A Heart That is Stuck

Key verse:

Jonah 4:10-11New International Version (NIV)

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh,in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Sermon Notes:

1. Spiritual maturity is when we care about what God cares about.

2. Everybody is going to live forever somewhere and forever is a long time!

Group Icebreaker

Share a spiritually embarrassing moment that happened in your life.

Going Deeper

This week in our teaching series on Jonah, we looked at the heart of God and how we can align our hearts with His.

1. Read Jonah 4 in its entirety. Has there ever been a time in your life when you were angry with God because he showed His mercy and grace to a person that you felt didn’t deserved it? Please share.

2. In Jonah 4:2 Jonah shares an incredible insight into the heart of God in that He is Gracious, Compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Can you share a time when you experienced these aspects of God in your life?

3. In verses5-9 God gives an object lesson to teach a spiritual truth to Jonah. Has God ever used an object lesson in your life to teach you more about Him?

4. Spiritual maturity is caring about what God cares about. In this season of your life, what is God teaching you that you need to care more about?

5. Jonah struggled to see the Assyrians the way God saw them. Are you or have you ever been spiritually stuck in how you view certain people? How has God been speaking or spoken into your life on this? Please explain?

6. Read Mt 18:21-19:1. What does this tell us about forgiveness? Who was the person that you had the hardest time forgiving in your life? When you don’t forgive a person who does that mostly affect? Read Jn 8:31-32. How has following Jesus brought you freedom in forgiving others?

7. In Jonah 4:10-11 Jonah was more concerned about things (plants) than people. How can we as Christians demonstrate the heart of God for people?

8. How has this study of Jonah had an impact in your life?

Bottom Line: Everybody is going to live somewhere forever and forever is a long time!

Closing Prayer: Take time to pray for one another and for all of us to grow in spiritual maturity and to care for things that God cares about.