Jonah

 Homiletics                                              Study:        Children of the Promise    

                                                                                                 Kingdom Divided

Lesson     12                                            Passage:    Jonah

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Jonah encounters God; hears His direction, is held accountable receives saving mercy bringing praise (Jonah 1-2) 1. Jonah reacts to God’s call a. Jonah hears God’s call to preach against Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-2) b. Jonah runs away from the Lord sailing for Tarshish (3) c. Lord sends a violent storm that causes sailors to fear and lighten the ship (4-5) 2. Sleeping Jonah hears the request for God to save. a. Captain of the ship goes to sleeping Jonah and asks for him to call on his god so they won’t perish (6) b. Sailors cast lots to find responsibility for calamity; the lot falls on Jonah and asks “what”. (7-10) c. Jonah says throw me into the sea; his fault (11) 3. God provides safety a. Sailors plead for mercy, throws Jonah into the sea; then offer sacrifice to Lord (13-16) b. Lord provides fish who swallow Jonah where he remains for 3 days & nights (17) 4. Jonah’s prayer of praise to God in fish a. God heard Jonah’s cry and brought him up (2:1-6) b. God heard Jonah’s prayer and grateful; salvation comes from Lord (2:7-9) c. Lord commands the fish to place Jonah on dry land (2:10)

Jonah’s message leads Nineveh to repentance bringing God’s mercy (Jonah 3) 1. Word of the Lord comes to Jonah a second time for Nineveh (3:1-2) 2. Jonah proclaims Ninevah's overthrow in 40 days; people believe and fast (3-5) 3. Jonah’s warning reached the king of Ninevah and covered in sackcloth and the king issued a decree to not eat or drink, urgently call on God, and give up evil ways (6-8) 4. Hoping that God would relent from fierce anger (9) 5. God sees their response and did not destroy them (10)

Jonah’s anger brings God’s corrective lesson (Jonah 4) 1. Jonah’s anger a. Jonah sees and becomes angry;  knowing that God is slow to anger and abounding in love (1-2) b. Jonah prays for God to take his life (3) c. God challenges Jonah’s anger (4) 2. Jonah waits to see Ninevah a. Makes shelter and waits to see what will happen to Nineveh (5) b.  Lord provides a plant for shade; Jonah is happy (6) c. Worm chews plant and withers; scorching wind and sun causes Jonah to grow faint (7-8) d. Jonah again says “it would be better to die than to live (9) 3.  God uses plant, which Jonah did not tend or make grow, to illustrate God’s greater concern for Ninevah (10-11)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Jonah encounters God; hears His direction, is held accountable receives saving mercy bringing praise	Jonah 1-2
Jonah’s message leads Nineveh to repentance bringing God’s mercy	Jonah 3
Jonah’s anger brings God’s corrective lesson	Jonah 4

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

God uses unwilling Jonah bringing repentance and demonstration of concern.

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATLT God has a mission for His followers and amazing results can occur when we submit to His leading.

Specific Application Questions

How do you reject God’s leading?  What results have you experienced?

When sin is identified, what is your response?

What is your attitude when results aren’t what you expect?

Principles to Remember                                                                                         

God calls us to do His will

Faithful service has results

God is slow to anger and abounding in love

Characteristic of God

Compassionate for His creation

Theme

God calls us to listen to His word and humble ourselves before Him.