Ch. 1 Jonah Rebelling & Running From God
Ch. 2 Jonah Repenting & Running Back To God
Ch. 3 Jonah Restarting & Running With God
Ch. 4 Jonah Regretting & Resenting God
5 MISTAKES THAT MADE JONAH MISERABLE
These make us miserable too
1. Jonah thought he could ignore his Mission. He ran from God.
2. Jonah was prejudiced against people God created & loved.
3. Jonah cared more about his politics than people's salvation.
4. Jonah was only interested in his nation, not God's world.
5. Jonah reluctantly fulfilled his Mission, but with a bad attitude.
2 MORE MISTAKES: Jonah 4:1-11
1. RESENTING GOD'S PLAN WHEN IT DOESN'T FIT MY PLAN
"When God saw that the people of Nineveh had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and he cancelled the destruction he had threatened. This change of plans upset Jonah, and he became furious. So Jonah complained to the Lord about it . . ." Jonah 3:10-4:2
o Frustration "This change of plans upset Jonah"
o Anger "He became furious"
o Self-pity "He complained to the Lord"
"Now I ask you, Lord, please kill me. For it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah 4:3 (NCV)
o Depression "It is better for me to die than live"
o Suicidal thoughts "Lord, please kill me!"
2. RESENTING GOD'S MERCY AND GOODNESS TO OTHERS
"Then Jonah complained, 'Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angryand filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for punishing these people.'" Jonah 4:2 (NLT)
WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN THINGS DON'T GO MY WAY
1. REMEMBER GOD CAN SEE THINGS THAT I CAN'T!
"Then God asked Jonah: ' What right do you have to be angry over what I've done?" Jonah 4:4
"The Lord said to Job, 'Who are you to question my wisdom?. . . Where were you when I made the world?"' Job 38:2-3 (TEV)
"Then Jonah left the city and found a place east of the city to sit down, There he tried to make a temporary shelter to sit under as he waited to seewhat would happen to the city." Jonah 4:5
2. REMEMBER GOD IS GOOD TO ME EVEN WHEN I'M CRANKY
"Then God arranged for broad leafed plant to spring up quickly and provide shade for Jonah from the hot sun and to relieve his discomfort. This made Jonah very happy and comfortable!' Jonah 4:6
Action Plan: In the spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude, take some time to write out a gratitude list of things you are grateful to God for. Use this list to start your prayer times this week.
3. REMEMBER GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERY DETAIL
"But at dawn the next day God arranged for a small worm to chew through the stem of that large shade plant so that it withered and died! Then, when the sun rose, God arranged a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed so hot on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said again, 'It would be better for me to die than to live!'"
Jonah 4:7-8
God uses both Great and Small things to direct me
"Then God asked Jonah again, 'What right do you have to be angry that the shade plant withered and died?' Jonah said. 'I have every right to be angry and I'm angry enough to die!'" Jonah 4:9
4. REMEMBER TO FOCUS ON WHAT WILL LAST
"Then the Lord said, 'Jonah, You're more concerned about a plant that died even though you didn't plant it, water it ,it or make it grow. (I did that) And plants are short-lived. They spring up quickly then die. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who don't know their right hand from theirleft, not to mention all the animals. Should I not be concerned about that great city?'" Jonah 4:10-11
"We fix our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NCV)
Action Plan: Use your quiet times this week to focus on what will last. Read through 2 Corinthians 4:18 every day and allow it to spark your meditation and prayer in your quiet times.
Doable Discipleship: This week's episode of Doable Discipleship says farewell to host Doug Jones. New episodes release every Tuesday. To listen, click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over, click here
