Reckless. Love JONAH

Transcription

1 Reckless Love JONAH

2 Introduction You know how September begins we get into our routine, and we just get tunnel vision. What s next? Who s that teacher? Where am I supposed to be? How do I get connected now? Understandably, as our calendars fill (or we wish they were more full) we get sucked into our own vortexes. This fall we hope to break out and see what God is up to all around us. We set a three-year goal in 2017 to free up Chapel Hill s mortgage debt so we could invest like never before in Making Disciples, Sending Leaders, and Loving Our Neighbors. We call this vision Beyond These Walls. Our hearts have been captured by God s love for his whole world, and especially for the people he has brought near our community. We want to be effective witnesses of his love so we found ourselves asking: Where do we go to understand why and how God wants us to move Beyond These Walls and make an eternal difference? This question guided us to a two-part fall sermon series that begins with Jonah and continues with Titus. Both of these men Jonah and Titus were commissioned to be witnesses of God s compassion and justice to cultures that couldn t be more different from their own. Jonah went grudgingly. Titus went willingly. Both saw people come to know God. Both saw God display his love and power. Both saw whole cities transformed. If you are new to faith, you re going to like meeting Jonah and Titus. They re real people with struggles, questions, and hopes just like us. As they go, God shows up in unexpected ways, and they learn so much about God s love for them and the world. I hope you come to meet God in this study. What we all learn from these two miraculous stories of cultural transformation is how to go beyond our own walls. That s the task of your study and the work of our preaching ministry at Chapel Hill from September to November. I hope you ll join us! Pastor Megan Many thanks to those who contributed to the writing and editing of this study including Larry Hackman, Kim Maxwell, Tina Picard, Barb Podawiltz, Brianna Showalter, Rachel White, and pastoral interns Lilly Davis and Reese Carlson.

3 How to Use This Guide WEEKLY BIBLE PASSAGE SERMON NOTES LIFEGROUP GUIDE DAILY REFLECTION The book is laid out as if your week looked like: Sermon, then your study, then LifeGroup Sunday: Take Sermon Notes on Jonah 1:1-3 Monday - Friday: Do the 5 days of daily study for Week 1 Saturday: LifeGroup Guide Week 1 That may not be your rhythm! So adapt as needed. Talk with your LifeGroup Leader. Alternatives might be: Sermon, then LifeGroup, then your study Saturday/Sunday: Sermon notes on Jonah 1:1-3 Tuesday: LifeGroup Guide Week 1 Wednesday - Monday: Do the 5 days of daily study for Week 1 Or your own study, then the sermon, then LifeGroup Monday - Friday: Do the 5 days of daily study for Week 1 Saturday: Sermon notes on Jonah 1:1-3 Sunday: LifeGroup Week 1 DAILY 1. CALL TO WORSHIP: The daily call to worship is a chance to start your conversation with God. 2. READ: Every day you ll read some of the week s passage and at times you ll read other texts in the Bible that help us understand what we are reading in Jonah. When I find a passage confusing, I usually find The Message helps me understand the passage in more common language. Use biblegateway.com to look up other translations. 3. REFLECT: Apply your mind to some thoughtful reflection on the Bible and your own life. Some of the commentary was written by Chapel Hill folks or quoted from scholars. The 2

4 questions written will be as meaningful as you make them. Give yourself some time and space to write and think. Ask God to use these reflections to make you more like him. 4. APPLY: God doesn t just speak to us when we sit still and study. So we ve created some ways to help you take this study with you as you go. I hope you find God speaking to you more and more throughout the day as you try new practices. 5. PRAY: Let this weekly prayer settle in day by day. Try reading it out-loud one day. Write it in your handwriting another. Speak to God the same prayer morning and night. See how the words grow in their meaning to you as you consistently pray them. RESOURCES STUDY BIBLES: What s the difference between a Bible and a Study Bible? A Bible is the translated Scriptures from the original Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). Because we have a lot of academics who speak English, we have a lot of translations! Chapel Hill typically uses the English Standard Version but if you have a Bible with letters like NIV, NKJV, CRV, etc it s probably a good one! We have printed the ESV next to the sermon notes so that you can have the translation the pastor is preaching from to follow along. A Study Bible is going to be a thicker Bible because scholars have added their interpretation of the Bible. They are full of resources like maps, book summaries, verse-by-verse interpretation, Q&A, and cross-references (short-hand Bible references for similar passages). These Bibles are very helpful! If you have a Study Bible at home, open to a favorite passage and see if what they have added is helpful. If it is, stick with it! If you re looking for one, we particularly like: ESV Study Bible Good for you if you d say, I know my way around the Bible and want to go deeper. They have great scholars who assume you know Christian terms. Quest Study Bible Good for you if you d say, I ve never had a Study Bible and this will be my first time reading the Bible on my own. They answer the most commonly asked questions in the margin. It s in the NIV, New International Version. 3

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6 Table of Contents WEEK 1 6 Jonah 1:1-3 WEEK 2 20 Jonah 1:4-16 WEEK 3 34 Jonah 1:17-2:10 WEEK 4 48 Jonah 3:1-10 WEEK 5 62 Acts 2 WEEK 6 78 Jonah 4:1-4 WEEK 7 92 Jonah 4:5-11

7 Jonah 1:1-3 ESV Jonah Flees the Presence of the LORD WEEK 1 1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. 6

8 SERMON NOTES September 8-9,

9 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 1:1-3 Intro As you prepare to read the book of Jonah, grab a Study Bible and read the introductory notes on this book to help you understand the context of this book and the key themes to keep an eye out for. I personally like to read a short book like Jonah cover to cover to get an idea of the flow and the storyline. Set aside some time this week to do this. It will take less than 10 minutes! This will help you notice repeated vocabulary, key motifs, and special literary techniques the author has put there deliberately to make a spiritual point. In other words, it will help open up your eyes and ears to what God might be saying to you through this text. One of the questions that comes up over and over as a response to the book of Jonah is To whom is God sending you? We will return to this question over and over in this study guide. I encourage you, as you prepare your heart to receive what God wants to say to you through this text, to pray, consider, and journal your initial thoughts on this question. Perhaps start a page, a section, or a mind map of thoughts on this topic, and as you read through Jonah over the next couple of weeks, keep returning to this part of your journal and add thoughts, key Bible verses, notes from conversations about this topic, prayer requests, or anything that relates back to it. 8

10 What does this passage teach you about the God Jonah serves? What does this passage teach you about the nature of man? What do you know or can you find out, using a Study Bible, about Nineveh and its greatness and evil? (Refer to Day 4 of this week s study for more guidance) How do you connect with the reaction of Jonah to God s call on his life? Why do you think Jonah decided to run away? Read ahead to Jonah 1:9-10 and 4:2 for more clues. When have you ever run away, literally or figuratively? What resulted from that? Pray and consider what God is calling you to do out of obedience. Discuss what obstacles are in your way to obeying that call, then pray together to ask God to remove them or make a way for you to arise and obey quickly. Where do you see evil around you that God wants you to speak against? How can you be obedient and respond in prayer and action against evil in this world? PRAYER REQUESTS 9

11 D A Y 1 Who Is Jonah and Who Is God? Pray and ask God to speak to you as you study his word this week. Pray, God, I want to know you. Show me who you really are and who I really am. Read Jonah 1:1-3, and an Introduction to the Book of Jonah in a Study Bible. This should consist of 1 or more pages of explanation prior to chapter 1 of the Book of Jonah. If your Bible does not have one, an online option is: esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/ introduction-to-jonah/ I NOTICED: Ref lect There are two primary people we are going to learn about in the book of Jonah: Jonah and God. Both are introduced in these first three verses. What do you learn about Jonah? about God? We know Jonah was a real person. He is also mentioned in the story of the history of Israel in 2 Kings 14:25. There we find out that God wanted him to tell his own nation, and particularly King Jeroboam II, that his reign was going to be a time of peace and prosperity. How, then, do you think he might feel about this very different kind of message he is to take to the foreign city of Nineveh in Jonah 1:2? How would you feel about carrying those two messages? 10

12 What did you read about in the introduction that makes you personally curious to want to study Jonah? Can you see any themes that might speak to your own life? Apply Consider the ways you introduce yourself. Write down your typical way of being introduced/ introducing yourself. (What do you do? Who are you related to?) If you use social media, what do you say about yourself in the About section? In what way would that be an accurate verse 1 of your own story? In what way is it lacking a description of who you really are? PRAY Lord, you have spoken so many times in history. I want to hear you speak to me even now. Teach me of your love 11 and show me who you want me to love.

13 God Speaks D A Y 2 1 Samuel 3:9 Speak LORD, for your servant hears. Read Jonah 1:1-3 I NOTICED: Ref lect We considered the characters of this story as we discovered them in the first three verses. Now, let s consider the dominant plotline. What does God tell Jonah to do? What does Jonah do in response? We will regularly quote Douglas Stuart s commentary. See the introduction for that reference. He says, Though other characters as well as places and events will figure in the story, the focus will remain upon Yahweh and Jonah: What one wants the other does not always do. (p445). Jonah is in a genre (think poem, essay, or historical writing) called a prophetic narrative. The first thing that s important about that is that it really happened. Jonah was a real person (not merely a representative of Israel if it were an allegory). Its lessons are complex (not singular like a parable). Think about Jonah being the same kind of story as the stories of Elijah the prophet. They are full of miracles and powerful images. They re 12

14 selective; they give us the moments when God clearly moves and speaks. The purpose of them is to teach us something, not to necessarily give us all the details of the story. Take the time to write out your own outline of the book of Jonah. It s short! In my Bible I can see it all across the two open pages at once. In your outline, include the things God commands and what Jonah does in response. Also note the miracles and images used. Apply The word of the Lord came to Jonah, which means he had been listening for God to say something. There are several ways God speaks. Here are a few practices to try to give God space to speak as you listen. Give the activity that appeals the most to you a try: 1. Simply ask God to speak to you. Read the book of Jonah. Do any words or phrases jump out at you? Underline them in your Bible and ask God why those have caught your attention. 2. Search YouTube for a favorite song we sing during the worship service. Ask God to speak to you, then click play and sit with your eyes closed, paying attention to the words that are sung. Do any of the words speak to you? Ask God to show you why that might be significant to you right now. 3. Set a timer for five minutes. Ask God to speak to you as you sit in silence. Does God bring anything unexpected to mind? Pray about that. PRAY Lord, you have spoken so many times in history. I want to hear you speak to me even now. Teach me of your love 13 and show me who you want me to love.

15 D A Y 3 God, I praise you for your love. I know/ want to know that you are The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness... (Exodus 34:6). 14 God Responds to Evil Read Read Jonah 1:2, and these other passages about God responding to hearing about evil: Genesis 4:8-12; Genesis 18: I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah 1:2 contains two important words used to describe Nineveh. In Hebrew there are only two words used gadol and ra-ah which are repeated numerous times throughout Jonah. In English, however, they are translated a number of different ways. Let s look at them now. Skim all the book of Jonah, marking these two words whenever you find them: 1. Great/important/large (red circle) 2. Evil/calamity/trouble/disaster (red lightning bolt) What do you see in your first reading about the ways these two words are used?

