A Ladder to God or a Stairway from Heaven?

Passages

Genesis 28:10-22

Sermon Summary

God opens the gate of heaven to us. Enter in and get to know him! While we may experience “searching for God”, the truth is that nobody really looks for him. We think that we can draw ourselves near to God, but by ourselves all we succeed in is becoming good pharisees. God, on the other hand, seeks us out and initiates a relationship with us! He is the one who is searching and seeking, according to his beautiful purposes, and he finds us and pulls us to himself. In Genesis 28:10-22 we see how God comes to Jacob, a man on the run–speaks to him, comforts him and draws him to himself. It is the official beginning of a relationship that will radically change Jacob over the course of many years and turn him into a leader of faith...
‍
1.  Expect an encounter with God in your darkest days…
2.  Know that the gate of heaven is open.
3.  Throw away your ladder and cling to Christ!

Discussion Questions (choose any—you don't have to answer them all!)

1. Anything memorable from the sermon that you would like to share?
2. Why is Jacob in the situation that he is in? He is leaving his home and the Promised Land? Which events have led up to this moment? How do you think Jacob is interpreting all of these events?
3. Why do you think God comes to meet Jacob (for the first time) at this particular point in his life?
4. Do you remember some “dark days” in your past when you were drawn much closer to God than before?  Or maybe your experience has been that difficult times push you away from God? When life is tough, what do you think makes the difference between whether we draw closer to God or move away from him?
5. How do you usually interpret hard times in your life? Maybe as proof that you must have made some bad choices, as God punishing you? Or proof even of God’s absence in your life? Do you sometimes feel like the “gate of heaven” is closed to you? Is it actually closed to you in any way?
6. Are you at all tempted to build your own moral “ladders” to God instead of trusting in Jesus? What does this look like in your life? What do other people see when you do this? What does it look like to, instead, show grace to yourself and to other people?

Resources Consulted

• ESV Study Bible
• Genesis:  A Commentary, T. Desmond Alexander  
• Tyndale Commentary on Genesis, Derek Kidner
• Creation and Blessing:  A Guide to the Study and Exposition of Genesis, Allen P. Ross
• Genesis Vol. 2 (EPSC Commentary Series), John D. Currid
• Living in the Grip of Relentless Grace, Iain Duguid
• Genesis:  Beginning and Blessing, R. Kent Hughes
• "Ladder Climbing", Harrison Perkins, Sermon preached on June 15, 2025
• "The Openness of Heaven", Tim Keller, Sermon preached on November 4, 2001
• From Paradise to the Promised Land:  An Introduction to the Pentateuch, T. Desmond Alexande
‍