Sunday School Winter 2014

Jonah - Introduction Author  No claims of authorship o Autobiographical information points to Jonah Who was Jonah & where did he come from?  2 Kings 14:25 - Gath-hepher is near Nazareth in Galilee  John 7:25 – “No prophet has arisen out of Galilee” said the Pharisees  Unverifiable Jewish tradition says Jonah was the son of the widow of Zarephath whom Elijah raised from the dead (1 Kings 17:8–24) 2 Kings 14:25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo- hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the L ORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath- hepher.

Jonah - Background Jeroboam II was King (ca. 793–758 B.C.) Israel enjoyed prosperity but religion was ritualistic & increasingly idolatrous, & justice had become perverted Nineveh, the capital of Assyria  Founded by Nimrod, great-grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:6–12)  On Banks of Tigris River, 500 miles northeast of Israel  Possibly the largest city of its time (circumference of 60 miles)  Destroyed 150 years after Jonah’s visit (Nahum 1, 3) o Nebuchadnezzar in 612 BC

Jonah Overview Chapter 1 Running from God Disobedient Chapter 2 Running to God Discipline Chapter 3 Running with God Dynamic Chapter 4 Running ahead of God Disappointment

Jonah 1 – Running From God What message was Jonah to have brought to Nineveh? Why did Jonah try and run away? Is there a gap between what Jonah knows and what he is living? What’s behind this gap?  Have you or do you know of someone who has tried to flee from or ignore the direction in which they felt God pulling them?  What happened in the end? Jonah tried to get away from God's presence (verse 3). Is this possible ? How can we as Christians keep away from God's presence? 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the L ORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Compare the 3 vs below Genesis 4:16 Job 1:12 Psalm 139:7 – 12 Psalm 51:11

Jonah 1 – Running From God How does God work through the elements of his creation to redirect Jonah’s path? Who did the sailors initially look to for mercy? Where did the sailors find Jonah?  How can we as Christian "sleep spiritually" ? What changed their minds about who they were praying too? Which is better obedience of sacrifice? 1 Samuel 15:22 Romans 13: 11-14

 If obedience is better than sacrifice, what kind of an impact does it have on your life in light of the study of James?  In what ways are you running from God?  Can something in your life change the minds of others? Challenges for week 1

Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 2

Does God celebrate holidays? Why do people think they can lie to God and get away with it? What does it mean that God has no beginning? Why did God make Earth if He could make us and we go straight to heaven? What’s so bad about the plague with the frogs? The questions kids ask….. What’s so bad about frogs? If God knows what you pray before you pray it, then why do we pray? How old is God? Do babies who die go to heaven? How do we know that the Bible is true? Did Jonah really live inside a fish?

Jonah 2 – Running to God 1.Summarize Jonah’s prayer.  What did he pray about? 2.Discuss the importance of prayer in Jonah’s intimacy with God.  What did Jonah recognize?  What is the relationship between prayer and our growth in Christ?  Why does it take dire circumstances sometimes to get us to pray? “When you run from God the only direction you can go is down.” Warren Wiersbe I Kings 8:38-39 Psalm 40:2-3 Psalms 103:1-5

Jonah 2 – Running to God 3.What do you forfeit when you cling to idols? (v8) 4.Why was Jonah thankful? (v9)  Do you see a link to James 1? 5.What did Jonah understand about affliction and the Lord’s discipline? 6.Where does Jonah say salvation comes from? 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2­-3

Jonah 2 – Running to God 7. What did Jonah mean when he said: “But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.” 8. How long was Jonah in the belly of the fish?  For how long was Jesus in the grave ? 9. What did Jonah do to make God let Him out of the fish? Hebrews 4:14–16 Hebrews 13:15-16 Acts 16: 23–26 Matthew 12:39-40

Digging Deeper Read Jonah 2:­6, Psalm 40:2­3, and Psalm 103:1-­5  Why was Jonah thankful? Read James 1:2­3 and Hebrews 12:7­-11  What did Jonah understand about affliction and the Lord’s discipline? Read Jonah 2:7-10  Is there repentance in Jonah’s prayer? Explain.  What is the meaning of verse 8? What does Jonah conclude and the results?

