Resuming the Genesis series
Today’s Bulletin
genesis 23
23 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.
Here is a picture of the Cave of Patriarchs aka Machpelah cave today, it’s under this building and not really accessible today.
Sermon Discussion questions
The Plot Is The Plot: Genesis 23
Ice Breaker: If you could plan your own funeral, is there one unique or quirky thing you'd want to include?
This Week Specific
Dealing with Grief
Abraham mourns Sarah’s death openly and honestly (v. 2). How can we create space in our families, friend groups, etc to process grief together?
Faith and Future Hope
In what areas of your life are you currently struggling to live with a perspective of future hope in Christ? How might you practically demonstrate faith in unseen promises, similar to how Abraham purchased the burial cave?
Navigating Grief and Loss
How does the sermon's perspective on death and resurrection change the way you approach grief? Share a time when your faith helped you process loss differently than someone without hope.
Long-Term Kingdom Investment
The sermon discusses investing in God's promises beyond immediate circumstances. What are some tangible ways you can invest your time, resources, or energy into God's kingdom that might seem counterintuitive or premature to others?
Living Beyond the Visible
If an unbeliever observed your daily life for a week, what would they conclude about your priorities and beliefs? What changes might you need to make to more visibly demonstrate your faith in Christ's future promises?
Generational Faith
Abraham's purchase of the burial cave was an act of faith for future generations. How are you currently investing in or modeling faith for the next generation - whether in your family, workplace, or community?
Weekly Questions
What stood out to you/challenged you most in this sermon?
What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?
How can this group pray for you this week?