small group discussion

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SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION DATE

March 7 March 7

BIBLE PASSAGE

Jonah 2 Jonah 2

GRADES 9-12

1. KNOW THE CONTEXT The The book book of of Jonah Jonah is is an an ancient ancient story story of of a a Prophet Prophet of of God God named named Jonah. Jonah. In In this this story story Jonah Jonah is is asked asked by by God God to to go go to to the the "great "great city city of of Nineveh" Nineveh" and and tell tell them them to to change change their their ways ways because because they they were were wicked. wicked. But, But, there there is is a a catch. catch. Jonah Jonah didn't didn't want want to to go go to to Nineveh, Nineveh, and and so so he he ran ran away away from from God God and and from from the the people people of of Nineveh. Nineveh. The The story story of of Jonah Jonah has has a a lot lot to to teach teach us us about about the the things things we we run run away away from from in in our our life, life, and and what what repentance repentance looks looks like like as as well well as as learning learning how how to to trust trust God God even even when when we we have have different different ideas ideas of of how how things things should should turn turn out. out. In In chapter chapter two two of of Jonah's Jonah's story story we we find find him him deep deep in in the the belly belly of of a a fish fish after after he he had had tried tried to to run run away away from from God God and and got got caught caught on on a a boat boat in in a a terrible terrible storm storm that that forced forced him him to to be be thrown thrown overboard. overboard. In In this this chapter chapter Jonah Jonah is is crying crying out out to to God God for for forgiveness. forgiveness. Tonight Tonight we we are are going going to to look look at at Jonah Jonah 2 2 to to learn learn what what real real repentance repentance looks looks like like for for us. us.

2. READ THE BIBLE PASSAGE TOGETHER 3. SPEND TIME IN OBSERVATION Which verses, ideas, or characters stuck out to you? What questions could come from this passage? Observation notes:

Questions:

4. SPEND TIME IN INTERPRETATION What did this passage mean to the original audience? What would it have felt like to be a character in this passage, and who in the passage is the hero/role model (if any)? What’s the main point of this passage?

Questions

Answers

Think of Think of a a time time when when you you got got caught caught doing doing something something shouldn't shouldn't have have done? done?

Where Where were were you? you? What What happened? happened? How How did did you you get get out out of of it? it?

What is What is repentance? repentance?

Repentance Repentance is is asking asking for for forgiveness forgiveness and and then then having having the the courage courage to to actually actually live live differently. differently.

How do we we ask ask for for God's God's How do forgiveness? forgiveness?

Pray and how how He He is is perfect perfect and and in in his his Pray to to him. him. Start Start by by reminding reminding yourslef yourslef of of who who god god is is and perfection he he loves loves us us and and wants wants to to be be in in a a healthy healthy relationship relationship with with us? us? perfection

What when we we don't don't We Nineveh, What happens happens when We isolate isolate ourselves ourselves from from other other people, people, like like Jonah Jonah did did by by running running away away from from Nineveh, want to to ask ask for for forgiveness? forgiveness? and we we keep keep out out the the love love that that God God has has for for us. us. want and What we learn learn from from What can can we Jonah's prayer of of Jonah's prayer repentance? repentance?

5. SPEND TIME IN APPLICATION What is the “universal truth” God wants to teach us from this passage? How can we apply the message of this passage to our daily lives?

Who do Who do we we need need to to ask ask forgiveness forgiveness of of this this week? week? What What are are some some ways ways we we can can begin begin regularly regularly repenting repenting and and going going after after God God in in our our daily daily lives? lives? How How can can we we make make more more room room God God in in our our lives lives and and keep keep ourselves ourselves open open to to other other people? people?

6. PRAY Follow-up notes: