These questions are a guideline for your personal or small group study based on Sunday's sermon passage. Feel free to study and meditate on the passage more deeply. ​

1. Genesis 33:1a "And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked; and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him..."  Do you think that Esau's intentions changed in the moment?  When have you gone into a situation expecting to react a certain way but ended up acting differently?  What caused the change?

2. Notice in this account that Jacob is not called Israel even though his name has already been changed.  Jacob was still living a duplicitous life.  Jacob was ackowledging God but still trying to control his own life.  How do we do that as Christians today?  Why do we do that?
 
3. Genesis 33:2 "And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all."  We see in this verses the pecking order in Jacob's household.  Jacob's favoritism caused problems in his home.  What can we learn from this?

4. Genesis 33:4 "But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept."  What a beautiful picture of forgiveness!  Read the parable of the prodigal son in John 15.  How does Esau's attitude differ from the prodigal's brother?  

5. In verse 5, Jacob acknowledges God graciousness to him.  In verse 8, Jacob continues to make offerings to Esau to find favor with him.  How often do you acknowledge all the ways that God has blessed you?  How often of you acknowledge God's blessing but still try and find favor with the world?

6. Genesis 33:11 "Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough."  Jacob again acknowledges God's blessing on his life.  How have you been a recipient of God's grace?

7. Pastor Randy stated, "God help us to be kingdom and heavenly minded."  What does that mean to you?

8. In verse 17, we see that Jacob settled in Succoth, which was not in the promised land of Canaan.  Jacob had been instructed to go home but he settled for something less than that.  Pastor Randy said, "Compromise is dangerous, whether on a personal level, spiritually, or compromise in the church."  What is the danger in compromise?  Where have you compromised in your life?  How can you correct that?

9. Pastor Randy also challenged us to "move forward in your faith.  Don't just settle."  How can you move forward in your faith?  How might have you settled?  What changes do you need to make?

10. In verses 18-20, we see that Jacob erected an altar in the wrong place (not where he was called to go) and bought land instead of allowing God to provide it for him.  Two principles:  (1) God wants obedience first, then sacrifice; and (2) we should not overly invest in this world.  How can you apply these principles to your life?