COMMENTARY

Old Testament: Genesis 12:1-4a (C, RC); Genesis 12:1-8 (E, L)
God appears to a man by the name of Abram in what today would be Iraq, about 1800 B.C., and orders him to leave his homeland and travel to a land that God would show him. God promises to bless Abram and make of him a great nation. In fact, God's promises make Abraham a means of blessing or curse for others. The amazing aspect of this is that Abram was already 75 years of age. Humanly speaking, it didn't seem likely he would see the fulfillment of God's promise but Abraham was a man of faith.

Epistle: 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 (RC)
Paul urges his readers to join him in his suffering for the gospel (he is in prison). We are not saved by anything that we have done but by the grace of God.

Epistle: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 (C, L); …