If God could do these two great miracles why do we find it hard to trust Him for smaller things? Jonah understood God's loving kindness and mercy. How can we as Christians obtain the mercy of God ? Despite all that was happening to Jonah he still made a " Sacrifice to God" with the voice of thanksgiving. What does the sacrifice of praise mean to you as Christians ? There are times when we must be made to go into the lowest depths that we may regain a living faith. Prayers in those times of need should be made with an attitude of thanksgiving as well as petition Challenges 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 3

Jonah Overview Chapter 1 Running from God Disobedient Chapter 2 Running to God Discipline Chapter 3 Running with God Dynamic Chapter 4 Running ahead of God Disappointment

Jonah 3:1-3 What do we learn about the character of God in His message coming to Jonah a “second time”?  How has this been evident in your life? What might have God used to prepare the Ninevites hearts? Jonah 3 – Running With God Second Chances Luke 22:54-62 John 21:15-17

Jonah 3 – Running With God Jonah 3:4-10 Who did the people of Nineveh believe?  What do you learn from this? Did they repent? How did they show it?  Why were the animals mentioned? …. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes … Rom 1:16 Because they repent, God does not destroy Nineveh. What message of comfort can each of us find in that? What do you learn about the nature of God in the story thus far? What do you find most comforting and/or troubling?

Jonah 3 – Running With God What two things happened once they believed God?  Vs  Vs The Ninevites’ confession radically changed their personal lives 2.The Ninevites’ confession radically changed their public behavior What did the King of Nineveh proclaim (call for)? What was God’s reaction? Isn’t God’s way unchanging? Joel 2:12-14 Numbers23:19

Challenges Even Roberts was used by God to ignite the awakening in Wales in the early 1900s. He challenged believers to change their lifestyle in 4 areas: 1.First, confess all known sin; 2.Second, get rid of anything doubtful in your life; 3.Third, be ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly; 4.Fourth, confess Jesus Christ publicly. Do you remain open to the work of God’s Grace? Are you willing to eliminate worldly compromises? Who is beyond your prayer list? Are you willing to confess Jesus publicly?

Sunday School Winter 2014 Chapter 4

Jonah 4:1-3 Why is Jonah so angry? What is at the root of Jonah’s anger? What does God try to teach Jonah about who God loves and who God is willing to show mercy? How can we be the same way at times? How did Jonah’s view of God lead to despair? Jonah 4 – Running Ahead of God “When Jonah’s friends found out that he had been the means of saving Nineveh from God’s wrath, they could have considered him a traitor to official Jewish foreign policy.” Warren Wiersbe

Jonah 4:4-5 – The Lord’s reply How does God answer Jonah’s prayer? Is there a purpose in God’s response? How did Jonah respond to God’s question? Jonah 4 – Running Ahead of God Right Response Luke 19:41 Acts 17:16

Jonah 4:6-9 The Lord’s second response How does God respond? How do these verses illustrate Jonah’s spiritual problem throughout the book? How is the progression of Jonah’s anger similar to our anger at times? Jonah 4 – Running Ahead of God

Jonah 4:10-11 The Lord’s third response What does God point out to Jonah in v10? In v11? Challenges What lessons is God teaching Jonah and us? Do we spend more time tending to our lawn/yard than doing God’s work Do we allow our own selfish anger to cloud our relationship with god Jonah 4 – Running Ahead of God

Wrap up Jonah was a manJesus was the God-man (John 1) Jonah preached a message of judgmentJesus preached a message of repentance and salvation (John 3). Jonah almost died for his own sinsJesus willingly died for the sins of the world (I John 2). Jonah’s ministry was to one cityJesus Christ’s message will circle the globe (Rev 19). Jonah’s obedience was not from the heartJesus always did what pleased His Father (John 8). Jonah did not love the people he came to rescue Jesus had compassion for the lost and came to seek and to save them (Luke 19). Jonah waited outside the city, hoping God would not forgive those who had hated the Jews Jesus Christ was put on a cross outside the city, praying that His Father would forgive those who hated Him (Luke 23) How is Jesus greater than Jonah? Both were Jews & both were prophets.

“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, [One] greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:41