken anymore…

Goat: Good on the old fella, I say. If he wants and thinks he’s going to have kids, then good on ‘im.

Eliezer: It’s no concern of mine. The master does what the master pleases.

Servant: Yes, but you thought you were going to get all that the master has. And then you’d be the pleased master. Without children, you’ll inherit everything, that’s the way of the world. But…

Camel: It’s always the way, the ones who do the hard work, and I’m talking all the heavy lifting here, get nuffin.

Sheep: I think it’s a stupid thing, why should Eliezer get it all? I mean us sheep are very intelligent and we look so cute in our coats.

Goat: Oh my, does anyone have the shears? I’m sure it’s that time of year already…

Eliezer: Abraham believes in his God. His God told him he would have a child and that his descendants would be many. What Abraham believes is down to him. If he wants to trust in God, then that’s fine by me. Until he has a child, I’ll do my best to keep things going.

Servant: It was this God that brought us here in the first place. I mean why? What was the point? We had just as much there as we do here. What’s so important about this piece of land?

Camel: I’m just glad God said this was our destination. My knees are killing me after walking all that way from Haran.

Sheep: Yes, and my woollen coat, though gorgeous, was a little warm on the trip.

Goat: What, something negative about the sheep’s wool? Quick, post it to Twitter, hashtag sheep shocker sad face tear emoji.

Eliezer: (To servant.) You know we sometimes think Abraham’s a little crazy for all that he has done and what he believes… but we don’t question talking camels, sheep and goats!

After you have ‘performed’ the drama, read: Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-6.

 

Chatting together

5 minutes

Ask the young people these questions, making sure everyone has the chance to contribute:

• If you were Abraham, what would you have done?
• What do you think of the promises God made Abraham?
• What has God promised to us?
• What does this story tell you about God?

 

Creative response

10 minutes

You will need: A4 paper; felt-tip pens

Give an A4 piece of paper to each young person. Show them how to draw a venn diagram of three interconnecting circles. Label the circles ‘God’, ‘Me’ and ‘Others’. In each section, ask the group to write their answers to this question: what do you trust each of these people with or for? Referring to the Bible passage, would Abraham fill in the diagram differently?

 

Prayer

5 minutes

Finish by saying this prayer. Ask the group to think about what they want to say to God in the pauses.

Dear Lord, I believe help me with my unbelief. (Pause.)

Help me grow in faith and trust like Abraham. (Pause.)

Show me where you want me to be and your promises for me. (Pause.)

Help me overcome the obstacles in my life. (Pause.)

Amen