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We encourage you to jot down what you hear God speaking to you about today as you listen to the teaching. Plan on diving deeper into the message by downloading the study guide on Sunday night so you can compare your notes with the guide as a path for deeper spiritual commitment. Once posted, the teaching video and study guide can be found under the Media tab.
Running from Nineveh … Week 4
Chapter 1 - Starts with God calling and Jonah running.
Chapter 2 - Ends with Jonah getting spit back out by the fish.
Chapter 3 - A Second Chance…
Chapter 4 - God’s Grace…
“Let God be the one who determines how to use you” —Jackson
Not everything in the Bible is written to us, not everything written is about us, but it’s all written for us —Vassco Walton
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
What We Learn:
Compassion Over Comfort: Jonah’s anger at God’s mercy toward Nineveh reveals a struggle between human comfort and divine compassion.
Aligning with God’s Heart: Jonah’s reluctance to accept God’s mercy on the Ninevites shows a disconnect between his heart and God’s heart.
God’s Patience with Us: God’s gentle response to Jonah’s anger demonstrates His patience and commitment with us.
The Priority of People Over Personal Desires: This means putting the spiritual transformation of people above programmatic success or personal preferences.
1. How do you imagine an ending for Jonah after the lesson God applies to him? What could happen to him after hearing God’s question?
2. What are the concrete situations in your context that demand compassion for overcoming all offenses fueled by anger and revenge?
What is preventing Jonah from extending Grace?
“Many are unable to function properly in their calling because of the wounds and hurts that offenses have caused in their lives. They are handicapped and hindered from fulfilling their full potential.” —John Bevere
“We construct walls when we are hurt to safeguard our hearts and prevent any future wounds. We become selective, denying entry to all we fear will hurt us. We filter out anyone we think owes us something. We withhold access until these people have paid their debts in full. We open our lives only to those we believe are on our side.” —John Bevere
What is preventing Jonah/You/Me from extending Grace?
Nobody stops us and tells us to look at the sun as it sets; we just watch.
When God presents forgiveness, healing and transformation are possible.
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