Romans (Youth) 4B

I can trust God’s promises, even when they seem impossible!

Scripture: Romans 4:13-25

Exposure to Exposition & Exploring the Scriptures: (10-20 mins)

• Bible Drills (Memorization of OT & NT Book order)

• Guide the children to Romans 4:13-25 in the Bible. (Help them as needed, NT vs OT)

• Say: We are going to continue through Paul's letter to the church of Rome.

• We will learn that the gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes, and we should never be ashamed of Jesus.

• Read aloud. (Ask kids to place their pointer fingers on V13 and follow along)

Opening Question

“What’s something that feels too big or hard for you? — How can you trust God with it?”

Notes:

1. Paul said in the last chapter (3), verse 21 that God’s way of salvation is apart from the Law.

2. The righteousness we need for Heaven isn’t our own—it’s God’s righteousness given to us.

3. This plan of salvation isn’t new; it was promised in the Old Testament.

4. Faith in Jesus Christ is how we receive God’s righteousness.

5. Salvation is for everyone—Jews and Gentiles alike.

6. Through faith, we are made right before God.

7. God didn’t ignore sin—He dealt with it through Jesus’ death.

8. Paul ends Chapter 3, showing there’s no room for boasting in salvation.

9. In Chapter 4, Paul uses Abraham’s life to prove that salvation is apart from both the Law and circumcision. We will continue to look at Abraham's faith.

Romans 4:13-25 NLT
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

Paul wanted to show that being right with God (righteousness) has always come through faith, not through works or following rules.

• 1. Abraham’s Example – Faith, Not Works

  • Abraham believed God’s promise about having a son.

  • Because Abraham believed, God counted him as righteous.

  • Abraham’s good deeds didn’t earn it—his faith did.

  • This shows salvation by faith isn’t something new; it’s always been God’s plan.

• 2. David’s Example – Forgiveness, Not Law

  • David lived after God gave Israel the Law.

  • In the Psalms, David said the blessed man is the one whose sins are forgiven.

  • This means righteousness comes from God’s mercy, not from keeping rules.

  • So even after the Law, salvation still came through faith and forgiveness.

• 3. Abraham’s Circumcision – Faith for Everyone

  • Circumcision was a sign of being part of God’s covenant family.

  • Abraham believed before he was circumcised, God called him righteous first!

  • That means salvation isn’t just for Jews—it’s for everyone who believes like Abraham.

  • Abraham became the “father” of all who trust God by faith—Jews and Gentiles alike.

Anyone who believes God’s promises, just like Abraham did, will be made right with God through faith alone.

Romans 4:13-15 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

• V13-15 God’s Promise Comes by Faith

  • God promised to bless all nations through Abraham’s family — not by rule-keeping. (v.13)

  • Abraham believed God’s promise — that’s faith. (v.13)

  • If blessings came from obeying rules, faith wouldn’t matter. (v.14)

  • Then God’s promise would be a reward, not a gift. (v.14)

  • The law shows us our sin and brings consequences. (v.15)

  • But Jesus kept the law perfectly, so we’re not judged by it. (v.15)

  • Kid Point: The law shows us our sin, but faith in the work of Jesus takes away our sin.

Romans 4:16-17 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

• V4-5 We Can’t Earn God’s Gift

  • Salvation is received by faith, not by earning it or keeping rules. (v.16)

  • It’s for everyone who believes, not just one group. (v.16)

  • Abraham is the father of all believers, because we’re saved the same way—by faith. (v.16b)

  • God promised Abraham he’d be the father of many nations, even when it seemed impossible. (v.17)

  • Abraham believed God could bring life from nothing, shown when God gave him Isaac. (v.17)

  • Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac because he trusted God could raise the dead. (v.17)

  • God also gives spiritual life to those who trust Him, growing faith in hearts that once didn’t believe. (v.17)

  • Kid Point: God gives life to what seems impossible; He makes faith grow in hearts that trust Him.

Romans 4:18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

• V18 Abraham believed God, he had Hope that God would keep His Promise

  • Abraham believed God even when it seemed impossible.

  • He had no reason to hope, but he trusted what God had promised. (v.18)

  • God told Abraham he would have a huge family, and Abraham believed it would happen. (v.18b)

  • Kid Point: Faith means trusting God even when it looks impossible.

Romans 4:19-21 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

• V19-21 Abraham Believed God gave Life

  • Abraham knew he and Sarah were too old to have kids—but he still believed God could do it. (v.19)

  • He didn’t focus on the problem; he focused on God’s power. (v.20)

  • His faith gave glory to God, showing that he trusted God’s word completely. (v.21)

  • Kid Point: God always keeps His promises—our job is to keep believing.

Romans 4:22-25 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

• V22-25 God Gives us Life

  • God saw Abraham’s faith and called him right with Him—not because Abraham was perfect, but because he believed. (v.22)

  • We believe in the same God Abraham trusted—the God who brings life from the dead. (v.23-24)

  • Jesus died for our sins and rose again so we could be made right with God forever. (v.24-25)

  • Just like Abraham’s story, our faith brings new life!

  • Kid Point: Jesus died and rose again so we can be made right with God when we believe in Him.

Observation Questions (What did it say?)

1. What promise did God give to Abraham and his family? (God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that his family would be blessed through faith.)

2. Did Abraham believe God’s promise even when it seemed impossible? (Yes! Even though he and Sarah were very old, Abraham still believed God would keep His promise.)

3. What did God do for Abraham because of his faith? (God counted Abraham as righteous — that means God saw him as right and clean in His eyes because Abraham believed.)

Understanding Questions (What does it mean?)

1. Why do you think God wanted Abraham to believe instead of trying to earn the promise by doing good works? (Because no one can earn God’s love — it’s a gift that comes through faith. God wanted Abraham (and us!) to trust Him, not ourselves.)

2. What does Abraham’s story teach us about how faith works? (Faith means believing God can do what seems impossible and trusting His promises even when we don’t see how it will happen.)

3. How does Abraham’s faith point to what Jesus did for us? (Just like Abraham trusted God to bring life from a “dead” situation, we trust God who brought Jesus back to life to save us from sin, giving us NEW LIFE!)

Application Questions (What should I do?)

1. What is one promise from God that you want to trust in, even if it seems hard?

2. How can you show faith in God when something feels impossible?

3. How can your faith help others see how great and powerful God is?

PDF · 67.5 KB

For Older Kids

Romans (Youth) — Romans (Youth) 4B

Remind them: What is the Gospel?

Jesus’ perfect life paid for the sins of all who believe. Jesus died on the cross as the punishment for sin. But Jesus did not stay dead, three days later He rose to life (resurrection) defeating the power of death. Believe, and you will be saved!

• We are all sinful. We all deserve the consequence of sin- death.

• Jesus is what saves us from the sin we all have in our bodies. And one day, he’ll even give us a new body.

Supporting Truths Kids Can Grasp:

• God always keeps His promises.

• Faith means believing before seeing.

• God makes us right through faith, not works.

• God brings life from what is dead.

• Faith gives glory to God.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.