Welcome!

To all who are spiritually weary and seek rest; to all who mourn and long for comfort; to all who struggle and desire victory; to all who sin and need a Savior; to all who are strangers and want fellowship; to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness; and to all who will come, this church opens wide her doors and offers welcome in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most Recent Sermon Audio

You can also listen on Spotify SoundCloud.com or Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Wrestlemania Jacob vs the almighty: genesis 32

Ice Breaker: What’s a nickname you’ve had, and have you loved it or hated it?

Weekly Questions

1. Facing Our Fears

Jacob was "greatly afraid and distressed" when he heard Esau was coming with 400 men. Think about a situation in your life right now that causes you fear or anxiety.

• How are you typically responding to this fear—with self-reliance (like Jacob's initial planning) or dependence on God?

• What would it look like to pray first, then plan, then pray again in this situation?

• Read Philippians 4:6-7. How does this passage challenge or encourage you in dealing with anxiety?

2. Prayer Under Pressure

Jacob prayed in the middle of his distress, reminding God of His promises.

• When was the last time you turned to prayer during a crisis or difficult situation? What was that experience like?

• What promises of God could you remind Him of in your current circumstances? (Consider: Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:28, Psalm 23:4)

3. Wrestling with God

Jacob wrestled with God all night and wouldn't let go until he received a blessing.

• What issue, question, or struggle are you currently "wrestling with God" about?

• Have you ever persisted in prayer for something over a long period? What was the outcome?

• Read Luke 18:1-8 (The Parable of the Persistent Widow). How does this parable relate to Jacob's persistence with God? What do we learn from this? What does it look like for us to do this?

4. The Blessing of Weakness

God touched Jacob's hip, making him physically weak, yet Jacob continued to cling to God.

• Where has God touched your life with weakness or limitation? How has this affected your relationship with Him?

• Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. How have you experienced God's "power made perfect in weakness"?

• In what ways have you gotten to see that your past struggles actually were blessings in disguise?

5. The Limp of Blessing

Jacob walked away with both a blessing and a limp—a visible reminder of his encounter with God.

• What "limps" (limitations, scars, or weaknesses) do you carry that remind you of God's work in your life?

• How might these things you consider weaknesses actually serve as testimony to others?

• In what ways has suffering or struggle deepened your faith

Closing Questions

What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?

How can this group pray for you this week?

Aerial footage of Manhattan provided by Dad's Eve View