16 Stuart provides this insight for the combination of great and evil in Jonah 1:2: The word [ra-ah, evil ] is used, in connection with Nineveh, to describe the troubles the city is having, not merely its evil ways. To fail to recognize this sense of ה ע ר is to fail, for example, to see an early ([Jonah] 1:2) adumbration of God s compassionate concern for the city. God is as concerned about Nineveh s miseries as he is angry at its evils, and the book s audience did not have to wait until the end of chapter 3 to gain a sense of that fact The problems of the Assyrians in Nineveh move God to commission Jonah to preach there; did Jonah ignore this meaning of ra-ah and instead hear only what he wanted to hear that the evils of the Ninevites occasioned his mission? Hardly, for then he might not have fled (p437). We will look more as we go at God s compassion for Nineveh and why Jonah found that so detestable. For now, reflect on this: how does God feeling compassionate about the inhabitants of an evil city make you feel? What modern day cities come to mind for you? Apply Read the headlines of the news right now. Pray for the people who live in those cities to know the compassionate love and justice of God. PRAY Lord, you have spoken so many times in history. I want to hear you speak to me even now. Teach me of your love 15 and show me who you want me to love.

17 D A Y 4 Arise and Go God, help me be willing to hear you say Arise, go... (Jonah 1:2) when you ask me to. Read Read Jonah 1:2-3, and other passages about immediate obedience, such as Matthew 4:18-20; Genesis 22:1-3. I NOTICED: Ref lect Find these places on a map, either in your Study Bible or online. Draw your own sketch in the margin. 1. Gath-hepher (near present-day Mashhad, Israel) Where Jonah is from. 2. Nineveh, Iraq Where God tells Jonah to go. 3. Joppa, Israel Where Jonah goes instead. What do you notice about those locations? Another prophet in the Old Testament that talks about Nineveh is Nahum. He describes the evils of the city 100 years after Jonah was there and the judgment those evils deserve (warning: it s graphic and horrifying). What do you find out about Nineveh by reading Nahum 3:1-4, 19? 16

18 Why does God want Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh? (More on his motivation comes in Jonah 3:10 and 4:11) Why doesn t Jonah want to go? (More on his motivation comes in Jonah 4:2) Martin Luther: Why did Jonah refuse? First because the assignment was very great. No prophet had ever been chosen to go to the heathen. Another reason was that he felt the enmity of Nineveh. He thought God was only the God of the Jews, and he would rather be dead than proclaim the grace of God to the heathen As quoted by Roland Bainton, Here I Stand, A Life of Martin Luther. Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN: 1978, p278. Apply Reflect on your life story. What was a moment when you can celebrate immediately obeying God? Is there a time when can you identify, like Jonah, with having a completely opposite response? Journal your memories here or use this space to illustrate that contrast of responses.. PRAY Lord, you have spoken so many times in history. I want to hear you speak to me even now. Teach me of your love 17 and show me who you want me to love.

19 Or Run Away D A Y 5 Thank you, God, for your presence with me right now. For where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7) Read Read Jonah 1:3 and Psalm 139:7-16 I NOTICED: Ref lect Underline the phrase that is repeated in Jonah 1:3. Go back to your map that you drew yesterday. Where is the presence of God on that map? Okay, that s a rhetorical question. God s presence is everywhere! It is useless to try to flee from God. Why did Jonah think he could? Jonah s destination is Tarshish. That s Hebrew for open sea. So it s not necessarily a specific destination; Jonah just wanted to get out in the middle of nowhere away from God. Dr. Stuart surmises that Jonah thought, based on the history of his people s interactions with God thus far, that if he went away from the geographic area where people believed in God, he wouldn t hear from God again. It was his experience that God only spoke in the context of being among the Israelites. So he might actually have thought he could flee God s voice by going to a pagan nation with pagan sailors (Stuart, p450). This is such a painful assumption because it means that Jonah assumed God was only present within Israel, and that he could 18

20 escape God by fleeing the physical location where Israelite people lived. And yet, do we not think that? Are we not guilty of thinking we are safe in the presence of God where and only where there are concentrated Christians whether that is the South, Christian schools, America, etc.? If we were to leave those locations or communities, are we (generally, as an evangelical culture) not concerned we would suddenly be away from the protection and provision of God? But it is critical in Jonah to realize that God is not bound by geography. He is everywhere. We cannot go anywhere he is not, even the open sea. Spun more positively, is it not beautiful to look at that map and realize God was concerned about a people group far from the geographical boundaries of Israel? He was there, too, in Nineveh. Is there anywhere you cannot picture the presence of God being? Recall the compassionate heart of God yesterday. Write what you believe God would say about that place, presuming to write for God. God: When I think about, I see/ feel. Journal your response to this: When have you run from what God has asked you to do? Apply What did it cost you? PRAY Lord, you have spoken so many times in history. I want to hear you speak to me even now. Teach me of your love 19 and show me who you want me to love.

21 Jonah 1:4-16 ESV 4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish. Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea WEEK 2 7 And they said to one another, Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you? 9 And he said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, What is this that you have done! For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us? For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the LORD, O LORD, let us not perish for this man s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you. 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. 20

22 SERMON NOTES September 15-16,

23 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 1:4-16 Intro Jonah follows through with his plan to run from the presence of the Lord to disastrous effect. In open rebellion to the Lord s command, Jonah boards the boat to Tarshish. Today s passage opens with but, emphasizing God s sovereign ability to change Jonah s plans. Jonah cannot really run from the presence of the Lord. The Lord sends a giant storm and Jonah s disobedience is made embarrassingly public. With an ironic turn of events, the sailors are the ones to call Jonah to pray and call out the stupidity of his actions. Repeated language of running from God s presence, (found earlier in 1:3) highlights the conflict between Jonah s identity and beliefs I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD... and his actions he was fleeing the presence of the LORD (1:10). It is shocking that a Hebrew prophet would behave in such a way. God s omnipresence (presence everywhere) and omnipotence (all-powerful nature) are both displayed vividly in the storm and serve to highlight how futile it is for Jonah to think he could outwit or outrun the God who created the sea and the land. The violent storm and the fact Jonah is thrown overboard could appear at first glance to be an overreaction on God s part to Jonah s disobedience. First, readers of this text might feel fearful and question the justice of the omnipotent and omnipresent God who uses his power in this way. This shocking part of the story can help us to develop a healthy fear for God s word as we see how seriously Jonah was supposed to take God s command. On the other hand, it can be helpful to see God s use of his power in the context of his intimate love as the Creator. God is both pursuing the Ninevites and Jonah with his reckless love. This part of the story reminds me of Psalm 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?, 22

24 which goes on to speak of these attributes of God as a comfort, that the God who made us is always with us, wherever we are at and whatever we do. Nothing, and no one is outside the reach of God s love. As you prepare to read the Jonah passage today, start by reading Psalm 139. How does Jonah describe God in 1:9? How does God communicate with Jonah and the sailors in this passage? What can you learn about how God works in the lives of unbelievers from this passage? When have you been called out by someone who isn t a believer to pray or to care more deeply about the lives of others? How did you respond? When have you seen your sin cause pain to others or when have you been directly impacted by another s sin? How did God use even Jonah s disobedience for good? When have you seen this happen in your own life? What is God trying to speak to you about through this story? Be especially aware this week about how he is using signs and other people (including unbelievers) to get you on the right path. Somberly consider if your lack of obedience has or is causing pain to others. Spend some time in prayer and repentance. Jonah was willing to be thrown into the sea and acknowledge his own fault. What practical step do you need to take this week to acknowledge your sin and ask forgiveness for the impact you have had on others? 23

25 D A Y 1 Raging Storm Isaiah 51:15 I am the LORD your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar the LORD of hosts is his name. Read Jonah 1:4-16; Ephesians 4:11-14 I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah s response to God s command and trying to sail as far away from Nineveh as possible. What chain of events did God use to get his attention? At certain times in Scripture, the raging seas are evidence of God s wrath on unrighteousness, such as during the flood of Noah. At other times, especially during the storm that arose around Jesus and his disciples, raging seas are calmed as evidence of God s mercy. In all instances they are an opportunity for God to show his power over his creation including us. When have you experienced storms that have revealed God s power and his mercy? God s will was that Jonah would preach repentance to the Ninevites, and when Jonah rebelled we can imagine that the 24

26 raging seas were a sign of God s wrath, to show Jonah his displeasure. However, what if God s purpose was ultimately to show not only his sovereignty, but also his mercy? Re-read Jonah 1:4-16, looking for the mercy of God. What appears differently to you in this reading? When the storms of life come, they sometimes arise from circumstances beyond our control, as in many cases of health or loss. Other times they come as the result of our actions or attitudes that, like Jonah, turn us away from obedience and God s gracious presence. All the storms of life are opportunities for us to grow into the people God wants us to be. Ephesians 4:14 tells us that when we grow up into Christ there are certain storms that won t shake us anymore. How we respond to the storms in our lives matters. When we stick close to God, when we obey his commandments, and yield to the path he puts before us, he calms the storms and gives us the courage and peace to do the things he asks us to do. Apply As you have grown in your faith, what circumstances that used to shake you don t seem to have that effect anymore? Write a prayer of thanks to God for that growth. PRAY Lord, thank you that you are always present in my life, even when I m trying to do things my own way. Thank you for never sleeping or giving up on me, 25and rescuing me when things get out of hand.

27 Crying Out D A Y 2 Psalm 121:4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Read Jonah 1:5-6; Psalm 121 I NOTICED: Ref lect As the mariners fought to save their ship, they cried out to their pagan gods. When that yielded no results, they scrambled to save themselves by throwing cargo overboard to lighten their load. They were likely experienced sailors who knew just what to do in stormy seas. But nothing they did helped. Meanwhile, Jonah slept. In his efforts to avoid the presence of the Lord, he not only ran in the opposite direction, he tried to escape his thoughts and situation by sleeping. This is not an uncommon coping skill, even today. When life seeks to overwhelm us, we may become weary from it all, and sleep provides an, albeit temporary, escape. If left to his own devices, who knows how long Jonah might have slept? But the sailors woke him, imploring him to call on his own god. What is your instinct when circumstances get overwhelming? What do you find yourself doing? 26

28 Interestingly, the first thought of these pagan sailors was to turn to prayer, while the man of God slept. Not surprisingly, their gods did not answer. So they tried by their own strength to save themselves. The ESV Study Bible notes this additional irony: the sailors were concerned that they all might perish and implored Jonah to pray that this might not happen. Just as he would not go to preach repentance to the Ninevites, he seemed unconcerned for those whom he had hired to carry him away from his duty. If these men perished they would do so apart from God. Jonah was so caught up in his own rebellion, that he could not see the needs of those around him, let alone have concern for the salvation of the ship s crew. Read Psalm 121. How is this Psalm a prayer for the overwhelming circumstances of your own life? Apply How easy it is to want to crawl back in bed and sleep our problems away rather than cry out to God for forgiveness, relief, or salvation. Have you ever found yourself wanting to sleep for days from weariness or sorrow? Or falling asleep during prayer? Jesus had commanded his disciples to pray as they were keeping watch, that they might not fall into temptation (Luke 22:45). What areas of your life need an infusion of energy or joy? Spend some time pouring your heart out to God. Praying through Psalm 121 a couple of verses at a time, turning those verses into your own words. PRAY Lord, thank you that you are always present in my life, even when I m trying to do things my own way. Thank you for never sleeping or giving up on me, 27and rescuing me when things get out of hand.

