Sermon Study Guide

Q1: Icebreaker: What are some famous rivalries or arch-enemies? How do you think Christians should deal with rivalries?

Q2: Jonah receives the call from the Lord (again) to go preach to Nineveh. He proclaims “Yet 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown!” Is this a message of doom or a message of hope? Why?

Q3: The people of Nineveh believe this message and all start to repent. Even the king repents and leads everyone in fasting and repenting. How do you think God feels about this mass repentance from Nineveh? How do you think Jonah feels? Should they feel the same? Why don’t they?

Q4: In response, God relents from destroying Nineveh. Jonah is exceedingly unhappy about this. Does he have the right to be displeased?

Q5: God makes a plant grow above Jonah’s head and give him shade. Jonah is so happy about this plant. But then the plant is destroyed by a worm that God sent. Jonah cared more about the plant than the 120,000 Ninevites spared by God. Can you relate to Jonah re: things that please or displease you?

Q6: What is the essence of God’s heart that Jonah is not aligned with? It is one thing to serve God, it is another to know God’s heart and align with Him. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In what way do we today more resemble Jonah’s attitude than Christ’s demonstration of love?

Q7: Which part of this message on Jonah and Nineveh’s repentance resonated with you the most? Which part surprised you the most?