Book of Jonah Study Guide

Transcription

1 Book of Jonah Study Guide Sunday October 17 Sermon on Jonah Chapter 1:1-3 Monday October 18 The scene: Why not go to Nineveh? Read Jonah 1: The map shows that Nineveh is to the East but Jonah goes to the West to Tarshish. What is so bad about Nineveh that Jonah does not want to travel there? 2. As a Prophet, what is Jonah s job? How is this similar to our jobs as Christians? 3. Jonah tries to escape the presence of the Lord. Is this possible (see Psalm 139)? Talk about a time where you ran from God s presence. 4. Activity: Family hide and seek; Father is the seeker (note: this game is based on the fact that the Father knows his home and will be able to find everyone with relative ease. Feel free to limit the hiding area if necessary) This is simply a game of hide and seek, where the Father is always the seeker. Emphasize while playing that as Dad knows every corner of his house, so God knows every corner of the world. Tuesday October 19 The Storm Read Jonah 1: What is the cause of the storm? How do they determine that Jonah s disobedience is to blame? 2. Jonah s answer in verse 9 identifies himself with Yahweh, the Creator God. What is the

2 response of the sailors? How do we identify ourselves when people ask? What is the normal response? 3. Activity: Prophet > Pirate > Storm - full body rock paper scissors. Pirate motion is saying yarr and putting up one finger like a hook. Prophet does praying motion and says God is the creator. Storm makes thunder sounds and puts hands above head and motions like you are throwing lightning. You stand back to back and count down from three. Once you say shoot you turn around and do the motion you had already secretly decided to do. The pirate beats the prophet because he throws him over board. The storm beats the pirate because it sinks his ship. The prophet beats the storm because God calms it. Play a few rounds and if you tie you die (both lose). Wednesday October 20 Community Group M eeting Thursday October 21 Tossed Out - Read Jonah 1: Why do the men not immediately toss Jonah into the sea? Why do they row harder and try to make land? 2. How do the men justify throwing Jonah overboard? What happens when they call upon the LORD? 3. Chapter 1 ends with the men fearing the Lord and Jonah in the fish? Where is God s grace in this? What is the good news? 4. Activity: Boat, Ocean, Whale Separate a room into three equal sections, in the following order: boat, ocean, whale. One family member stands to the side and is the caller. They will call out one section out of the three and the family will race to see who can get there first. If a person goes to the wrong section, or is clearly the last person to arrive then they are out. If they move when they are supposed to stay still, they are out (if boat is called when everyone is already in the boat, for example). If that gets too easy add in one more call. If you call Shipwreck everyone is to lie down on the ground and cover their head. The last person to do that is out. Last person remaining who is in then becomes the caller for the next round. Friday October 22 Gone Fishing Read Jonah 1:17 2:10 1. How is the fish a safe place for Jonah? What happens to Jonah if there is no fish? 2. What happens to Jonah in the fish? What does he realize? 3. Chapter 2:9 is Jonah s return to the Lord. What does he commit to? Is this a new conversion or is Jonah just returning to his faith? Talk about a time when you recommitted your life to Jesus. What were the circumstances? Were you inside of a big

3 fish in the Mediterranean Sea? 4. Activity: Repent and Return - Repent means to turn away from wrong and return means to come back. This is a version of Simon Says to demonstrate that repent means to turn around. Have family stand while you read the following verses. Have them turn around 180 degrees each time they hear the word repent. Matt 4:17 From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Luke 13:5 and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too. Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Acts 17:30 "God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him." Saturday October 23 Gather the family in a dark room and light only a candle. Remind yourselves of what it must have been like in the belly of the whale. Remember Jesus in the belly of the earth for those same three days before he rose again. Pray together. Sunday October 24 Sermon on Jonah Chapter 1:4-17 Monday October 25 Life after the Fish Read Jonah 3: What changes about God s call to go to Nineveh? What changes about Jonah s response to God? 2. How big is Nineveh? What does this mean for Jonah s task? 3. What was the response of the people of Nineveh? What is our response supposed to be when we hear the Word of the Lord? Does believing save us? 4. Activity: Hearing the voice of Truth: Have each member of the family write down one true statement (about anything) and one false statement. Tear off the statements and fold them in half and place them in a bowl. Have people take turns picking them out and reading them. Then the family votes on if they think the statement is true or false. Then talk about how the Ninevites knew that what Jonah said was true. Tuesday October 26 Nineveh Repents - Read Jonah 3:6-10