29 D A Y 3 The Witness Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Read Jonah 1:7-10, Ephesians 2:11-13, Deuteronomy 10:12-16 I NOTICED: Ref lect When prayer didn t seem to be working, the sailors kept looking for solutions to their dilemma. They determined to cast lots to find out why the evil was happening to them. Interestingly, the word translated evil here appears eight times in the book of Jonah, to describe not only the storm, but the actions of the Ninevites, the calamity that God diverts from them, as well as Jonah s attitudes of displeasure and discomfort directed at God. Use a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia to read about the practice of casting lots. Compare this to scripture. Does this seem like a reliable way to make decisions? Casting lots seems to be a way to decide between various options, which does not take into account the will of God. Even so, it worked in the case of Jonah and the sailors, and they confront him, on whose account has this evil come? This is not a question out of ignorance, as they know full well it is because of Jonah. What they mean to discover is his identity, who he is that such events would surround him. When confronted with these questions, Jonah truthfully declares who he is, and to whom he belongs. 28

30 When he makes these declarations, what else does he reveal to them? What does it reveal about Jonah s sin? What is the difference between Jonah s fear of the Lord, and the sailors fear? Jonah s first mistake was to reject the commandment of God to go to the Ninevites. God would see to it that Jonah fulfilled that role, but the greater sin, the one that caused evil to come upon the ship s crew was his attempt to flee God s presence. When he was asked about his identity, Jonah would have realized how foolish he was being, and how his actions brought dishonor to the God he served. Read again Deuteronomy 10: How does this verse speak to Jonah s identity and witness as one who fears God? What relevance does Jonah s identity have to the fear of the sailors? Apply Read Ephesians 2: What is our identity in Christ? How should this inform our actions and witness for him? It seems that Jonah let his disdain for the Ninevites overshadow his sense of identity, and therefore duty to God s commandments. As a Hebrew, however, evangelism (offering repentance toward salvation) was not a common practice. When called to preach a message of repentance Jonah balked. We know that in Christ, we are called to share the good news of Jesus. How can a skewed sense of identity cause us to fall short of God s will in this area? When has your attitude toward the lost been a barrier to sharing the message of the gospel? Confess this to the Lord and ask for his help in moving forward. PRAY Lord, thank you that you are always present in my life, even when I m trying to do things my own way. Thank you for never sleeping or giving up on me, 29 and rescuing me when things get out of hand.

31 D A Y 4 Making Sense of the Storm Psalm 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him. Read Jonah 1:11-13, Psalm 42:5-7, Jeremiah 5:22-25 I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah 1:11 tells us that the sea grew more and more tempestuous. Jonah had just admitted to his shipmates that the reason for the storm was his own rebellion to run from God. It was his profession of who he was, and what he was supposed to be doing that made sense of the storm. When the storms of life don t make sense to you, how do you respond? Do you crawl into bed for days, throw yourself into work, or avoidance of work, or book a cruise to Tarshish? How do you overcome your response? Jonah confessed his sin to the sailors. Confession is, as they say, good for the soul. Truthfully it restores right relationships with God and our neighbors. But true confession involves repentance, a turning back to obedience. Until Jonah was willing to stop running, the storm would continue to rage. So when it came time to respond to the truth of the situation, Jonah asked to be hurled into the sea. 30

32 By now there was no question as to the reason for the storm, and Jonah knew that the crew was suffering for his actions. Surprisingly, the crew s response was to try to row Jonah back. Though they had cast lots to discover the truth about Jonah, and heard his truthful assessment of the situation, they still took matters into their own hands. And the sea continued to work against them. Have you ever known the right thing to do, and couldn t do it because someone around you thought they knew better? Or you doubted yourself, and took a more cumbersome road because it seemed less risky? The sailors had no frame of reference to trust Jonah or his God, and did what they thought was best. Read James 1:1. What does James say about not doing the thing you know is right? How does that help you make sense of Jonah s situation so far? How do you determine the right response to the circumstances in your life? Apply A great way to learn how to respond to God is to read the Psalms with intention. Choose a psalm, then make three lists based on what you read: who God is (ex.: merciful, gracious, kind), what he does (ex.: stills the waters, saves us, gives us peace), and our response (ex: praise him, obey his commands, walk in his ways.) If you do this with every psalm in the Bible, pretty soon you will be well-trained in doing the right thing. PRAY Lord, thank you that you are always present in my life, even when I m trying to do things my own way. Thank you for never sleeping or giving up on me, 31 and rescuing me when things get out of hand.

33 Redemption Is Near D A Y 5 Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. Read Jonah 1:14-16, Titus 2:11-14 I NOTICED: Ref lect Amazingly, when all else failed, the sailors cried out to Jonah s God, asking to not be held accountable for what they were about to do. Again, their concern was that they not perish in the storm, and especially not for their actions against Jonah. They had finally realized that throwing him in the sea was the right thing to do. Maybe it was their last resort, or maybe they recognized God s power and control over his creation, including the wind and waves. Either way, their prayer was a masterpiece. The sailors had come to know that Jonah s God, the LORD, the God of Israel, was real and tangible, and had sovereign control over his creation. With that they threw Jonah into the sea. It must have been such a relief that the seas stopped raging. Imagine them exhausted from sleep deprivation and fighting to keep their ship in one piece, now jubilant in victory for prevailing in the storm. Suddenly it dawned on them that God had brought them through. And they feared him. 32

34 Consider the fear of the sailors at different points in the story. Read Jonah 1:5, 10, 16 again. What is different about their fear in each stage? What did the final stage produce in them? Read Psalm 22: What does fear have to do with sacrifice and praise? What connections did you make to this part of Jonah s story this week? What, if any, similarities did you see to your story? Apply Read Titus 2: Jonah s responsibility was to take a message of repentance to a culture that did not believe in God. He refused to take it to the Ninevites, but as dumb luck (or God s design!) would have it, the sailors came to faith in God. What about the sailors story would make us think that they would witness to God s faithfulness toward them? PRAY Lord, thank you that you are always present in my life, even when I m trying to do things my own way. Thank you for never sleeping or giving up on me, 33 and rescuing me when things get out of hand.

35 Jonah 1:17-2:10 ESV 17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah s Prayer WEEK 3 2 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 4 Then I said, I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple. 5 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head 6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD! 10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. 34

36 SERMON NOTES September 22-23,

37 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 1:17-2:10 Intro Jonah is swallowed by a giant fish and is inside for three days and nights. While inside the fish, Jonah prays and thanks God for rescuing him with the fish from the depths of the sea and a near-death experience. This passage articulates Jonah s call for help and God s response, including details about how dire his circumstances were before he was saved. Jonah describes how he was in the belly of Sheol, the pit (literally in the realm of the dead) when he called out for help. In his hour of greatest need Jonah remembered the LORD and he answered. As you prepare for this week s study, spend time reflecting on when you have experienced God s intervention and salvation in your life. This could be your big picture testimony of how God saved you from darkness and brought you into light, or it could be another moment in your story when you were in a place of distress and God answered your prayer. Spend time journaling your story and a prayer of thanks for the God of salvation who cares about your personal need and responds to our prayers when we cry out to him. Perhaps you could write out Jonah s prayer line by line and fill in your own parallel details underneath each verse. As you consider the needs of people in your LifeGroup, spend time in prayer for those who need it most right now. Pray for God s hand of salvation to be obvious in their life, and pray for those who need Spirit-inspired confidence that God does indeed care and want to respond to their circumstances. Pray that this week s passage would help those people have faith and hope that God answers prayers, even when things are at their worst and most hopeless. 36

38 Look out for the word appointed in the text today (also used in 4:6-8). What does the use of this word tell you about God being in control? What other references to God s sovereignty can you find in the text? Use a Study Bible, including looking up cross-references, to understand the meaning of Sheol. Reflect on what this passage teaches about being saved by grace alone. What can you discern about Jonah s thoughts toward the pagan sailors? Where is his heart at when it comes to the call to love unbelievers with God s love? Where is your heart toward unbelievers? How is Jonah s story challenging you in this area? Have you had a season of being troubled that led to self-reflection on your story and God s part in it? How did this self-reflection allow God to speak to you and how did it transform your heart and attitude? When have you experienced being saved from death? (Literally or spiritually!) What offering of thanksgiving or sacrifice that you want to give to God today? Consider what practical way you can offer worship by being grateful or sacrificing something this week. Spend time together as a group praying for the needs of those feeling like they are experiencing death and darkness right now. 37

39 D A Y 1 We Need God Jonah 2:2 I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. Read Jonah 2:2-3, 5-6; Psalm 88:1-7 I NOTICED: Ref lect To appreciate being saved, we must realize what we are being saved from. Later this week, we will focus on how God saves Jonah and Jonah thanks God for it, but first we must see what Jonah is being saved from. Jonah is saved from death in the stormy sea. We see multiple times here that Jonah (and others) truly thought he was going to die as he was tossed into the sea. Do you see them in Jonah 1:14-2:6? A couple of notes on that: In Jonah 2:2, Jonah references Sheol, which is also known as Hades and the underworld (ie., the place of the dead). The imagery of drowning and sinking into the depths (Jonah 2:3, 5) appears in other texts describing death (see Ps. 88:1-7 as an example). 38

40 Commenting on Jonah 2:5-6, Douglas Stuart writes The distance from the land of the living represented by arrival at the bases of the mountains and the fact that the Underworld s bars prevented one from returning back to life once dead are metaphors for the finality of death. God s prophet thought himself dead for sure. (Stuart, p477) Jonah likely realizes that he is at fault for this dire situation because of his disobedience to God. While he got himself into that situation, as he feels himself drowning he recognizes that he cannot save himself. He needs God to save him. Seeing his own need to be saved from immanent death, Jonah cries out to God in prayer (Jonah 2:1-2). Tomorrow we will look at God s answer. Apply Where do you see a need for God? Think of where there is a need for God in your own life, in your relationships, in your local community and globally. Ask someone today: Do you see anywhere that we need God? Record highlights of your conversation here. PRAY Dear God, salvation belongs to you! I recognize my need of you and humbly ask 39 you to save me.

