Undeserved Blessings

Theme: God Chose by Grace

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Objectives:

Know: God chose Jacob in order to accomplish His purposes.

Think: Live with the awareness that God chose to offer grace and blessing to me through Jacob's descendant, Jesus Christ. His choice was not dependent on who I am or what I have done.

Do: Honor the Lord with your life because of His grace, not to obtain it.

Notes and questions

B1 Ever think of something good that you want to do? Some go about it the right way and some the wrong way. What happens when we go about doing something right the wrong way? Here is a picture of someone who it the right thing the wrong way.

B2 Why do people hold grudges?

B3 What had God promised Rebekah? See Genesis 25:22-23

B4 In our passage, what was Rebekah doing? (She believed God that Jacob was to receive the blessing, but she was doing things her way).

B5 What would have happened if Rebekah had not done these things? Would Jacob still have received his blessing?

B6 Does God need our "assistance" to accomplish His will? (He uses our cooperation but doesn't need our interfering to get the job done. Our timing is usually off. God promised a son to Abraham (Genesis 12:2, Genesis 13:6, Genesis 15:4, Genesis 17:19). This child was not born when Abraham and Sarah thought he should be, so Sarah thought she would help out (Genesis 16:1-2, Genesis 17:16). Isaac was born, as God promised, at the right time (Genesis 21:1-2). Abraham and Sarah should have waited. When we "help" God this way, it causes trouble for us").

B7 Genesis 27:1-29

C1 What was Isaac's failure?

C2 How did Rebekah fail?

C3 How did Jacob fail?

C4 How did Esau fail?

C5 How do we fail?

C6 Does guilt have any effect on these and us?

B8 Genesis 27:30-40

C1 Do foolish decisions affect the course of our lives? Compare Hebrews 12:17

C2 What do you think Esau was thinking after the words of his father in Genesis 27:33?

C3 Was Isaac correct when he said, "Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing?" What should Isaac have remembered? (Genesis 25:23).

C4 Was Esau telling the truth in Genesis 27:36?

B9 Genesis 27:41-46

C1 Genesis 27:41, what does hate often lead to? What could Esau have done differently at this point in time?

C2 Genesis 27:44, did Rebekah and Jacob think that Jacob would be gone only a few days?

B10 Did Rebekah's actions lead to family peace? What could she have done differently?

B11 What are the motives of Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob?

B12 Does God know the future? Does God know your future? Does that inspire and comfort you whether you are facing trials or joyful times?

B13 Can God accomplish His plan even if we mess up?

B14 When we realize we have done wrong as our characters in Genesis 27, what are we to do?

B15 Did Esau or Jacob look to the future or just the right-here-and-now?

B16 When there are family scars like this, what is the Christian response?

B17 How do we handle bitterness?

B18 How do we handle grudges against others, church, God, or even ourselves?

B19 Which is better to hold a grudge or to forgive?

B20 Is a grudge really worth it?

B21 Wait on the Lord. "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)

B22 Forgive each other. "Thus also My heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive each one his brother their trespasses, from your hearts." (Matthew 18:35, EMTV)