4 1. How does the King respond to Jonah s message? What is his plan of action? 2. The King s call for fasting and repentance is in the hope that God will relent of the promised destruction. Have you ever fasted and prayed in this way? Have you seen God move through fasting? Through prayer? 3. Does God change his mind? Does God ever change? Why is this important? See Hebrews 13: Activity: Fasting is a common practice in the bible as a sign of repentance and also to turn your focus to God. The idea being, whenever you feel hungry it prompts you to remember why you are not eating. Fasting is still practiced today, although not as commonly. First imitate eating your favorite food. Then imitate being very very hungry. For this activity, each family member comes up with one food item that they eat regularly (and that they like) that they will give up for 1 week. Hold each other accountable and remind each other of this commitment. Later revisit this and talk about how difficult it is. Wednesday October 27 Community Group M eeting Thursday October 28 Jonah is Angry - Read Jonah 4: Why is Jonah so angry about Nineveh s repentance? How does he justify his behavior? 2. What does Jonah affirm about God in verse 2? This is covenant language that affirms the unchanging nature of God. How does Jonah know this about God? (Hint: he is a Jewish boy who learned it from his parents. See Deut. 6) 3. Why does Jonah want to die? Is this realistic? 4. Activity: Make a mad face: For this activity have every member of the family make a face for these emotions. Happy, Sad, Scared, sour food, surprised, nervous, and finally Mad. Have everyone hold their mad face and look at each other. Now talk about what it feels like to make that face.. What make Jonah mad like that? Friday October 29 Easy Come, Easy Go - Read Jonah 4: The Lord asks Jonah on two occasions do you do well to be angry? What is the meaning of this question? How would we phrase it differently? What is Jonah s answer? What is the right answer? 2. What is the purpose of the plant? What is God demonstrating about Nineveh to Jonah through the plant? Why does Jonah once again want to die? 3. Nineveh was a Gentile city, part of the Assyrian Empire. That God would spare Nineveh

5 explodes Jonah s narrow understanding of who God can love. How has God expanded your won understanding of who he loves? Who are some people that we have a hard time believing God loves? 4. Activity: Jonah and the Plant You will need a fairly large room or outdoor space for this game. A tree works well as a base. One person will represent Jonah, and the rest of the family represents God s plant. Have one person stand facing a tree or wall with their eyes closed (aka Jonah s booth). The other family members stand a set distance away. While Jonah is at his booth listening, the other family members approach him with the goal of tagging him. Jonah must count to 5 out loud, and then is free to turn around and give chase as soon as he hears his family approaching. The person who is tagged, or who is able to tag Jonah, then becomes the new Jonah. Saturday October 30 Discuss the Book of Jonah as a family. What are the highlights? How can we learn from this story? Pray together again with the candle in the darkened room. Before the lights are turned on, blow out the candle and scare everyone because it is Halloween eve. :) Sunday October 31 Sermon on Jonah Chapter 1:17-2:10 Take this week to discuss God s call to stewardship in our lives. Talk about the tithe and our responsibility to give to the church. Use the following Scriptures: Malachi 3: Corinthians 9:6-15 Hebrews 13:5-6 Luke 12:22-34 Future Events November 3 Community Group Meeting Sunday November 7 All Saints Sunday November 10 Community Group Celebration at the Church Sunday November 14 Sermon on Jonah Chapter 3 Sunday November 21 Sermon on Jonah Chapter 4

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