41 Power of God D A Y 2 Jonah 1:9 I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Read Psalm 65:1-8 I NOTICED: Ref lect Having tasted God s power being praised in Psalm 65:1-8, re-read Jonah 1:17-2:10. Now reflect on those two passages: How is God s power displayed in and through creation? How is God s power displayed in regards to prayer? What does the statement in Jonah 2:9, Salvation belongs to the LORD! indicate about God s power? Notes on the Power of God: Perhaps even more apparent than God s power over creation is his power in regards to prayer. Jonah knows that the Lord hears his voice and answers him. Even the Hebrew word for hearing the prayer implies a sense of answering it as well. How awesome it is that we worship a God who is able to hear and answer our prayers! Finally, Jonah emphasizes the power of God by telling of God s ability to save. Only God had the power to save Jonah from the brink of death. God s monopoly on this power to save is compared with that of the vain idols (v. 8). A more literal 40

42 translation of vain idols according to the Hebrew would be empty nothings. Back in chapter 1, the pagan sailors quickly realized that the gods they were crying out to were worthless. Only the God whom Jonah worshipped was the true God who was able to save them. As a result, only Jonah s God, the Lord, deserved their worship. The actions we saw the sailors do in worship of God for saving them (vows and sacrifice) appear here again at the end of chapter 2 with Jonah saying he will do the same, for Salvation belongs to the LORD! Only God has the power to hear our prayers and be our Savior. Apply Write down three moments in your life where you witnessed the power of God. If you have a hard time thinking of three moments, pray that you might be enabled and attentive to see God at work. PRAY Dear God, salvation belongs to you! I recognize my need of you and humbly ask 41 you to save me.

43 D A Y 3 Give Thanks Jonah 2:9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD. Read Jonah 2:2-9 I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah is not in a pleasant situation. He almost drowned in a stormy sea and now finds himself in the belly of a whale. Imagine for a moment what that would be like, how it would smell and feel. When Jonah prays to the Lord in psalm-like fashion, we expect a psalm of lament a song of distress, asking for saving. Instead of wailing in the whale, however, Jonah prays a psalm of thanksgiving. Like how we expect a certain format for a thank you card today (Dear, thank you for, I love it because / I plan to use it by, thanks again! Sincerely, ), there is a certain form to be expected in thanksgiving psalms. Mark these movements* in your Bible: Introduction: Jonah 2:2, Summary that he s going to call out and get an answer. Misery: Jonah 2:3-6, Jonah s particular misery. *Douglas Stuart summarizes the thanksgiving psalm form with the acronym IMART. 42

44 Appeal: Jonah prays to God for rescue in verse 7. Rescue: The rescue is recounted in the second part of verse 6. One of the defining features of a thanksgiving psalm such as this is that the rescue has already occurred. Testimony: In the last two verses of this psalm (Jonah 2:8-9), Jonah praises God. What does he praise God for? We do not know whether Jonah wrote this poetic thank you to God or whether he was reciting a general thanksgiving psalm he previously memorized. Either way, because of his familiarity with thanksgiving psalms, he was able to offer thanks in the belly of the fish. Remember, while the context of the belly of a large fish seems like an odd place to be giving thanks, Jonah knew God had rescued him when he had thought he was going to die for his disobedience. That is reason to give thanks indeed! Apply Look up Psalm 30:8-12 and Psalm 40:1-3. Both are short examples of a thanksgiving psalm. Write down the one that resonates with you on an index card and carry it with you today. Read it prayerfully several times throughout the day and see if you can have it memorized by the end of the week. PRAY Dear God, salvation belongs to you! I recognize my need of you and humbly ask 43 you to save me.

45 Salvation Belongs to the Lord Indeed D A Y 4 Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Read 44 Matthew 12:38-41 I NOTICED: Ref lect News of how Jonah was saved from death in the sea by being swallowed by a fish and then vomited up onto land likely spread quickly. Just as the quieting of the storm when the sailors threw Jonah overboard in chapter 1 proved to them that Jonah s message was true, so also the story of Jonah s salvation via the fish provided verification that he was a man of God, indeed a prophet, who had been sent by God to declare a certain message to Nineveh. Verifying authenticity is crucial, but it doesn t help unless you then pay attention to the content of the message. What good would it have done the Ninevites if they believed that Jonah s message was from God and yet did not pay attention to the message itself? Trusting that Jonah was sent from God, based perhaps in part on his rescue from death via the large fish, the Ninevites listened to what Jonah was telling them and they repented of their wrongdoings and asked for salvation. In Matthew 12:38-41, the scribes and the Pharisees are looking for a sign to prove to them that Jesus is who He says he is and

46 thereby that the message He is proclaiming is true. Resembling how Jonah died but was restored to life, so also Jesus will die (really die) and come back to life. This act will verify his message that He is the Savior of the world. Listen to Jesus message, like the Ninevites did to Jonah. Do you believe? Of course, Jesus death and resurrection does far more than verify Jesus message, for his death on the cross is the very act of him taking on the punishment for all of our sins. It is through Jesus death that we are saved and in his resurrection that we have confident hope that we are indeed saved. Salvation belongs to Jesus our Lord indeed! Apply How do you know something (a message, a feeling, a vision, etc.) is from God? Ask this question of someone else today. Record that conversation here. PRAY Dear God, salvation belongs to you! I recognize my need of you and humbly ask 45 you to save me.

47 Redemption for D A Y 5 Jonah 2:4 Then I said, I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple. Read Matthew 18:23-35 I NOTICED: Ref lect This week we have seen Jonah celebrate God rescuing him. He ends his song praising God for who He is. The question is, what next? Or perhaps better yet, who next? Jonah, like the first servant in today s reading, doesn t seem to even consider the question. The awesome redemption and forgiveness they had just received stops with them. Why should it, they ask, extend to others? But that is exactly what God asks, that we, who accept God s offer of redemption through becoming his disciples, go out and make disciples (see Matthew 28:16-20). Spend some time pondering the following questions: Who is the Gospel for? Do I want others to experience the steadfast love and salvation that only come from God which I myself have experienced? Is there anyone whom I think of as having done too many wrong things (having sinned too much) to be able to experience compassion from God? 46

48 Is there anyone for whom I have given up hope that they will come to recognize their need for salvation and become a disciple of God? As we continue in our study of Jonah, keep what the ESV Study Bible says in mind, The primary theme in Jonah is that God s compassion is boundless, not limited just to us but also available for them. Apply There were some tough questions in the reflection piece today. If you are feeling convicted, take the application time today to pray for forgiveness. Take time to pray for those whom you may have given up hope on and ask for the strength to be persistent in prayer for them. Sometimes, we need a tangible reminder of the need to share the good news of redemption that is available in Jesus Christ. If you buy coffee today, pay for the person behind you in line as well. If you grab a disposable water bottle for a car ride, bring an extra and give it to someone you see on the street. If you have extra clothes in your closet that you ve been meaning to give away, do so. Share what you have received. PRAY Dear God, salvation belongs to you! I recognize my need of you and humbly ask 47 you to save me.

49 Jonah 3:1-10 ESV Jonah Goes to Nineveh WEEK 4 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you. 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day s journey. And he called out, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. The People of Nineveh Repent 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish. 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. 48

50 SERMON NOTES September 29-30,

51 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 3:1-10 Intro God orchestrates events yet again, and the fish spits Jonah out onto the land. Jonah is given a second chance at life, and another opportunity to follow God s command as God repeats his word and tells Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh. Notice that the language of arise is identical to what Jonah was told the first time. Only this time Jonah immediately arose to do what he was asked to do, rather than immediately going the opposite direction. As we look at this passage this week we are reminded that God doesn t give up on his mission. He is faithful and constant, and he pursues people with his love. The repetition of the command to Jonah shows His determination to get the message to the Ninevites, and His willingness to use Jonah even after his mistakes. Jonah s message to the Ninevites is remarkably short, and makes no mention of Nineveh s sin or how to respond to God. The only clue to the need for repentance and hope of possible forgiveness is found in the word translated overthrown. This word can either mean destroyed, or it can mean transformed. Jonah declares that in forty days the city will be destroyed, but what in fact occurs, is that God transforms the heart of the people in that city and they turn to him in repentance. The reaction of the Ninevites is surprising. Yet again in this story, it is the people you might least expect whose actions revealed their faith to believe God. Just like the pagan sailors who were the first to pray and offer sacrifice, the Ninevites also respond with faith to the revelation of God. The Ninevites repentance is both immediate and demonstrable with fasting and wearing of sackcloth. Even more incredible is how this repentance occurs from the greatest of them to the least of them, including even the king of Nineveh who leads the city in corporate repentance. Perhaps the most significant part of this section is verse 9. Just as Jonah s reluctance to do what God was calling him to do was set in contrast with the faith and compassion of the sailors in the earliest part of the story, here Jonah s lack of heartfelt 50

52 compassion is set in contrast with the king s hope that God would relent from the oncoming disaster if the people repent. As you prepare to read this story in LifeGroup this week, spend some time reflecting on your own motivations and desire for seeing the salvation of those around you in your city. Are you more similar to Jonah or to the king in this story? Compare and contrast the first time God called Jonah to his calling again in 3:2. What does this teach you about God? How did the people in Nineveh respond to Jonah s call to repentance? What was the role of leadership in this city-wide repentance? How did God respond to the repentant heart and actions of the Ninevites? When have you been given a second chance? How did you respond? Have you ever written someone off as faithless, who then responded to the gospel with acceptance and maybe even enthusiasm? How did that come about? Share the story with your group. Where do you see a need for corporate repentance (including yourself as part of the group in mind)? How can you take a leadership role in gathering people and bringing them the hope of the gospel in dark places? Who is God calling you to reach out to? What step can you take to reach out to someone who you have written off as unlikely to respond to the gospel with repentance? If there is anything that has come up in your group as an area that needs repentance, spend some time together confessing and repenting before the Lord. 51

53 D A Y 1 A Second Chance Romans 3:22b-24 For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Read Jonah 3:1-3 I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah had a clear command from God and the opportunity to respond with obedience. He blew it. Instead of walking in obedience to God by going to Nineveh, Jonah ran in the opposite direction (Jonah 1). In chapter 2, we saw Jonah cry out from the weight of his punishment, asking God to save him. In His steadfast love, God saved Jonah and Jonah thanked God for it. Take some time to consider how God gave Jonah a second chance. Note two minor differences in the call God gives Jonah in 1:2 with the call he gives in 3:2. First, there is no mention in 3:2 of the evil of Nineveh as it was clearly stated in 1:2, but it seems to be implied as Jonah is to call out against the city. Second, Jonah s role as a prophet (one given a direct word from God to speak to another) is highlighted by God commanding Jonah to call out the message that I tell you. The words the message that I tell you were not part of what Jonah was told 52

54 by God in 1:2. What do these nuances imply for what God may be teaching Jonah? To reflect on Jonah s second chance, take a moment to read another story about second chances in Luke 15: How are these second chances similar? How does God show his character as consistent between Jonah and the story of the Prodigal Son? As the call to worship pointed out, we are like Jonah and the prodigal son in that we have not walked in perfect obedience to God. As a result, our relationship with God was broken. By our own merit, we do not deserve to be restored into a relationship with God, and yet God has granted us that opportunity through Jesus. How do you feel when you are gifted a second chance? Do you take advantage of it? Ask Apply these questions of someone else today. PRAY Dear God, I acknowledge that I have been disobedient to you. I am in need of your 53 compassion.

