Reaching Ninevah With A Missionary Heart

Reaching Ninevah with a Missionary Heart

4-6-25

By Phud Chambers

*NOTICE: The emphasis of our discussion is to see how the Written Word (Bible) and the Spoken Word (Preaching) work together to build up the believer, so when you see WORD in the questions, know it refers to the Scripture and the Sermon.

Recap: Look back for evidence of God’s word reshaping your heart and life.

1. At this stage in our study of Jonah, are you resonating more with Jonah 1:3 (where Jonah ran away from mission) or Jonah 3:3 (where Jonah arose and went where he was called) in your habits, actions, and prayers?

Engage:  Look into the Word of God in light of Sunday’s preached sermon.

2. Read Jonah 3 as a group and discuss your initial observations of the text and sermon.

Reflect: Look deeper at the preached and written Word.

3. How does Jonah’s reluctant obedience compare to our own responses when God calls us to difficult tasks? What can we learn from his journey about second chances and God’s persistence?

4. How might our evangelism efforts change if we truly believed that a simple, direct message could lead to widespread repentance, as seen in Nineveh?

5. How does the king’s response to Jonah’s message demonstrate true repentance? What can we learn from his actions?

6. How does Jonah 3 point us to Jesus? Discuss the comparisons made in the sermon between Jonah and Jesus.

Respond: Look ahead and around to see how you can be obedient and missional.

7. In light of Jonah’s experience, how can we balance the need for skill in evangelism with trust in God’s power to save? What role does our preparation play versus God’s sovereignty?

8. The sermon emphasizes the importance of developing compassion for the lost. What practical steps can we take to cultivate a heart for those who don’t know Christ?