Studies

The Adventures of Indiana Jonah

Opening Question: "What are some situations you?ve run away from?"

Jonah 1:1-2
Ninevah is the Capital of the Assyrian Empire. Explain how evil the Assyrians were.

Therefore, for God to ask Jonah to call these people to repent is a very challenging task.

1. Q: What are some of the challenging things God has asked us to do?
A: Share our faith
Go against the flow of society
Seek first the Kingdom of God always, etc...

v3 - Look at how Jonah deals with the challenge!!

2. Q: How can we run away from God today?
A: Dilute the commands of God
Ignore the Bible
Delay making a decision
Make a series of excuses, etc ...

3. Q: Why do we run away?
A: Scared of changing
Scared of friends

v4,5 - Look what God does when we run away - He sends storms!!

4. Q: What kind of storms does God send into our lives?
A: People near to us dying
Lack of fulfillment in life
A break up of a relationship

5. Q: Why if God is a loving God, does He do this?
A: To get our attention so that we will get our lives right with him before we die.

V6-l1 -
Read and explain how Jonah keeps running, but God keeps pursuing him with people in his life and the storm getting rougher and rougher.

V12 -
Finally Jonah admits where he is at and takes the responsibility.

6. Q: What can we do to take responsibility for our relationship with God?
A: Read Bible everyday
Repent
Stop blaming others or making excuses, etc...

V13-17 -
Explain how the sailors still fight a bit, but finally submit to God. Explain how Jonah after thinking about life in the belly of a fish decides to go to Nineveh and how the whole city listens to him. Make the point that God NEVER asks us to do something that we cannot do!!

Preach: In V16 the sailors made some vows to God. People here need to some vows about what you are going to change.