55 God the Judge D A Y 2 Psalm 9:7-8 But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the people with uprightness. Read Jonah 3:3-5 I NOTICED: Ref lect God saw that what the great city of Nineveh was doing was evil. In his goodness, God cannot let evil go unpunished forever. Thus, he sends Jonah to proclaim that Nineveh will be overthrown in forty days. The Hebrew verb for overthrown is the same as in the judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19: What does overthrown look like in that context? The number 40 in Jonah 3:4 reminds us of two earlier stories of God s judgement. Look at Genesis 6:5-22 and Numbers 32: What was the evil in these two stories? What did the 40 refer to? What did God s judgment look like? Genesis 6:5-22 Numbers 32:

56 What attributes are seen in a good judge? J.I. Packer, in his book Knowing God, outlines the following four characteristics of God as judge: 1. The judge is a person with authority 2. The judge is a person identified with what is good and right 3. The judge is a person of wisdom, to discern truth 4. The judge is a person of power to execute the sentence When God declares judgment upon Nineveh, Nineveh does not question the authority of God to be their judge. They do not question that what they have done is evil and they do not seem to doubt that God has the power to enact his judgment. Verse 5 states, And the people of Nineveh believed God. Do you believe God has the authority to be judge over the evil of our world? The people of Nineveh, like Jonah back in chapter 2, were seeing the possibility of life as they knew it passing before them. Yet their response was not to continue living the same or to lose hope. While they believed that God had the power to follow through on His judgment, they also believed in God s compassion and this led them to fast and repent. Apply Practice the spiritual discipline of fasting this week as a means of repentance and as a way to intentionally seek God s face in prayer for the brokenness you see on a local, national and global level. Try fasting one meal or one day and pray instead. PRAY Dear God, I acknowledge that I have been disobedient to you. I am in need of your 55 compassion.

57 D A Y 3 Acts of Repentance God, I know if I confess my sins, you are faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Thank you. (1 John 1:9) Read Jonah 3:5-8 I NOTICED: Ref lect There are several factors which possibly contributed to Nineveh being quick to repent, including a recent enemy invasion, a solar eclipse, and an earthquake, all of which Nineveh took to be signs that God was angry with them. When Jonah comes with a word of impending disaster from God, the Ninevites are quick to repent. Can you remember a time when you were quick to repent? What was that circumstance? Or Can you remember a time when you delayed repentance? What was your circumstance then? Within today s passage, we see four acts of repentance: prayer, fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. These acts appear several times throughout the Old Testament in moments of mourning and in moments of asking God to respond to a dire situation. Take a minute to look up a few of the following passages. What is the commonality between them? 56

58 Daniel 9:3-6 Psalm 35:13-14, 17 Matthew 11:20-21 While God will respond to the repentance of the Ninevites in this situation and does not inflict the threatened punishment, it is important to realize that these symbols of mourning were not some magic formula which forced God to act in a certain way. We are not saved because of our deeds of repentance, but because He looks beyond the physical acts of repentance for a change of heart, for people to truly be mournful of their sins and rededicated to living as God desires them to live (read Isaiah 58:1-12). The theme today is acts of repentance. Does repentance show up in your life? How so? Apply Take time today to pray a prayer of repentance (confession), acknowledging before God the wrongdoings in your life. Before you pray, rub ash or dirt on your hands and look at the dirtiness as you pray. Or, grab a piece of sackcloth (burlap) and feel its coarseness as you pray. Pray with this visual and tactile aid knowing that God hears our prayers and is compassionate toward us. PRAY Dear God, I acknowledge that I have been disobedient to you. I am in need of your 57 compassion.

59 D A Y 4 Turn and Relent God, I remember your promise to relent. You said, If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. (Jeremiah 18: 7-8) Read Jonah 3:9-10 I NOTICED: Ref lect From the king of Nineveh s perspective, it was apparent that God was angry with Nineveh and that He was ready to destroy the city. The judgment God intended for the city was severe. In Jonah 3:10, when it says When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it, evil and disaster are coming from the same Hebrew word, ra-ah. The ESV note on 3:10 suggests, The use of the same word underscores the close connection between human action and divine response. The king of Nineveh is hopeful that God would respond to repentance by relenting from disaster. This is not the only time such a connection between human action and divine response appears in Scripture (see today s call to worship as an example). How do we hold today s passage with the idea that God does not change? Here is a helpful note from J. I. Packer: It is true that there is a group of texts (Gen 6:6-7; 1 Sam 15:11; 2 Sam 24:16; Jon 3:10; Joel 2:13-14) which speak of God as repenting. The reference in each case is to a reversal of God s previous treatment of particular people, consequent upon their reaction to that treatment. But there is no suggestion that this reaction was not foreseen, or that it took God by surprise and was not provided for in his eternal power. No change in his eternal 58

60 purpose is implied when he begins to deal with a person in a new way (Packer, p80). While it may appear that God changed His actions in today s text, Jonah knew that God s character remained the same (Jonah 4:2). Jonah had experienced God s character of compassion firsthand when he was saved from the depths. Here again, God remained true to his character and showed compassion, relenting from the disaster which He had declared. Take time to study two of these passages: Genesis 6:6-7; 1 Samuel 15:11; 2 Samuel 24:16; Jonah 3:10; Joel 2:13-14 What is consistent about God s character in these passages? Look at two things: first, if he had followed through with his punishment and, second, what happened when he relented. Is there a way in which this is troubling to you? And/or what do you find trustworthy about God? Pray, God, I want to know you and what your unchanging character is. Please give me wisdom and understanding. Apply The ultimate sign of God s compassion comes on the cross, when Jesus, God s only Son, takes on the punishment for our sin. Jesus resurrection gives us confident hope in God s enduring compassion. In celebration of that and God s unchanging character, I encourage you to memorize Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. PRAY Dear God, I acknowledge that I have been disobedient to you. I am in need of your 59 compassion.

61 Compassionate Call of God D A Y 5 Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Read Jonah 3:1-10 I NOTICED: Ref lect Having looked at Jonah 3 bit by bit over the course of the week, we have seen the compassion of God demonstrated in how He did not bring about the threatened judgment upon Nineveh. It is easy to see God s compassion at the end of the chapter, but do we also see the seed of His compassion at the beginning of the chapter? Look at the overall structure of the passage in terms of the one who calls and the one who responds. Mark this dialogue by color-coding God, Jonah, and Nineveh on the text of Jonah 3 at the beginning of this week. God calls to Jonah (vv. 1-2) and Jonah responds (v. 3). Jonah calls to Nineveh (v. 4) and Nineveh responds (v. 5-7). Nineveh calls to God (v. 8-9) and God responds (v. 10). Notice who is at the beginning and who is at the end of the passage. God s initial call to Jonah to speak his words to Nineveh leads to Nineveh calling out to God in repentance, asking for God to show his compassion. Without God s call to Jonah and his eventual obedience to go to Nineveh, Nineveh may have not realized they were so deep into wrongdoing. Nineveh is therefore given the opportunity to repent, which, as we saw yesterday, led to God s relenting from the disaster he threatened. 60

62 This seems to be a foretaste of what is coming in the New Testament with calls for the people to Repent and believe. What does Jesus call to the people in Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15, and Luke 13:3,5? Jesus has pity on the people and longs for them to be restored into a relationship with God in which they may enjoy eternal life with him. To be able to be restored into a relationship with God, we need to realize that we have fallen away. We need God s call to tell us where we have strayed in order that we may be restored by his amazing grace and power to what will make us right with God. Have you responded to the call of Jesus to repent and believe? How so? Have you called anyone to respond to God? How so? How has God responded to you? Apply Ask someone you re traveling with today (or call someone you know and ask), Do you think it s more compassionate to tell someone that they are on a destructive path OR not say anything? PRAY Dear God, I acknowledge that I have been disobedient to you. I am in need of your 61 compassion.

63 Acts 2 ESV The Coming of the Holy Spirit 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. WEEK 5 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God. 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? 13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. Peter s Sermon at Pentecost 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 62

64 17 And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the LORD comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. 22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, I saw the LORD always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. 29 Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he 63

65 foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool. 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 64 The ellowship of the Believers 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

66 SERMON NOTES October 6-7, 2018 World Communion Sunday 65

67 LifeGroup Guide Acts 2 Intro Jonah was not the last individual God asked to go to the Gentiles (non-jews) to call them to repentance and faith. Today s passage tells the story of a significant turning point in the early church when God directly spoke to Jews from all nations at the same time, preparing them to be his witnesses in the whole world. As we consider the global Church this World Communion Weekend, this passage helps us see the place of all types of people in the body of Christ. Grab a Study Bible to get a better picture of the place of this story in early church history, and the structure, key themes and vocabulary to keep an eye out for. In both the Jonah story and this story there are significant answers to prayer and overarching themes of God s sovereignty and his compassion for all types of people. In both stories, God is asking people who already know and love him to extend his compassion toward people unlike themselves. Let these parallels help you listen more intently to the ways God has been speaking to you personally in this season in the book of Jonah. 66

68 How did God appear in Jerusalem? What does this passage teach us about Jesus? How did Peter respond to seeing God in this way? How did the community respond to this new revelation of who Jesus is? Have you ever had God speak to you personally and how did you respond? When have you seen God speak to several people at the same time about the same message and how did God use this experience for his glory? Pray for our church mission partners as they take the gospel to the ends of the earth. How can you reach all types of people, nationalities, and backgrounds with the gospel in your everyday life? Consider one or two individuals who are different from you in some respect, and pray for an opportunity to share God s love with them this week. PRAYER REQUESTS 67

69 D A Y 1 God Speaks to the World. Acts 2:36-37 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? Read Acts 2 I NOTICED: Ref lect Read all of Chapter 2 at least four times: 1. First, read for understanding the facts and flow of the story. Write your own headings for each turning point in the story in the margins. 2. Read it to understand its place in early church history. What changed in this moment? 3. Read it to hear how God is speaking to you. Underline which phrases draw your attention. 4. Finally, read it with the story of Jonah in mind. What stands out to you as you read Acts 2 with Jonah in mind? Consider the parallels and contrasts you can see in how God reveals himself and how the people of God respond to him. Mark the contrast between the response of Peter seeing how God is speaking in every language and the response of Jonah. 68

