If God gave Jonah a message of repentance to deliver then this invitation is for everyone. Because God wants us to be devoted to Him, this makes us ready to fully participate in the mission of God.
Small Group Resources
Jonah Week 3: Nineveh
1. Why is it easier to receive mercy than to celebrate it for others?
Jonah gladly received God’s mercy when he was rescued, but struggled when that same mercy was extended to Nineveh.
Can you think of a time when you were grateful for grace in your own life but found it difficult to extend grace to someone else? What made it difficult?
2. Who is your “Nineveh”?
The sermon began by asking us to think about a person or group we’ve quietly labeled as beyond hope, beyond change, or beyond forgiveness.
Without naming names if you prefer not to, what kinds of people are hardest for you to imagine God transforming? Why do you think that is?
3. Jonah preached as someone living on mercy himself.
Before God showed mercy to Nineveh, He had already shown mercy to Jonah a second time.
How does remembering your own story of forgiveness and second chances change the way you view people who need God’s mercy today?
4. What is the difference between wanting justice and wanting someone destroyed?
The sermon noted that God cared deeply about Nineveh’s violence, but Jonah seemed more interested in seeing Nineveh finished than transformed.
How can we pursue justice and accountability while still hoping for repentance, restoration, and redemption?
5. Jesus is the greater Jonah.
Unlike Jonah, Jesus willingly moved toward His enemies, prayed for those who harmed Him, and gave His life for them.
What stands out most to you about the contrast between Jonah and Jesus? How might following Jesus change the way you respond to difficult people this week?
Jonah: Week 2 Big Fish
1. What does your “belly of the beast” look like?
Jonah found himself trapped in darkness, confusion, and helplessness—a place partly of his own making. The sermon noted that we all experience seasons like this, sometimes because of our choices and sometimes because of circumstances beyond our control.
Can you identify a time when you felt trapped, overwhelmed, or unable to fix your situation? How did that experience affect your relationship with God?
2. Why do we often wait so long to pray?
Jonah didn’t pray during the storm. He prayed after he had sunk to the bottom and reached the end of himself.
Why do you think we often turn to God only after our own plans have failed? What would it look like to cultivate dependence on God before reaching a crisis point?
3. What helps you remember God’s faithfulness?
Jonah’s prayer is filled with Scripture and remembrance of God’s past faithfulness. The sermon emphasized that biblical “remembering” is more than recalling facts—it is allowing God’s past faithfulness to reshape our present perspective.
When facing fear, uncertainty, or suffering, what practices help you remember who God is and what He has done?
4. What idols are hardest for you to surrender?
The sermon suggested that Jonah’s idol wasn’t a carved image—it was control. He wanted God’s plans only when they matched his own desires.
Where are you most tempted to hold onto control instead of trusting God’s authority? What might surrender look like in that area of your life?
5. How does Jesus being the “greater Jonah” change the way you face hardship?
The sermon drew several contrasts between Jonah and Jesus, culminating in the truth that Jesus willingly entered suffering, death, and chaos in order to bring salvation.
How does knowing that Jesus has already entered the depths of suffering, death, and confusion on our behalf give you hope in your current circumstances?
Jonah Week 1
1. Where do you see yourself in Jonah’s response?
God’s command to Jonah was clear, yet he ran in the opposite direction. What are some ways we “run from God” today—not always through obvious rebellion, but through avoidance, delay, resistance, or inward reluctance?
2. Why do you think Jonah resisted God so strongly?
Jonah’s resistance wasn’t just fear—it was tied to his judgment of the Ninevites and his discomfort with God extending mercy to people he believed didn’t deserve it. Are there people, groups, or situations where you struggle to believe God’s grace should extend as freely as it does? What does that reveal about your heart?
3. Des talked about outward obedience but inward resistance.
Sometimes we comply externally while internally remaining resentful, prideful, or disconnected. Have you ever done the “right thing” on the outside while your heart was resisting God on the inside? What might full-hearted obedience look like instead?
4. Jonah tried to flee, but God pursued him anyway.
The storm in Jonah 1 was not simply punishment—it was part of God’s pursuit and correction. Can you think of a time when God used discomfort, disruption, or difficulty to get your attention and draw you back to Him? What did He teach you through it?
5. If God’s mercy is really for all, how should that shape our lives?
The sermon emphasized that God’s desire is redemption for everyone—even those Jonah thought were beyond grace.
Who might God be inviting you to pray for, forgive, serve, or move toward this week—even if it feels difficult or undeserved?