Heroes: Jonah

Speaker: Jo Crawford

The short summary

We need to have Faith like Jonah's, to be certain of who God is and what he is like. Then we can tell people the good news, and let God reel them in. We need to welcome newcomers; the gospel is not just for us.

The long version

Jonah ignored God's command to go and preach to Nineveh. He ran away, God caught him in a fish and sent him back. When the Ninevites repented, Jonah was cross – they were Israel's enemy and he wanted God to destroy them. But God loves everyone. He wants to forgive.

Jonah was the most successful prophet in the Bible. One quick line of prophecy and 2/3 of the population of Hertfordshire get saved. Or something like that.

Jonah had amazing faith. He knew that God would cause the Ninevites to listen and believe and repent, and he knew that God would forgive them and show mercy. He was so certain of this that he thought it was worth going to all the trouble of running away from God.

Jonah didn’t want to share his God and his religion with non-Jews, with foreigners, with outsiders. Sometimes we don't want to welcome newcomers in – we don’t want to change the way things are, or make the effort, or maybe we feel a bit threatened.

When Jonah is sad about the plant dying, God says but you didn’t even make it, why are you sad? God created people, and he loves them all. God wants us to welcome everyone, and be prepared to let them join in. He loves them and he wants us to love them too.

Ps 145:9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

The bonus features

• There is no point in running away from God.

• God gives second chances.

• God protects us.

• It's good to be grateful, not grumpy.

Application

Do you ever feel that God won't use you (in amazing ways, or in mundane ways) because of something you have done (run away?) or something about the way you are (grumpy?). Is it true? Find a bible verse to back up your answer.

How do you feel when someone new comes (to work, to church, into your group of friends)? How does God want you to be towards them? What would help you?

Practice telling each other the gospel. Anyway you like but if you want to use the colours thing, they are: black/dark=sin, red=Jesus' blood, white=forgiven & pure, green=saved & growing, gold=promise of heaven

Do you run away from things or from God? Why? Are you believing a lie? Do you think God could deal with it?

Posted: 26 Apr 2009