Leaning into the Promises of God
Genesis 28:1–22 | Small Group Discussion

Glenn Ronson • Interim Pastor
October 4, 2026

4 Minute Read
Scripture


Watch The Sermon

If you haven’t yet, be sure to watch the sermon to join the discussion.

Leaning Into the Promises of God

Welcome to Oxford Online, where we believe that a relationship with Jesus Christ changes everything. Jacob encounters God at Bethel and receives the promise of His presence, protection, and faithfulness. This message explores how God graciously meets us in our uncertainty and points us to Jesus Christ, the true way between heaven and earth.

Join us as we consider what it means to trust God’s promises and lean into His presence.

Glenn Ronson • 10/4/2026

Message Summary

After deceiving Isaac and taking Esau’s blessing, Jacob leaves home and begins his journey to Paddan-aram. Isaac sends him to find a wife from Rebekah’s family and repeats the blessing God had given to Abraham. Jacob is reminded that God’s covenant includes land, descendants, and blessing to all the families of the earth.

While Jacob is travelling, God meets him at Bethel through a dream. Jacob sees a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God repeats the covenant promises and gives Jacob a personal assurance: “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” God promises that He will not leave Jacob until He has accomplished what He promised.

Jacob’s response reveals both faith and spiritual immaturity. He recognizes that God has met him, but his vow may sound like an attempt to make a deal with God: “If God will be with me…then the Lord shall be my God.” Whether Jacob is bargaining or beginning to respond in faith to God’s promise, his spiritual growth is still incomplete. God is graciously leading Jacob from a life of manipulation toward deeper dependence and trust.

The dream also points forward to Jesus. In John 1:51, Jesus applies the imagery of Jacob’s stairway to Himself. Jesus is the true connection between heaven and earth and the only way to the Father. We do not need to search for a special location or depend on dreams for direction. God’s promises and purposes are revealed definitively through Jesus Christ and the written Word of God.


Small Group Questions

Opening Question
  1. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt alone or uncertain about the future? What helped you remember that God was with you?
Understanding the Passage
  1. What promises did God make to Jacob in Genesis 28:13–15?
  2. Why would these promises have been especially meaningful to Jacob as he left home?
  3. What did Jacob recognize about God after waking from the dream?
  4. What does Jacob’s vow reveal about his faith and spiritual maturity?
  5. How does John 1:51 connect Jacob’s dream to Jesus?
  6. What does this passage teach us about God’s faithfulness to His promises?
Growth and Application
  1. Which promise of God do you most need to remember in your current circumstances?
  2. Where are you currently feeling alone, uncertain, or fearful about the future?
  3. How would trusting that God is with you change the way you respond to that situation?
  4. Are there areas where you are trying to make a deal with God rather than trusting Him?
  5. Do you tend to obey God only when you can see what you will receive in return? What does this reveal about your heart?
  6. When you need guidance, where do you usually turn first?
  7. How can you grow in relying on Scripture rather than dreams, feelings, or impressions to direct your decisions?
  8. What role should prayer and wise counsel play when you are trying to discern God’s direction?
  9. Are there ordinary situations where you fail to recognize God’s presence? How could you become more spiritually attentive?
  10. How does knowing that Jesus is the true way to the Father give you confidence when you feel spiritually distant?
  11. What would it look like this week to “lean into” one of God’s promises instead of trying to control the outcome?
  12. How could your confidence in God’s presence and faithfulness affect the way you encourage or serve someone else?


Prayer

Pray for:

  • Greater confidence in God’s promises.
  • Faith to trust God’s presence when we feel alone or uncertain.
  • Wisdom to seek direction through Scripture, prayer, and godly counsel.
  • Repentance for treating God as though our relationship with Him were a transaction.
  • A deeper awareness of God’s presence in ordinary places and circumstances.
  • Greater dependence on Jesus, the true way to the Father.
Stay connected by subscribing below so you never miss an update.

