Discussion Questions

1. Today is the first week of a new sermon series on the Old Testament book of Jonah called, “Jonah & the Relentless Love of God.” Most Americans remember learning the story of Jonah and the Whale sometime during their childhood years. What do you remember from those early tellings of this story? 

2.In Jonah chapter 1, God directs Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to preach a message of repentance. Jonah, however, disobeyed, boarded a ship, and sailed 2,000 miles in the opposite direction. Why do you think Jonah didn’t listen to God? Has God ever given you any instructions that you had a hard time following? 

3. Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian empire, an empire that was known for its brutality, worship of pagan gods, and sinful ways.  In many ways Nineveh was home to the enemies of God’s people, people they thought would never ever turn to God. Can you think of a modern equivalent of Nineveh in your own life? Is there anyone who you see as so far from God that you think they are hopeless to ever turn back to Him?

4. Despite their sin, God had compassion on the many people who lived in Nineveh and desired that they turned to Him. Jonah, on the other hand, would have preferred to see Nineveh destroyed and certainly didn’t want to see them receive God’s forgiveness. What can we learn about God’s character from the book of Jonah?