70 Notice also the parallels between the response of those in Nineveh and the Jews who came to believe in Jesus in Acts 2: Apply Look at a world map in your home or pull up Google Maps and zoom out far enough to see our continent, the entire world, if possible. Pray for a nation you have never been to. Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal himself to the people there in a powerful way. Pray that those who love Jesus there would be witnesses to Jesus death and resurrection as well as God s love for them. PRAY Father, help me to not only hear your Word, but to actively live it out. 69

71 Jesus Really Is God --! or? D A Y 2 Jesus, I believe (or I want to believe) that it is true that you have been exalted at the right hand of God and that you have given your people your Holy Spirit. Please give me your Spirit today. (Acts 2:33) Read Acts 2:14-36 I NOTICED: Ref lect God sends his Holy Spirit in a very visible form, something like flames of fire, and everyone begins speaking about who God is in many different languages at the same time. Someone needs to explain what s happening! So Peter gets up and preaches a sermon to explain to everyone what is happening. Yesterday should have given this part of the passage its own heading as you looked at all of Acts 2. Today we re going to look at it more closely. Most pastors today utilize three main points in their sermons. Study this passage as if you were going to summarize it to someone else. What would you say are his three main points? Of all Peter has said, what parts of it would you like to understand more? Note at least two verses. 70

72 Look up something more about those passages. If the word choices that are making them difficult to understand, look up biblegateway.com and search for The Message translation of that verse. If there are verses inset in your Bible, bolded, italicized, or somehow set apart from the rest, then you are looking at a quote from somewhere else in the Bible. Use the cross references (tiny verse markings in the margin or at the bottom of the paragraph) to see where that passage is coming from. Read it in its context. What understanding does that extra study give you? Or, for more interpretation of the passage, read what a scholar has said about it in a Study Bible s commentary. How does that help you understand the passage? Do you believe Peter s sermon? Do you know for certain? Note what you do believe or what holds you back from certainty. Apply Pick a meal or a coffee date today when you could talk about this study with someone. Share your answer to that final question. A conversation opener might be, I m doing a Bible study at my church, and I studied today a really interesting, old sermon. Can I share with you what I got out of that? Then share either what you found believable or unbelievable. Ask them, How would you respond if that happened in this coffee shop/house today? Could you believe it? PRAY Father, help me to not only hear your Word, but to actively live it out. 71

73 D A Y 3 Conviction Jesus, help me be a doer of the word and not just a hearer of it. I don t want to deceive myself about what I believe. (James 1:22) Read Acts 2:37 I NOTICED: Ref lect The word cut in the Greek literally means pricked with a sharp needle. The words of Peter had such a profound impact on the people that they felt guilty about the crucifixion of Jesus. We can also say that the people were convicted, although cut to the heart illustrates an intense feeling. Conviction refers to the state of being convinced and confident that something is true; it means a strong persuasion or belief. In other words, conviction stands opposed to doubt and skepticism. When we think of a man of conviction, we also think in terms of action and direction. We think of a person whose convictions have a definite impact on how he lives, on what he does, says, and where he goes. What is unique about this passage is not necessarily the conviction, but the response to that conviction. True conviction should always elicit a response. Notice what the people said after they were convicted, What shall we do? This question is one we should always be asking ourselves and others. After reading scripture or hearing a great sermon, I will often say Wow, that was convicting. But rarely does that follow with What should I do about it? Whenever the Holy Spirit pricks our hearts, it is often to engage us to some sort of response. So, what shall you do with this message from Peter? 72

74 Think of a time that you were so convicted that the conviction led to an action. Describe that. Why is it difficult to put the conviction into action? Apply One of the simple ways to practically go about responding to a conviction is to engage one another in a dinner table or a car-ride conversation. What does this look like? After church this weekend, ask the question of the person you are with, Was there anything from the sermon that convicted you? If so, ask the follow-up question What shall we do? In other words, how should we live in light of what we now know? Put a note on your steering wheel today so that you don t forget this weekend. Write Convicted? What s next? Maybe you do this with a friend or maybe you do it with your own kids. You can rephrase the question to be more easily understood for different ages. Perhaps, Is there anything new you learned today? is the proper question. However you go about doing this, the idea is that the question will cause you to ask What shall we do? Conviction should generate action. PRAY Father, help me to not only hear your Word, but to actively live it out. 73

75 D A Y 4 Repentance Jonah 3:5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. Read Acts 2:38-41; Jonah 3:4-9 I NOTICED: Ref lect Yesterday, we looked at the question what shall we do? Well today, we have the answer to that question: Repent. Often times, we think of repentance as simply recognizing our wrongdoings and apologizing. However, this is not the Biblical meaning of repentance. In the Greek, the word repentance (metanoia) is literally a change of mind. This change of mind leads to a change in life. We can also think of repentance as a 180-degree turn. Repentance means you are turning yourself away from the direction you were going and are now heading the completely opposite way. The Israelites had already been cut to the heart (Acts 2:37). And now Peter says, Repent! Jesus spoke to Paul in Acts 26:16-18 about this turning. How is repentance described there? When have you experienced that kind of shift in your own life? 74

76 The key here is that repentance involves action. Notice that the early followers of Jesus took action, being baptized in the name of Jesus. What was the action they took in Acts 2:38-41? As we read last week, the Ninevites had a similar response of repentance. As they were convicted of Jonah s message, (as the people were cut to the heart from Peter s message) they turned and repented. What action did they take in Jonah 3:4-9? What action have you taken in recent days to turn from your own way and go the way of Jesus? Apply Often times, when we ask God for forgiveness, we are not practicing true repentance. There is rarely a change in action and a 180-degree turn. Take some time to pray and confess your shortcomings to God. Maybe you haven t spent as much time in prayer as you would like, maybe you haven t loved your spouse as you should, or maybe you got in an argument with a friend and haven t resolved it. Whatever your shortcoming may be, take a minute to confess it to God, and ask him to give you the strength to truly repent and change your ways. After you have prayed, think of a specific action you can make in repentance of your shortcoming. Using the examples above, you can plan to spend 10 minutes every morning in prayer. Maybe you take a date night with your spouse. Or maybe you ask your friend to coffee. Whatever it may be, allow God to work in a way that you may truly repent and change your course of action. PRAY Father, help me to not only hear your Word, but to actively live it out. 75

77 Life Together D A Y 5 Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Read Acts 2:42-47 I NOTICED: Ref lect We are quick to assume that the act of communal living by the early followers of Jesus was an isolated event that did not involve the working of the Holy Spirit. But really, this way of life we see in verses is a continuation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. People coming together is not solely a human response to the Spirit, but rather, unity is the Spirit Himself working in and through the early followers of Jesus. What does communal living, empowered by the Holy Spirit, look like in these verses? When have you seen that in our world today? 76

78 Community both attracts and repels us. We all have a longing to be in relationship with others, but at the same time, there are responsibilities that come with relationships. The truth is, we were created to be in community with others. There is an African saying that goes Motho Ke Motho Ka Batho Babang. This translates, A Person is a Person Because of Other People. We see this reflected in the very beginning of time, in Genesis. In Genesis 2, God said It is not good for man to be alone, so he created woman. Being in community was essential to God s creation. What is difficult about doing life together? Would it be easier to just do life alone? What do you think of the saying A Person is a Person Because of Other People? Apply As we read what it means to be communal people, let s think about how this looks in everyday life. What exactly does it mean to do life together? Well, let s try to be as practical as possible. Next time you have a family dinner, I challenge you to invite someone new to your table. Maybe this new person doesn t have family nearby. Or maybe this new person isn t new at all, but rather an old friend. Whoever they are, invite them into your little community. Ask the Holy Spirit to make this dinner a special experience of the unity only He can bring. PRAY Father, help me to not only hear your Word, but to actively live it out. 77

79 WEEK 6 Jonah 4:1-4 ESV Jonah s Anger and the LORD s Compassion 4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 And the LORD said, Do you do well to be angry? 78

80 SERMON NOTES October 13-14,

81 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 4:1-4 Intro God relents of the disaster he had threatened to the Ninevites and Jonah is exceedingly displeased and angry! The extreme nature of his feelings about this matter is underscored in his desire to die. The ugliness of Jonah s heart towards the Ninevites is on full display in this section. He is characterized by evil and displeasure, the very same description given earlier to Nineveh. His quick change of emotions from thankfulness that God saved his life and soul with the fish is replaced with asking God to take his life and soul. This picture of Jonah at his lowest point emotionally gives us a raw and real look at what life as a follower of God can look like at times and serves as a reminder of God s unchanging, faithful love in contrast with our changing emotions, childish responses and other imperfections. If God can use Jonah, God can use me! In this section, we finally learn the motivation behind Jonah s desire to run from God s command. Shockingly, Jonah s very belief in God s goodness, faithfulness and graciousness caused him to be angry. The language of his confession is typically the basis for hope in other places in Scripture, so the use of this same vocabulary here is surprising. Jonah articulates that he believed the whole time that God would forgive the Ninevites, and once again he looks totally ridiculous for thinking he could run from God, or stop the Ninevites from being forgiven, or avoid obedience to the Lord s command. God s sovereignty is paramount in every detail of this story. The question asked of Jonah in this story can be very convicting to us in our everyday lives before too. Do you do well to be angry? As you prepare your heart for today s study, consider this question for yourself. Where have you been harboring anger and resentment? Is it well with you are you healthier, happier, for being angry? Take encouragement from Jonah s raw and real way of communicating with the Lord, and bring your true feelings to Jesus, asking him to speak to your heart. 80

82 How did Jonah respond to God s forgiveness of Nineveh? What does he share about his motives for running from God s presence? What does Jonah reveal about who he believes God to be? Look up other cross references for verse 2 (at least Exodus 34:6-7). How does this response to God s steadfast love to the Ninevites compare with Jonah s personal response when God rescued him from the depths of the sea? How does Jonah s prayer and God s response model honesty in prayer and how God can speak to right where we are at? Compare and contrast this prayer with the previous prayer Jonah makes, especially 4:3 and 2:6-7. When have you felt angry about God s kindness to someone you think doesn t deserve it? Why did you feel that way? What does Jonah s response tell you about his heart toward Nineveh? When have you been reluctantly obedient to the Lord s command in your life? God s response to Jonah is Do you do well to be angry? Is this something the Lord is speaking to your heart directly today? Share with the group why. Where is God challenging your heart towards others? Is there someone in your life who is very difficult for you to love like Jesus loves them? What small thing can you do this week to show them love in a practical way? Split into pairs or threes and pray for each other to know the peace of the Lord in areas of anger and resentment. 81

83 D A Y 1 God Is Compassionate. Psalm 103:8 LORD, you are merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Read 82 Jonah 4:2 I NOTICED: Ref lect We are going to spend the first three days this week reflecting on the character of God as described in Jonah 4:2. Today we focus on the description of God as gracious and merciful. While the grace of God and the mercy of God are often treated as distinct, here in Jonah 4:2 the terms are both pointing towards God s compassion. The Hebrew word translated gracious in the ESV can also mean merciful. A Hebrew dictionary helpfully defines the word as only used as an attribute of God, as hearing the cry of a vexed debtor. Similarly, the Greek suggests being concerned about people in their need, merciful, sympathetic, compassionate. How do you understand compassion generally? How about God s compassion toward you?

84 The main point to take away is that Jonah is highlighting the compassionate character of God. Jonah is not coming up with this on his own. We see the phrase, indeed all of these marvelous attributes of God s character noted in this verse, stated elsewhere in the Old Testament. One such place is Nehemiah 9:17 in which Nehemiah is recounting the journey of the Israelites shortly after God freed them from slavery in Egypt. In what way do you see God s compassion in this story? As the verse in Nehemiah suggests and echoes what we have seen in Jonah, the character of God as compassionate is not some abstract concept. They proclaim it is the character of God because it is what they have experienced as the character of God. In addition, this is what God declares about Himself when he appears before Moses. Read Exodus 34:6-7. Look around at the headings of the stories in Exodus In what way do you see God s compassion in this story? Apply As we ponder the compassion of God expressed in Jonah 4:2 this week, I encourage you to memorize Psalm 103:8, The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Write it on a sticky note and put it on your mirror to remind you this week. PRAY Dear God, I thank you and praise you that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Help me to reflect 83 your character to those around me this week.

85 God Is Slow to Anger. D A Y 2 Jonah 4:2 I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Read Psalm 145:8; Romans 3:23-26 I NOTICED: Ref lect As a preview of what is to come, Jonah was not happy that Nineveh was saved. Instead of forty days, he would have been happy if God has destroyed Nineveh right then and there. Nineveh was full of wrongdoing. Why couldn t God s judgment come now to do away with the evil? What evil would you like to see God do away with here and now? Instead, as we reflected at the end of last week, God was compassionate in calling out to Nineveh so that they were aware that they had angered God. God was slow in acting upon His anger, allowing Nineveh the opportunity to repent from their wicked ways. God s slowness to anger is another aspect of His compassion. Paul Little, in his book Know Why You Believe, writes the following, If God were to stamp out evil today, he would do a complete job. His action would have to include our lies and personal impurities, our lack of love, and our failure to do good. Suppose God were to decree that at midnight tonight all evil would be removed from the universe who of us would still be here after midnight? (Little, p81). 84

86 Pause here. What evil is in you? Close your eyes and confess that to God. Look again at Romans 3: All have sinned. All are deserving of God s anger and wrath. Yet, in his compassion, God was slow to anger, choosing to pass over (forgive) sins. Yet, the anger of God is just and right. Nobody wants a god who never punishes evil but lets it simply slide by. How could we say such a god is good? God s anger toward sin and his compassion intertwine on the cross. Read the lyrics of the hymn, In Christ Alone: Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live It is because of Christ s death on the cross that God is able to be slow to anger, knowing that the penalty for sin will be paid in full by his own Son. As Christians, we long for evil to be utterly defeated and no more. We believe that God s judgment is coming, when those who do not have faith in Christ will experience the wrath of God for themselves. 2 Peter 3:9 suggests that what we perceive as slowness on God s part is really His patience, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. God s slowness to anger is a powerful sign of God s compassion. Apply God, being slow to anger, allows us the opportunity to respond. Experiment today. In a conversation you have today with another, think about whether you are allowing them time to respond. Remember that God is compassionate in allowing us time to respond to his Gospel. As a reminder, write Slow on your hand. PRAY Dear God, I thank you and praise you that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Help me to reflect your 85 character to those around me this week.

87 God Is Steadfast Love D A Y 3 I thank you, the God of heaven, for you steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26) Read Psalm 130:7; Jonah 4:2 I NOTICED: Ref lect There is much bound up in the Hebrew word translated by the ESV as steadfast love. It carries tones of goodness, kindness, and faithfulness. This is the same word that appeared back in Jonah 2:8, when Jonah declares that those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love implying that only in God is such steadfast love found. The word appears numerous times throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the Psalms where it appears 127 times, consistently referring to the love of God. Today for the reflection, I invite you to read through and reflect upon Psalm 136. What does the psalmist encourage the reader to do in response to God s steadfast love? 86

88 Has God s steadfast love been there from the beginning of creation? What indicates that this is so? Is God s steadfast love present in moments of hardship? How does he provide for us in those moments? How have you known the steadfast love of God? Apply While God is consistent in his love, proving it to us again and again, we often are not consistent in showing love. We sometimes get too caught up in ourselves that we forget to show God s love to others. How can you embody love to someone else today? Here are a few suggestions: bake cookies for a neighbor; offer to do some yardwork for an elderly neighbor; bring an extra water bottle today in the car and give it to someone on the street; call a family member or friend whom you haven t talked to in a while. PRAY Dear God, I thank you and praise you that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Help me to reflect your 87 character to those around me this week.

89 D A Y 4 rom Thankful to Grump Jonah 2:9 But I with a voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD Read Jonah 4:1-3; Luke 15:25-32 I NOTICED: Ref lect We have spent the last few days reflecting on the characteristics of God that appear in Jonah s prayer. You would think these characteristics would bring about thanksgiving! Back in chapter 2, Jonah s prayer was indeed one of thankfulness to God. It was a prayer celebrating the life that had been restored to Jonah. Here in chapter 4, Jonah is complaining to God, even asking to die. This dramatic change in tone between the prayers only becomes more astounding in that what preceded the prayers was largely the same. What led up to Jonah s prayer in Jonah 2:9? What led up to Jonah s prayer in Jonah 4:3? 88

90 Did you spot the difference? The ESV Study Bible helps bring it out, Steadfast love, when extended to Jonah, filled him with thanksgiving (Jonah 2:8), but when extended to the Ninevites, filled him with anger. Jonah was ready to receive God s compassion for himself, but was not willing to see God s compassion extended to his enemies, even when they repented. How is the heart of Jonah like the heart of the older son in Luke 15:25-32? What makes Jonah distinct from the older brother in the parable is that Jonah himself was a prodigal. He had disobeyed God and experienced the compassion of God. And yet despite having experienced God s compassion richly in his own life, Jonah is still angry at the sight of God extending compassion to others, namely Jonah s enemies. Apply Take time to journal today, using the following questions as guides: How would you describe Jonah s character in light of his thankfulness to receive compassion but anger at the sight of others receiving compassion? How do you relate to the description of Jonah s character? When you first accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, did you want to share the Gospel or keep it to yourself? How about now? PRAY Dear God, I thank you and praise you that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Help me to reflect your 89 character to those around me this week.

91 Wrong Anger D A Y 5 God, let me be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. I know my anger does not produce your righteousness. (James 1:19-20) Read Jonah 4:4 I NOTICED: Ref lect What were the words you used in your journal yesterday to describe the character of Jonah when he gets angry about God s compassion toward others? Douglas Stuart suggests that Jonah appears especially selfish, petty, temperamental, and even downright foolish in chapter 4 (Stuart, p502). Do some of these align with what you wrote? How about the word wrong? Do you think this is a fair characterization? God asks Jonah, Do you do well to be angry? (ESV). Several other well-known translations, such as the NIV and NRSV, translate it as Is it right for you to be angry? This question over whether Jonah s anger is right stands in stark contrast to what occurs in Jonah 4:1. Jonah s displeasure in response to God s compassion on the Ninevites in that verse could be roughly translated as saying it was bad/evil to Jonah. In Jonah s opinion, God had made the wrong decision by not destroying Nineveh at that moment and Jonah expresses his anger in response. Is there any way in which you agree? 90

92 Think back to Psalm 136 which you read a few days ago, Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Similarly, in Mark 10:18 Jesus proclaims that no one is good except God alone. God, in his nature of steadfast love and compassion, did what was good in his own sight and did not destroy Nineveh. But there is still Jonah. God has not given up on Jonah. Like the father in the prodigal son narrative, which we read yesterday, who went out to his older son to talk with him and encourage him to come celebrate the return of his brother, God approaches Jonah. He asks Jonah, Is it right for you to be angry? Jonah doesn t answer, but we as the readers want to say no. Jonah s anger is arising from his selfishness. God is still compassionate towards Jonah. The question, Is it right for you to be angry? marks the beginning of a teaching moment that we will cover next week, in which God tries to help Jonah come to better appreciate the compassion of God. For now, consider this. God could have sent anyone to Nineveh. Why do you think he sent Jonah? Ask this question of someone you know today. Do you think we have a right to be Apply angry with God? PRAY Dear God, I thank you and praise you that you are gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Help me to reflect your 91 character to those around me this week.

93 Jonah 4:5-11 ESV WEEK 7 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 9 But God said to Jonah, Do you do well to be angry for the plant? And he said, Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die. 10 And the LORD said, You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle? 92

94 SERMON NOTES October 20-21,

95 LifeGroup Guide Jonah 4:5-11 Intro Jonah sits himself down to watch what will become of Nineveh. It appears he is still hoping God might change his mind and destroy them after all, or perhaps he just plans to sit and feel sorry for himself. The humor of Jonah s thought process and behavior is emphasized again when Jonah experiences the delightful shade of a plant. At first he is exceedingly glad for the comfort of this, and soon after he is exceedingly angry when it is removed. God certainly seems to be orchestrating these events to bring out Jonah s true colors and to make a point to him and to us as readers. Jonah s response to this episode with the plant is parallel to his exuberant prayer of thankfulness to God for saving his life followed by his overdramatic response to God offering the same grace and forgiveness to equally undeserving sinners in Nineveh. Jonah s emotions about God s willingness to save are shown to be incredibly self-centered. God s sovereignty, that is his control over all, is emphasized yet again in this section as God appoints the plant, the worm and the scorching wind. God s power and right to decide the fate of all living things is especially brought home in the closing question, Should I not pity Nineveh...? God, the creator of all things, desires to save the people and cattle he has made in Nineveh. Jonah, in contrast, questions God s decisions by watching the fate of Nineveh and hoping for a different outcome as well as by his anger for the plant. He doesn t want God to be sovereign, and only has compassion for God s creation when it suits him. In this story Jonah acts as if he has the right to determine the salvation of others, make judgment over life and death itself, and defiantly disobey the sovereign God. The storyline so far proves that these actions and beliefs are fruitless and almost comical, and yet the open-ended question at the end of the book leaves the reader without a conclusion to Jonah s story. The answer to the rhetorical question is obvious by the end of 94

