Jonah Forsakes His Mission—Jonah 1:1–2:10
Topics: Awe, Creation, Danger, Disobedience, Escape, God, Help, Idolatry, Instructions, Peace, Prayer, Sacrifice, Salvation, Thankfulness
Open It
1. What is your idea of the perfect “get away from all your troubles” location?
2. What good or bad thoughts do you associate with fish?
3. *When have you been rescued from a difficult situation?
Explore It
1. What did God tell Jonah to do? (1:1–2)
2. *How did Jonah respond to God? (1:3)
3. What happened at sea? (1:4–5)
4. What was Jonah’s condition as the storm raged? (1:5–6)
5. What did the sailors do? (1:7)
6. How did Jonah respond to the sailors’ barrage of questions? (1:8–9)
7. What made the men terrified? (1:10)
8. How did the sailors appeal to Jonah? (1:11)
9. Why did Jonah tell the sailors to throw him into the sea? (1:12)
10. What happened following Jonah’s penitent admission? (1:13–16)
11. What miraculous provision did God make for Jonah? (1:17)
12. *Once inside the fish, how did Jonah respond to God’s rescue? (2:1–9)
13. What was Jonah’s attitude toward God? (2:7–9)
14. *How did God finally deliver Jonah? (2:10)
Get It
1. When have you not wanted to obey God?
2. When has God called you to serve Him in ways that were unattractive or unpleasant to you?
3. What rebellious attitudes have you ever had toward the Lord?
4. What opportunities do you have to tell others about faith in Christ?
5. What are your feelings toward the unbelievers around you?
6. *How has God pursued you when you have tried to avoid Him?
7. *When have bad circumstances turned out for your good?
8. How do you feel when you know that you are being obedient to the Lord’s call?
Apply It
1. What can you do to respond with obedience to God the next time you must do something good but unpleasant?
2. How can you share the gospel with others at work? among your family? among your neighbors?
3. *How do you want to thank the Lord right now for all the remarkable ways He has delivered you?
Jonah Fulfills His Mission—Jonah 3:1–4:11
Topics: Anger, Attitude, Believe, Compassion, Consequences, Fasting, Forgiveness, God, Instructions, Judging Others, Love, Obedience, People, Prayer, Protection, Questions, Repentance, Resentment
Open It
1. If you were offered a trip to the city of your choice anywhere in the world, what city would you choose? Why?
2. *When things don’t go your way, how do you tend to respond?
3. What most easily moves you to compassion?
Explore It
1. What did God command Jonah to do? (3:1–2)
2. How did Jonah respond to God’s instructions? (3:3)
3. What did Jonah tell the Ninevites? (3:4)
4. How did the people respond to Jonah’s message? (3:5)
5. What did the king do? (3:6)
6. What did the king decree? (3:7–9)
7. What action did God take? (3:10)
8. *How did Jonah respond to God’s goodness to the Ninevites? (4:1)
9. *What was the attitude of Jonah’s prayer? (4:2–3)
10. What did God say to Jonah? (4:4)
11. What did the distraught prophet do? (4:5)
12. How did God deal with Jonah? (4:6–11)
13. *What did God want Jonah to understand? (4:9–11)
Get It
1. When have you experienced a surprising, undeserved measure of God’s mercy in your life?
2. Why do you think that fasting might be a useful part of repentance?
3. In your view, which culture, nation, or special interest group is undeserving of God’s mercy?
4. *God was very gracious to Jonah, a pouting, reactive type. How does God deal with your prickly side?
5. How does the story of Jonah affect your view of cross-cultural ministry?
6. *Jonah wanted Nineveh, Israel’s enemy, destroyed. When have you wanted revenge rather than restoration in a relationship?
7. What hard lesson have you had to learn from God?
Apply It
1. *What is one way you can extend God’s love and mercy toward others, particularly those who don’t deserve it?
2. How can you express thanks to the Lord this week for all the love and mercy He has given to you and others?
Adult Questions for LESSONmaker (2024). Bellingham, WA: Logos, p. Jon 1:1–4:11.