Jonah pt 5 - Discussion Guide

Discussion Questions

1. Jonah’s Response to God’s Mercy

• Read Jonah 4:1-3

  • Jonah is angry that God shows mercy to Nineveh. Why do you think Jonah reacted this way?

  • How does Jonah’s anger challenge our own views on mercy?

2. The Irony of Jonah’s Anger

• Read Jonah 4:2

  • Jonah admits he fled because he knew God was gracious and merciful. Why would Jonah be upset by God’s compassion, given his own experiences of mercy?

  • How do you think Jonah’s anger affects his ability to participate in God’s plan for Nineveh?

3. God’s Compassion for Jonah

• Read Jonah 4:6-11

  • God provides Jonah with a plant for shelter but takes it away. What does this moment tell us about Jonah's understanding of God’s mercy?

  • Why does Jonah care so much about the plant? What does this reveal about his priorities and his inability to see the bigger picture?

4. The Parable of the Prodigal Son

• Read Luke 15:25-32

  • How does the older son’s response in the parable mirror Jonah’s reaction in Jonah 4?

  • What does both stories teach us about God’s mercy, especially toward those we might consider undeserving?

5. Recognizing Our Own Need for Mercy

• Erin shared a personal story about feeling anger toward those who harm what we care about (like the speeding driver and the deer). How might your own “Nineveh moment” look?

  • Can you identify a situation where you struggled to extend mercy to someone you considered an enemy?

  • How can recognizing our own need for mercy help us open our hearts to others?

Reflection Questions

• Personal Reflection:

  • Who is your Nineveh? Are there people in your life you struggle to show mercy to? How might God be inviting you to extend compassion to them?

  • Have you forgotten your own need for mercy? What might God be teaching you about receiving His grace today?

• Group Reflection:

  • How can we, as a group, create a culture of mercy? What might it look like for us to actively extend grace to others, even to those we find difficult?

Practical Application

• Action Step 1: Identify someone in your life whom you may consider an “enemy” or difficult to love. This week, find a practical way to extend mercy or kindness toward them.

• Action Step 2: Reflect on Jonah’s identity as a chosen member of God’s family, even when others are invited to the table. How can you grow in confidence about your place in God’s family and invite others in?

Closing Prayer

Leader, you can lead the prayer or ask a member of the group to close in prayer.

“God, we thank You for Your mercy, even when it defies our expectations. Like Jonah, we can find it hard to extend grace to others, but we recognize today that we too are recipients of Your compassion. Help us to see our own need for mercy and to extend it freely to others. Teach us how to invite our enemies to the table and to be a part of Your story of reconciliation. In Jesus' name, Amen.”