96 the story. Of course God has every right! And yet we are not told whether Jonah responds this way. The rest of his life story is left to the imagination. As you reach our final study today, consider how you have related to Jonah s life story, and place yourself in his shoes. I invite you to answer this question for yourself, and consider your life as the ongoing story that was never written into these pages: What will happen next in your story as a result of being shaped and formed by Jonah s? What lessons have you learned about God s compassion for others and his call to you to share his compassion and reckless love for those he has made? Remember from last week: How did Jonah respond to the repentance of the people of Nineveh? How does Jonah respond about the fate of the plant? Compare and contrast the two. Paraphrase what is the dialogue between God and Jonah here at the end of the chapter? Considering the whole story of Jonah, does the final dialogue of this book surprise you? Why or why not? What gets you really riled up and angry? Have you ever been that emotional about the state of salvation of people around you? How is God convicting you through this passage? And should I not pity Nineveh... What is your answer to this question at the end of the book? How has this story shaped your understanding of God s compassion? Who has God been challenging you to love while you ve been reading Jonah? What s your big take-away from this study? Take some extra time today to share with each other the overarching message God has been speaking to you through this study and how you have been transformed through this book. How can you keep each other accountable to live into the transformation God is bringing about? 95

97 D A Y 1 Review of Compassion Jonah 2:7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Read 96 Jonah 4:5 I NOTICED: Ref lect As we enter into the final week of our study of Jonah, let s review where we have been. The structure of the story of Jonah helps us to remember the story as it is formed in parallels. Go back through the text of Jonah printed in this guide. Find where each of these plot moments happened, and add these outline letters in the margin. A. God gives a command to Jonah and Jonah runs away (disobeys). B. Jonah faces his own destruction as a result of his disobedience and is saved by God. C. Jonah prays a prayer of thanksgiving. A. God gives a command to Jonah and Jonah obeys. B. Nineveh faces their own destruction as a result of their wickedness and is saved by God. C. Jonah prays a prayer in anger. In summary, when God s compassion is shown to Jonah, Jonah gives thanks for it, but when God s same compassion is shown to Nineveh, Jonah is angry at God because of it. God, in His love and compassion, still has not given up on Jonah, despite Jonah s selfishness. Why do you think God keeps pursuing Jonah?

98 In what ways have you seen God s pursuit of you in your own life story? The ESV titles the final section of Jonah (4:5-11) as Jonah s Lesson about Compassion. While it begins with Jonah heading out to see what will happen to Nineveh, really the question becomes what will happen to Jonah. Will he come to realize the goodness of God s compassion towards others? This final section is the climax of the story. What is the final lesson Jonah gets from God about compassion? Apply Reflect on the lyrics to the worship song Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. At one point the lyrics read I couldn t earn it, I don t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away, Oh the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. We are recipients of God s steadfast love and compassion. Now exchange the word I with the word they. [They] couldn t earn it, [they] couldn t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away, Oh the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. How does this shape our view of God and view of others? PRAY Dear God, Thank you for your great compassion! Help me to appreciate and 97 reflect your compassion to others.

99 Another Experience of Compassion D A Y 2 Psalm 36:7 How precious is your steadfast love to me, O God! I take refuge with all mankind in the shadow of your wing. Read Jonah 4:5-6 I NOTICED: Ref lect Jonah heads out into the wilderness, yet in sight of Nineveh, to wait and see what will take place. While waiting, he builds himself a shelter. Mesopotamia is not like the Pacific Northwest and is, as Douglas Stuart describes it largely treeless, meaning that Jonah s shelter was likely made out of stone and clay with no roof (Stuart, p820). God makes a leafy plant grow, effectively acting as a roof for Jonah. The author of Jonah writes that this plant grew to save him [Jonah] from his discomfort. The Hebrew word behind discomfort is the same one we have encountered multiple times before in the text (raah), previously being translated as evil or disaster. With this use of the word in mind, the ESV Study Bible suggests the plant was sent to save Jonah both from his outer discomfort and... his inner evil. What insight does seeing that word ra-ah give to you? 98

100 What is the inner evil that Jonah needs to be saved from? We see Jonah s selfishness highlighted in today s passage by the word exceedingly (using the ESV translation). Verse 6 says that Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. The plant itself is an act of compassion from God, and Jonah is glad because of it. This is not the first time the word exceedingly has appeared in chapter 4. Back in verse 1, we read that God s compassion on the Ninevites displeased Jonah exceedingly. What contrast does this word choice highlight? Jonah s gladness about the plant is not wrong in and of itself. We should be glad when we receive compassion. If we are only glad when we receive compassion that benefits us and not when compassion is given to others, then we may be in the wrong. To whom have you shown compassion in the past? Is there a way that you can show Apply compassion to them again this week? PRAY Dear God, Thank you for your great compassion! Help me to appreciate and 99 reflect your compassion to others.

101 D A Y 3 God Who Gives and Takes Away Philippians 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Read Jonah 4:7-8 I NOTICED: Ref lect What was God s purpose for the plant if it only lasted for a day? Was he taunting Jonah? Have you ever sensed that God gave you something and then took it away? How did this impact your relationship with God? Write down some of those circumstances. The plant serves a purpose and there are at least three possibilities for what this purpose may be. Is it possible any of these could have been at play in your story? 1. The plant emphasizes God s sovereignty (power) much like in Jonah 2. The language of appointment appears again with God appointing the plant, then the worm, then the wind. In addition to displaying God s power over creation, Desmond Alexander comments that the plant dramatically reveals... that God s sovereignty is not restricted to acts of compassion. As the one who gives life, he also has the right to bring it to an end (Alexander, p142). In other words, God does not have 100

102 to show compassion and could have destroyed Nineveh (and Jonah, too). Yet God is abundant in compassion and allows Jonah and Nineveh to be spared from immediate judgment. 2. The plant reveals the desires of Jonah s heart. Much like in the story of Job, taking away material things reveals the true heart of a person. Jon Bloom writes about the story of Job on the blog, Desiring God, that Satan knew that the taking away more than the giving would reveal the truth what Job really trusted and loved. When everything (his wealth and his family) was taken away from him, Job turns to God in worship stating, The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 1:21). What is it that Jonah truly loves as his perceived source of comfort (the plant) is taken away from him? 3. The plant is used to teach Jonah about compassion. As we will see on day 5 of this week, God appeals to Jonah s response to the plant and uses it to help Jonah see the bigger picture. Of the three purposes presented here, this is the key one within the context of Jonah. What did Jonah walk away knowing of God s compassion? What have you walked away knowing of God? Apply If your reflection on your own life brought up emotion, take that before God in prayer. As you remember the circumstances that felt like a taking away, ask God to let you visualize him sitting there with you in that past moment. Can you see God resting his hand on your shoulder? Comforting you? Can you see compassion in his eyes? Holy Spirit, please heal anything hurtful that has arisen today. Show the depth of your compassionate love. PRAY Dear God, Thank you for your great compassion! Help me to appreciate 101 and reflect your compassion to others.

103 D A Y 4 Extent of Selfishness Psalm 95:1-2 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Read Jonah 4:9 I NOTICED: Ref lect Why is Jonah angry about the destruction of the plant? Why would God ask the question that was already posed in 4:4 again specifically about the plant? Is it right for Jonah to be angry about the plant from his perspective? Do you think it is right for Jonah to be angry about the plant? Three times throughout Jonah 4 we have seen him ask to die (vv. 3, 8-9). What do you make of that? 102

104 What seems odd is that when he was truly in a hard situation (drowning in the sea) he asked God to save his life. So it is not just the physical situation that is contributing to Jonah s desire to die in chapter 4. He is so frustrated with God s compassion to the Ninevites that he does not want to live to see it. How selfish is that! Recall again the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15: Rather than joining in the festivities (compare to Jonah being alive) surrounding the prodigal brother s return, the older brother chooses to stay outside (compare to Jonah wanting to die). What is Jonah missing out on? We can all become guilty from time to time of focusing on ourselves. Are you missing out on joining in on someone else s celebration right now? Apply Practice celebrating God s compassion in someone else s life. Ask someone to share with you their testimony (how they have seen God at work in their lives). As a bonus, when they finish sharing their story with you, ask if you can pray a prayer of thanksgiving with them for what God has done in their life. PRAY Dear God, Thank you for your great compassion! Help me to appreciate and 103 reflect your compassion to others.

105 Big-picture Compassion D A Y 5 God, I praise you for you have pity on the weak and the needy, and save the lives of the needy. (Psalm 72:13) Read Jonah 4:10-11 I NOTICED: Ref lect God begins by pointing to Jonah s feelings for the plant. The Hebrew word translated pity in the ESV means to look compassionately on. Jonah, despite his selfishness, is described as having compassion on the plant. If Jonah in his selfish nature is able to have compassion for something, how much more so does God, in his goodness and steadfast love, show compassion? Look up Matthew 7:9-11. How does God feel about you? Douglas Stuart comments, If Jonah could care so deeply about a vine, and desire so strongly that it should not die, could not God care all the more about people or even animals? Since all cultures value animals above plants and people above animals, God s point to Jonah is clear. Jonah had wanted a plant to be spared, but not people. His values were completely amiss (Stuart, p820). Can we honestly say we value the same things God values if we do not come to appreciate the compassion he has for others? Who do you wish you felt more compassion toward? 104

106 The people of Nineveh did not deserve God s compassion. As the ESV Study Bible suggests, a people who do not know their right hand from their left is an idiom for being morally and spiritually unaware. God, in his compassion, calls to Nineveh to help them become aware; when they repent, God, in his compassion, relents. How great is God s compassion! Remember earlier this week we studied the lyrics to Reckless Love? It centers around Jesus, the only Son of God, dying on the cross for our sins, the ultimate act of compassion. To give compassion to others, we must first see God s compassion in our own life, realizing that we couldn t earn nor deserve it (Romans 5:6-8). Then we must also see that they are like us, not earning nor deserving God s compassion, yet Jesus died that whoever believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:16). Try writing down five things in your life that are hard to believe God is compassionate toward you about. Next to each thing you write down, write the words And still you love me. Apply Memorize one of the following passages which summarize the major theme(s) in Jonah: Luke 6:35-36: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Ephesians 4:32: Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. PRAY Dear God, Thank you for your great compassion! Help me to appreciate and 105 reflect your compassion to others.

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108 BIBLIOGRAPHY You don t need to go out and buy these, but we wanted you to know what those of us who wrote the study used for our own study references. Some of these are quoted in the study. T. Desmond Alexander, Jonah: An Introduction and Commentary, in Obadiah, Jonah and Micah, vol. 26 of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP/Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1988). Bloom, Jon. What God Gives When He Takes Away. Desiring God, 25 Aug. 2015, desiringgod.org/articles/what-god-giveswhen-he-takes-away. Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, eds. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Abridged). Accordance electronic ed., version 3.6. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Grand Rapids: Oswald Chambers Publications Association, 1992). Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith,(New York: Dutton, 2008). J.I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: IVP Books, 1973). Matt Skinner, Commentary on Acts 2:42-47, on workingpreacher.org. Douglas Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, vol. 31 of Word Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988). (Notably taught Pastor Megan s class on Prophetical Books at Gordon-Conwell.) Douglas Stuart, Jonah, ed. D. A Carson et al., New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994) 107

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