Subscribe to Small Group Discussions Updates

By subscribing, you agree to receive email communication from Oxford Baptist Church. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Up Next
From this Author: Glenn Ronson
Currently Reading
October 4, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Leaning into the Promises of God
Scripture Genesis 28:1-22 (ESV) Genesis 25:23 (ESV) John 1:51 (ESV) John 14:6 (ESV) Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) Watch The Sermon If you haven’t yet, be sure to watch the sermon to join the discussion.Watch the service Message Summary After deceiving Isaac and taking Esau’s blessing, Jacob leaves home and begins his journey to Paddan-aram. Isaac sends him to find a wife from Rebekah’s family and repeats the blessing God had given to Abraham. Jacob is reminded that God’s covenant includes land, descendants, and blessing to all the families of the earth. While Jacob is travelling, God meets him at Bethel through a dream. Jacob sees a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. God repeats the covenant promises and gives Jacob a personal assurance: “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” God promises that He will not leave Jacob until He has accomplished what He promised. Jacob’s response reveals both faith and spiritual immaturity. He recognizes that God has met him, but his vow may sound like an attempt to make a deal with God: “If God will be with me…then the Lord shall be my God.” Whether Jacob is bargaining or beginning to respond in faith to God’s promise, his spiritual growth is still incomplete. God is graciously leading Jacob from a life of manipulation toward deeper dependence and trust. The dream also points forward to Jesus. In John 1:51, Jesus applies the imagery of Jacob’s stairway to Himself. Jesus is the true connection between heaven and earth and the only way to the Father. We do not need to search for a special location or depend on dreams for direction. God’s promises and purposes are revealed definitively through Jesus Christ and the written Word of God. Small Group Questions Opening Question Have you ever been in a situation where you felt alone or uncertain about the future? What helped you remember that God was with you? Understanding the Passage What promises did God make to Jacob in Genesis 28:13–15? Why would these promises have been especially meaningful to Jacob as he left home? What did Jacob recognize about God after waking from the dream? What does Jacob’s vow reveal about his faith and spiritual maturity? How does John 1:51 connect Jacob’s dream to Jesus? What does this passage teach us about God’s faithfulness to His promises? Growth and Application Which promise of God do you most need to remember in your current circumstances? Where are you currently feeling alone, uncertain, or fearful about the future? How would trusting that God is with you change the way you respond to that situation? Are there areas where you are trying to make a deal with God rather than trusting Him? Do you tend to obey God only when you can see what you will receive in return? What does this reveal about your heart? When you need guidance, where do you usually turn first? How can you grow in relying on Scripture rather than dreams, feelings, or impressions to direct your decisions? What role should prayer and wise counsel play when you are trying to discern God’s direction? Are there ordinary situations where you fail to recognize God’s presence? How could you become more spiritually attentive? How does knowing that Jesus is the true way to the Father give you confidence when you feel spiritually distant? What would it look like this week to “lean into” one of God’s promises instead of trying to control the outcome? How could your confidence in God’s presence and faithfulness affect the way you encourage or serve someone else? Prayer Pray for: Greater confidence in God’s promises. Faith to trust God’s presence when we feel alone or uncertain. Wisdom to seek direction through Scripture, prayer, and godly counsel. Repentance for treating God as though our relationship with Him were a transaction. A deeper awareness of God’s presence in ordinary places and circumstances. Greater dependence on Jesus, the true way to the Father.

Glenn Ronson

Interim Pastor

September 20, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Lessons from a Nomad
Scripture Genesis 26:1–35 Watch The Sermon If you haven’t yet, be sure to watch the sermon to join the discussion.Watch Here Message Summary Genesis 26 shows Isaac facing many of the same troubles his father Abraham experienced. There was a famine in the land, and the natural response would have been to go to Egypt for security. However, God specifically told Isaac not to go. Isaac was called to follow God’s direction rather than simply doing what seemed normal or copying the crowd. God then repeated His covenant promises to Isaac: He would be with him, bless him, give him the land, multiply his offspring, and bless the nations through them. These promises were not based on Isaac’s perfect behaviour. Isaac soon repeated the same sinful pattern Abraham had modelled by claiming that Rebekah was his sister rather than his wife. Yet God protected Isaac, preserved the covenant family, and continued to bless him. Isaac’s prosperity led to envy and conflict with the Philistines. Rather than responding with bitterness or fighting for every well, Isaac continued moving until the Lord made room for him. Eventually, even Abimelech recognized that the Lord was with Isaac. The message reminds us to follow God rather than the crowd, trust His promises, learn from the examples we have received, avoid bitterness and envy, and live in such a way that others can see the Lord’s presence in our lives. Small Group Questions Opening Question Have you ever felt pressure to respond to a difficult situation in the same way everyone else was responding? What made it difficult to choose a different path? Understanding the Passage What circumstances did Isaac face at the beginning of Genesis 26? Why would going to Egypt have seemed like a reasonable or normal response to the famine? What specific instructions did God give Isaac, and what promises did He make to him? What does this passage teach us about the difference between following God and simply following the crowd? How did Isaac repeat the sinful pattern previously seen in Abraham’s life? What warning does Isaac’s example give us about the behaviours and attitudes we model for others? What does Abimelech’s response reveal about the seriousness of Isaac’s deception and the importance of marriage? How did God continue to bless Isaac even though Isaac did not always act faithfully? Why did the Philistines envy Isaac, and how did Isaac respond to their opposition? What did Abimelech and his companions recognize about Isaac in verse 28? Growth and Application Where might you be tempted to do what seems normal or secure instead of obeying God? Are there sinful patterns in your life that you may have learned from your family or past influences? How can you respond through repentance rather than simply repeating them? What does it mean to trust God’s promises when obedience seems costly or inconvenient? How can you guard against envying the blessings God has given to someone else? Is there any bitterness currently consuming energy or attention that could be redirected toward faithfulness and obedience? If people observed your life closely, what evidence might they see that the Lord is with you? Prayer Pray for: Faith to follow God when His instructions differ from what seems normal or safe. Wisdom to recognize and repent of sinful patterns we have learned from others. Gratitude for God’s undeserved and unearned blessings. Freedom from envy and bitterness. A life that clearly demonstrates that the Lord is with us. Greater confidence in God’s promises fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

Glenn Ronson

Interim Pastor