August 4, 2024
How Not To Talk To Your Friends About Jesus | Jonah 1
Can You Outrun Grace?
Jonah is an example of how not to take the good news of Jesus to people. His actions, heart, and focus were all wrong. But God won’t give up on this failed prophet—he goes after him in love.
Songs for this week: Spotify
- Why can it feel hard to talk about Jesus with people? Are there specific fears that stop us from obeying his command to "go into all the world and preach the gospel"?
- As far as Jonah was concerned, the people of Nineveh didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness. Are there people in our culture or circle of friends who we feel are beyond grace? What could God be saying to us about them?
- Jonah missed what God was doing around him because he was asleep. How easy is it for you to pay attention to God at work in the lives of your friends and neighbours? What distracts you from noticing God’s activity?
- God didn’t give up on Jonah, the failed prophet—he chose him and then chased him down when he ran away. What does this tell us about God’s character and his heart for us?
- Who is God inviting you to go to with the good news of Jesus? What is the next step for you?
Share with a friend
Recent Sermons
Empowered Baptism is recognized throughout the Church as the beginning of a ‘God thing.’ John’s baptism was a visible demonstration of the start of a new life — clearing out the junk to prepare for what God was about to do. Jesus’ baptism reveals the true heart of baptism: God’s desire to bless and express His delight. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the start of the Kingdom. Ordinary women and men were now filled with the Spirit of Jesus to continue on the ministry Jesus started.
Luke 3:21-22 -At Jesus’ baptism, the Father said, “You’re my son. I love you. I’m proud of you.” As Christians, our baptism is a sign that we are in Christ, that what is true about him is true about us, and that the Father’s blessing now defines us.
Luke 3:1-20 - The first mention of baptism in the Bible begins with John. John was the cousin of Jesus and also His opening act. John called the people of his day to "Get Ready." The public sign of a life getting ready for God was, and still is, baptism. Get washed so God can do what God wants to do.
Revelation 21:1-8 - Jesus wins; Jesus has already won; stay faithful to Jesus! This is the message of John’s sometimes confusing book of Revelation. It is full of encouragement and hope for disciples. Jesus, the Lamb, is on the throne. And he is preparing a future for us that includes heaven and so much more!
Acts 21:37–22:22 - Acts 21 finds Paul in Jerusalem, at the Temple, getting beaten for his faith in Jesus. In a wild turn of events, Paul had the opportunity to talk to those who wanted to kill him. What do you say to people who want you dead? Paul told his story—a story of his own self-righteous zeal, of Jesus meeting him in an unmistakable way, and of a kind believer who stood with him. What a great testimony!
Acts 13:16-44 -Paul and Barnabas made their way through the known world, telling everyone they met about Jesus and the Resurrection. In one synagogue, Paul told the Jews their history, but he told it differently than they’d heard it before. He showed how God had often given Israel a second chance. He went on to explain that Jesus was their second, and final, chance. Some of their listeners believed; others hated the message. Nobody likes being told they’re wrong.
